Mechanic A

®
Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire™ 2.0

Structural and Thermal Simulation
Help Topic Collection
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Table of Contents
Structural and Thermal Simulation Help............................................................. 1
About Structural and Thermal Simulation ........................................................ 1
Updates for Mechanica Wildfire 2.0................................................................. 1
Compatibility Issues .................................................................................. 2
Functionality Limitations ............................................................................ 2
Platform-Specific Limitations....................................................................... 2
Mechanica Wildfire Installation Issues ....................................................... 2
HP........................................................................................................ 2
Getting Started with Mechanica ..................................................................... 3
Getting Started ......................................................................................... 3
Configuration File Options .......................................................................... 3
config.pro Overview................................................................................ 4
config.pro Options .................................................................................. 4
Mechanica Products ..................................................................................21
Introducing the Mechanica Product Line....................................................21
Mechanica Structure ..............................................................................21
Mechanica Thermal................................................................................22
Mechanica Workflow .................................................................................23
Native Mode Workflow ...........................................................................23
FEM Mode Workflow...............................................................................24
Operating Modes ...................................................................................25
Integrated Mode....................................................................................26
Independent Mode.................................................................................27
vii
Table of Contents
Operating Mode Comparison ...................................................................28
Planning and Modeling Considerations.........................................................28
Building Part and Assemblies ..................................................................29
Using Effective Modeling Techniques ........................................................36
Planning for Optimization .......................................................................46
User Interface Basics for Integrated Mode ...................................................48
Working With the User Interface..............................................................48
Using Dialog Boxes and Message Boxes....................................................48
Mechanica Toolbar.................................................................................50
Process Guide .......................................................................................52
Selection Methods .................................................................................52
Using Layers.........................................................................................52
Managing Modeling Entities Through Suppression and Family Tables ............54
Simulation Display.................................................................................55
Color References ...................................................................................59
Getting Information on Your Model ..........................................................60
Removing Simulation Entities from Your Model ..........................................60
Transferring Your Model to Independent Mode...........................................61
Printing Your Model ...............................................................................61
Changing Configuration Settings..............................................................61
Setting Environment Variables ................................................................62
Online Help .............................................................................................63
Getting Help for Mechanica .....................................................................63
Online Help for Mechanica ......................................................................63
Supplemental Online Documents for Mechanica .........................................64
viii
Table of Contents
Simulation Advisor ................................................................................65
Viewing Specifications for Simulation Advisor ............................................65
Using Simulation Advisor ........................................................................66
Using Online Help ..................................................................................66
Troubleshooting Browser Problems For Simulation Advisor ..........................67
To Customize the Mechanica Toolbar ..........................................................68
To Control Icon Appearance.......................................................................68
To Set Icon Visibilities for Modeling Entities .................................................68
To Suppress Modeling Entities Through a Family Table ..................................68
To Set Icon Visibilities for Loads and Constraints ..........................................69
To Set Simulation Entity Prehighlighting Filters ............................................70
To Move the Mechanica Toolbar .................................................................70
Optimizing a Model (Native Mode) ..............................................................70
Developing a Model (Native Mode) .............................................................71
Defining Design Changes (Native Mode) ......................................................73
Analyzing a Model (Native Mode)................................................................73
Search Tool .............................................................................................73
Controlling Mesh Display ...........................................................................74
Comparing Mirror and Cyclic Symmetry.......................................................75
Defining an Analysis (FEM Mode)................................................................76
Solving a Model (FEM Mode) ......................................................................76
FEM Mode ...............................................................................................77
Creating a Mesh (FEM Mode) .....................................................................77
Developing a Model (FEM Mode).................................................................78
Tolerance Report......................................................................................79
ix
Table of Contents
Suppression and Family Tables ..................................................................80
Simulation Model .....................................................................................81
Displaying the Mesh Model ........................................................................82
Mechanica Mass Properties ........................................................................82
Example: Dependent Movement in Patterned Features ..................................83
When a Nonessential Feature Causes Unexpected Model Behavior Changes......84
Mechanica Fatigue Advisor ........................................................................84
Example: Avoiding Interference .................................................................85
When a Nonessential Feature Provides Hidden Benefits .................................85
Example: Using a Simplified Part................................................................86
FEM Mesh Display Buttons .........................................................................87
Example: Modeling Specialized Loads with a Cylindrical Coordinate System .....87
Controlling FEM Mesh Display ....................................................................88
Example: Pre-planning for Shape Changes ..................................................90
SIM SELECT Menu ....................................................................................91
Object Action Shortcut Menu .....................................................................92
Methods of Simplifying Your Model .............................................................92
Customizing the Mechanica Toolbar ............................................................93
Permanent and Session-based Configuration Files ........................................93
Building and Saving Queries ......................................................................94
Assembly Modeling Entities, Idealizations, and Connections ...........................94
Guidelines and Tips for Using Datum Points .................................................95
Considerations for Multiple Model Sessions ..................................................96
Pro/ENGINEER Parameters as Measures ......................................................96
Pro/ENGINEER Parameters as Design Parameters .........................................96
x
Table of Contents
Example: Featuring Your Part ....................................................................97
Driven and Driving Parameters ..................................................................98
Model Accuracy........................................................................................99
Object Action......................................................................................... 100
Example: Setting up a Solid Model for a 2D Analysis on an Internal Surface... 100
Connected and Unconnected Parts............................................................ 102
Search Tool Dialog Box ........................................................................... 103
Units .................................................................................................... 104
To Set a Principal System of Units ......................................................... 104
To Review an Individual Unit................................................................. 105
To Review a System of Units................................................................. 105
To Edit a Custom Unit .......................................................................... 105
To Edit a Custom System of Units.......................................................... 106
To Create a Custom Unit ...................................................................... 106
Units Management............................................................................... 107
Systems of Units Management .............................................................. 108
Custom Unit ....................................................................................... 108
Custom System of Units ....................................................................... 109
Guidelines for Specifying Units .............................................................. 110
Unit Conversion Tables......................................................................... 111
Introduction ....................................................................................... 111
Basic Equalities ................................................................................... 112
System of Units .................................................................................. 115
Basic Units ......................................................................................... 117
xi
Table of Contents
Examples of Values for Gravitational Acceleration and Selected Properties of

Steel ................................................................................................. 120
Correspondence Between Mass and Force ............................................... 120
Correspondence Between Mass and Pounds-mass .................................... 121
Conversion of Basic Units ..................................................................... 121
Correspondence Between Degrees Celsius and Degrees Fahrenheit ............ 125
Predefined Systems of Units ................................................................. 126
Predefined Units .................................................................................. 127
Set the Principal System of Units ........................................................... 127
About Units ........................................................................................ 128
To Create a Custom System of Units ...................................................... 129
Modeling Structure and Thermal Problems.................................................... 129
About Creating Models in Mechanica ......................................................... 129
Model Type ........................................................................................... 130
About Specifying a Product, Mode, and Model Type .................................. 130
About Model Types .............................................................................. 131
Structure Model Types ......................................................................... 132
Thermal Model Type ............................................................................ 135
Guidelines for Working with Model Types ................................................ 138
To Specify a Product, Mode, and Model Type ........................................... 138
To Define 2D Model Types .................................................................... 139
Example: 2D Axisymmetric Modeling ..................................................... 140
Example: 2D Plane Strain Modeling........................................................ 140
Features ............................................................................................... 141
About Features ................................................................................... 141
xii
Table of Contents
Datum Features in Pro/ENGINEER and Mechanica .................................... 142
Creating Features ................................................................................ 142
Datum Point ....................................................................................... 144
Datum Plane....................................................................................... 145
Datum Axis ........................................................................................ 145
Datum Curve ...................................................................................... 146
Coordinate Systems............................................................................. 147
Surface Region.................................................................................... 156
Volume Region.................................................................................... 158
Connections .......................................................................................... 160
About Connections............................................................................... 160
Welds ................................................................................................ 161
Rigid Connections................................................................................ 166
Fasteners ........................................................................................... 168
Contact Regions .................................................................................. 179
Condensation Interfaces....................................................................... 181
Rigid Links (FEM mode)........................................................................ 181
Weighted Links (FEM mode).................................................................. 183
Interfaces........................................................................................... 185
Gaps (FEM mode)................................................................................ 188
Precedence Rules ................................................................................ 190
Weighted Link Icon .............................................................................. 192
Reference Entities for Weighted Links..................................................... 192
Override Coordinate System for Weighted Links ...................................... 193
Example: Bending Stiffness .................................................................. 193
xiii
Table of Contents
Rigid Link Icon .................................................................................... 194
Override Coordinate System for Rigid Links............................................. 195
Guidelines for Surface-Surface Connections and Interfaces (FEM mode)...... 195
Rotation and Separation ....................................................................... 196
Example: Fix Rotations ........................................................................ 197
Degrees of Freedom for Rigid Links........................................................ 198
Pass or Fail Results — 2D ..................................................................... 199
Pass or Fail Results — 3D ..................................................................... 199
About Interfaces ................................................................................. 199
Example: Screw Fastener ..................................................................... 200
Axial Stiffness ..................................................................................... 200
Normal Stiffness.................................................................................. 201
Example: Intervening Geometry............................................................ 207
Example: Carries Shear........................................................................ 208
Reviewing Contact Regions ................................................................... 209
Idealizations.......................................................................................... 210
About Idealizations .............................................................................. 210
Shells ................................................................................................ 210
Beams ............................................................................................... 225
Masses............................................................................................... 230
Springs .............................................................................................. 234
Precedence Rules ................................................................................ 239
Results When Using Automatic Midsurface Connections ............................ 241
Spring References ............................................................................... 242
Extra Tab on Beam Definition Dialog Box ................................................ 243
xiv
Table of Contents
Auto Detect Paired Surfaces.................................................................. 243
Guidelines for Assigning Mass Properties ................................................ 243
Parameter-Capable Edit Fields............................................................... 244
Fix and Flip Normals ............................................................................ 245
Example: Geometric Precedence Rules ................................................... 245
Example: Invalidating a Modeling Entity ................................................. 246
Example: Multiconstant-Thickness Pairs ................................................. 247
Point–Point Pairs ................................................................................. 248
Example: Collet Illustration................................................................... 249
Example: Unpaired Surface on L-Bracket ................................................ 250
Omit Unopposed Surfaces..................................................................... 250
Example: T-Bracket ............................................................................. 251
Example: Part with Unopposed Surfaces ................................................. 251
Example: Assembly Model with Gap ....................................................... 252
Masses Based on Components (FEM mode)............................................. 253
Properties According to Mass Type (FEM mode) ....................................... 254
Surfaces and Curves Used in Shell Definition........................................... 254
Masses Based on Components............................................................... 255
Properties ............................................................................................. 256
About Properties ................................................................................. 256
Deleting Properties .............................................................................. 256
Background Information ....................................................................... 257
Beam Sections .................................................................................... 258
Beam Orientation ................................................................................ 264
Beam Releases ................................................................................... 267
xv
Table of Contents
Shell Properties................................................................................... 269
Spring Properties................................................................................. 276
Mass Properties................................................................................... 281
Materials ............................................................................................ 282
Material Orientation ............................................................................. 305
Reentrant Corners ............................................................................... 312
Display AutoGEM Messages................................................................... 312
Creating............................................................................................. 313
Example: Brick.................................................................................... 313
Boundary Processing Takes Too Long ..................................................... 313
Automatic Interrupt ............................................................................. 314
Max Aspect Ratio................................................................................. 314
Allowable Edge and Face Angles ............................................................ 315
AutoGEM Overconstrained .................................................................... 316
Required Modeling Entities.................................................................... 316
Create Links Where Needed .................................................................. 317
AutoGEM Interruption Guidelines ........................................................... 317
Detailed Fillet Modeling ........................................................................ 317
Minimum and Maximum Angles ............................................................. 318
Create a Full Set of Elements ................................................................ 318
Shell , 2D Plate Element Type, 2D Solid Element Type.............................. 319
Solids ................................................................................................ 319
Invalid Curves for 2D Axisymmetric Models............................................. 320
Example: Wedge ................................................................................. 321
Example: Point Loads........................................................................... 321
xvi
Table of Contents
Max Edge Turn (Degrees) ..................................................................... 323
Validate ............................................................................................. 323
Example: Tetra ................................................................................... 323
Invalid Surfaces for 2D Axisymmetric Models .......................................... 323
Modify or Delete Existing Elements ........................................................ 324
Point Loads, Point Constraints, Point Heat Loads, Point Prescribed

Temperatures, Point Convection Conditions............................................. 324
Move or Delete Existing Points .............................................................. 325
Example: Insert Points ......................................................................... 326
Insert Points ....................................................................................... 327
Example: Reentrant Corners ................................................................. 328
Fatigue Properties ............................................................................... 329
Thermal Values for Orthotropic Properties............................................... 330
Shear Modulus .................................................................................... 330
Projected Vector.................................................................................. 331
Poisson's Ratio .................................................................................... 331
Parameter-Capable Edit Fields............................................................... 332
Order of Rotation ................................................................................ 332
Example: Material Directions................................................................. 333
Material Directions 1, 2, and 3 .............................................................. 333
Transversely Isotropic Properties ........................................................... 334
Thermal Values for Transversely Isotropic Properties................................ 334
Review Stiffness.................................................................................. 335
Review Layup ..................................................................................... 335
Material Property Requirements — Failure Criterion.................................. 336
xvii
Table of Contents
Example: Project a Vector onto a Surface ............................................... 337
Warp & Mass Tab ................................................................................ 337
Square............................................................................................... 338
Rotate About ...................................................................................... 338
Property Type ..................................................................................... 339
Example: Applying a Material to a Solid Portion of Your Model ................... 340
Tsai Definition for Poisson's Ratios ......................................................... 341
Example: Orienting the BSCS to the BACS .............................................. 342
Example: Orienting the BSCS Shear Center ............................................ 343
Review Beam Section Properties............................................................ 344
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion — Isotropic .......................................... 346
Tsai-Wu Failure Criterion ...................................................................... 346
Calculate Stresses and Strains .............................................................. 346
Structural Options for Material Definition ................................................ 347
Thermal Options for Material Definition................................................... 348
Thickness ........................................................................................... 348
Working with the Laminate Layup Dialog Box .......................................... 348
Layup ................................................................................................ 349
Example: Material Coordinate System for a Cylindrical UCS....................... 350
Young's Modulus — Isotropic................................................................. 350
Poisson's Ratio — Isotropic ................................................................... 350
Isotropic Properties ............................................................................. 351
Isotropic ............................................................................................ 351
Maximum Strain Failure Criterion........................................................... 351
Example: Curved Surface Directions ...................................................... 352
xviii
Table of Contents
Failure Criterion .................................................................................. 352
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion ........................................................... 353
Ultimate Compressive Strength ............................................................. 353
Example: Laminate Layup .................................................................... 354
Example: Variable Material Orientation................................................... 354
Example: Rotation for Shells and Surfaces .............................................. 355
Modified Mohr Failure Criterion .............................................................. 355
Maximum Shear Stress (Tresca) Failure Criterion..................................... 355
Density .............................................................................................. 356
Example: Laminate Orientation ............................................................. 356
Orientation ......................................................................................... 357
Young's Modulus ................................................................................. 357
Number ............................................................................................. 358
Example: 2D Surface Directions ............................................................ 358
Normalized Tsai-Wu Interaction Term .................................................... 358
Thermal Values for Isotropic Properties .................................................. 358
Material or Sub-laminate ...................................................................... 359
Shell Thickness ................................................................................... 359
Solid Circle ......................................................................................... 360
Stress Grids........................................................................................ 361
Example: Cylindrical Coordinate System................................................. 361
Maximum Stress Failure Criterion .......................................................... 361
Distortion Energy (von Mises) Failure Criterion ........................................ 362
Function — Material Properties .............................................................. 362
Rectangle ........................................................................................... 362
xix
Table of Contents
L-Section ........................................................................................... 363
Beam Sections Dialog Box .................................................................... 364
General.............................................................................................. 365
Factors Determining the Selection of Entities........................................... 365
Hollow Rect ........................................................................................ 366
Material Assignment in Part Mode and Assembly Mode ............................. 366
J ....................................................................................................... 367
Coordinate System Types ..................................................................... 367
Cost .................................................................................................. 368
Orthotropic......................................................................................... 368
Parameter Button ................................................................................ 368
Referenced Coordinate System.............................................................. 369
Shear Strength ................................................................................... 369
Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) ............................................................ 370
Transversely Isotropic.......................................................................... 370
Solid Ellipse ........................................................................................ 370
Iyy, Iyz, Izz ........................................................................................ 371
Hollow Ellipse ..................................................................................... 371
Hollow Circle....................................................................................... 372
Diamond ............................................................................................ 373
Area .................................................................................................. 373
Channel ............................................................................................. 374
I-Beam .............................................................................................. 375
Shear FY, Shear FZ.............................................................................. 375
Shear DY, Shear DZ............................................................................. 376
xx
Table of Contents
Structural Constraints ............................................................................. 376
About Structure Constraints.................................................................. 376
Adding Constraints .............................................................................. 377
Constraints, Loads, and Analysis Types .................................................. 378
Constraints on Entities ......................................................................... 380
Guidelines for Structure Constraint Sets ................................................. 380
Guidelines for Structure Constraints....................................................... 381
Displacement Constraints ..................................................................... 382
Symmetry Constraints ......................................................................... 388
Along Surface Constraints..................................................................... 394
Structure Constraints on Geometry ........................................................ 395
About Thermal Boundary Conditions ...................................................... 396
Example: Axis of Symmetry.................................................................. 397
Constraints on Compressed Midsurfaces ................................................. 397
Troubleshooting Constraints.................................................................. 398
Example: Cut for Cyclic Symmetry......................................................... 398
Guidelines for Prescribed Displacement Constraints.................................. 399
Structure Constraints on Regions........................................................... 399
Structure Constraints on Datum Points ................................................... 400
Structure Constraints and Coordinate Systems ........................................ 400
Improperly Constrained Springs, Beams, or Shells ................................... 401
Improperly Connected Idealizations ....................................................... 402
Problems with Elements ....................................................................... 402
Insufficiently Constrained Models........................................................... 403
Problems with Loads and Constraints ..................................................... 403
xxi
Table of Contents
Singularities and Loads ........................................................................ 404
Singularities and Constraints................................................................. 404
Strategy: Minimizing Singularities.......................................................... 405
Singularities ....................................................................................... 405
Problems with Properties ...................................................................... 406
Constraints and Loads on Compressed Geometry..................................... 406
Thermal Boundary Conditions .................................................................. 407
Guidelines for Thermal Boundary Conditions ........................................... 407
Guidelines for Thermal Boundary Conditions for Geometry ........................ 407
Boundary Condition Sets ...................................................................... 408
Convection Conditions.......................................................................... 409
Prescribed Temperatures ...................................................................... 421
Radiation Conditions (FEM Mode)........................................................... 425
To Define a Radiation Condition............................................................. 426
To Use External Conv Coefficient Spatial Variation for 3D Models ............... 427
To Use External Conv Coef & Bulk Temp Spatial Variation for 3D Models ..... 427
To Use Uniform Spatial Variation for 3D Models ....................................... 428
To Use External Bulk Temperature Spatial Variation for 3D Models ............. 428
Variations for Convection Conditions in FEM Mode.................................... 429
Understanding Thermal Boundary Condition Sets..................................... 429
Structure Loads ..................................................................................... 430
About Loads ....................................................................................... 430
About Structure Loads ......................................................................... 430
Relations Functions for Loads and Constraints ......................................... 431
Load Basics ........................................................................................ 432
xxii
Table of Contents
Guidelines for Structure Loads .............................................................. 434
Guidelines for Load Sets....................................................................... 434
Force and Moment Loads...................................................................... 436
Bearing Loads ..................................................................................... 440
Centrifugal Loads ................................................................................ 442
Gravity Loads ..................................................................................... 445
Pressure Loads.................................................................................... 447
Temperature Loads.............................................................................. 450
Mechanism Loads ................................................................................ 457
Troubleshooting Your Loads .................................................................. 459
To Define Structural Temperature Loads................................................. 461
Function of Coordinates........................................................................ 461
Example: Function of Coordinates.......................................................... 462
Functional Form of Interpolation............................................................ 462
Structural Temperature Loads ............................................................... 463
Structure Loads on Regions .................................................................. 464
Example: Bearing Load ........................................................................ 465
Example: Bearing Load on an Open Curve .............................................. 465
Sample FNF File for External Temperature .............................................. 465
Example: Bearing Load on a Surface ...................................................... 467
Strategy: Scaling Results for Centrifugal Loads in a Combined Load Set...... 467
Add for Interpolation............................................................................ 467
Structure Loads on Points ..................................................................... 468
Force Per Unit Type ............................................................................. 469
Load Interpolation ............................................................................... 470
xxiii
Table of Contents
Total Load .......................................................................................... 470
Total Load At Point .............................................................................. 471
Remove for Interpolation...................................................................... 472
How Loads Transfer to Structure ........................................................... 472
Force Per Unit Type Guidelines .............................................................. 474
From and To Fields for Dir Points & Mag ................................................. 474
Structure Loads on Geometry ............................................................... 475
How Structure Imports Loads from Mechanism Design ............................. 475
Interpolated Over Entity ....................................................................... 476
Load Resultant Dialog Box for Structure Loads ........................................ 476
Mechanism Load Import Dialog Box ....................................................... 477
Guidelines for Spatially Varying Loads .................................................... 478
Example: Pressure Load ....................................................................... 479
Example: Spatially Varying Loads .......................................................... 479
Preview for Interpolation ...................................................................... 481
Thermal Loads ....................................................................................... 481
About Loads ....................................................................................... 481
About Heat Loads ................................................................................ 481
Guidelines for Heat Loads ..................................................................... 482
Guidelines for Load Sets....................................................................... 482
Defining Heat Loads............................................................................. 484
Defining Component Heat Loads............................................................ 488
FEM Heat Loads .................................................................................. 490
Reviewing Total Heat Loads .................................................................. 492
To Review Total Heat Loads .................................................................. 492
xxiv
Table of Contents
Load Resultant Dialog Box for Heat Loads ............................................... 492
Heat Loads on Internal Surfaces ............................................................ 493
Units According to Model Type and Entity ............................................... 494
Measures .............................................................................................. 494
About Simulation Measures................................................................... 494
Uses of Measures ................................................................................ 495
Measure Basics ................................................................................... 495
Measures Dialog Box............................................................................ 512
Measures Definition Dialog Box ............................................................. 514
Results Available for Measures .............................................................. 533
Selecting One or More Measures............................................................ 533
To Define a Failure Index Measure ......................................................... 534
To Define a Center of Mass Measure ...................................................... 534
To Define a Displacement Measure ........................................................ 535
To Define a Velocity Measure ................................................................ 535
To Define a Fatigue Measure ................................................................. 535
To Define a Force Measure.................................................................... 536
To Define a Moment of Inertia Measure .................................................. 536
To Define a Moment Measure ................................................................ 537
To Define a Rotation Measure ............................................................... 537
To Define a Contact Measure ................................................................ 537
To Define a Driven Pro Parameter Measure ............................................. 538
To Define a Heat Flux or Temperature Gradient Measure .......................... 538
To Define a Phase Measure ................................................................... 539
To Define a Rotational Acceleration Measure ........................................... 539
xxv
Table of Contents
To Define a Rotational Velocity Measure ................................................. 539
To Define a Temperature Measure ......................................................... 540
To Define a Time Measure .................................................................... 540
To Define a Stress or Strain Measure ..................................................... 540
To Define an Acceleration Measure ........................................................ 541
Time/Frequency Eval ........................................................................... 541
RMS .................................................................................................. 541
Maximum ........................................................................................... 542
Max Absolute ...................................................................................... 542
Minimum............................................................................................ 542
Example: Near Point Measures and Model Types...................................... 543
Component — Dynamic Analyses........................................................... 543
Component — Thermal Analyses ........................................................... 544
At Each Step — Time or Frequency Evaluation Method.............................. 544
Minimum — Time or Frequency Evaluation Method................................... 545
Quantity — Basic Analyses.................................................................... 545
At Each Step....................................................................................... 546
Example: Near Point Measures and Geometric Intersection ....................... 546
Maximum — Time or Frequency Evaluation Method .................................. 547
Component — Stress and Strain Quantities ............................................. 547
Component — Basic Analyses................................................................ 547
Global Spatial Evaluation Methods ......................................................... 548
Measures Not Calculated for Dynamic Random ........................................ 548
Datum Points for User-Defined Measures ................................................ 548
Time/Frequency Eval Options ................................................................ 549
xxvi
Table of Contents
Component — Center of Mass Quantities ................................................ 550
Component — Stress, Strain ................................................................. 550
Quantity — Dynamic Analyses............................................................... 551
Quantity — Thermal Analyses ............................................................... 552
Spatial Evaluation Method — Basic and Dynamic Analyses ........................ 552
Spatial Evaluation Method — Thermal Analyses ....................................... 553
Time or Frequency Evaluation Method — Dynamic Analyses ...................... 554
Component — Moment of Inertia Quantities ............................................ 555
Component — Displacement, Rotation, and Reaction Quantities................. 555
Apparent Frequency............................................................................. 556
Component — Contact Force Quantity .................................................... 556
Time Evaluation Method — Thermal Analyses .......................................... 556
Maximum Absolute — Time Evaluation (Thermal Analysis) ........................ 557
Minimum — Time Evaluation (Thermal Analysis) ...................................... 557
Maximum Absolute — Time or Frequency Evaluation Method ..................... 558
Maximum — Time Evaluation (Thermal Analysis) ..................................... 558
At Each Step — Time Evaluation (Thermal Analysis)................................. 559
Radius ............................................................................................... 559
Spatial Evaluation — Thermal ............................................................... 559
Dynamic Evaluation in Thermal ............................................................. 560
Phase Type......................................................................................... 561
Quantity for Measure Definition ............................................................. 561
UCS-Based Measures ........................................................................... 562
Spatial Evaluation — Structure .............................................................. 562
Time Stamp........................................................................................ 563
xxvii
Table of Contents
Dynamic Evaluation in Structure............................................................ 563
Meshes ................................................................................................. 564
Native Mode Meshes ............................................................................ 564
FEM Meshes........................................................................................ 591
Elements with Approximated Linear Edges .............................................. 636
Example: Orientation and Tolerance Settings .......................................... 637
AutoGEM File Names............................................................................ 637
Design Controls ..................................................................................... 638
About Design Controls.......................................................................... 638
Design Parameters .............................................................................. 638
Shape Review ..................................................................................... 645
Shape Animate ................................................................................... 649
Guidelines for Using Relations ............................................................... 651
Example: Relations.............................................................................. 652
Design Parameters with Laminate Layup ................................................ 653
Strategy: Using Design Parameters........................................................ 653
Verifying Models .................................................................................... 654
Checking Your Model............................................................................ 654
Validity Checking................................................................................. 655
Structure and Thermal Errors................................................................ 655
Structure Errors .................................................................................. 656
Thermal Errors.................................................................................... 656
To Promote Simulation Features to Pro/ENGINEER...................................... 657
To Create a Pro/ENGINEER Parameter ...................................................... 657
Creating Analyses ..................................................................................... 658
xxviii
Table of Contents
About Analyses ...................................................................................... 658
Creating Analyses and Design Studies....................................................... 658
Analyses and Design Studies Dialog Box.................................................... 659
Analysis Types ....................................................................................... 659
Structural Analysis ................................................................................. 660
About Structural Analysis ..................................................................... 660
Constraint and Load Sets in Structural Analyses ...................................... 661
Static and Prestress Static Analyses ....................................................... 661
Large Deformation Static Analysis ......................................................... 665
Contact Analysis.................................................................................. 667
Modal and Prestress Modal Analyses ...................................................... 669
Buckling Analysis................................................................................. 672
Fatigue Analysis .................................................................................. 674
To Use Previous Analysis Results in a Fatigue Analysis.............................. 676
To Define the Load History for a Fatigue Analysis..................................... 676
To Select Output Options for a Structural Analysis ................................... 677
To Select Load Interval Options for Large Deformation and Contact Analyses
........................................................................................................ 677
To Set Convergence for a Structural Analysis .......................................... 677
To Select Temperature Distribution for an Analysis .................................. 678
To Use Previous Analysis Results in a Prestress Analysis ........................... 678
To Use Previous Analysis Results in a Buckling Analysis ............................ 679
To Select Mode Options for a Modal Analysis ........................................... 679
Convergence Options for Structural Analyses .......................................... 680
Previous Analysis Options for Buckling Analysis ....................................... 680
xxix
Table of Contents
Buckling Load Factor and Optimization Studies ........................................ 681
Previous Analysis Options for Prestress Analyses ..................................... 681
Temperature Distribution Options .......................................................... 682
Strategy: Using Contact Analysis Effectively............................................ 682
Strategy: Determining the Presence of a Non-Linear Problem .................... 683
Contact Analyses in Design Studies........................................................ 684
Plotting Grid ....................................................................................... 684
Calculate Quantities for Analysis............................................................ 685
Number of Load Intervals ..................................................................... 685
Number of Modes, All Modes in Frequency Range..................................... 686
Min Frequency, Max Frequency ............................................................. 686
Load Interval Options for Large Deformation and Contact Analyses ............ 687
Loading Types for Fatigue Analysis ........................................................ 687
Previous Analysis Options for Fatigue Analysis......................................... 688
Output Options for Structural Analyses................................................... 688
Sample Uses for Prestress and Buckling Analyses .................................... 688
Model Temperature Distribution............................................................. 689
Use Temperatures from Previous Design Study........................................ 690
Use Static Analysis Results From Previous Design Study ........................... 690
Load Scale Factor for Prestress Analyses ................................................ 691
Combine Results with Results from Previous Static Analysis ...................... 691
Units of Modal Frequency Results .......................................................... 691
Load History Options for Fatigue Analysis ............................................... 691
Spin Softening .................................................................................... 692
Mode Options for Modal and Prestress Modal Analyses.............................. 692
xxx
Table of Contents
Strain Measures in Large Deformation Static Analysis............................... 692
Load Types in Large Deformation Static Analysis ..................................... 693
Adjusting Cyclic Material Properties for Fatigue........................................ 694
Adjusting the Mean Stress Parameter for Fatigue..................................... 694
Adjusting the Material Confidence Level for Fatigue.................................. 695
Advanced Tuning for Fatigue Advisor ..................................................... 695
Adjusting the Biaxiality Parameter for Fatigue ......................................... 696
Guidelines for Entering Polynomial Order ................................................ 696
Strategy: Specifying Polynomial Order for a Multi-Pass Adaptive Analysis.... 697
Temperature Load Information for Static Analyses ................................... 697
Single-Pass Adaptive Convergence Method ............................................. 698
Multi-Pass Adaptive Convergence Method ............................................... 699
Convergence Quantity for Static, Prestress Static, Large Deformation, and

Contact Analyses................................................................................. 699
Percent Convergence ........................................................................... 700
Convergence Method ........................................................................... 700
Polynomial Order................................................................................. 701
Convergence Quantity for Modal and Prestress Modal Analyses .................. 701
Localized Mesh Refinement ................................................................... 702
Convergence Quantity for Buckling Analyses ........................................... 703
Unconstrained..................................................................................... 703
Constrained, With Rigid Mode Search ..................................................... 704
Thermal Analysis.................................................................................... 704
About Thermal Analysis........................................................................ 704
Boundary Condition and Load Sets in Thermal Analyses............................ 705
xxxi
Table of Contents
Steady Thermal Analysis ...................................................................... 705
Transient Thermal Analysis ................................................................... 706
To Select Output Options for a Thermal Analysis...................................... 708
To Select Temperature Options for a Transient Thermal Analysis ............... 709
To Set Convergence for a Thermal Analysis............................................. 710
Estimated Variation ............................................................................. 710
Initial Temperature Distribution............................................................. 711
Transient Thermal Convergence Method ................................................. 711
Automatically Smooth Convections ........................................................ 712
Accuracy ............................................................................................ 712
Percent Convergence ........................................................................... 713
Convergence Quantities for Steady Thermal Analysis................................ 713
Steady Thermal Convergence Method .................................................... 713
Understanding Accuracy ....................................................................... 714
Time Range Specification...................................................................... 714
Time Range ........................................................................................ 715
User-defined Steps for Transient Thermal Analysis................................... 715
Output Intervals for Transient Thermal Analysis ...................................... 715
Temperature Options for Transient Thermal Analysis ................................ 716
Thermal Measures ............................................................................... 716
Plotting Grid ....................................................................................... 717
Local Temperatures and Local Energy Norms .......................................... 717
Local Temperatures and Local and Global Energy Norms........................... 717
Heat Flux ........................................................................................... 718
Convergence Percentage Calculation ...................................................... 718
xxxii
Table of Contents
Output Options for Thermal Analyses ..................................................... 718
Convergence Options for Thermal Analyses............................................. 719
Vibration Analysis .................................................................................. 719
About Vibration Analysis....................................................................... 719
Dynamic Time, Dynamic Frequency, and Dynamic Random Analyses .......... 719
Dynamic Shock Analysis ....................................................................... 724
To Create a Dynamic Shock Analysis ...................................................... 724
To Use Previous Analysis Results in a Dynamic Analysis............................ 725
To Define the Response Spectrum for a Dynamic Shock Analysis ............... 725
To Select Output Options for a Dynamic Analysis ..................................... 726
To Select Mode Options for a Dynamic Analysis ....................................... 727
To Select Load Functions for a Dynamic Analysis ..................................... 728
To Specify Base Excitation for a Dynamic Analysis ................................... 728
Results Output Intervals....................................................................... 728
Response Spectrum Options for Dynamic Shock Analysis .......................... 729
Use Modes From Previous Design Study ................................................. 730
Previous Analysis Options for Dynamic Analysis ....................................... 730
Modes Included ................................................................................... 731
Frequency Range ................................................................................ 731
For Individual Modes............................................................................ 731
Function of Frequency .......................................................................... 732
Damping Coefficient (%) ...................................................................... 732
Calculate Quantities and Factors for Vibration Analysis ............................. 732
User-defined Steps .............................................................................. 733
Output Options for Dynamic Analyses .................................................... 733
xxxiii
Table of Contents
Mode Options for Dynamic Analyses....................................................... 734
Mass Participation Factor Results ........................................................... 734
Full Results......................................................................................... 734
Base Excitation ................................................................................... 734
Sum Load Sets.................................................................................... 735
Load Set Functions .............................................................................. 735
Time Range ........................................................................................ 736
Direction of Base Excitation .................................................................. 736
FEM Analysis ......................................................................................... 737
About FEM Analysis ............................................................................. 737
Using the FEM Analysis Command in FEM Mode ....................................... 737
Defining a FEM Analysis........................................................................ 738
Defining a Modal FEM Analysis .............................................................. 738
To Create an Output File ...................................................................... 739
To Review the Mesh............................................................................. 740
To Solve a FEM Model Online or in the Background .................................. 740
To Create a Modal FEM Analysis ............................................................ 741
Suppressing Loads, Constraints, and Boundary Conditions ........................ 741
NASTRAN Templates ............................................................................ 741
Fixing Parabolic Elements ..................................................................... 742
Storing and Retrieving FEA Results ........................................................ 742
Using Solver Results in the Postprocessor ............................................... 743
Output Formats................................................................................... 743
FEM Neutral Format ............................................................................. 744
MSC/NASTRAN.................................................................................... 744
xxxiv
Table of Contents
ANSYS ............................................................................................... 745
To Create a FEM Analysis ..................................................................... 746
Analysis and Design Study Workflow......................................................... 747
Strategy: Identifying and Resolving Potential Trouble Spots in a Model.......... 748
About Creating and Running Analyses and Design Studies ........................... 749
Creating Design Studies............................................................................. 749
About Design Studies ............................................................................. 749
Strategies for Running a Standard Design Study ........................................ 750
Design Study Files.................................................................................. 750
Creating Design Studies .......................................................................... 751
Analyses and Design Studies Dialog Box................................................. 751
Design Study Definition Dialog Box ........................................................ 752
Standard Study for Structure and Thermal.............................................. 752
Global Sensitivity Study for Structure and Thermal .................................. 754
Local Sensitivity Study for Structure and Thermal .................................... 757
Optimization Study for Structure and Thermal ......................................... 759
To Save an Optimized Shape ................................................................... 765
To Create a Design Study........................................................................ 765
To Define an Optimization Study Limit ...................................................... 766
To Define an Optimization Study Goal ....................................................... 766
To Run a Regeneration Analysis ............................................................... 767
Local Sensitivity Dialog Box ..................................................................... 768
Strategy: Viewing Optimization Results ..................................................... 768
Strategy: Running a Global Sensitivity Study ............................................. 768
Varying a Single Design Parameter in a Global Sensitivity Study................... 769
xxxv
Table of Contents
Using Global Sensitivity Studies Effectively ................................................ 769
Track.................................................................................................... 770
Redefine the Design Study ...................................................................... 771
Strategy: Optimizing a Model................................................................... 771
Strategy: Defining Optimization Studies .................................................... 771
Strategy: After You Run an Optimization Study .......................................... 772
Selecting Load Sets and Modes for Optimization Studies.............................. 773
Using Measures More than Once for Optimization Limits .............................. 773
Strategy: Preparing for Optimization Studies ............................................. 774
Running Solvers ....................................................................................... 774
Native Mode Solvers ............................................................................... 774
Running Analyses and Design Studies .................................................... 774
Before You Run an Analysis or Design Study ........................................... 775
Analyses and Design Studies Dialog Box................................................. 776
To Start an Analysis or Design Study Run ............................................... 776
Setting Up a Run ................................................................................. 777
Start.................................................................................................. 780
Restart .............................................................................................. 782
Batch................................................................................................. 784
Stop .................................................................................................. 785
Monitoring an Analysis or Design Study Run............................................ 785
Time and Disk Usage Information .......................................................... 788
Diagnose............................................................................................ 789
Troubleshoot Run Problems .................................................................. 789
mecbatch ........................................................................................... 791
xxxvi
Table of Contents
msengine ........................................................................................... 792
FEM Solvers .......................................................................................... 795
About Running FEM Analyses and Generating Output Decks ...................... 795
Solving a Model Using an FEA Program................................................... 796
Selecting a Solver ............................................................................... 797
FEM Analysis Types ............................................................................. 797
Element Shape.................................................................................... 798
Determining a Run Method ................................................................... 799
To Display Run Errors ............................................................................. 802
To Select the Iterative Solver .................................................................. 803
Guidelines for Allocating RAM for Solver and Element Data .......................... 803
Detailed Summary ................................................................................. 804
Restrictions When Specifying Multiple Working Directories ........................... 804
Managing Memory and Swap Space .......................................................... 805
Guidelines for Managing Disk Space Resources........................................... 806
Managing Performance ........................................................................... 806
Modifying Analyses and Design Studies ..................................................... 807
Analyses and Design Studies Toolbar ........................................................ 807
Strategy: Improving Convergence ............................................................ 807
-massnorm ........................................................................................... 808
BLF Convergence ................................................................................... 808
–iter n .................................................................................................. 808
–i input_dir ........................................................................................... 808
Optimization Studies .............................................................................. 808
Measure Convergence............................................................................. 809
xxxvii
Table of Contents
Local Sensitivity Studies.......................................................................... 809
Local Disp/Energy Index, Local Temp/Energy Index .................................... 809
Global RMS Stress Index ......................................................................... 809
Global Sensitivity Studies ........................................................................ 810
Global Energy Index ............................................................................... 810
Convergence Indicators .......................................................................... 810
Strategy: Fixing Convergence Problems .................................................... 810
Frequency Convergence .......................................................................... 811
Temperature Distribution ........................................................................ 811
Error Detection in Optimization Studies ..................................................... 811
–solram ram_size................................................................................... 811
Inconsistent Shell Normals ...................................................................... 812
–sturm option........................................................................................ 812
Error Resolution ..................................................................................... 812
Convergence Measures ........................................................................... 813
Boundary Faces ..................................................................................... 813
Boundary Edges..................................................................................... 813
Allowable Errors..................................................................................... 813
Standard Design Study with Parameters.................................................... 814
Standard Studies: Static, Large Deformation Static, Contact, Prestress Static,

Modal, Prestress Modal, Buckling, Steady-State Thermal, and Transient Thermal
Analyses ............................................................................................... 814
Standard Studies: Dynamic Time, Frequency, and Random Analyses ............ 815
Standard Studies, Dynamic Shock Analyses ............................................... 815
–T........................................................................................................ 815
Matching Parameters .............................................................................. 815
xxxviii
Table of Contents
–p password.......................................................................................... 815
-gdp ..................................................................................................... 816
–elram ram_size .................................................................................... 816
–bsram ram_size ................................................................................... 817
–ascii ................................................................................................... 817
Sample mecbatch File ............................................................................. 817
Strategy: If Solver RAM Is Too Low .......................................................... 818
Strategy: If Solver RAM Is Too High ......................................................... 818
Select the Solver.................................................................................... 819
Guidelines for Allocating Swap Space ........................................................ 819
Guidelines for Setting Solram .................................................................. 820
mech_extopt.out File Format ................................................................... 821
–w working_dir1:working_dir2:................................................................ 821
Strategy: Running the Engine with Parallel Processing................................. 822
mech_extopt.in File Format ..................................................................... 823
After P-Loop Pass ................................................................................... 823
Maximum Number of Iterations................................................................ 824
Reviewing Results ..................................................................................... 824
Results for Native Mode .......................................................................... 824
About Results ..................................................................................... 824
Working with the Results User Interface ................................................. 825
Results User Interface Menu Bar............................................................ 826
Results User Interface Toolbar .............................................................. 827
Basic Functions for the Results User Interface ......................................... 828
Defining and Viewing Results ................................................................ 828
xxxix
Table of Contents
Evaluating Results ............................................................................... 835
Loading Result Windows ....................................................................... 836
To Load a Result Window...................................................................... 836
Saving Results .................................................................................... 837
Generating Reports.............................................................................. 838
To Define an Acceleration Quantity ........................................................ 839
To Animate a Results Display ................................................................ 839
To Specify a Result Window Quantity ..................................................... 839
To Specify Result Window Display Options .............................................. 840
To Define a Displacement Quantity ........................................................ 840
To Define a Deformed Results Display .................................................... 840
To Define a Contour Results Display....................................................... 841
To Define a Contact Pressure Quantity ................................................... 841
To Define a Beam Resultant Quantity ..................................................... 841
To Define a Rotation Quantity ............................................................... 842
To Define a Rotation Velocity Quantity ................................................... 842
To Define a Rotation Acceleration Quantity ............................................. 842
To Define a Shear & Moment Quantity.................................................... 843
To Define a Strain Quantity................................................................... 843
To Define a Results Display Location ...................................................... 843
To Define a Vectors Results Display ....................................................... 844
To Define a Flux or Temp Gradient Quantity............................................ 844
To Define a Reactions at Point Constraints Quantity ................................. 844
To Define a Reaction Quantity ............................................................... 845
To Define a Model Results Display.......................................................... 845
xl
Table of Contents
To Define a Measure Quantity ............................................................... 845
To Define a Graph Results Display ......................................................... 846
To Define a Fringe Results Display ......................................................... 846
To Define a Shell Resultant Quantity ...................................................... 846
To Define a Failure Index Quantity......................................................... 847
To Define a Velocity Quantity ................................................................ 847
To Define a Thermal Strain Quantity ...................................................... 847
To Define a Thermal Strain Energy Quantity............................................ 847
To Define a Temperature Quantity ......................................................... 848
To Define a Strain Energy Quantity ........................................................ 848
To Define a Stress Quantity .................................................................. 848
To Define a Fatigue Quantity................................................................. 848
Components for Fatigue ....................................................................... 849
Reviewing the Results .......................................................................... 850
Component and Layer Visibility in Results ............................................... 851
Results Relative to Ply Orientation ......................................................... 851
Component......................................................................................... 852
Recovery Points for Beam Results .......................................................... 852
Stress Notes ....................................................................................... 853
Example: Contour Plot ......................................................................... 854
Quantity Notes for Modal and Dynamic Analyses...................................... 854
Top and Bottom Shell Location .............................................................. 855
Maximum and Minimum Shell Values ..................................................... 855
Results Relative to Material Orientation .................................................. 855
Reaction Results Reporting ................................................................... 856
xli
Table of Contents
Velocity Results Quantity ...................................................................... 856
Thermal Strain Results Quantity ............................................................ 856
Vectors Display Type ........................................................................... 857
Animating Your Results Display ............................................................. 858
Insert Result Windows From Template Dialog Box.................................... 859
Tips for Fringe Displays ........................................................................ 859
Example: Max Principal Stress Vector Plot............................................... 860
Components for Beam Bending, Tension, Torsion, and Total...................... 860
Contour Results Display ....................................................................... 861
Strategy: Using Convergence Graphs to Review Results ........................... 861
Strategy: Interpreting Beam Resultant Forces and Moments ..................... 863
Types of Measure Results Graphs .......................................................... 865
Results Relative to Coordinate Systems .................................................. 866
Results Relative to Beam Orientation ..................................................... 866
Example: Vector Plot ........................................................................... 867
Example: Fringe Display....................................................................... 868
Local Sensitivity Graph Notes................................................................ 868
Deformed Results Display ..................................................................... 869
Acceleration Results Quantity................................................................ 869
Components for Acceleration, Displacement, Reaction, Rotation, Rotation

Acceleration, Rotation Velocity, or Velocity.............................................. 870
Secondary Quantity Option Menu........................................................... 871
Displacement Results Quantity .............................................................. 871
Contact Pressure Results Quantity ......................................................... 872
Graph Location ................................................................................... 872
xlii
Table of Contents
Components for Beam Resultant ........................................................... 872
Fatigue Results Quantity ...................................................................... 873
Beam Resultant Results Quantity........................................................... 873
Shell Contribution................................................................................ 873
Relative To ......................................................................................... 874
Rotation Acceleration Results Quantity ................................................... 874
Temp Gradient Results Quantity ............................................................ 875
Thermal Strain Energy Results Quantity ................................................. 875
Temperature Results Quantity ............................................................... 876
Strain Energy Results Quantity.............................................................. 876
Shell Resultant Results Quantity ............................................................ 876
Shear & Moment Results Quantity ......................................................... 877
Rotation Velocity Results Quantity ......................................................... 877
Rotation Results Quantity ..................................................................... 878
Flux Results Quantity ........................................................................... 879
Model Display Type.............................................................................. 879
Components for Shell Resultant............................................................. 880
Components for Shear and Moment ....................................................... 880
Components for Reactions at Point Constraints........................................ 881
Components for Flux and Temp Gradient ................................................ 881
Reactions at Point Constraints Quantity .................................................. 882
Graph Display Type ............................................................................. 882
Quantity for Result Windows ................................................................. 882
Reaction Results Quantity..................................................................... 883
P-Level Results Quantity....................................................................... 884
xliii
Table of Contents
Components for Stress or Strain............................................................ 884
Failure Index Results Quantity .............................................................. 885
Measure Results Quantity ..................................................................... 885
Fringe Display Type ............................................................................. 886
Stress Results Quantity ........................................................................ 887
Strain Results Quantity ........................................................................ 888
How Stress Components Relate to Textbook Examples ............................. 888
Beam Contribution............................................................................... 889
Results for FEM ...................................................................................... 890
About FEM Results............................................................................... 890
Using the Postprocessor in FEM Mode..................................................... 891
Loading NASTRAN Results Database ...................................................... 891
Graphical Result Windows..................................................................... 892
FEA Parameters .................................................................................. 905
Analysis Statistics................................................................................ 907
Hard Point Reports .............................................................................. 908
Supported FEA Solvers......................................................................... 910
To Generate an Edge Graph .................................................................. 910
To Display or Output Parameters ........................................................... 911
To Delete Parameters .......................................................................... 911
Shell Side........................................................................................... 912
Outputting FEM Analysis Statistics ......................................................... 912
Output of Statistics and Reports for Thermal Analyses.............................. 913
Output of Statistics and Reports for Structural or Modal Analyses .............. 914
Limitations of Averaging in Results ........................................................ 914
xliv
Table of Contents
Graphing Statistics .............................................................................. 914
FEA Parameter Types ........................................................................... 915
Outputting Hard Point Reports............................................................... 915
Creating Statistics, Parameters, or Reports from Shell Elements ................ 916
Defining Parameters Based on Results.................................................... 916
Generating Point Data .......................................................................... 916
To Annotate a Result Window .................................................................. 917
To Save a Result Window ........................................................................ 918
To Edit a Result Window.......................................................................... 918
To Format a Fringe, Contour, Vector, Model, or Animation Result Window...... 918
To Customize Annotation Styles ............................................................... 919
Adjusting Color Scale for Fringe, Contour, and Vector Legends ..................... 919
Controlling Animations ............................................................................ 920
Adjusting Fringe, Contour, and Vector Legends .......................................... 920
Examining Model Interiors for Fringe and Contour Plots ............................... 921
Example: Comparing Animation Stages for the Same Model......................... 922
Example: Comparing Mode Animations for the Same Model ......................... 923
Determining the Minimum and Maximum Locations for a Quantity ................ 924
Modifying and Deleting Cutting and Capping Surfaces ................................. 924
Copying and Deleting Result Windows....................................................... 925
Clearing Query Tags from a Result Window................................................ 925
Comparing Animations ............................................................................ 925
Displaying Element IDs, Node IDs, and Result Values (FEM mode)................ 926
Note Style Dialog Box ............................................................................. 926
Reviewing and Altering Result Windows..................................................... 927
xlv
Table of Contents
Format Result Window Dialog Box ............................................................ 928
Querying Quantities for Fringe Plots and Linearized Stress Analyses.............. 928
Displaying Result Windows ...................................................................... 929
Saved Views.......................................................................................... 929
Before You Use the Results Command....................................................... 929
Comparing Results ................................................................................. 930
Shading Your Model................................................................................ 930
Probing Graphs ...................................................................................... 931
Probing Fringe, Contour, and Vector Plots.................................................. 932
Using Maximum and Minimum Legend Values to Get More Details................. 932
Orientation Dialog Box ............................................................................ 933
Controlling Result Window Appearance...................................................... 934
How Mechanica Handles Your Working Model ............................................. 935
To Modify a Cutting Surface..................................................................... 935
To Create a Cutting Surface..................................................................... 936
To Create a Capping Surface ................................................................... 936
To Set Titles .......................................................................................... 937
To Untie Multiple Result Windows ............................................................. 937
To Tie Multiple Result Windows ................................................................ 937
To Set Labels......................................................................................... 938
To Query for Linearized Stress ................................................................. 938
To Generate a Report for Linearized Stress ................................................ 939
To Export a File in VRML ......................................................................... 939
To Tie Multiple Graph Result Windows, Procedure 1 .................................... 939
To Modify a Capping Surface.................................................................... 939
xlvi
Table of Contents
To Segment a Graph .............................................................................. 940
To Export a File as an MPEG .................................................................... 940
To Export a File in HTML ......................................................................... 941
To Edit the Legend ................................................................................. 941
To Create an Excel Graph Report.............................................................. 942
To Tie Multiple Graph Result Windows, Procedure 2 .................................... 942
Strategy: Displaying Graphs with Logarithmic Scales .................................. 942
Customizing Graph Display Settings ......................................................... 943
Managing Graphs ................................................................................... 944
Querying for Linearized Stress ................................................................. 945
Graph Report......................................................................................... 945
Dynamic Query ...................................................................................... 946
Relabel Contour ..................................................................................... 946
Results Surface Definition Dialog Box........................................................ 946
Titles .................................................................................................... 947
Printing Result Windows.......................................................................... 947
Labels .................................................................................................. 948
Contour Labels ...................................................................................... 948
Overlay................................................................................................. 949
Excel .................................................................................................... 949
HTML Report ......................................................................................... 950
Tie Multiple Graph Result Windows ........................................................... 950
Linearized Stress Report ......................................................................... 951
Generate Report for Linearized Stress Results ............................................ 952
Defining Reference Planes for Cutting or Capping Surfaces .......................... 952
xlvii
Table of Contents
Dynamic Cutting and Capping Surface Displays .......................................... 952
Defining Cutting or Capping Surface Depth ................................................ 953
Defining Cutting or Capping Surface References ......................................... 953
MPEG Export Dialog Box.......................................................................... 954
Log Scale .............................................................................................. 955
Linearized Stress Value Calculation........................................................... 955
Component for Linearized Stress Results ................................................... 956
Graphtool Window.................................................................................. 956
X Axis and Y Axis Tabs............................................................................ 957
Segmenting a Graph............................................................................... 958
Legend Value......................................................................................... 958
Redistribute Levels ................................................................................. 959
Direct VRML .......................................................................................... 959
Tie — Contour, Fringe, Graph, or Vectors Result Windows ........................... 959
MPEG ................................................................................................... 960
Default ................................................................................................. 960
Graphic Size .......................................................................................... 960
View Menu on Results Window Toolbar...................................................... 961
Graph Display Tab.................................................................................. 961
Orientation Dialog Box ............................................................................ 961
File Menu on Results Window Toolbar........................................................ 962
Export VRML Dialog Box.......................................................................... 962
Export HTML Setup Dialog Box................................................................. 962
Export HTML Dialog Box .......................................................................... 962
Guidelines for Changing Legend Values ..................................................... 963
xlviii
Table of Contents
Alignment ............................................................................................. 963
Data Series Tab ..................................................................................... 963
Untie — Contour, Fringe, Graph, or Vectors Result Windows ........................ 964
Tie Graph Windows ................................................................................ 964
General Guidelines for Tying Result Windows ............................................. 965
Guidelines for Tying Graphs..................................................................... 965
Spin ..................................................................................................... 965
Refit ..................................................................................................... 966
Paper ................................................................................................... 966
Pan ...................................................................................................... 967
Output Format ....................................................................................... 967
Common Facilities..................................................................................... 968
Working With Normals ............................................................................ 968
Surface Normals.................................................................................. 968
Specifying Y Direction for Beams ........................................................... 969
Shell Normals ..................................................................................... 970
Working with Functions ........................................................................... 970
Functions for Native Mode .................................................................... 970
Functions for FEM Mode........................................................................ 976
To Create a Table Function ................................................................... 979
To Create a Symbolic Function .............................................................. 980
Use of Function Definitions ................................................................... 980
Additional Information ............................................................................... 982
Background Information.......................................................................... 982
Long-Term Limitations ......................................................................... 982
xlix
Table of Contents
Icons Used in Mechanica ...................................................................... 984
Icons Common to Structure and Thermal................................................ 984
Icons Specific to Structure .................................................................... 987
Icons Specific to Thermal ..................................................................... 991
Bibliography ....................................................................................... 992
The Database ........................................................................................ 995
Database Considerations ...................................................................... 995
Native Mode Files ................................................................................ 995
Using Pro/ENGINEER File Commands ..................................................... 998
FEM Database Considerations ............................................................... 998
Support for Pro/INTRALINK and Windchill ............................................. 1000
Files Created by Mechanica ................................................................. 1003
Engine Files ...................................................................................... 1003
Library Files...................................................................................... 1009
Results Files ..................................................................................... 1010
AutoGEM Files................................................................................... 1010
FEM Mode Files ................................................................................. 1011
Miscellaneous Files ............................................................................ 1012
Information Transfer ............................................................................ 1013
Transferring Entities From Integrated Mode to Independent Mode ............ 1013
Transferring Geometry ....................................................................... 1013
Geometry Transfer Limitations ............................................................ 1016
Transferring Loads and Constraints ...................................................... 1016
Import Considerations........................................................................ 1017
What Does Not Transfer ..................................................................... 1018
l
Table of Contents
FEM Neutral Format File ..................................................................... 1019
About the FEM Neutral Format ............................................................ 1019
Defining an Object............................................................................. 1020
Sections of a FEM Neutral Format File .................................................. 1026
Specialized Information......................................................................... 1052
Understanding Fatigue Analysis ........................................................... 1052
Shell Property Equations .................................................................... 1071
Overview.......................................................................................... 1071
Formulae for Calculating Shell Properties .............................................. 1072
List of Symbols ................................................................................. 1079
Bibliography ..................................................................................... 1080
Verification Guide .............................................................................. 1081
Glossary for Mechanica............................................................................... 1264
Index ....................................................................................................... 1297
li
Structural and Thermal Simulation Help
About Structural and Thermal Simulation
Structural and Thermal Simulation is a multi-discipline CAE (Computer Aided
Engineering) tool that enables you to simulate the physical behavior of a model and
to understand and improve the mechanical performance of your design. You can
directly calculate stresses, deflections, frequencies, heat transfer paths, and other
factors, showing you how your model will behave in a test lab or in the real world.
The Structural and Thermal Simulation product line features two modules—Structure
and Thermal—each of which solves for a different family of mechanical behaviors.
Structure focuses on the structural integrity of your model, while Thermal evaluates
heat-transfer characteristics.
Structural and Thermal Simulation is available in two basic modes—integrated mode

and independent mode. In integrated mode, you perform all Structural and Thermal
Simulation functions within Pro/ENGINEER. This version of the product offers the
convenience and power of Pro/ENGINEER's parametric feature-creation technology
coupled with the full range of Structural and Thermal Simulation's solution software.
In independent mode, you work in a separate user interface, developing your model
from imported geometry or geometry you create using Structural and Thermal
Simulation's geometry-creation facilities.
Note: Beyond providing a general description of independent mode, this online

help system covers Structural and Thermal Simulation's integrated mode only.
To access the independent mode online help system, start independent mode
and access online help from the independent mode user interface.
Structural and Thermal Simulation's broad range of analytical solutions, excellent

modeling capabilities, and flexibility make it a powerful tool for meeting your
simulation needs. As you begin to work with Structural and Thermal Simulation, take
a few moments to familiarize yourself with the basics of this software package. Also,
spend a few minutes reviewing updates and special considerations for this release.
For the body of this help system, you will see Structural and Thermal Simulation
referred to as Mechanica. You will also see this terminology in a number of
commands in the product user interface.
Updates for Mechanica Wildfire 2.0

Read this document before using Mechanica Wildfire 2.0. It contains updated
information that does not appear anywhere else in the documentation. It also
contains descriptions of limitations you may encounter.
1
Structural and Thermal Simulation - Help Topic Collection
This document contains discussions of:
• Compatibility Issues
• Functionality Limitations
• Platform-Specific Limitations
Compatibility Issues
• Mechanica Wildfire 2.0 is not compatible with Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire, or
lower. To run Mechanica Wildfire 2.0, upgrade to Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 2.0.
• Mechanica Wildfire 2.0 supports Pro/INTRALINK, version 3.3.
• Mechanica Wildfire 2.0 supports Unigraphics NX 2.0.
• Mechanica Wildfire 2.0 supports CATIA 4.2.4 release 2.
• Mechanica's FEM mode no longer supports the Mold product.
Functionality Limitations
• In assemblies where the points, edges, or surfaces of individual parts overlap
to form the assembly, Structure and Thermal do not support beams, shells,
and springs placed on the overlapping geometry. This limitation is specific to
native mode and does not occur in FEM mode.
• The Mechanica Motion Help for Integrated mode is available at
<proe_load_point>/html/usascii/proe/motion/start.htm in your
Pro/ENGINEER installation. You can use the browsers Mozilla 1.4 or IE 6.0
SP1 and later browsers to view the Motion Integrated Help.
Platform-Specific Limitations
The following discussion covers limitations specific to a given platform or specific to
localized versions of the product, and includes:
• Mechanica Wildfire 2.0 Installation Issues

• HP
Mechanica Wildfire Installation Issues

• Do not install Mechanica Wildfire 2.0 over an existing Wildfire installation.
• The showlic utility may not show the following Wildfire 2.0 licenses: Fatigue
UI, Fatigue Engine, and Independent Mechanica UI. However, the licenses
may still be available when using the product.
HP
For the HP-UX operating system, the maxdsize parameter fixes a ceiling on
the amount of swap space any single process can utilize. If this parameter is
set too low, the Structure engine may terminate when solving large models
due to insufficient swap space. In this case, the system displays the error
2
message "An engine database error has occurred. Please check available disk
and swap space."
If the available swap space appears more than adequate, the maxdsize
parameter may be limiting the amount of the available swap space that
Mechanica can utilize. You can use the HP-UX utility sam to check the current
value of this parameter. You need to reconfigure the HP-UX kernel to change
the value for this parameter to a minimum value of 500 MB.
Getting Started with Mechanica

Getting Started
You start Mechanica by selecting the Application>Mechanica command from the
Pro/ENGINEER menu bar. The Mechanica command is available for most models
you develop in Pro/ENGINEER, but is inactive if Mechanica does not support the
model type or some of the model features.
When you select this command, Mechanica displays the Model Type dialog box. You
use this dialog box to select the Mechanica product that you want to work with and
as a starting point for your simulation modeling session. As you begin to use
Mechanica, you will want to understand some basics of Mechanica operation, how to
use Mechanica efficiently, and how Mechanica and Pro/ENGINEER interrelate.
Review these topics to learn about the fundamentals of the Mechanica product line
and software usage:
• Mechanica products
• Mechanica workflow
• operating modes
• planning and modeling considerations
• working with the user interface
• configuration options
• getting help for Mechanica
Configuration File Options

Mechanica stores several internal settings in configuration files associated with your
session. You use the config.pro file to store configuration options. Configuration
options are an important tool that can help you make your Mechanica sessions more
efficient by ensuring that meshing and solver settings are consistent, your display is
the same from session to session, and so forth.
See the following topics for more information about these files and the options you
can set in them:
• config.pro Overview
• config.pro Options
3
config.pro Overview
The settings in config.pro control various aspects of your Mechanica session. This
discussion covers all config.pro options supported for integrated mode. Here are
some guidelines to consider when creating or amending a config.pro file:
• In general, configuration file options and values are not case sensitive.
• In both UNIX and Windows, the actual file names on disk must use lowercase
characters only.
• In both UNIX and Windows, directory names can contain a mix of uppercase
and lowercase characters. However, if Mechanica encounters two or more
directories in the same path that have the same parent and the same name
except for a different mix of uppercase and lowercase characters, it accesses
only the directory with the earliest uppercase characters (since their ASCII
values are lower.) This is true if you enter the full path with correct case
sensitivity. For example, if it encounters directories named aBc, ABc, and Abc,
it only looks in/through directory ABc.
• A config.pro line should not exceed 80 characters. You cannot continue a
search path or mapkey on a second line.
• In Windows, you should specify the drive at the beginning of the path, so as
to avoid problems if you change your working directory to another drive.
• You can set these options from the Tools>Options menu, or you can
manually edit your config.pro file using a text editor.
config.pro Options
Here are the config.pro option categories available for Mechanica:
• Mechanica Unit Settings Option

• Simulation Display Options
• General Modeling Options
• FEM Mode Modeling, Meshing, and Output Options
• Fatigue Options
• Run Options
• Result Display Options
• Miscellaneous Options
Options in each category begin with the keyword or attribute name in boldface type,
followed by a brief paragraph describing the option and a list of valid value types.
The options in each category appear in alphabetical order.
Mechanica Unit Settings Option

Use this option to control the default units setting for your model.
PRO_UNIT_SYS
Customizes your units settings by controlling the default principal system of

units for your model.
4
o PROE_DEF —
• length = in
• mass = lbm
• time = sec
• temperature = F
In this system, the unit of force is in x lbm/sec (inch lbm second), which
is not a common unit.
o MKS — meter kilogram second

o CGS — centimeter gram second
o mmNs — millimeter Newton second
o FPS — foot pound second
o IPS — inch pound second
Simulation Display Options

Use these options to control which icons are on by default for your session. For most
of the following options, the settings are TRUE or FALSE.
SIM_DISPLAY_AGEM_CONTROLS
Toggles display of AutoGEM controls.
SIM_DISPLAY_ARROW_SCALE
Toggles automatic arrow scaling.
SIM_DISPLAY_ARROW_TAIL_TOUCHING
Toggles display of load and reaction force arrows to have tails or heads
touching.
SIM_DISPLAY_BEAM_RELEASES
Toggles display of beam release icons.
SIM_DISPLAY_BEAM_SECTIONS
Toggles display of beam section icons.
SIM_DISPLAY_BEAMS
Toggles display of beam icons.
SIM_DISPLAY_CONTACT_REGIONS
Toggles display of contact region icons.
5
SIM_DISPLAY_FASTENERS
Toggles display of fastener icons.
SIM_DISPLAY_GAPS
Toggles display of gap icons.
SIM_DISPLAY_IN_SPIN
Toggles display of icons when a model is spinning.
SIM_DISPLAY_INTERFACES
Toggles display of interface icons.
SIM_DISPLAY_LOAD_COLORS
Toggles display of individual colors.
SIM_DISPLAY_LOAD_DISTRIBUTION
Toggles display of distributed load vectors over entire entity.
SIM_DISPLAY_LOAD_ICONS
Toggles display of load icons.
SIM_DISPLAY_LOAD_VALUE
Toggles display of load value tags.
SIM_DISPLAY_MASSES
Toggles display of mass icons.
SIM_DISPLAY_MATL_ASSIGNEMNTS
Toggles display of material assignment icons.
SIM_DISPLAY_MEASURES
Toggles display of Simulation Measure icons.
SIM_DISPLAY_MESH_AND_MODEL
Toggles display of geometry and mesh models.
6
SIM_DISPLAY_MESH_CONTROLS
Toggles display of Mesh Control icons in FEM mode.
SIM_DISPLAY_MESH_ENTITIES
Toggles display of all mesh entities.
SIM_DISPLAY_MESH_MODE
Determines the initial state of the mesh display mode. You can set the initial
state so that it displays your mesh as wireframe, hidden line, visible line (no
hidden lines), or shaded. You can also set the initial state to display the
geometry only.
o NO_MESH
o WIREFRAME (default)
o HIDDEN
o NOHIDDEN
o SHADING
SIM_DISPLAY_MESH_QUALITY
Specifies the display refinement for mesh viewing.
o COARSE (default)
o FINE
o MEDIUM
SIM_DISPLAY_MESH_SHELLS_THICK
Determines whether Mechanica displays shells meshes with zero thickness or

the thickness that you defined for the shell. When this option is set to no,
Mechanica displays the shell mesh with a zero thickness. If you set this option
to Yes, Mechanica displays the shell mesh using the actual thickness.
o NO (default)
o YES
SIM_DISPLAY_MESH_SHRINK_ELEMS
Specifies the size of displayed mesh elements. Enter a value between 0 and
100. If you do not want Mechanica to shrink the elements, you can use the
default value, which is 0. Note that, for complex models that have very high
element counts, shrinking the elements can degrade performance.
SIM_DISPLAY_NAMES
Toggles display of icon name tags.
7
SIM_DISPLAY_RIGID_CONNECTIONS
Toggles display of rigid connection icons.
SIM_DISPLAY_RIGID_DOF
Toggles display of DOF icons for rigid links.
SIM_DISPLAY_RIGID_LINKS
Toggles display of rigid link icons.
SIM_DISPLAY_SHELLS
Toggles shell boundary highlighting.
SIM_DISPLAY_SPOT_WELDS
Toggles display of spot weld icons.
SIM_DISPLAY_SPRINGS
Toggles display of spring icons.
SIM_DISPLAY_STRUCT_CONSTRAINTS
Toggles display of all Structure constraint icons.
SIM_DISPLAY_STRUCT_LOADS
Toggles display of all Structure load icons.
SIM_DISPLAY_THERM_BCS
Toggles display of Thermal constraint icons.
SIM_DISPLAY_THERM_LOADS
Toggles display of Thermal load icons.
SIM_DISPLAY_WEIGHTED_DOF
Toggle display of DOF icons for weighted links.
SIM_DISPLAY_WEIGHTED_LINKS
Toggles display of weighted link icons.
8
SIM_DISPLAY_WELDS
Toggles display of weld icons.
General Modeling Options

Use these options to control various aspects of model definition and handling.
SIM_ASM_MODELING
For assembly models with shells defined as midsurfaces, determines whether

Mechanica automatically creates links to connect midsurfaces of mated
assembly components. If you set this option to "yes," Mechanica automatically
creates these links, and you do not need to manually create welds, beams, or
rigid connections to simulate mated connections. When you set this option to
"no," Mechanica does not create links. In this case, you must manually create
idealizations to simulate the behavior of the mated components.
o YES (default)
o NO
SIM_BEAMSECTION_PATH
Specifies the path for the beam sections directory, which contains the beam
section library files. You must use the full path.
SIMULATION_PRODUCT
Specifies the product that you want to use as the default when you enter
Mechanica. If you set this option to "prompt," the Model Type dialog box
appears whenever you enter Mechanica with a new model. This behavior
persists until you save your model while working in a Mechanica product. After
the save occurs, Mechanica assumes that you will continue working in the
selected product and no longer displays the Model Type dialog box upon entry.
However, if you set this option to one of the product types, the software
assumes that all models you bring into Mechanica are 3D, will use the specified
product type, and, unless you specify otherwise through the
SIMULATION_FEM_MODE config.pro option, will use native mode. In this case,
Mechanica does not display the Model Type dialog box on entry. It simply
applies the appropriate assumptions. If you want to use a different product,
mode, or model type, you need to select the Edit>Mechanica Model Type
command after you enter Mechanica.
o PROMPT (default)
o STRUCTURE
o THERMAL
9
FEM Mode Modeling, Meshing, and Output

Options
Use these options to control a variety of settings in FEM mode.
FEM_ALLOW_NAMED_MESH_FILES
Determines whether Mechanica prompts you to enter a name of a mesh file

when saving a mesh, and to select a mesh file when loading a mesh. When this
option is set to "no," Mechanica automatically assigns the name of
model_name.fmp(a) to the mesh file when you use the File>Save FEM Mesh
command, and automatically retrieves the mesh from the model_name.fmp(a)
file when you use the File>Open FEM Mesh command.
If you set this option to "yes," Mechanica adds the Open Named FEM Mesh
and Save Named FEM Mesh commands to the File menu. When you click one
of these commands, Mechanica prompts you to either select the mesh file to
load, or to enter the name for the mesh file to store.
o NO (default)
o YES
FEM_ANSYS_ANNOTATIONS
Enables Mechanica to output notes as ANSYS annotations.
o NO (default)
o YES
FEM_ANSYS_GROUPING
Determines your ability to group ANSYS commands. When you set this option
to "yes," you can use ANSYS CM commands for grouping nodes and elements
on a part-by-part basis. Group names must be shorter than 8 characters. If the
component name is longer than 8 characters, the software generates a default
name.
A part in part mode is not a group because you can select its elements and
nodes. An element or a node may be part of more than one group. An element
defined on a feature mentioned in a layer appears in the layer group and in the
parent group. Bar elements connecting two assembly members do not belong
to any group.
o NO (default)
o YES
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FEM_ASP_RATIO
Sets the value against which FEM mode compares the aspect ratios of the
elements it creates. The value type is numeric and the default value is 7.
FEM_DEFAULT_SOLVER
Specifies the path to one of the solvers.
o ANSYS (default)
o MSC/NASTRAN
FEM_DIST_INDEX
Sets the value against which FEM mode compares the distortion indices of the
elements it creates. The value type is numeric and the default value is 0.4.
FEM_EDGE_ANGLE
Sets the angle between two adjacent element edges. Enter a value between 0
and 90. The value type is numeric and the default value is 30.
FEM_IGNORE_UNPAIRED
Determines whether Mechanica notifies you of unpaired surfaces when you test
shell compression. If you set this option to "no," Mechanica alerts you when it
encounters unpaired surfaces during a compression test. In this case, the
software shows you the entire model and highlights the unpaired surfaces.
If you set this option to "yes," Mechanica does not notify you of unpaired
surfaces. Instead, it displays your model without the unpaired surfaces.
o NO (default)
o YES
FEM_MESH_OPERATIONS
Activates the OPERATIONS menu, which enables you to perform specialized

operations on NASTRAN files and the finite element mesh for NASTRAN. When
you set this option to "yes," the Operations command appears on the Mesh
menu. If you set the option to "no," the Operations command does not
appear.
o NO (default)
o YES
FEM_MESH_PRESERVE
Determines whether Mechanica should automatically store the mesh in a

model_name.fmp(a) file. The storage location is the current directory, and
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Mechanica overwrites any existing model_name.fmp(a) file in that directory

without warning.
If you set this option to "yes," Mechanica assumes that you want to use
retained meshes rather than transient meshes. The use of retained meshes has
a number of implications that affect how FEM mode behaves, the assembly
meshing methods you can use, and so forth. To learn more, see Transient and
Retained Meshes.
With FEM_MESH_PRESERVE set to "yes," the software automatically retrieves

the mesh from the model_name.fmp(a) file when you reopen the model in
Structure or Thermal for FEM mode, provided the model has not changed. If
the model has changed, a warning message appears.
o NO (default)
o YES
FEM_SOLID_SHELL_AUTO_CONSTRAINT
Determines whether Mechanica constrains rotation for shell nodes. The default
is "no," Mechanica does not create rotational constraints for the nodes of solid
elements that are connected to adjacent shell elements. In this case, you are
responsible for ensuring that the nodes at the interface are not
underconstrained.
When you set this option to "yes," Mechanica adds rotational constraints to
shell nodes at the interface between shell and solid elements at the shell node.
These additional constraints prevent unwanted degrees of freedom (DOFs) in
shell elements at the interface. Unwanted DOFs occur because the solid
elements typically have 3 translational DOFs while shells have 3 translational
DOFs and 3 rotational DOFs. Mechanica also freezes the rotational DOFs,
creating a more consistent interface between the shells and solids.
You can also set this option such that Mechanica asks you whether you want
automatic constraints or plan to constrain the nodes yourself.
o NO (default)
o YES
o ASK
FEM_MID_RATIO
Sets the value against which FEM mode compares the mid ratios of the
elements it creates. The value type is numeric and the default value is 0.1.
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FEM_NEUTRAL_VERSION
Specifies the version number of the FEM neutral file.
o 1
o 2
o 3 (default)
FEM_REMOVE_UNOPPOSED
Defines the default state of the UseUnopposed toggle. The UseUnopposed

toggle determines whether Mechanica will keep or ignore unopposed surfaces
during compression.
If you set this option to "yes," the system ignores unopposed surfaces when
meshing the model; the system also deselects the UseUnopposed toggle.
When you set this option to "no," the system uses the unopposed surfaces in
the shell model.
o NO (default)
o YES
FEM_SKEW_ANGLE
Sets the maximum acceptable default skew angle value, measured in degrees.
Enter a value between 0 and 90. The value type is numeric and the default
value is 45.
FEM_SOLVER_TIME_LIMIT
For MSC/NASTRAN solutions, this option interrupts the solver after the
specified time limit. The default value is 60, and you specify values for this
option in minutes.
FEM_TAPER
Sets the minimum acceptable default taper value. Enter a value between 0 and
1. The value type is numeric and the default value is 0.5.
FEM_TWIST_ANGLE
Sets the maximum acceptable default twist angle between opposing element
faces. Applies to brick and wedge elements only. Enter a value between 0 and
90.
FEM_WARP_ANGLE
Sets the maximum acceptable default warp angle value, measured in degrees.
Enter a value between 0 and 90. The value type is numeric and the default
value is 10.
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FEM_WHICH_ANSYS_SOLVER
Specifies whether Mechanica uses the Frontal, Iterative, or Powersolver ANSYS

solver.
o FRONTAL (default)
o ITERATIVE
o POWERSOLVER
FEM_Y_DIR_COMPRESS
Specifies the Y direction based on compressed and uncompressed geometry.

The default value is "no," which indicates that Mechanica will use
uncompressed geometry.
o NO (default)
o YES
PRO_ANSYS_PATH
Specifies the path to the ANSYS executable.
PRO_NASTRAN_PATH
Specifies the path to the MSC/NASTRAN executable (nastran).
PRO_SOLVER_NAME
Specifies the name of the user-defined solver to be included in the Run FEM
Analysis dialog box.
PRO_SOLVER_PATH
Specifies the path to the user-defined solver whose name is included in the
Run FEM Analysis dialog box.
SIM_ADDITIVE_MASS
Adds any masses that reference the same geometrical entity or resolve to the
same mesh node. If you set this option to "yes," FEM suppresses the
precedence rules that apply to masses.
o NO (default)
o YES
SIM_FEM_NASTRAN_USE_PSHELL
For MSC/NASTRAN solutions, this option determines the form that FEM mode
uses to output laminated composite shell properties to the solver. When you
set this option to "no," FEM outputs laminated composite shell properties using
14
PCOMP cards that reference MAT8 material cards. If you set this option to
"yes," FEM outputs laminated composite shell properties using PSHELL cards
that reference MAT2 material cards.
o NO (default)
o YES
SIM_NASTRAN_USE_COUPMASS
For MSC/NASTRAN solutions, this option enables you to enforce consistent

mass matrix generation. When you set this option to "yes," FEM adds
PARAM,COUPMASS,1 to the NASTRAN deck to ensure that the solver generates
a consistent mass matrix. If you set this option to "no," FEM does not add this
statement, and NASTRAN generates a lumped mass matrix.
o NO (default)
o YES
SIM_OUTPUT_OBJ_NAMES
Output beam sections name, analyses name, coordinate systems names as

comments.
SIM_OUTPUT_IDS_FOR_LAYERS
Determines whether Mechanica will generate an XML file containing layer data
when you output a NASTRAN deck. If you set this option to "yes," Mechanica
generates the XML file that provides a listing of node and element IDs for any
idealizations—such as beams, shells, and masses—that you place on layers.
The file provides lists for all layers that contain simulation entities.
The filename for the XML file is outputfilename_layers.xml, where

outputfilename is the name that you specified for the .nas file on the Run FEM
Analysis dialog box. Mechanica places the file in the same directory as the
.nas file.
o NO (default)
o YES
SIM_REGEN_ON_ENTRY
Determines whether Mechanica regenerates your model when you initiate a

session.
o YES (default)
o NO
SIM_SMOOTH_ASPECT_RATIO
Determines the element aspect ratio criterion that Mechanica will use when
smoothing a FEM mesh during mesh optimization. You must specify a real
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number for this option, and the default setting is 7.0. As a general rule, you
should not change the default setting unless the first optimization pass shows
that the overall element quality has degraded such that setting a new aspect
ratio criterion would result in better shaped elements.
SIM_SMOOTH_EDGE_ANGLE
Determines the element edge angle criterion that Mechanica will apply to
quadrilateral elements when smoothing a FEM mesh during mesh optimization.
You must specify a real number in degrees for this option, and the default
setting is 30 . As a general rule, you should not change the default setting
unless the first optimization pass shows that the overall element quality has
degraded such that setting a new edge angle criterion would result in better
shaped elements.
SIM_SMOOTH_SKEW
Determines the element skew angle criterion that Mechanica will apply to
degraded such that setting a new skew angle criterion would result in better
shaped elements.
SIM_SMOOTH_TAPER
Determines the element taper criterion that Mechanica will apply to

You must specify a real number for this option, and the default setting is 0.5.
As a general rule, you should not change the default setting unless the first
optimization pass shows that the overall element quality has degraded such
that setting a new taper criterion would result in better shaped elements.
SIM_SMOOTH_WARP_ANGLE
Determines the element warp angle criterion that Mechanica will apply to
degraded such that setting a new warp angle criterion would result in better
shaped elements.
SIMULATION_FEM_MODE
Determines the initial state of the FEM Mode check box on the Model Type
dialog box. The default is "prompt," indicating that the Model Type dialog
appears when you enter Mechanica with a new or unsaved model and the
check box is unchecked.
16
If you select "No," the software assumes you always want to work in native
mode, and the check box is unchecked. If you select "Yes," the software
assumes you always want to work in FEM mode, and the check box is checked.
In either case, if the SIMULATION_PRODUCT config.pro option is set to a
specific product, the software bypasses the Model Type dialog box altogether
when you enter Mechanica with a new or unsaved model.
o PROMPT (default)
o NO
o YES
STD_NASTRAN_TEMPLATE
Sets the file path of a NASTRAN deck template. Use the full path to avoid
problems.
Fatigue Options
Use these options to control fatigue analysis. You can also access some of these
options on the Fatigue Analysis Definition dialog box. For more information on
each of these settings, see Fatigue Analysis.
SIM_FATIGUE_BIAXIALITY_CORRECT
Controls the use of biaxiality correction. The value types are as follows:
o YES (default)
o NO
SIM_FATIGUE_BIAXIALITY_METHOD
Specifies the method Mechanica uses to model biaxiality: Klann-Tipton-Cordes,

Hoffman-Seeger, or the most conservative (WORST) of the two methods. The
value types are as follows:
o WORST (default)
o KTC
o HS
SIM_FATIGUE_CONFIDENCE_LEVEL
Specifies the percentage confidence in the predicted life result value. The value
type is numeric and may range from 0.1 to 99.9. The default value is 90.
SIM_FATIGUE_EXTERNAL_MATDATA
Controls the use of external material data. The value types are as follows:
o NO (default)
o YES
17
SIM_FATIGUE_HYSTERESIS_GATE
Specifies the gate Mechanica applies to cycle counting as a percentage of peak

load. The value type is numeric and may range from 0 to 50. The default value
is 1.
SIM_FATIGUE_INFINITE_LIFE_VALUE
Specifies a value for the lives beyond cutoff. The value type is numeric and
may range from 1e15 to 1e30. The default value is 1e20.
SIM_FATIGUE_MEAN_STRESS
Controls the application of the mean stress correction. The value types are as
follows:
o YES (default)
o NO
SIM_FATIGUE_MEAN_STRESS_METHOD
Specifies the method Mechanica uses to model mean stress: the Smith-
Watson-Topper Approach, Morrow Correction, or the most conservative
(WORST) of the two methods. The value types are as follows:
o WORST (default)
o SWT
o MORROW
SIM_FATIGUE_SAFETY_MARGIN
Specifies the factor Mechanica uses to determine the Life Confidence

quantity. The value type is numeric and may range from 1.1 to 100. The
default value is 3.
SIM_FATIGUE_USER_DIRECTORY
Specifies the directory for user files, for example, external materials files. The
value is the path to the directory. The default value is the current directory.
SIM_FATIGUE_WRITE_SURF_STRESS
Controls the writing of surface stresses to a neutral file. The value types are as
follows:
o NO (default)
o YES
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Run Options
Use these options to control the engine run. You can also access many of these
functions through the Analysis>Mechanica Analyses and Design Studies
command and the associated dialog box. For more information on each of these
settings, see Setting Up a Run.
SIM_MAX_MEMORY_USAGE
Specifies the maximum amount of memory that the Mechanica mesher and
solver or the FEM mesher can use for the run. The value type is a numeric
value that is measured in megabytes and should be greater than 0. The default
value is 128. Be aware that, if you are a FEM user and enter a value of 0, the
FEM mesher will assume that it can use all available memory.
SIM_RUN_COPY_FEM_NEUTRAL_FILE
Controls whether Mechanica copies the FEM neutral file (.fnf extension) into the
study directory. The value types are as follows:
o YES (default)
o NO
SIM_RUN_OUT_DIR
Specifies the directory for output storage. The value type is a complete path
name. By default, Mechanica uses the current directory.
SIM_RUN_TMP_DIR
Specifies the directory for temporary file storage. The value type is a complete
path name. By default, Mechanica uses the current directory.
Result Display Options

Use these options to control the results display.
BMGR_PREF_FILE
Specifies the path to a text file that you create to control the default settings
for your graphs.
SIM_PP_BACKGROUND_COLOR
Specifies the background color of the work area for the results display. The
value types are as follows:
o PROE (default)
o BLUE
19
o BLACK
o WHITE
SIM_PP_PATH_ABSOLUTE
Controls whether Mechanica uses an absolute path for study directories when it
writes an .rwd file for results. When you create an .rwd file, Mechanica includes
the results windows currently defined in the results session. Further, it includes
path information on that indicates where the study directories for the results
windows are located. The path for the study directories can be either absolute
or relative, depending on how you set this config.pro option.
If you set this option to "yes," Mechanica uses absolute paths for study
directories when it writes the .rwd file. When you set the option to "no,"
Mechanica writes relative paths in the .rwd file. If you use this configuration
option, you should be sure you have a thorough understanding of your
operating environment and sharing needs. Setting this option to "no" can be
beneficial if you plan to share the entire file structure with another location or
plan to move the file set in the future. The value types are as follows:
o YES (default)
o NO
SIM_PP_VRML_EXPORT_FORMAT
Specifies the VRML export format that Mechanica uses when exporting VRML
reports:
o VRML2.0 (default)
o VRML1.0
SIM_PP_VRML_FEATURE_EDGES
Specifies that the VRML file will represent feature edges. By default, no feature
edges are represented in the VRML file. The value types are as follows:
o NO (default)
o YES
Miscellaneous Options
These options are not a part of any other larger category.
SIM_MAT_POISSONS_NOTATION
Specifies the convention used for defining Poisson's ratio for anisotropic
materials as being either Tsai (column-normalized) or Jones (row-normalized).
This option affects only the labels for Poisson's ratio on the Material
Definition dialog box.
20
The value types are as follows:
o TSAI (default)
o JONES
SIM_USE_LAYERS
Specifies that Mechanica allows Pro/ENGINEER layers to transfer as groups into

independent mode. When set to "no," Mechanica transfers components as
groups, but does not transfer layers as groups. When set to "yes," Mechanica
transfers each relevant layer to a group. Note that Mechanica transfers blanked
or hidden layers as invisible. Also, if a Pro/ENGINEER coordinate system
resides on a blanked layer that transfers to independent mode, the
corresponding Mechanica UCS entity will be invisible.
o NO (default)
o YES
Mechanica Products
Introducing the Mechanica Product Line
The Mechanica product line features the Structure and Thermal modules, each of
which focuses on different aspects of mechanical behavior:
• Stucture — Use this module to evaluate the structural behavior of a part or

assembly. This module lets you create structural loads and constraints for
your model, then perform static, modal, prestress, buckling, and vibration
analyses. You can also evaluate the fatigue life of your model and solve
contact problems. Structure's primary emphasis lies with linear, small-
deformation problems, but you can use this module to solve large-
deformation problems as well. Depending on licensing, Structure incorporates
Fatigue Advisor, a module that enables you to study the fatigue life of your
model.
• Thermal — Use this module to evaluate the thermal behavior of a part or

assembly. This module lets you apply heat loads, prescribed temperatures,
and convection conditions to your model, then perform steady-state or
transient thermal analyses. You can use the results of these analyses to study
heat transfer in your model. You can also use the results of a thermal analysis
as the basis of a temperature load in Structure.
Mechanica Structure
Mechanica Structure allows design engineers to evaluate, understand, and optimize
the static and dynamic structural performance of their designs in a real-world
environment. Structure's unique adaptive solution technology provides fast, accurate
solutions automatically—solutions that help to improve product quality and decrease
design costs. In addition to its native solver, Structure's FEM mode offers specialized
21
analyses that automatically create fully associative FEA meshes for third-party finite
element solvers.
Structure enables you to:
• set up a real-world environment for your design by applying properties, loads,

and constraints to model geometry
• control how Mechanica meshes your model to ensure the most efficient
solution
• define the level of solution accuracy up front by specifying convergence
settings before running a simulation, and watch as Mechanica automatically
checks for errors, converges to an accurate solution, and generates
convergence information for verification
• use the functionality of Mechanica's adaptive solver or use FEM mode to solve
finite element models with NASTRAN or ANSYS
• select one or more sensitivity parameters to vary over a range and then
review graphs of desired outputs as a function of that changing parameter
• optimize designs to best meet design goals such as minimizing the cost of the
design or its total stress. For example, you can ask Structure to minimize the
mass of an assembly while keeping stress, first modal frequency, and
maximum displacement within limits.
• store and view displacement, stress, and strain over selected model entities
as fringes, contours, and query plots
• view vector plots of displacements and principal stresses as well as results on
standard beam sections, animations of displacements, mode shapes, and
optimization shape history
• save and review results of displacement, velocity, acceleration, stress, and
RMS quantities as fringes, contours, and query plots
• evaluate graphs of any measure at each step in linear and logarithmic format
• obtain summary values for all single-value evaluation methods (minimum,
maximum, maximum absolute value, and RMS)
Mechanica Thermal
Mechanica Thermal provides design engineers with expert tools to simulate the
behavior of parts and assemblies subject to thermal loading. Thermal relies on
unique adaptive solution technology that provides fast, accurate solutions
automatically, helping you improve product quality and decrease design costs. In
addition to its native solver, Thermal's integrated mode offers specialized analyses
that automatically create fully associative FEA meshes for third-party finite element
solvers.
Thermal enables you to:
• set up a real-world environment by applying heat loads, prescribed

temperatures, and convection conditions to model geometry
• specify convergence settings based on local temperature, energy norm, global
error norm, or measures you define. Then, review graphs to visually inspect
the convergence behavior.
• study your design's thermal behavior at a single point in time or as that
behavior changes through a set of user-specified intervals
22
• use the functionality of Mechanica's adaptive solver or use FEM to solve finite
element models with ANSYS
• select one or more sensitivity parameters to vary over a range and then
graphically review results as a function of that changing parameter
• optimize designs to best meet such design goals as minimizing the
temperature heat flux, temperature gradients, or any other aspect of the
design. For example, you can ask Thermal to minimize the mass of an
assembly while keeping stress, first modal frequency, and maximum model
temperature within limits.
• store and view results as fringes, contours, and query plots of temperature,
temperature gradient, and heat flux over selected model entities
Mechanica Workflow
When you use any of the Mechanica products to analyze and optimize your design,
you typically complete the various activities required for simulation modeling and
analysis in a particular order. The workflow you use depends on the product. These
links take you to a discussion of the workflow for each product:
• Native mode
• FEM mode
The workflows described in these discussions represent the most common approach
to each product. However, there are several alternatives, some more efficient than
others. The workflow that you ultimately develop will depend on your design process,
the goals you are trying to achieve, and the nature of your model.
Native Mode Workflow

When you analyze and optimize a design in native mode, you complete the following
four-step process:
• Create your model geometry in

Pro/ENGINEER.
• Simplify the model.
• Define a system of units.
• Add modeling prerequisites such as
coordinate systems and regions, if
Develop Your Model desired.
• Add materials, loads, constraints,
contact regions, and measures.
• Add idealizations such as springs,
beams, shells, and so forth.
• Check the mesh.
23
• Define an analysis.
• Run the analysis.
Analyze the Model • Review the analysis results.
• Define the design parameters.

• Review and modify the shape or
Define Design Changes property changes.
• Define sensitivity and optimization

studies.
• Run the studies.
• Review the study results.
Optimize the Model • If satisfied with the optimization
results, update your model to reflect
the optimized design.
Be aware that the order of the steps—particularly during the model development
phase—may be different depending on your preferences, modeling goals, and
techniques.
FEM Mode Workflow

When you analyze a design in FEM mode, you typically complete the following four-
step process:
• Create model geometry in

Pro/ENGINEER.
• Simplify your model.
• Define a system of units.
• Add modeling prerequisites such as
coordinate systems and regions, if
desired.
Develop Your Model
• Add materials, loads, and constraints.
• Add idealizations such as shells,
springs, beams, gaps, and masses.
• Add connections such as welds, links,
and interfaces.
• Define the analysis.
24
• Select the analysis type.

• Select the constraints, loads, modes,
Define an Analysis and frequencies to be used in the
analysis, as applicable.
• Apply mesh controls.

• Create the mesh.
Create the Mesh • Review the mesh and refine, if
necessary.
• Export the mesh to FEA solvers such

as NASTRAN or ANSYS.
• Review the exported mesh.
• Optionally, run the analysis.
Solve Your Model
• If you ran an analysis, define and
view the results windows and
reports.
Be aware that the order of the steps—particularly during the model development
phase—may be different depending on your preferences, modeling goals, and
techniques. Additionally, if you plan to export a deck rather than run a FEM analysis
from within Mechanica, you can skip defining an analysis.
You can also consider an alternative workflow if you are working with an assembly
and create a hierarchical mesh.
Operating Modes
You can work with Mechanica in two operating modes—integrated mode or
independent mode. The mode you use governs whether you work primarily within
the Pro/ENGINEER or Mechanica user interface, how you apply modeling entities, the
modeling functions available to you, and the types of analyses you can perform.
• Integrated mode incorporates Mechanica functionality into Pro/ENGINEER. In

integrated mode, you create, analyze, and optimize Mechanica models within
Pro/ENGINEER. Because you never start the Mechanica user interface,
integrated mode eliminates the need to manually switch back and forth
between Pro/ENGINEER and Mechanica. Thus, integrated mode represents the
25
most streamlined approach to part or assembly modeling and optimization.

Within integrated mode, you can work in either of two submodes depending
on your modeling needs:
o Native mode enables you to run integrated mode using Mechanica's
adaptive P-code functionality. Native mode lets you create modeling
entities like loads, constraints, idealizations, connections, properties,
and measures. In this mode, Mechanica meshes your model with P-
code elements and uses its own adaptive solvers to find a solution.
o FEM mode enables you to run integrated mode using Mechanica's finite
element modeling functionality instead of its P-code functionality. This
functionality enables you to create FEM modeling entities like loads,
constraints, and idealizations. It also enables you to mesh your model
with H-code elements, run various types of finite element analyses
including NASTRAN, ANSYS, and so forth, and review the results of the
run. You can activate FEM mode by selecting the FEM Mode toggle on
the Model Type dialog box before you enter Structure or Thermal in
integrated mode.
• Independent mode utilizes a separate, fully featured Mechanica user interface
for all part modeling, analysis, and design studies. With independent mode,
you can build your part or assembly in Pro/ENGINEER and transfer it to
independent mode to perform simulation modeling and analysis. Alternatively,
you can build your model geometry in Mechanica itself or import a model
from a supported MCAD interface.
Note: If you transfer a Pro/ENGINEER model to independent mode and

then save it in the independent Mechanica user interface, you cannot
return any model changes or analysis results to the Pro/ENGINEER
environment.
Integrated Mode
Integrated mode incorporates Mechanica simulation functionality into Pro/ENGINEER.
In integrated mode, you create, analyze, and optimize your simulation model in the
same user environment that you use to create your Pro/ENGINEER geometry. Here
are some unique features of integrated mode:
• You can choose whether to define your model for use in native mode or FEM
mode. Native mode provides P-element solutions and FEM mode lets you
solve your model using any of several third-party H-element solvers.
• Mechanica creates the mesh automatically as part of model analysis. For solid
models, Mechanica uses solid elements such as tetrahedrons, wedges, or
bricks while, for shell models, it applies both triangle and quadrilateral shell
elements to achieve the best mesh. You can also have models that combine
solid and shell elements to create a mixed mesh.
As an option, you can manually add several specialized element types, or

idealizations and connections, to your model. These include beams, various
types of welds, springs, gaps, contacts, rigid connections, and masses.
26
Although native mode does not normally display elements except as a

background for study or analysis results, you can test and refine your mesh
before you run an analysis.
• You indicate which aspects of your model can change during a sensitivity or
optimization study by defining design parameters for dimensions and
properties. For dimension changes, you create design parameters using
Pro/ENGINEER relations.
• You can work in more than one model at a time. When you wish to work on
another model, you simply open it, and a new work area window opens
displaying the newly-chosen model. You do not need to save until you exit
integrated Mechanica. For more information, see Considerations for Multiple
Model Sessions.
To get a better idea of how integrated mode differs from independent mode, see
Operating Mode Comparison.
Independent Mode
Independent mode relies on the independent Mechanica user interface for all
simulation modeling, analysis and design study execution, and results viewing. In
independent mode, you have the option of building your model geometry in
Pro/ENGINEER, importing geometry from a third-party CAD package, or building the
geometry exclusively within Mechanica. After you work with your model in
independent mode, you break all association with Pro/ENGINEER and you can no
longer automatically update the Pro/ENGINEER model from Mechanica.
Here are some features of independent mode:
• You can create elements manually or automatically. For solid models, you can
create solid elements such as tetrahedrons, wedges, or bricks. For shell
models, you can apply triangular and quadrilateral shell or plate elements. As
an option, you can manually add several specialized element types to your
model. These element types include beams, spot welds, springs, and masses.
Mechanica provides a variety of manual element generation methods including

geometry selection, point seeding, extrusion, and revolution. If you want
Mechanica to create elements automatically, you can use AutoGEM, a tool that
generates elements on curves, surfaces, and volumes.
• You indicate which aspects of your model can change during a sensitivity or
optimization study by defining design variables for dimensions and design
parameters for properties. You cannot, however, use Pro/ENGINEER relations
or parameters to control shape changes.
• You can create element-based measures to get information on stress intensity
factors (cracking) in your model, resultant forces and moments, and net heat
flux.
To get a better idea of how integrated mode differs from independent mode, see
Operating Mode Comparison.
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Operating Mode Comparison

Here is a summary of how integrated mode differs from independent mode.
Integrated Mode Independent Mode

• All analysis types • All analysis types
• P-code native solver and third- • P-code native solver only

party H-code solvers
• 2D and 3D models • 2D and 3D models
• Geometry created in • Geometry created in

Pro/ENGINEER only Pro/ENGINEER, Mechanica, or
one of several CAD file formats
• Modeling entities created in • Modeling entities created in a

the Pro/ENGINEER user separate Mechanica user
interface interface or transferred from
integrated mode
• Geometry-based measures • Geometry-based and element-

based measures
• Elements generated • Elements created manually or

automatically with testing and through AutoGEM
refinement capabilities
• Design parameters only— • Shape and property design

created in Pro/ENGINEER variables—created in
Mechanica
• Streamlined results definition • Classic results definition and

and viewing workflow viewing workflow
Planning and Modeling Considerations

The basis of good part or assembly design is planning. When planning any
Pro/ENGINEER part or assembly, you consider a variety of issues including
dimensioning schemes, feature relationships, tolerances, and assembly connection
methods. You also take a careful look at the context in which a part will be used. As
a simple example, if you are building an assembly, you need to make sure each part
in the design fits its connecting parts.
Similarly, if you work with Mechanica, you need to plan ahead for all aspects of
simulation model development. You consider such issues as whether the methods
you use to build your part will result in a model that can be easily optimized,
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whether you have created auxiliary features that will support modeling situations
such as localized loads, and so forth. You also need to think about the effect that
optimization and shape change will have on any related parts. For example, you
need to determine whether a new optimized part shape will still fit into a parent
assembly.
In developing Pro/ENGINEER parts and assemblies that you plan to evaluate in

Mechanica, you may want to experiment with various techniques that can make your
simulation model easier to use and improve solution times. You may also want to
add certain modeling entities to serve as a basis for other simulation modeling
entities such as loads and constraints. Here are some considerations and techniques
you can review:
• part and assembly development techniques

• simulation modeling techniques and prerequisites
• factors to consider when planning for optimization
Each of these discussions assumes that you are already familiar with Pro/ENGINEER
part and assembly building techniques. Therefore, the focus lies with explaining
general methodology rather than with providing detailed instructions on how to
create Pro/ENGINEER parts and assemblies.
Building Part and Assemblies

Planning and Building Parts and Assemblies
There are a number of strategies you may want to consider when planning and
building Pro/ENGINEER parts and assemblies for use with Mechanica. These
strategies can help you develop models that have faster mesh and solution times,
promote a broad choice of shape changes that you can have Mechanica work with
during sensitivity and optimization studies, and let you more easily identify
components in your model or work with its parts.
Here are some techniques you can consider:
• Keep your parts simple.

• Suppress nonessential features.
• Determine which aspects of your design you want Mechanica to change, and
develop your parts and assemblies to allow these changes.
Most of the above guidelines focus on part planning and building, but some are valid
for assemblies as well. To learn more about issues you should consider if you are
working with assemblies, see Assembly Considerations.
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Strategy: Keeping Models Simple

Strive for simplicity as you build your part. When you work with a part in Mechanica,
you want the software to focus on the essentials of your design, not the cosmetics.
If a feature is not necessary for an analysis or design study and has no anticipated
effect on the results, omit it for the time being. Also, if possible, omit areas of your
design that cannot be changed. After you finish your Mechanica optimization, you
can add these items back into your design.
This approach offers several advantages. First, Mechanica design studies run more
quickly for simpler parts. Second, if you omit unnecessary portions of the design
from your part, you do not risk setting up relationships that may artificially restrict
the movement of your design parameters. Third, you can use analysis results from a
partly-developed model to answer questions about how you should build the
remainder of the model.
Simplified designs offer different advantages at each design stage.
• Conceptual Design Stage — In this early design stage, you can quickly and
easily conduct feasibility studies, even though you do not have a fully
constructed part or assembly.
• Intermediate Design Stage — You can complete a finite element model of
a partially defined assembly, or a part that has a few key areas still
undefined. There are two advantages:
o You can vary the completed areas of your part without having to wait
for the incomplete areas to be fully defined.
o You can guide the design of the incomplete areas with the results of
the analysis.
• Analysis of a Complete Part — You can reduce the complexity of the finite
element representation of the part or assembly.
There are a number of methods you can use to simplify a part or assembly. You
should determine the best approach by evaluating the nature of your model and your
simulation goals.
Strategy: Suppressing Nonessential Features

Feature interference can occur for a variety of reasons. If you have already built your
part and find that Mechanica cannot perform a shape change due to the interference
of two features, identify the feature that is causing the problem and suppress it if
possible. When you suppress a feature, that feature becomes nonexistent from
Mechanica's point of view.
Note: Do not suppress a feature that carries a load or constraint unless you
are doing so to prepare for an analysis type that does not require loads or
constraints, such as a modal analysis with rigid mode search.
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Before defeaturing an aspect of your design, ask yourself the following questions:
• Would suppressing the feature change the behavior of the model?

• Would suppressing the feature eliminate a factor that Mechanica should
consider during a sensitivity study or optimization?
If the answer to both questions is no, consider suppressing the feature. Otherwise,
you need to limit the design parameter range to eliminate the problem or, in some
cases, rebuild the part using a different development scheme.
Note: If your part includes a large number of datum points that have no use
in Mechanica, consider suppressing these points before accessing Mechanica.
An excessive number of datum points can affect performance.
Planning for Shape Changes

The intent of Mechanica optimization is to redesign a part so that it better meets
your design goals. To achieve this purpose, Mechanica changes the shape and size of
the part’s features according to your instructions.
The aspects of the part that Mechanica changes are known as design parameters. A
design parameter is a dimension or property that you direct Mechanica to alter within
a specified range for the purpose of a sensitivity or optimization study. You can also
use design parameters in a standard Mechanica design study to achieve a single-
point solution. In this case, however, you change the design parameter to a specific
setting rather than allow it to move through a range of settings.
As an example, before you optimize a model, you can designate the position of a
hole as a design parameter or a set of design parameters. You can then specify the
optimization study so that Mechanica moves the hole until it finds a new location that
minimizes stress in the model.
When you design a part for use with Mechanica, always think ahead and consider
how you want the part’s features to move. Decide in advance which aspects of your
part you want to define as design parameters and what the parameter ranges might
be. As you build the part, ensure that the movement of these features is not
artificially restrained by relationships, topology, and so forth.
Here are some techniques you can consider:
• Plan your shape changes and develop your part to allow these changes.
• Build larger, more basic features first.
• Identify relationships that prevent desired movement or cause undesired
movement.
• Change dimension names for easy identification.
• Avoid topology conflicts introduced by design parameter ranges and part
building techniques that create interference between features or introduce
extreme topological changes.
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Strategy: Planning Ahead for Shape Changes

The first step in planning a part is to evaluate your basic design and determine which
aspects of that design you want Mechanica to change. The shape changes you plan
to experiment with can have a marked influence on how you feature your part.
For example, a part you might normally create as a single feature in Pro/ENGINEER
may be better suited to shape changes if you create the part using multiple features.
As another example, in parts you create using some of Pro/ENGINEER's more
advanced techniques such as blends, sweeps, patterning, and mirroring, you may
experience unexpected or unwanted geometry changes during optimization.
Strategy: Developing a Featuring Scheme

If your part has more than one feature, develop the large features first. Build all
features as simply as possible. Add the smaller details as separate features. This
approach provides you with a measure of flexibility that helps you address the
following situations:
• Mechanica is unable to change areas of your design because one of the details
artificially limits movement. Provided you originally designed the details as
separate features, you can suppress the problem features and rerun the
Mechanica study.
• Your part includes features that do not affect solution quality. By suppressing
these features, you often can achieve faster run times and smaller file sizes.
Strategy: Identifying Relationships that Affect

Shape Changes
As you build your part, consider the relationships you are creating as these
relationships can freeze a shape change or introduce an unwanted shape change. Be
particularly aware of the following relationships:
• parent/child relationships — If you move a parent, the child moves with it.
• dimension relations — If you define relations between your part’s
dimensions and assign a design parameter to the independent dimension, the
dependent dimension changes in accordance with the relation you
established.
• alignment — If you align an aspect of your part with another aspect of your
part and assign design parameters in such a way that the aspect you used for
alignment disappears, your part fails to regenerate.
• declared layout relations — If you use a Pro/NOTEBOOK layout when
building your part or assembly, Pro/ENGINEER defines relations between the
aspects of the part or assembly you declare to the layout and the associated
aspect of the layout.
For example, if you declare the length of a part to the layout, Pro/ENGINEER
defines a relation tying the part’s length dimension to the layout’s length
dimension. The layout dimension is the independent dimension.
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Because Pro/ENGINEER treats any part dimension you declare to a layout as

dependent, you cannot select the dimension as a Mechanica design parameter
without first undeclaring it.
• patterning and mirroring — Patterning and dependent mirroring link the

movements of multiple geometric entities. If you use these techniques, you
will not be able to move geometric entities individually. Further, you may
introduce unexpected topology changes or Mechanica may eliminate a
geometric entity altogether. Before using these techniques, consider how you
may want the shape of your part to change during sensitivity or optimization
studies.
Because it is fairly easy to set up unintentional relationships while building a part,

you should perform the following checks:
• Use the Info>Parent/Child command to review parent-child relationships

and reassign dimensions when necessary.
• Before you enter Mechanica, select the Edit>References>Reroute
Feat>Ref Info command to display the reference information window.
Review the data in this file to determine each of the dimension references.
When necessary, redefine the dimensioning scheme or redesign the feature.
• Test your design by animating or reviewing the shape changes using the
Analysis>Mechanica Design Controls>Shape Animate and
Analysis>Mechanica Design Controls>Shape Review commands. If you
see any problems or Pro/ENGINEER fails to regenerate the part, redesign the
part in a way that prevents conflicts.
Strategy: Changing Dimension Names

When you add dimensions to your part, Pro/ENGINEER assigns a generic name to
each dimension. This name consists of the letter "d" with a number appended. This
naming convention can be confusing in Mechanica, especially if there are multiple
design parameters associated with your part.
In processing design parameters, Mechanica uses dimension names, Pro/ENGINEER

parameter names, or beam section names as the design parameter names. If you
create design parameters for your part's dimensions, you may find that changing the
generic dimension names to meaningful names helps you identify which design
parameter produces what shape change.
Because Mechanica tracks the dimensions for all parts in an assembly, changing
dimension names is especially important if you are doing assembly work. For
assemblies whose parts still have generic dimension names, Mechanica will likely
encounter multiple dimensions with the same name. For example, every part in the
assembly will probably include a dimension with the generic name of d0. If you try to
create design parameters for two different dimensions that have the same name,
Mechanica will display a warning and ask you to rename the second dimension.
33
Here are some tips for working with dimension names:
• You can check your part's current dimension names with the
Analysis>Mechanica Design Controls>Switch Dim command in
Mechanica or the Info>Switch Dimensions command on the Relations
dialog box in Pro/ENGINEER. You access the Relations dialog box through
the Tools>Relations command.
• You can change dimension names when you define design parameters in
Mechanica. If you want to change the names before accessing Mechanica,
activate the dimension display in standard mode, select dimension, and use
the Edit>Properties command. Once you click this command, you can use
the Dimension Text tab on the Dimension Properties dialog box to change
the name.
Strategy: Avoiding Topology Conflicts

Mechanica cannot resolve certain topological conflicts when it meshes a model. While
your part may appear topologically sound at the modeling stage and may mesh
successfully during analysis, it may experience unacceptable topological changes
when you change its shape during a sensitivity or optimization study. You can
inadvertently introduce this type of problem during design parameter or feature
creation.
Design parameters can cause problems if the movement of one parameter conflicts
with that of another or conflicts with the natural boundaries of the part. When adding
design parameters to a part, be sure that the ranges you define do not change part
topology by introducing interference between features or part boundaries. You
should take special care with features created by patterning or dependent mirroring.
Additionally, use special care when creating geometry using blends and sweeps. Both
of these part building techniques may restrict the movement of your part and make
new shapes difficult for Mechanica to mesh during a sensitivity or optimization study.
Here are some tips for using blends and sweeps:
• blends — Avoid building complex, multiple blends one on top of another.

Mechanica may have trouble resolving the blends if the shape change twists
the multiple blends in relation to one another.
• sweeps — You can introduce meshing problems if you create the sweep
using highly complex datum curves or irregular section-to-section transitions.
Sweeps with either of these characteristics are more likely to develop
topological wrinkles as Mechanica changes their shape and may fail to mesh.
To avoid this, you can use advanced surfacing techniques in Pro/ENGINEER to
smooth the topology of the section transitions.
To test for topology interference, animate or review your shape changes using the
Analysis>Mechanica Design Controls>Shape Animate and
Analysis>Mechanica Design Controls>Shape Review commands in Mechanica
prior to starting your design study. Start with smaller shape changes to make sure
the shape changes are realistic before specifying the full range of movement.
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In addition to interference and topology problems caused by complex blends and

sweeps, be aware that topology changes can introduce the following situations:
• Mechanica may experience conflicts between existing loads. In this case, the
software may modify one of the loads as a result of the conflict.
• If the topology change is large and sudden, as with the dynamic suppression
or addition of a feature through Pro/PROGRAM, the change may affect the
quality of the optimization. The sudden introduction or removal of a feature
can increase stresses in such a way that the optimizer stops prematurely,
assuming that it has found a lower-stress design immediately prior to the
topology change.
Assembly Considerations
Working with an assembly is similar to working with a part. However, you should
bear the following in mind as you work:
• When you model an assembly, you are working with a nonmoving entity.
Regardless of the appearance or behavior of the assembly in real-world
conditions, Structure and Thermal treat all assemblies as nonmoving.
• Mechanica requires that all the parts in the assembly use the same system of
units. You are responsible for ensuring that all dimensioning systems in your
assembly are consistent. If you use a different system of units for some of the
parts, Mechanica displays a message indicating that the software
automatically converts the part's units so that the units of measure are the
same.
• Up to the point when you run an analysis or study, Mechanica treats your
assembly as a collection of individual parts. Thus, during the model
development phase, you add modeling entities to parts, rather than to the
assembly as a whole.
After you start a run, Mechanica merges the individual parts into a single,
multivolume body, where individual parts are either connected or
unconnected.
• If you want Mechanica to treat your assembly as a set of shells, you must
first define shells or shell pairs for each part in the assembly. You define
shells and shell pairs on a part-by-part basis by accessing Mechanica after
opening the individual parts.
• After you have defined shells and shell pairs for each of your parts, you can
access Mechanica from assembly mode and work with the assembly as a
whole. For more information on shells and shell pairs, see About Shells.
• If you use midsurface compression for any parts in your assembly that are
made up of shells or shells and solids, gaps can form in your model where the
curves (edges) or surfaces (faces) are mated or have assembly constraints
applied to them. Mechanica creates connections between these gaps so the
parts deform together as if they are one entity.
• Although Mechanica uses shell, surface region, beam, mass, and spring
definitions from the individual parts that make up an assembly, it ignores any
modeling entities and idealizations you added to the parts while working in
35
part mode. Consequently, you need to assign new modeling entities and
idealizations when you work with the assembly.
• Mechanica disregards all design parameters assigned to individual parts.
• For assemblies, be aware that you cannot place loads or constraints on
geometry that Mechanica merges during a run. If a portion of a merged
surface is free—for example, two volumes that have mated surfaces, but one
surface is larger than the other—you can create a surface region on the free
area and then apply the load or constraint to that surface region.
• When using family table instances in assemblies, note that any modeling
entities you create are stored with the assembly rather than with the part.
Using Effective Modeling Techniques

Simulation Modeling Techniques and
Prerequisites
When preparing a part for modeling and analysis, you create Mechanica modeling
entities such as materials, constraints, loads, and measures. Before you can create
certain types of modeling entities, you need to add specific features to your part. You
may also need to add datum geometry to your part for the following reasons:
• to create an origin for certain constraints and loads

• to simulate conditions applied to surface regions
You may need to take special steps to prepare your model for 2D analysis, such as
adding a Cartesian coordinate system, or to prepare a symmetric model, such as
defining cuts along the axes of symmetry.
As a step in your part planning process, decide which types of modeling entities you
want to add to your model. After you have your plan in mind, determine the
requirements for each of the entities you will define. Here are some of the
techniques and prerequisites you may want to consider:
• determining your model's system of units

• adding coordinate systems
• adding datum features
• defining surface and volume regions
• defining Pro/ENGINEER parameters
• using symmetry
• preparing a 2D model
Units Settings
Before designing your model, you need to select a system of units in which
Pro/ENGINEER stores all data in the database. You can use the Pro/ENGINEER Units
Manager menu to select a system of units for your Mechanica model.
If you do not define a system of units, Pro/ENGINEER uses a default system of

units—inch pound-mass second (inch lbm second).
36
You can select from a predefined system of units, create a custom system of units,
or set a default system of units for your model.
You can learn more about units by reviewing these references:
• Predefined systems of units or custom systems of units — See Systems

of Units Management.
• Setting a default system of units — See the discussion of pro_unit_sys in
Configuration File Options.
• Unit conversion tables and other units tables — See Unit Conversion
Tables. The Pro/ENGINEER default, inch pound-mass second (inch lbm
second), is not a standard system of units, and thus is not described in the
tables.
Using Coordinate Systems

Many Mechanica modeling entities reference coordinate systems, either implicitly or
explicitly. Mechanica uses reference coordinate systems to determine such functions
as the direction of a load, the placement of a load, the orientation of a material, and
so forth.
When you start your Mechanica session, the software adds a default coordinate
system to your model. This coordinate system is known as the World Coordinate
System (WCS). The WCS is a Cartesian coordinate system with an origin at 0 0 0. At
the time that it comes up, Mechanica defines the WCS as the current coordinate
system and assumes the WCS is the coordinate system it should use when creating
modeling entities.
If you want to apply your modeling entities relative to a different coordinate system,
you can set that coordinate system as current using the Edit>Current Coordinate
System command. Making a coordinate system current means that Mechanica will
base the creation of certain modeling entities on that coordinate system.
You can also create new coordinate systems in Mechanica using the Insert>Model
Datum>Coordinate System command. You can define coordinate systems you
create in Mechanica as Cartesian, cylindrical, or spherical, enabling a more flexible
and accurate realization of mechanical behavior. For example, cylindrical coordinate
systems can be handy when defining cyclic symmetry constraints.
Note: If you select a 2D model type, you must choose a Cartesian coordinate
system that you want Mechanica to use as the reference coordinate system.
Using Datum Features

Using datum features such as datum points, curves, surfaces, and axes can help you
simulate a variety of effects and apply a number of different types of modeling
entities. For example, you need datum points to create such entities as point loads,
local measures, mesh controls, and certain idealizations such as springs, masses,
and spot welds. You use datum curves and surfaces to create surface and volume
37
regions, enabling you to isolate loads and constraints, add loads and constraints to
free portions of merged surfaces, and so forth.
You can create datum features for your part in either Pro/ENGINEER or Mechanica.
There are differences implicit in where you create these features:
• Pro/ENGINEER — If you create the datum features in Pro/ENGINEER, the

datum features will be visible on your part in both Pro/ENGINEER and
Mechanica. You can also take advantage of certain Pro/ENGINEER part
building techniques not available with Mechanica datum geometry creation,
such as patterning and mirroring.
However, you may find that adding these features in Pro/ENGINEER creates
visual clutter that may prove distracting when you use your model for other
purposes, such as manufacturing or documentation. If this is the case,
consider creating the datum features within Mechanica instead, as they will not
be visible when you return to Pro/ENGINEER.
• Mechanica — If you create the datum features within Mechanica, these are
known as simulation features. You can create simulation features at any time
during your Mechanica session—before you add modeling entities or as you
define those modeling entities. Simulation features are only available to you
during your Mechanica sessions unless you promote them. The software turns
off these features each time you return to Pro/ENGINEER.
Working with Surface and Volume Regions

In some situations, you may want to isolate particular areas of your model to create
a more refined mesh or to more closely simulate real world conditions. For example,
if a portion of a surface on your model undergoes repeated force from a piston, you
may want to apply a load only to the circular profile where the piston contacts the
surface.
As another example, you may have a solid model that demonstrates poor mesh
quality and singularities at a re-entrant corner. In this case, you can create a volume
region around the re-entrant corner to ensure a better mesh outside of the volume
region. You can then chose to disregard the results within the volume region, as the
P-orders will be falsely high.
Mechanica enables you to isolate both surface areas and portions of a volume. To do
so, you create surface regions and volume regions. By definition, a region is the child
of the following:
• The geometry that describe the region

• The original surface or volume
As such, a region’s location can change if you apply design parameters that change
the shape of the original surface or volume.
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A surface region is a contour that subdivides a part surface or volume to allow partial
loading, constraining, or shell pairing of that surface. In situations where you want to
constrain or load a specific portion of a part surface, you can create a region on the
surface and apply the load or constraint to that region only.
A volume region is, essentially, a cut or protrusion that subdivides a volume into two
distinct subvolumes. There are a variety of methods that you can use to define the
contour of a volume region, including extruding the volume region, revolving the
region, and developing the regions from a blend, sweep, or quilt surface. You can
also use advanced volume region creation techniques such as helical sweeps,
variable section sweeps, and sweeps based on blended sections retrieved from a file.
You use volume regions primarily if you want to refine your mesh in either native
mode or FEM mode. Additionally, in FEM mode, you can apply different material
properties to the parent volume and the solid chunk created by the volume region.
In this case, you place the differing material property on the surface that defines the
volume region, and the material propagates through the solid chunk. You can also
place loads, constraints, and other modeling entities on the surfaces that define the
volume region, be they internal or external surfaces.
Creating surface or volume regions can also prove handy if you want to define a
small contact region for contact analysis instead of using an entire part as the
contact region.
Pro/ENGINEER Parameters
You can use Pro/ENGINEER parameters as Mechanica material properties, certain
load and constraint values, design parameters, or measures. This functionality
enables you to do the following:
• Define material properties in such a way that Mechanica can vary individual
characteristics of the material—for instance, Young's modulus or mass
density—during a design study
• Vary Pro/ENGINEER dimensional parameters as part of a design study
• Use Pro/ENGINEER parameters as the limits or goals of an optimization study
You can also use Pro/ENGINEER parameters to define the thickness of simple shells
or the stiffness properties of simple springs.
Before addressing the specific issues that you need to consider when creating
Pro/ENGINEER parameters for use in Mechanica, let us take a moment to review
some basic concepts.
In Pro/ENGINEER, you can control many aspects of part design through the use of
parameters. Parameters enable you to set particular values for a dimension, drive
the value of one dimension based on the behavior of another dimension, dynamically
suppress features based on changes in the part, and so forth.
39
You can define Pro/ENGINEER parameters in the following two ways:
• Through the Tools>Relations command in Pro/ENGINEER — In this

case, the value of the resulting parameter depends on other values, and can
change as those values change. For example, if you define parameter1 as
equal to d0 using the Relations command, Pro/ENGINEER ties the value of
parameter1 to d0 as a symbolic variable and does not record d0's current
value. Thus, if you later change the value of d0, parameter1 changes along
with d0.
Parameters created through the Relations command are sometimes known

as driven—or dependent—parameters because they are controlled by the
equation you define.
• Through the Tools>Parameters command in Pro/ENGINEER — In this

case, the resulting parameter is a symbolic constant—in other words, a single,
unchanging value. For example, if you define parameter1 as equal to d0 using
the Parameters command, Pro/ENGINEER determines the current value of
d0 and records parameter1 as equaling that value. Even if you later change
the value of d0, the value of parameter1 does not change.
Parameters created through the Parameters command are sometimes

known as driving—or independent—parameters because they are capable of
controlling activity.
If a conflict occurs, bear in mind that parameters created through the

Tools>Relations command override parameters created through the Parameters
command.
Taking Advantage of Symmetry

Working with Symmetric Models
If the model you create is symmetric, you have the option of subdividing the model
and working with a symmetric section instead of the entire model. By modeling only
a portion of the part, you can greatly reduce the number of elements in your model,
thus saving significant analysis time and system resources. Depending on the model,
you can also save yourself the overhead spent defining repeated versions of a load
or constraint or selecting multiple surfaces, edges, or points during load or constraint
definition.
For example, if you were trying to determine how a disk reacted to a uniform load
applied to the top surface, you might decide that you only wanted to analyze a
portion of the disk. Because the part and modeling conditions are symmetrical, the
analysis results for a section of the disk would provide information accurate enough
to give you an idea of how the model will behave as a whole.
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For a model to be symmetric for Mechanica's purposes, it must exhibit the following
characteristics:
• The geometry must be symmetric.

• The loads, constraints, and idealizations must be symmetric.
There are two types of symmetry you can model in Mechanica—mirror symmetry and
cyclic symmetry. Mirror symmetry relies on the principle that one segment of a
model is the mirror image of other segments. An example of this type of model
would be a rectangular plate with a hole at its center. In native mode you can use
the mirror symmetry constraint to take advantage of your model's symmetry. To use
mirror symmetry in FEM mode you must apply a displacement constraint to fix
translation normal to the plane of symmetry and fix rotations in opposition to the
plane of symmetry.
Cyclic symmetry relies on the principle that a segment of the geometry is repeated in
a cyclic manner throughout the model, but the segment is not a mirror image, either
in its geometry or its load scheme. An example of this type of geometry would be a
fan blade or turbine. You can only use cyclic symmetry in native mode. FEM mode
does not support this type of modeling.
The methods you use to develop these two types of symmetry differ, as does the
application of constraints and certain loads. Both types of symmetry can prove
efficient for a 3D solid or shell model. The choice of which symmetry type you use
depends on the model and the problem you wish to solve.
Note that, in some situations, you can use 2D axisymmetric modeling in place of
symmetry. While not strictly a form of symmetry, 2D axisymmetric modeling
provides an extremely efficient alternative to treating your model as a symmetric
solid. This form of modeling relies on the principle that a 2D slice of your solid
model, if rotated around an axis, can accurately depict the whole of your model's
geometry, loads, and constraints. For an example of this type of model, see Setting
up a Solid Model for a 2D Analysis on an Internal Surface.
Example: Using Mirror Symmetry

Mirror symmetry relies on the principle that you can describe the behavior of an
entire model using one segment, provided that segment is the mirror image of each
of the other segments. Therefore, you can model the segment rather than the whole,
and still get an accurate idea of your model's behavior.
To use mirror symmetry, you must be able to divide your model in such a way that
each segment you remove mirrors the segment that remains. The easiest way to
determine whether a model shows this type of symmetry is to imagine folding the
model. If you can fold the model in such a way that the segments are geometrically
identical and have loads and constraints with identical orientation and placement,
your model demonstrates mirror symmetry. Additionally, all loads on each segment
must have the same value.
If you want to take advantage of mirror symmetry in your model, you need to
complete two steps—identifying the axes or planes of symmetry in your model and
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applying mirror constraints. For example, let us say you are working with a
rectangular plate that has a hole at its center. A bolt secures the plate at the hole,
locking it in place, and the plate bears an identical force load acting on either end.
The model qualifies for mirror symmetry because the geometry, loads, and
constraints are all symmetrical.
Looking at the model as a whole, you would first decide how to divide the model. The
best choice is as follows:
You can choose to cut the original model at the division lines, or simply apply mirror
symmetry constraints along those lines. Note that, if you use the division plan
proposed above, you will end up working with one quarter of your model. You could
also choose to cut the original model in half instead, but your resulting model would
have more elements and be less efficient for the Mechanica solver. Thus, you should
always strive to find the smallest symmetric section. The remainder of this discussion
assumes that you are working with a cut model.
To apply mirror symmetry constraints you must select enough geometric entities to
define a plane. If you cut the model as in the figure below, you can create mirror
symmetry constraints by selecting the surfaces created by the cuts. If you choose
not to cut the model, you would need to define enough datum points or axes to
define the plane.
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Here, you add a mirror constraint in the X direction along the vertical cut, where the
surface would normally merge with the rest of the part geometry. Similarly, you add
a mirror constraint in the Y direction along the horizontal cut. In this way, you mimic
the way that the geometry would behave were it part of the full model. Note that
mirror symmetry constraints are not available in FEM mode. However, you can add
constraints simply by defining a displacement constraint and selecting the surfaces at
the horizontal and vertical cuts as the constraint references.
In addition to adding the mirror symmetry constraints at the cuts, you also need to
adjust the load on the symmetric section by dividing the additive load seen by the
model by the number of segments that result from the cut process. This situation
occurs whenever you apply your load using a total load distribution. In this case, the
model sees an additive total force load of 200 pounds—100 pounds on one end of
the model, and 100 on the other. To develop the symmetric segment, you cut the
model into 4 parts. Dividing 200 by 4 yields a 50 pound load on the symmetric
segment.
Tip: If you had modeled this problem using a pressure load or force per unit
area load distribution, you would not need to divide the load. For both of these
load types, Mechanica performs any load division automatically.
Example: Using Cyclic Symmetry

Cyclic symmetry relies on the principle that, in a given model, a segment of the
geometry can be repeated in a cyclic manner an integer number of times to form the
whole of the model. In this case, the segment is not a geometric mirror image. With
cyclic symmetry, loading conditions also repeat cyclically. As with mirror symmetry,
you work with a segment of the model, but still get an accurate idea of your model's
behavior as a whole.
Cyclic symmetry is particularly useful for models where the symmetric segment has
a complex shape or the cuts you must make to isolate the symmetric segment are
not fully planar. For example, the cuts you would make to isolate one blade of a
turbine are likely to bend in one or more directions.
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To use cyclic symmetry, you must be able to divide your model in such a way that
the segment you chose to work with is repeated cyclically throughout the model. The
easiest way to determine whether a model shows this type of symmetry is to
imagine cutting the model into identical wedges. If you can slice the model in such a
way that the segments are geometrically identical and have loads, constraints, and
material properties with cyclically repeatable orientation and placement, your model
demonstrates cyclic symmetry. Additionally, for loads applied to specific geometry
such as total force loads, the load seen by each segment must have the same value.
If you want to take advantage of cyclic symmetry in your model, you need to
complete two steps—cutting the model into a cyclically repeated segment and
applying a cyclic symmetry constraint to the cut surfaces or, in the case of a shell
model, to the cut curves. For example, let us say you are working with a fan that has
a hole at its center. A shaft secures the fan at the hole, locking it in place in the Z
direction but allowing free movement in the T and R directions. The fan bears a
centrifugal load with an angular velocity of 700 radians per second about the Z axis.
The model qualifies for cyclic symmetry because the geometry, loads, and
constraints are all repeated symmetrically.
Looking at the model as a whole, you would first plan the cut lines using a cylindrical
coordinate system as a reference. The best choice is as follows:
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The segment defined by the cuts repeats four times to form the circumference of the
fan. After you cut the model, you need to add a cyclic symmetry constraint to the
model so that the solver will correctly interpret the geometry as a cyclic symmetry
segment:
Here, you add a cyclic symmetry constraint to both of the cut surfaces. Note that you
do not need to change the value of the load to reflect the fact that the load acts on a
smaller segment. This is primarily a function of the load type. For example, this
model uses a centrifugal load—a body load that, in this case, behaves cyclically.
Therefore, the load requires no adjustment. However, if you were working with a
total load against the outer surface of the hole, you would need to adjust the load
just as you would for standard symmetry.
Note that this model does not qualify for mirror symmetry because the fan blades
are set at an angle, which would preclude mirroring. Additionally, the centrifugal load
would not mirror correctly as, in the mirror image, the direction of the load would
oppose the actual direction of the load.
Preparing a 2D Model
There are several good reasons for treating your model as a 2D model rather than a
3D model. One of the most compelling is the simplicity of 2D models from a meshing
and solution perspective. Mechanica can solve your model in a fraction of the time it
would take to mesh and solve a 3D model. However, 2D modeling is a specialized
form of simulation modeling and is appropriate only if your model displays certain
geometric, constraint, and load characteristics.
If you plan to perform 2D analysis on your model, you must first define your model
as a 2D model type using the Model Type dialog box. The software displays this
dialog box when you enter Mechanica, or you can activate the dialog box from within
Mechanica by selecting Edit>Mechanica Model Type if you want to convert a 3D
model to a 2D model during your simulation session. When you define your model as
a 2D model, you use the Model Type dialog box to select the geometry on which
you want to perform the 2D analysis and a reference coordinate system. As you
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prepare your 2D model, be aware that the geometry you select for analysis must be
coplanar, and the reference coordinate system must be Cartesian.
You may need to create a Cartesian reference coordinate system for your model so
that the geometry you select for 2D analysis lies in the XY plane. For 2D
axisymmetric models, all coordinates must be positive in X. To read more about
specifying a reference coordinate system for your model, see About Coordinate
Systems.
Mechanica cannot perform 2D analysis on midsurface models, sketches, or sections.

If you have a sketch on which you want to perform 2D analysis, you can extrude the
sketch into a solid in order to carry out a 2D analysis.
Planning for Optimization

Planning for Optimization Effects
When Mechanica optimizes your part, the shape changes it performs can affect any
items associated with your part, such as reference parts. Shape changes can also
affect features that you suppress prior to running Mechanica, in that these features
may no longer fit the part or may lose a dimensioning basis.
Before you start Mechanica, take a moment to consider the effects of optimization
shape changes in a wider context. Look at the various ways you use your part and
make sure that the optimization does not inadvertently change related parts.
Click on these topics to learn how optimization affects various aspects of your part:
• Optimization and Suppressed Features

• Optimization and Assemblies
• Optimization and Generic Parts
• Optimization and Reference Parts
Optimization and Suppressed Features

When it optimizes a part with suppressed features, Mechanica may change the shape
of the part such that the suppressed feature no longer fits the part or loses a
dimensioning basis. Whether this phenomenon occurs depends on how you
developed the part as well as how you planned your design parameters.
One of the most common examples of a suppressed feature problem lies in the area
of parent/child relations. If you build a suppressed feature as a child of a dimension
that Mechanica eliminates during optimization, the suppressed feature is no longer
valid when you unsuppress it. You then need to rebuild that feature using a different
dimensioning scheme.
Before suppressing any feature, review its dependencies on unsuppressed features

and other aspects of the design. This approach enables you to better calculate
predictable results of your shape changes and, thus, define your design parameter
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ranges more effectively. You can also determine in advance which suppressed
features you may need to redesign after the optimization.
Optimization and Assemblies

If you optimize an assembly part, the changes that Mechanica makes during
optimization may result in a part that no longer fits the assembly.
In most cases, these changes will be obvious when you preview your design
parameters by animating or reviewing the part's shape. Subtle changes, however,
may be more difficult to catch. Fit problems may be even less obvious if you
suppressed any features to better accommodate a Mechanica sensitivity study or
optimization.
As you prepare your part for use with Mechanica, be aware of which features and
dimensions are critical in the context of the assembly. Determine whether the
benefits of using such a feature or dimension in the optimization outweigh the cost of
changing an entire assembly. Where possible, avoid creating design parameters for
these features and dimensions.
Optimization and Generic Parts

When you optimize a generic part from a family table, the dimension changes
Mechanica makes can affect other family members. For example, if you optimize the
thickness of a generic plate and thickness is not a table-driven dimension, the other
parts in the family undergo an identical change in thickness.
If you plan to optimize a generic part, review the family table to make sure you
understand which dimensions are table-driven. Make sure you want Mechanica to
change all instances of a particular dimension before creating design parameters that
use the dimension.
Pay particular attention to table-driven dimensions that do not have values assigned
for each part instance. In cases like these, Mechanica changes all part instances
except those that have predefined values.
Optimization and Reference Parts

A reference part is a duplicate of a design part that maintains a two-way association
with the design part. Various Pro/ENGINEER manufacturing modules, such as
Pro/MOLDESIGN and Pro/DIEFACE, create reference parts for use in developing
manufacturing tools.
You define manufacturing features like mold runners and sprues using the reference
part as a basis instead of the design part. This approach allows Pro/ENGINEER to
maintain a record of tooling features separate from the design part.
The associativity between the design part and reference part enables Pro/ENGINEER
to dynamically update manufacturing tools created through its manufacturing
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modules. In other words, if you alter your design part, you simultaneously change
the reference part and the manufacturing tool built from the reference part.
With this in mind, be aware that Mechanica changes the shape of any associated
manufacturing tools at the same time that it changes the shape of your part. If
Mechanica changes aspects of your design that define manufacturing tool features,
the manufacturing tool may no longer be valid.
For example, when you use Pro/MOLDESIGN to create a mold and you define one of
the runners as Point–Surface, Pro/MOLDESIGN places a runner between a datum
point and the specified part surface. If Mechanica then eliminates the surface as part
of an optimization, the runner will have lost its placement geometry and the mold
will no longer be valid.
User Interface Basics for Integrated Mode

Working With the User Interface
To use Mechanica effectively, you need to understand the basics of the user interface
and some of the tools available to you through that user interface. A solid knowledge
of how to operate the user interface effectively will help you perform tasks such as
defining modeling entities and analyses, or reviewing study results. Browse this area
of the online Help to learn about the following common activities you perform in
Mechanica as well as several tools that can help you make your Mechanica sessions
more efficient:
• using dialog boxes and message boxes

• using the Mechanica toolbar
• selecting geometry and modeling entities
• using layers
• using suppression and family tables to manage modeling entities
• setting simulation visibilities
• interpreting color references
• getting information on your simulation model
• removing all simulation entities from your model
• transferring your model to independent mode
• printing your model
• working with Mechanica configuration options
• setting environment variables
Using Dialog Boxes and Message Boxes

Dialog boxes and message boxes are the common communication tools for
Mechanica. You use dialog boxes to define such items as modeling entities, analyses,
design studies, and results. You use message boxes to answer questions that
Mechanica may ask as you work. Message boxes also inform you of problems with
your model or provide you with information pertinent to an activity you are
performing.
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Dialog boxes are windows with entry boxes, lists of options, buttons, and other items
that enable you to apply settings and values to entities, analyses, and design studies
you create or modify. Because dialog boxes are windows, you can move or close
them if necessary. Commands that use dialog boxes open the dialog boxes
automatically when you select the command. Some commands may use more than
one dialog box.
Here is an example of a typical Mechanica dialog box. Note that this dialog box does
not contain all of the possible items you might see on a dialog box, but does include
the most common items.
To apply settings using a dialog box, enter or select values using the items on the
dialog box. When you select a button on a dialog box, additional buttons or entry
boxes related to your selection may appear on the dialog box.
The following list describes most dialog box items and how to use them:
button Enables you to perform an action.

check box Enables you to select an item. From a group of check
boxes, you can select one or many.
display-only text Displays a name or value that you cannot edit.
entry box Provides a place for you to enter a value, name, or
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comment.
list box Displays a list of items with a scroll bar. You usually select
an item on the list.
option menu Enables you to select one of several options. The dialog
box displays the name of the currently selected option.
tab Enables you to select an activity to perform on a dialog
box. When you click a tab, the dialog box brings that tab
to the forefront for you to fill out.
table Lists a variety of attributes associated with an entity. You
use dialog box tables to select entities that you want
Mechanica to act on or that you want to define. You can
insert new rows into dialog box tables and delete existing
rows. In some cases, you can edit the contents of a table
by right-clicking on an item.
Mechanica displays message boxes to provide you with important information you
need before continuing with a command. Some Mechanica commands use message
boxes to display a question or a message. If this is the case, the message box
includes buttons that you can use to respond to the question. You select the buttons
on these message boxes with the left mouse button. You can also select the default
response, the button with the double border, by pressing RETURN. Like dialog boxes,
a message box is a separate window that you can move or close.
Mechanica Toolbar
You can access many of the Mechanica functions by using toolbar buttons. When you
start Mechanica, a toolbar appears to the right of the graphics window.
The toolbar is customizable. Use Tools>Customize Screen to control the position

of the toolbar, and to control which icons Mechanica displays. For more information
on customizing the user interface, search the Basic Pro/ENGINEER functional area in
the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
Note: The default selection of buttons changes depending on the Mechanica

module you are in.
Click the links in the following table to get information on the functions of each
toolbar button.
Button Description Module*

New Displacement Constraint S, SF
New Along Surface Constraint SF
New Symmetry Constraint S
New Bearing Load S
New Centrifugal Load S, SF
New Gravity Load S, SF
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New Global Temperature Load S, SF
New Heat Load on Point T, TF
New Heat Load on Edge T, TF
New Heat Load on Surface T, TF
New Heat Load on Volume TF
New Force or Moment Load S, SF
New Pressure Load S, SF
New Structural Temperature Load on Point SF
New Structural Temperature Load on Curve SF
New Structural Temperature Load on Surface SF
New Structural Temperature Load on Volume SF
New Beam S, T, SF, TF
New Interface SF, TF
New Weld S, T, SF, TF
New Fastener S
New Measure S, T
New Gap SF
New Mass S, SF
New Shell Pair S, T, SF, TF
New Spring S, SF
New Rigid Link SF
New Weighted Link SF
New Material Assignment SF, TF
New Cyclic Constraint T
New Point Convection Condition T
New Edge Convection Condition T
New Surface Convection Condition T, TF
New Prescribed Temperature T, TF
New Radiation Condition TF

*
S = Structure, T = Thermal, SF = Structure in FEM mode, TF = Thermal in FEM
mode
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Process Guide
Selection Methods
There are several ways to select entities on your model as you are performing
various Mechanica operations. These include:
• Direct Selection — Use Pro/ENGINEER selection methods to select objects

directly on your model. The direct selection can be handy when you want to
select geometric references for simulation entities (springs, beams, loads,
constraints, and so forth) before opening an entity definition dialog box. In
this case, if your geometric selections are valid, they appear in the
References area when you open the corresponding entity definition dialog
box. If they are not valid, along with the entity definition dialog box appears
the SIM SELECT menu that you can use to make new selections.
• Model Tree — Use the Model Tree to select model entities from its list of
entities and features. You can select entities from the Model Tree just as you
would select them directly on your model. You can also work from the Model
Tree, highlighting an item, and then right-clicking to display information
about the selected entity.
• Object Action — Select any entity on your model, or on the Model Tree, and
right-click to perform operations on the shortcut menu that appears.
• Search Tool — Use the Search Tool dialog box to find modeling entities by
using criteria such as name, type, and property.
Using Layers
You can group different kinds of modeling entities and control their visibility in part
or assembly mode by creating and maintaining layers. For example, by placing items
on a layer, you can show or blank the items by showing or blanking the layer. You
create and maintain layers through the Layers dialog box.
When you select on the Pro/ENGINEER toolbar, the Layers dialog box appears.
You can also access the Layers dialog box by selecting Show>Layer Tree on the
Model Tree. Use this dialog box to:
• create, edit, and delete layers

• add appropriate simulation features to a layer
• show, hide, or isolate features by layers
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In Mechanica, you can place the following objects on layers:
• loads • gaps (FEM mode)
• constraints • rigid links (FEM mode)
• simple or advanced shells • weighted links (FEM mode)
• shell pairs • material assignments (FEM

mode)
• beams • interfaces
• springs • end and perimeter welds
• masses
You place idealizations on layers primarily so that you can hide and show the
element renderings for a layer when working with or viewing the mesh. Note that
elements associated with simulation objects are only visible if the parent objects are
visible. Thus, to hide and show elements, you place the associated idealizations on
layers.
In addition, you can use layers to hide and show particular idealizations or sets of
idealizations as you develop your model. You also place idealizations on layers if you
want to transfer them to independent mode as groups.
If you transfer a model to independent mode, the layers you define become groups if
the config.pro option sim_use_layers is set to "Yes" and if the assembly or part
contains layers with geometry. Layers containing datum axes and planes do not
transfer to independent mode groups. The transfer also converts all components into
groups.
In results, you can use layers to selectively display parts of your model in the results
window display. You can display or hide beam and shell definitions that you placed
on layers before running an analysis, and you can display or hide different
components of an assembly.
Here are some of the highlights of layer creation that you should consider as you
develop layers for simulation features:
• You can create as many layers as you want in a model.

• You can associate items with more than one layer or create nested layers. For
example, you can associate a mass with several layers.
• You can use simulation default layer types to organize families of simulation
features in your model. For example, if you assign a newly-created layer as
the SIM_BEAM default layer, Mechanica places all beams that you
subsequently create on that layer.
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For more detailed information on layers, search the Basic Pro/ENGINEER functional
area in the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
Managing Modeling Entities Through

Suppression and Family Tables
You can use a number of techniques to manage the appearance or availability of the
modeling entities in your model. Many of these techniques primarily manage visibility
states. However, two of these techniques are more powerful—affecting not only the
visibility of a modeling entity, but its presence or absence during meshing and
analysis. These two techniques are:
• suppression of specific modeling entities through the Suppress command

• suppression of specific modeling entities through the creation of family table
instances tailored to the specific types of simulation
Managing your model through these techniques can help you simplify and organize
its modeling entities. It can also help you meet a variety of different simulation
needs without having to create and maintain separate versions of the same model.
For example, assume you have a model that you want to evaluate using both static
analysis and dynamic analysis. However, you want to apply a different set of
AutoGEM controls for the static analysis than you do for the dynamic analysis. In this
case, you would create all the mesh controls in the same model. But, prior to
running the static analysis, you would use the Suppress command to turn off the
dynamic analysis AutoGEM controls. With these entities suppressed, Mechanica only
uses the static analysis mesh controls and ignores the suppressed dynamic analysis
AutoGEM controls when it creates the mesh at the beginning of the static analysis.
Thus, the Suppress command has given you the option of using either of the two
AutoGEM control sets without having to maintain separate models.
You can achieve a similar effect using family tables within the simulation
environment. In this case, you would create two family table instances in your
model—instance1 containing the static AutoGEM controls, and instance 2 containing
the dynamic analysis controls. You would work in instance 1 when running the static
analysis and instance 2 when running the dynamic analysis.
You can suppress the following modeling entities using either the Suppress
command or the family table instances:
• Loads
• Constraints
• Connections
• Idealizations
• Mesh controls
The way you use the Suppress command and create family table instances in
Mechanica is similar to how you work with this functionality in Pro/ENGINEER.
However the progression, implications, and cases for use are different. To learn
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about the specifics of using suppression and family tables in Mechanica, see
Suppression and Family Tables.
To learn the basics of entity suppression and family tables, search the Fundamentals
module of the PTC Help system.
Simulation Display
Setting Simulation Visibilities
You can control how Mechanica displays icons and mesh entities on your model. To
do so, select View>Simulation Display or click the Setup Simulation Display
button, Mechanica opens the Simulation Display dialog box. Then, use the
following tabs on the dialog box to turn on and off particular icon displays and mesh
visibility states.
• Settings — Control the appearance of your icons and activate or deactivate

the display of mesh control icons.
• Modeling Entities — Control visibilities of idealization and connection icons.
• Loads/Constraints — Control visibilities of load and constraint icons.
• Set Visibilities — Control visibilities of groups of loads or constraints. You
can make groups of loads or constraints visible or invisible by turning on or
off a load/constraint set from those listed for your model.
• Mesh — Control how Mechanica displays a mesh.
At the bottom of this dialog box is the Show Simulation Entities check box. You
can use this to display or hide all simulation entity icons. This check box appears on
all tabs.
The changes you make in the Simulation Display dialog box affect the current
session only. You can change the icon visibilities to affect all Mechanica sessions by
making changes in the config.pro file.
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Settings Tab
Use this tab on the Simulation Display dialog box to control the appearance of the
icons on your model. When you create certain entities, the software places an icon
on the associated geometry. Icons enable you to keep track of entities you apply, let
you select these entities for editing or deletion, and give you an idea of where you
placed these items. Displaying or hiding the icons on your model allows you to
simplify the model's appearance making it easier to view specific areas when
necessary.
These options are available on the Settings tab:
Setting Type Value Default Value
Common Settings
Display Names Display or hide name tags of No names

idealization and
load/constraint icons.
Display Icons While Turn icons on or off when Icons on

Spinning model spins.
Load/Constraint Display
Icons Display load and constraint Icons on

icons or turn them off.
Distribution Display or hide distributed Distribution icons on

load vectors over geometry.
Individual Colors Display in individual colors Individual colors

or all yellow.
Icon Scale Scale load icons with the Default size

given coefficient.
Value Display or hide tags Values displayed

containing load value.
Arrows Scaled Scale or do not scale load Arrows scaled

arrows.
Arrow Tails Touching Display load arrows with Heads touching

heads or tails touching
geometry.
Mesh Control Display
Display Mesh Controls Display or hide mesh control Mesh control icons
icons. displayed
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Modeling Entities Tab

Use this tab on the Simulation Display dialog box to control visibilities of
idealization and connection icons. The tab lists all idealization and connection icons
available in native mode or FEM Mode. However, you can only access icons of those
entities that are associated with the particular mode and product you are currently
working in, while the others remain inactive.
By default, Mechanica sets all accessible icons to be visible. To hide them, you can
either use the Clear All button or turn off the icons of specific idealizations or
connections.
Idealizations, Properties, and Measures
• Beams • Masses
• Beam Sections • Shells
• Beam Releases • Material Assignments
• Springs • Measures
• Gaps
Connections
• Rigid Links • End/Perimeter Welds

• Rigid Link DOFs • Spot Welds
• Weighted Links • Rigid Connections
• Weighted Link DOFs • Contact Regions
• Interfaces • Gaps
• Fasteners
To obtain more information about icons, see Icons Used in Mechanica.
Another method you can use to manage visibilities is layers. You can place varying
combinations of modeling entities as well as loads and constraints on a layer. Then,
you can blank the layer to remove the entities on it from view, or show the layer to
restore the layer entities to view. For more information on layers, search the Basic
Pro/ENGINEER functional area of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
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Loads/Constraints Tab
Use this tab on the Simulation Display dialog box to control visibilities of load and
constraint icons. Two sections of the tab list icons available in Structure and
Thermal. Although the two products do not share the icons, each having its own set,
all icons on the tab are accessible from both products.
By default, all Structure icons are set to be visible and all Thermal icons are invisible
if you are working in Structure. In Thermal, all Thermal icons are set to be on and all
Structure icons are off. If you want to change these settings, use the Clear All or
Select All buttons, or make individual selections in the Structure or Thermal section
of the tab.
Structure
• Constraints • Centrifugal Load

• Cyclic Symmetry • Global Temperature
• Forces/Moments • Structural Temperature
• Pressures • External Temperature
• Bearing Loads • MEC/T
• Gravity Load • Temperature
Thermal
• Prescribed Temperatures • Radiation

• Cyclic Symmetry • Heat Loads
• Convection Conditions • Volume Heat
To obtain more information about icons, see Icons Used in Mechanica.
Another method you can use to manage visibilities is layers. You can place varying
combinations of loads and constraints along with the modeling entities on a layer.
Then, you can blank the layer to remove from view the entities on it, or show the
layer to restore the layer entities to view. For more information on layers, search the
Basic Pro/ENGINEER functional area of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
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Mesh Tab
Use this tab on the Simulation Display dialog box to control the appearance of
meshes generated in native mode and FEM mode. Depending on which mode you are
working in, the content of the tab changes.
Native Mode
After you generate a mesh using the AutoGEM command, Mechanica displays all
mesh elements by default. You can hide them by clicking the Clear All button on the
tab or by turning off individual entities from the following list:
• Mesh Points • Beams

• Solids • Links
• Shells
You can control the size of mesh entities and the quality of mesh display using the
Mesh Display area on the Mesh tab of the Simulation Display dialog box.
FEM Mode
The FEM version of the tab provides the following options for you to control the FEM
mesh display:
• Mesh and Model

• Mesh Display Mode
Color References
Mechanica uses color to identify modeling entities, distinguish icons and geometry,
indicate the selection state of icons, show meshes, and so forth. In addition, when it
displays fringe plots, vector plots, and graphs, Mechanica uses color to show
stresses, strains, and other types of results.
Pro/ENGINEER uses several basic color schemes, among which are the default color
scheme, the black on white color scheme, and so forth. You can work in any of these
color schemes, or customize the user interface by establishing a color scheme of
your own.
Mechanica online help refers to entity and icon color when the color has significance
from a modeling perspective—such as the different colors of the top and bottom
surfaces in a shell pair—or when the color will help you identify an entity on your
screen. Be aware that all references to color in the online help system are based on
the default color scheme. If you use a different color scheme, you will need to
understand how the colors in your scheme correspond to the colors in the default
scheme in order to correctly interpret the online help.
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For information on the Pro/ENGINEER color schemes and how to set them, search
the Fundamentals functional area in the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center. To learn how to
customize the colors Mechanica uses for result windows, see Adjusting Color Scale
for Fringe, Contour, and Vector Legends and Managing Graphs.
Getting Information on Your Model

You can obtain informational files and reports on various aspects of your model
during your Mechanica session, including model tolerances, contact regions, mass
properties, and so forth. To review these files and reports, use the following
commands on the Info menu:
• Simulation Model
• Tolerance Report
• Review Total Load for Structure
• Review Total Load for Thermal
• Review Contacts
• Mechanica Mass Properties
Some of the commands on the Info menu are present for all models—for example,
Simulation Model. Others, such as Review Total Load and Tolerance Report,
are only present for certain types of models or for models that include the
appropriate modeling entities.
Removing Simulation Entities from Your

Model
The most common way to remove modeling entities from your model is to delete
them individually. However, you may occasionally find that you have created a
simulation model that does not serve your purposes or that you want a fast way to
clean up a model by deleting all simulation entities. In this case, you can use
File>New Simulation Model to remove all the simulation modeling entities for the
current part or assembly.
This command deletes all simulation modeling entities directly applied to your model,
including those not visible in the Model Tree. For example, New Simulation Model
deletes all materials, loads, constraints, contact regions, and so forth from the
model. However, it does not remove library entities such as material definitions,
beam section definitions, and so forth. After it deletes the model entities, Mechanica
opens a clean version of your model and displays the Model Type dialog box so that
you can respecify the product, mode, and model type you want to work with.
Do not use the New Simulation Model command if you are trying to delete
individual modeling entities. Reserve this command for situations where your model
requires deep-level cleanup. If you use New Simulation Model and immediately
decide that you wanted to keep the modeling entities after all, you can exit
Mechanica without saving the model, and the original modeling entities will return
when you next open the model.
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Transferring Your Model to Independent Mode

If you decide to work with your model in independent mode, use the
File>Independent Mechanica command to start a separate Mechanica user
interface. Mechanica merges all model information—whether your model is a part or
assembly—into an independent mode model file known as an .mdb file. This
operation creates a complete Mechanica database file that you cannot use in
integrated mode. If you want to transfer Pro/ENGINEER layers to the independent
mode model, you need to set the sim_use_layers config.pro option.
Printing Your Model

You can print the model from your work area in Mechanica at any time during the
creation and modification of your model. This is very useful for creating reports that
track the evolution of your model.
You use the File>Save A Copy command, and then choose the format for the
image. Most of the popular formats, such as JPEG and TIFF, are available.
Changing Configuration Settings

You can control certain aspects of your Mechanica sessions by creating a
configuration file that Pro/ENGINEER references each time you open the software, or
during the course of a specific session. Configuration files let you control:
• Mechanica icon display

• various aspects of FEM mode operation such as mesh defaults, solver
parameters, shell compression controls, and output options
• default unit settings
• Fatigue parameters
• run options
• result display options
There are two methods you can use to create or update a configuration file:
• You can manually enter the various configuration options into a text file using
a standard text editor like Notepad, WordPad, or vi. You perform this process
outside of Pro/ENGINEER.
• You can select the Tools>Options command from within Pro/ENGINEER.
When you select this command, Pro/ENGINEER displays the Options dialog
box. You use this form to set a configuration option, update an existing
configuration file, create a new configuration file, or activate a different
configuration file.
There are also two different types of configuration files—permanent files and session-
based files. Permanent configuration files are usually named config.pro and session-
based configuration files are called current_session.pro. You should understand the
difference between these files before deciding which type will best suit your
situation.
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For more information on configuration files and how to create them, see the
appropriate area of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center. To review a list of the
configuration options pertinent to Mechanica and read about issues that you may
want to consider when developing a configuration file, see Configuration File Options.
Setting Environment Variables

You may need to set environment variables during installation or to alter a user
environment. Therefore, you should know the commands used to set environment
variables.
The UNIX command syntax depends on the shell environment you are using.
Currently, there are three types of shells available—C, Korn, and Bourne shells.
If a shell has been changed, it is possible that the env command will not return the
correct information. When trying to set an environment variable in these cases, you
will get a "Command not found" message. Trying the command for the other
shell type usually solves the problem.
In order to find out what type of shell you are using, enter the following at the
command prompt:
env | grep -i shell
One of the following lines will be returned:
For a C Shell shell = /bin/csh

For a Korn Shell shell = /bin/ksh
For a Bourne Shell shell = /bin/sh
As an example, consider setting the environment variable for MECH_ARCH. The

variable setting changes depending upon the platform and shell type.
For a C shell, the following syntax defines the environment variable for a Sun system
when entered from the command prompt:
setenv MECH_ARCH sun4_solaris
For a Korn or Bourne shell, the following syntax defines the environment variable for
a Sun system when entered from the command prompt:
MECH_ARCH=sun4_solaris; export MECH_ARCH
The Windows command syntax is the same for all Windows systems. As an example,
the following syntax defines MECH_ARCH for a Windows system when entered from
the command prompt in an MS-DOS shell:
set MECH_ARCH=i486_nt
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Online Help
Getting Help for Mechanica
Mechanica provides several types of online documents to meet various needs that
might arise in your use of the software. For the most part, you will use the topics
found in the online help. Those topics answer questions and provide instructions
related to specific menus, commands, procedures, and processes that tie directly to
tasks you are performing in the software.
In addition to the online help, Mechanica also provides supplemental online

documents that you can use to gain a more in-depth understanding of various
aspects of the software. For an overview of basic simulation tasks and workflow,
Mechanica provides Simulation Advisor.
Mechanica documents are written for mechanical engineers and assume a working
knowledge of mechanical engineering theory, terminology, and practice. However,
you do not need specialized knowledge of design analysis to use either Mechanica
software or this documentation.
Viewing methods for Mechanica help vary as follows:
• For online help, use the same methods you would use for Pro/ENGINEER. For
more information on viewing help for Pro/ENGINEER, see the Pro/ENGINEER
Help Center.
• For Simulation Advisor, see Using Simulation Advisor. Simulation Advisor
primarily covers the Structure product.
There are several tools that help you navigate through the help system easily. You
can use the contents, index, and search functions to help you find specific
information, and the hyperlinks inside each help topic to jump to related information.
Most online help topics have a "Return to" link at the bottom that links to the topic's
parent page or to a previous page. You can also use the browser's Back button to
return to a previous topic.
Online Help for Mechanica

Mechanica's online help provides extensive reference information on each Mechanica
menu and command. Help topics also guide you through many of the tasks you need
to complete as you work with your models.
Online help for Mechanica offers help on the following subjects:
• Getting Started with Mechanica — Introduces the Mechanica product line,

workflow, operating modes, user interface tools, and online documents. This
area of online help also provides planning and modeling considerations and
configuration file options.
• Modeling — Explains all aspects of modeling in Mechanica.
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• Analyses and Design Studies — Details each type of analysis and design
study you can run in Mechanica. This area of online help also provides
instructions for performing a run.
• Results — Explains the commands you use to obtain and customize the
results of analyses and design studies.
Supplemental Online Documents for

Mechanica
In addition to its online help, Mechanica provides a variety of online documents to
help increase the ease, confidence, and success with which you use the software.
These supplemental online documents are longer than the help screens.
Following is a list of supplemental Mechanica online documents, grouped into sets to

meet possible needs that arise in your use of the product.
• Using Mechanica
o Updates for Mechanica — Contains important information that does
not appear elsewhere in the documentation and that you should be
aware of before using the current Mechanica release. Also contains
descriptions of limitations you may encounter in your use of the
software.
o Long-Term Limitations — Lists long-term limitations you will
encounter when using Mechanica.
o Transferring Entities From Integrated Mode to Independent
Mode — Describes how to transfer geometry, loads, constraints, and
other entities from Mechanica's integrated mode to independent mode.
o Icons Used in Mechanica — Illustrates and briefly describes icons
that Mechanica uses. This information is relevant mainly to
independent mode.
o Bibliography — Lists references to books and articles on topics
relevant to Mechanica.
o Glossary for Mechanica — Contains brief definitions of Mechanica
terms.
• Mechanica Files
o Database Considerations — Discusses the Mechanica database, file
interactions, Pro/ENGINEER file management commands you can use
during Mechanica sessions, and some guidelines for using Mechanica
with Pro/INTRALINK or Windchill.
o Files Created by Mechanica — Describes files that Mechanica
creates.
o FEM Neutral Format File — Provides details on the FEM neutral
format files used to transfer FEM model information to FEA solvers and
Mechanica.
• Mechanica Background
o Understanding Fatigue Analysis — Provides background
information on fatigue and describes the methodology used in
Mechanica fatigue analysis.
o Shell Property Equations — Describes how the mechanical
properties of shells are represented mathematically in Mechanica.
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o Verification Guide — Presents a series of problems based on finite

element models for which analytic solutions are known, and compares
Mechanica results to the textbook results.
Simulation Advisor
Simulation Advisor presents an overview of basic Mechanica processes, mostly for
Structure. It starts with a general workflow and goes through each of the major
areas you need to be familiar with as you create your model.
You access Simulation Advisor through the Simulation Area top page of the
Pro/ENGINEER Help Center. The majority of the Simulation Advisor provides
information on the following:
• What Mechanica Does — Provides a general workflow for Mechanica.

• Using Single Parts and Assemblies — Explains how to deal with interfaces
between parts in an assembly and make sure you have a consistent system of
units.
• Defining Suitable Geometry — Helps you define the geometry in your
model in the best way.
• Setting Up the Simulation Model — Provides information on assigning
material properties, applying loads and other boundary conditions, and
controlling solution quality.
• Simulations You Can Perform — Explains the different types of analysis
that you can perform.
• Running the Solution and Viewing the Results — Gives helpful
information on optimizing your computer resources and ensuring the quality
of the results you generate.
• Improving the Design — Provides design optimization techniques.
How and when you use Simulation Advisor depends on your individual needs.
Simulation Advisor lends itself to a variety of uses. As time allows, take a quick tour
through the different areas to familiarize yourself with the overall content. If you
need information on such topics as fatigue analysis or family tables or allocating
computer resources, just to name a few, Simulation Advisor can provide you with
this type of information.
Viewing Specifications for Simulation Advisor

To view Simulation Advisor, you need to:
• Have one of these web browsers available:
o Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher

o Mozilla 1.4
• Make sure Java, JavaScript, and style sheets are enabled in your browser.
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In Mozilla, select Edit>Preferences, go to the Advanced category and select

Enable Java. Next, select the Scripts & Plugins subcategory and ensure that
the Navigator check box is selected.
In Internet Explorer select Tools>Internet Options, then do the following:
o To enable Java, select the Advanced tab and select the Java JIT
Compiler For Virtual Machines Enabled (requires restart) check
box under the Java VM heading.
o To enable style sheets, select the General tab, click the Accessibility
button, and make sure the options under Formatting are not
selected.
There is no option to turn off JavaScript in Internet Explorer.
Using Simulation Advisor

Use Simulation Advisor to learn basic Mechanica processes that will help you produce
the desired results for your model. You access Simulation Advisor through the
Simulation Area top page.
Simulation Advisor includes the following navigation tools:
• Tabs — At the top of the Simulation Advisor window, there are tabs that
organize the information into different areas. Click a tab to display the topic
list and first page of information for that area.
• Topic List — On the tabs, Simulation Advisor lists the topics related to the
tab's area of information. Click a topic to display it.
• Hyperlinks — Within each topic there are hyperlinks that take you to related
information both in Simulation Advisor and in the Mechanica online help
system. Click the hyperlink to access the related information.
Note: Hyperlinks to Mechanica help topics require that you have Mozilla
or Internet Explorer.
For additional information on Simulation Advisor, see:
• Viewing Specifications for Simulation Advisor

• Troubleshooting Browser Problems
Using Online Help

When you select the Show Navigation link on an online help file, the navigation
pane opens on the left. The navigation pane has three tabs—Contents, Index, and
Search.
• Contents — View the Contents, which includes all help topics connected to
menus or commands, but does not include many lower-level help topics. Click
a topic title to display the help topic.
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The Contents list is hierarchical. Use the + and – symbols next to a book to
open or close the list that comes under that book. There are no topics
associated with the books. Use the vertical scroll bar to move up and down the
Contents list. Use the horizontal scroll bar to move left and right.
• Index — View the Index. Type the first few letters of the item you are
looking for. The index scrolls down to the appropriate part of the list.
To open the topic that goes with an index entry, either double-click the entry
or select the entry and select the Display button.
• Search — Search the help system for topics that contain one or more
keywords that you enter. Type one or more keywords in the search pattern
text box. When you click the Find button, a list of topics that contain the
keyword appears.
To open one of the topics from the search, either double-click the topic you
want or click the topic and select the Display button.
Searches are not case-sensitive. Use Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) to
combine search terms. Use wildcards (* or ?) if you also want to see variations
of the search term, or enclose the search term in quotation marks if you want
to search for an exact phrase.
You can also use the hyperlinks inside each help topic to jump to related information.
Among other links, most online help topics have a "Return to" link at the bottom.
This contains one of the following types of links:
• A link to the topic's parent page. If you arrive at the topic from a different
page, use the browser's Back button instead.
• A link called "previous". This is identical to the browser's Back button. If you
need to go back more than one level, use the Back button.
Troubleshooting Browser Problems For

Simulation Advisor
If you already have a valid browser running when you start Simulation Advisor,
Mechanica uses that browser. If you do not have a valid browser running, Mechanica
checks for a browser in your registry and starts that browser.
If you experience regular browser problems, you should:
• Make sure you have one of the browsers listed in Viewing Specifications for
Simulation Advisor.
• Make sure you have set the browser as suggested.
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To Customize the Mechanica Toolbar

To change the buttons displayed on the Mechanica toolbar, follow these steps:
1. Select Tools>Customize Screen. The Customize dialog box appears.

2. Click the Commands tab.
3. Select Mechanica Actions, Mechanica Objects, or Simulation Display
from the list of Pro/ENGINEER modules. Mechanica displays the available
toolbar buttons under Commands on the right.
4. If you want to add a button to the toolbar, drag it from the Customize dialog
box to the toolbar.
5. If you want to remove a button, drag it from the toolbar to any location in the
window.
To Control Icon Appearance
1. Select View>Simulation Display or click to open the Simulation

Display dialog box.
2. Click the Settings tab.
Default values display all icons without names and show icons when you spin
your model. All load and constraint icons appear in individual colors, and load
icons are not scaled or displayed with heads touching.
3. Change any of the default values.

4. Select OK to accept the settings and close the dialog box.
To Set Icon Visibilities for Modeling Entities

Display dialog box.
2. Click the Modeling Entities tab.
3. To select all the entities, click the Default button. The default settings for this
tab are all accessible items selected.
4. Use or to select all or none of the listed sets.

5. To disable or enable a particular icon type, clear or check a box next to this
entity.
To Suppress Modeling Entities Through a

Family Table
1. In standard mode, select Tools>Family Table. The Family Table dialog box
appears.
2. Using the Insert>Instance Row command, create the generic model and as
many instances in the family table as you want.
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3. Select OK.
4. Verify that you are working in the generic model and click
Applications>Mechanica.
5. Select Tools>Family Table.
6. Using the Insert>Columns command and the Model Tree, add the desired
modeling entities to the generic model.
Mechanica adds each modeling entity to the generic model and the instances.
For a modeling entity in each model instance, the Family Table dialog box
provides a drop-down menu that you can use to suppress or activate the
entity.
7. In each of the model instances, suppress or activate the modeling entities in

the modeling entity columns appropriately to what you are planning to
simulate with the instance.
8. Select OK.
After you create the desired family table instances, you can switch to the
instance you want to work with. When you open the instance model in
Mechanica, the modeling entities that you suppressed in the family table do not
appear in the Model Tree and no associated icons appear in the work area.
9. Use the Windows menu to switch to the desired instance.
When the instance model is opened, the modeling entities that you suppressed
in the family table get suppressed in the instance model.
To Set Icon Visibilities for Loads and

Constraints

Display dialog box.
2. Click the Loads/Constraints tab. In Structure, the default settings for this
tab are all Structure items selected, all Thermal items clear. The defaults in
Thermal are all Thermal items selected and all Structure items clear.
3. Use or to select all or none of the listed sets.
4. To disable or enable a particular icon type, clear or check a box next to this
item.
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To Set Simulation Entity Prehighlighting

Filters
You can select the simulation entities you want to be prehighlighted by completing
these steps:
1. Select Edit>Select>Preferences.
The Selection Properties menu appears. All items are selected by default.
2. You can deselect any items that you do not want prehighlighted.
3. Click OK to save your selections.
Note: Mechanica does not save prehighlighting settings from one

session to the next.
To Move the Mechanica Toolbar

When you start Mechanica, the toolbar appears beside the graphics window. Follow
these steps to change the location:
1. Select Tools>Customize Screen. The Customize dialog box appears.

2. Click the Toolbars tab.
3. Select Mechanica Actions, Mechanica Objects, and Simulation Display.
4. From the adjacent list, select one of the following options:
o Top
o Right
o Left
The Mechanica toolbar appears in the location you specified.
5. Click OK to accept the change, or Cancel to ignore the change.
Optimizing a Model (Native Mode)

After you define design controls, Mechanica can perform local and global sensitivity
studies that show you how your model behaves as the design controls change its
shape and properties. The information from these studies enables you to define your
optimization so that it includes only the design controls that have a strong effect on
the goals you are trying to achieve.
When you determine which design controls you want to include in the optimization,
you can define a Mechanica optimization study that will automatically find the design
that best meets your goals.
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The following is a list of the tasks that are part of the optimization process:
• Defining standard, sensitivity, and optimization studies — You need to

define the type of study (standard, sensitivity, or optimization) that you want
Mechanica to perform and indicate the study’s parameters and goals.
• Running the studies — You instruct Mechanica to run your study.
• Reviewing the results of the studies — You evaluate the results of the run
to determine how your model behaved. The nature of your evaluation differs
depending on the type of study you ran. The following is a summary of the
factors you want to focus on when reviewing results for the different types of
studies:
o Standard studies — Look at the results to find out how your model
behaved during a single analysis or combination of analyses. If you
used a particular parameter setting for a standard design study, you
can use the results to determine how your model behaved at that
parameter setting.
These results can help you determine the feasibility of a design. They can
also help you evaluate the effect of slightly modifying an optimized shape
to bring it within manufacturing tolerances.
o Sensitivity studies — Look at the results to find out which design

controls had an effect on your goals. Additionally, use the results to
determine appropriate starting points and range limits for your
parameters during optimization.
o Optimization studies — Look at the results to see the optimized
shape and determine whether the final shape is acceptable.
• Accepting the optimized design — If you want to go forward with your
model's optimized shape instead of the original shape, you need to accept the
optimized design. When you accept an optimized design, Mechanica updates
your original Pro/ENGINEER model to reflect any shape changes.
Developing a Model (Native Mode)

Before you can analyze or optimize a model, you must develop it. In developing a
model, you complete a number of different tasks—from creating the part geometry
to adding the characteristics, properties, and definitions that transform the part into
a Mechanica model. The following is a list of the tasks you complete:
• Planning and building your model — You need to build your model
geometry. In integrated mode, you build your geometry in Pro/ENGINEER
using methods that promote Mechanica modeling and analysis.
• Simplifying your model — You can speed up your solution times and ease
your simulation modeling tasks if you work with a simplified model. You can
use various techniques to simplify your model within Pro/ENGINEER.
• Defining a system of units for your model — You need to define a system
of units for your model. You can select a predefined system of units or create
a custom system of units.
• Defining modeling prerequisites for your model — You can define a
variety of modeling prerequisites in Mechanica. For example, you can define
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coordinate systems for your model in Mechanica. Mechanica uses coordinate

systems to help determine the direction and placement of a load, the
orientation of a material, and for certain types of constraints and measures.
You can also define datum geometry, surface regions, and volume regions.
These features give you a more versatile approach to placing loads,
constraints, measures, and idealizations.
• Defining modeling entities for your model — You can add the following
modeling entities:
o Materials — You need to define the material or materials your model
will be made of. You can also define material orientations.
o Constraints — For Structure, you need to define the extent to which
your model can move in space. For Thermal, you need to define the
convection conditions and prescribed temperatures that act as
boundary conditions for the model.
o Loads — For Structure, you need to define the external forces that will
act on your model relative to its constraints. For Thermal, you need to
define the heat loads that act on your model.
• Defining idealizations — Mechanica treats Pro/ENGINEER parts and
assemblies as solid models. As an alternative, you can define your model as a
shell or beam model. Shell and beam modeling can reduce run times and disk
space requirements.
Shell modeling is appropriate for parts that are thin in one dimension, such as
sheet metal parts. Beam modeling is a good choice for parts that are thin in
two dimensions, such as rods or struts. With beam modeling, you can define
your entire model as a set of beams, or you can define beams for a portion of
the model and use solids or shells for the remainder.
You can also add specialized idealizations such as masses and springs. These
entities enable you to model concentrated masses and general six-degree-of-
freedom spring connections.
• Defining connections — You can define various connections in your model.

For example, you can create contact regions for your model or add spot
welds. Connections tell Mechanica where the different parts of your model
contact as well as describe the nature of that contact. Mechanica uses this
information to develop an appropriate mesh.
• Defining measures — You can define custom measures to obtain result
values for specific points on your model or to obtain response information for
vibration analyses.
• Checking the mesh — Mechanica automatically creates a model mesh as
part of analysis. However, you can use AutoGEM, Mechanica's automatic
mesh creation facility, to check this mesh prior to run time. If, when you
examine the AutoGEM mesh, you feel there may be problems with certain
areas in your model, you can use AutoGEM to refine or correct the mesh.
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Defining Design Changes (Native Mode)

After you review the results of your analysis, you can establish which aspects of your
model you want Mechanica to alter as it searches for the optimal design. The items
you decide to modify are called design controls, or design parameters. Design
parameters change your model’s shape and properties.
When defining model changes, you complete the following tasks:
• Defining design controls — You need to select the dimensions and

properties that you want Mechanica to change during sensitivity and
optimization studies. As part of this step, you also need to specify the ranges
within which these changes can occur.
• Reviewing and modifying shape changes — You need to preview the
effect of shape changes on your model, either by looking at the model shape
at particular dimension settings or by animating the model so you can see
progressive shape changes.
When you preview your shape changes, you may find that some design controls do
not behave as you want them to. In this case, you need to modify the design control.
You may also need to alter or define Pro/ENGINEER relations to help control the
shape change.
Analyzing a Model (Native Mode)

After you develop your model, Mechanica can analyze its behavior under the
conditions you defined when you added constraints and loads. The following is a list
of the tasks you complete:
• Defining the analysis — You need to define the type of analysis you want
Mechanica to perform and indicate the analysis conditions.
• Running the analysis — You need to instruct Mechanica to run the analysis.
Note: Before you run an analysis, you should verify Mechanica's run
settings. Run settings determine which solver the engine uses, how
much memory you want to allocate, and so forth.
• Reviewing the results of the analysis — You need to evaluate the results
of the run to determine how your model behaved.
Search Tool
Use the Edit>Find command to access the search tool that allows you to search for
simulation entities in a model. When you select the Edit>Find command, the
Search Tool dialog box appears. This dialog box includes four tabs—Attributes,
History, Status, and Geometry. Mechanica uses only specific rules on the
Attributes and Status tabs to perform the search for simulation entities.
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The search tool allows you to specify the search criteria based on the type of the
model. The supported types of models are 2D, 3D, Structure, and Thermal in native
and FEM modes. Additionally, the search tool allows you to define rules to build and
save queries. You save the search queries by defining a new layer in the model.
Defining a layer while saving a query allows you to group certain simulation entities
on a layer. Use the Search Tool dialog box to:
• Specify rule classes to search by name, type, property, or layer of the

simulation entities.
• Specify search criteria by defining the comparison, category or value of the
simulation entities.
• Define a layer to organize simulation entities.
• Build a query by defining rules and operations for the query.
• Save a query based on the defined rules.
In Mechanica, you can search for the following objects in a model:
• Structural loads
• Thermal loads
• Structural constraints
• Thermal boundary conditions
• Idealizations
• Connections
• Simulation measures
• Material assignments
• AutoGEM Controls
• FEM mesh controls
After you apply the rules and specify the search criteria, Mechanica highlights and
displays the search results.
Controlling Mesh Display

Using the Simulation Display dialog box, you can control various aspects of the
mesh display enabling you to:
• view the elements in a mesh in a larger model more clearly

• view shell elements in a mesh with zero or actual thickness
• specify display refinement for mesh viewing
Use the Mesh Display area on the Mesh tab of the Simulation Display dialog box
to control the appearance of a mesh. This area includes:
• Shrink Elements — Shrink elements in a mesh to clearly view their 3D

shapes. Enter a value in the spin box to shrink the elements by the given
percentage. This option is primarily useful for large models or models with
meshing problems, where shrinking the elements can help you identify poor
element shapes or locate problem areas.
• Display Shells with Zero Thickness — Display shells in a mesh with zero
thickness. This option is available only if you select the Shells option on the
Mesh Entities area.
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Selecting this option ensures a quicker mesh display because Mechanica

displays the elements as a 2D rendition, which provides an accurate footprint
of the mesh while saving the time required for a 3D rendition.
To display shells with the actual thickness, clear this check box. Displaying
actual thickness lets you make sure that shells in a mesh are correctly defined
and have the intended thickness. Note that if a shell is made up of layers,
Mechanica displays the shell elements with the total shell thickness and not
with the individual layer thicknesses.
• Display Quality — Change the display quality of a mesh for better viewing of
the curved elements. Select Coarse, Medium, or Fine where Fine is the
closest approximation to the original shape of the curved element. Mechanica
displays a coarse quality mesh by default.
Mechanica enhances the display quality by improving the tesselation of the

nonlinear curved elements in a mesh. Therefore, selecting Medium or Fine
may not be effective for models with linear shaped elements or for models
with highly refined meshes, where the curved elements are already very
small. The only time you may need a Medium or Fine setting for a refined
mesh is if you are zooming in closely on the curved elements.
You can also set the initial state of your mesh display through the Simulation Display
Mesh options in the config.pro file.
Comparing Mirror and Cyclic Symmetry

Here is a summary of how mirror symmetry differs from cyclic symmetry.
Mirror Symmetry Cyclic Symmetry

• Useful for symmetry problems • Useful for symmetric problems
with relatively simple with complex geometry.
geometric profiles.
• You reduce the geometry by • You reduce the geometry by

placing constraints along finding the smallest symmetric
planes of reflective symmetry. segment and applying cuts to
Each plane, in effect, reduces isolate this segment.
the model or model segment
by one half.
• If you choose to use cuts to • Cuts you use to isolate the

isolate the symmetric symmetric segment need not
segment, the cuts must be be planar.
planar.
• You must explicitly define • You define a single cyclic

separate constraints for each symmetry constraint for both
unique plane of symmetry to cut surfaces or, in the case of
indicate that the segment is shells, both cut curves.
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connected to the parent Mechanica interprets the

model. constraint to mean that the
model is a symmetric
segment.
• You can define more than one • You can define only one cyclic
mirror symmetry constraints symmetry constraint for a
for a single model. The mirror single model.
symmetry planes must be
parallel or orthogonal to each
other.
Defining an Analysis (FEM Mode)

After you develop your model, you can define an analysis that Mechanica can use
with the FEA solver you select. The analysis definition that you create indicates the
type of analysis you want and tells the FEA solver which loads, constraints, and so
forth you want considered. The following is a list of the tasks you complete.
• Selecting the analysis type — You need to select the type of analysis—
structural, modal, or thermal—that you want Mechanica to perform.
• Defining the analysis conditions — You need to indicate the loads and
constraints that you want the FEA solver to consider for the run. For modal
analysis, you need to indicate the modes and frequency range you want to
solve for.
For some models and in some situations, you may be primarily interested in
generating a mesh to use with an offline solver rather than running an FEM analysis
within Mechanica. In this case, you do not need to define an analysis.
Solving a Model (FEM Mode)

After you mesh your model, you can solve it using an FEA solver and then, in most
cases, review the results within Mechanica. Following is a list of the tasks you
complete.
• Exporting and reviewing the model — You export and review a model to
examine its mesh quality, how loads and constraints apply to the mesh, verify
materials, and so forth. We recommend this step before using the exported
deck with an outside solver or running a FEM analysis within Mechanica. While
this step is optional, it provides you the advantage of reviewing the mesh and
model to ensure that you are satisfied before committing to a lengthier solver
run.
• Running an analysis — You run an analysis by outputting your model,
including one or more analysis definitions, to one of the supported FEA
solvers or by starting a supported solver from within Mechanica.
FEA solvers create a mathematical approximation of the model, its boundary

conditions, and its loads. It then analyzes the structural or thermal integrity of
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the model based on the analysis you specified and the way you defined the
simulation features, materials, and mesh.
In FEM mode, you can perform online runs with the NASTRAN and ANSYS
solvers from within Mechanica, or run either of these solvers in the
background. FEM mode also enables you to output NASTRAN or ANSYS decks
for use outside Mechanica or output the model as a neutral file.
• Reviewing results — After you run your analyses, you can import the solved
model into Mechanica's postprocessor and review the results. You can
examine such graphical renditions of model behavior as fringe plots,
animations, and graphs, define FEA parameters for your results, review
analysis statistics, and look at results information at particular points in your
model.
FEM Mode
FEM mode enables you to create a mathematical model based on a Pro/ENGINEER
part or assembly, then analyze that part using any of several third-party finite
element solvers such as NASTRAN, ANSYS, and so forth. The activities you perform
in FEM mode are similar to those you perform in native mode. You complete such
tasks as adding modeling entities such as loads, constraints, and so forth as well as
defining analyses. However, unlike native mode, you must explicitly create a mesh
for your model instead of having Mechanica perform this step automatically at run
time. You also need to explicitly output your model to one of the supported FEA
solvers, which analyzes the structural or thermal integrity of the model based on how
you set up the simulation.
Creating a Mesh (FEM Mode)

After you define analyses for your model, you create a mesh that the FEA solver uses
to mathematically approximate your model's behavior. Mechanica's FEM mode
enables you to create a variety of mesh types and features. Following is a list of the
tasks you complete.
• Defining mesh controls — You can control the way Mechanica creates the
mesh in a number of ways. For example, you can limit element size and
define points and curves in your model so that Mechanica adds nodes at these
locations. You can control node ID ranges or instruct Mechanica to use a
specific coordinate system when creating the mesh. You typically define mesh
controls before you create the mesh, but you may find that you want to
impose additional controls after you review the mesh.
• Creating a mesh — When you instruct Mechanica to create a FEM mesh, it
subdivides the model into a set of smaller, simpler, interconnected
components called finite elements used by FEA solvers. Finite elements differ
from the geometric elements that Mechanica creates for its native P-code
solver in that finite elements have a more regular, consistent shape.
For FEM meshes, you can create solid, shell, and bar meshes, or a mesh that
incorporates all three element types.
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• Reviewing and refining a mesh — After you mesh your model, you can
examine the element quality by checking such characteristics as aspect ratio,
warp angle, edge angle, skew, and so forth. You can also review more general
aspects of the mesh to determine its quality, the connectivity of its nodes,
whether it has sufficient granularity, and so forth. If you are not satisfied with
the mesh, you can improve it by:
o asking the FEM mesher to optimize the mesh
o using the information you gathered during your mesh review to create
additional mesh controls. With new mesh controls in place, you then
remesh the model.
Developing a Model (FEM Mode)

Before you can analyze a model in FEM mode, you must develop it. In developing a
model, you complete a number of different tasks—from creating the part geometry
to adding the characteristics, properties, and definitions that transform the part into
a Mechanica model. The following is a list of the tasks you complete:
• Planning and building your part — You need to build your model
geometry. You build your geometry in Pro/ENGINEER using methods that
promote easy simulation modeling and improve analysis times.
• Simplifying your model — You can speed up your solution times and ease
your simulation modeling tasks if you work with a simplified model.
Pro/ENGINEER provides various techniques that you can use to simplify your
model before or during your Mechanica session.
• Defining a system of units for your model — You need to define a system
of units for your model. You can select a predefined system of units or create
a custom system of units.
• Defining modeling prerequisites for your model — You can define a
variety of modeling prerequisites in Mechanica. For example, you can define
coordinate systems for your model. Mechanica uses coordinate systems to
help determine the direction and placement of a load, the orientation of a
material, and for certain types of constraints.
You can also define datum geometry, surface regions, and volume regions.
These features give you a more versatile approach to placing loads,
constraints, connections, and idealizations.
• Defining modeling entities for your model — You can add the following
modeling entities:
o Materials — You need to define the material or materials that your
model will be made of. You can also define material orientations.
o Constraints — For Structure, you need to define the extent to which
your model can move in space. For Thermal, you need to define the
convection conditions and prescribed temperatures that act as
boundary conditions for the model.
o Loads — For Structure, you need to define the external forces that act
on your model relative to its constraints. For Thermal, you need to
define the heat loads that act on your model.
• Defining idealizations — Mechanica typically treats Pro/ENGINEER parts
and assemblies as solid models. Some models, or portions of a model, may
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be better suited for other types of meshes—shell or bar meshes, for example.
To accommodate this type of model, Mechanica provides you with the ability
to create shell or beam idealizations that the software will include when you
mesh the model. You can also add specialized idealizations such as masses,
gaps, and springs. These entities enable you to model concentrated masses,
enforced gaps between geometry, and general six-degree-of-freedom spring
connections between points.
• Defining connections — You can define various connections in your model.

For example, you can create contact regions for your model or add spot
welds. Connections tell Mechanica where the different parts of your model
contact as well as describe the nature of that contact. Mechanica uses this
information to develop an appropriate mesh.
Tolerance Report
Use the Info>Tolerance Report command if you experience problems meshing an
assembly model in either native mode or FEM mode. This command displays a report
that lists the tolerance values for all assembly components whose model tolerance
contributes to the global tolerance for the assembly. If the assembly contains entities
such as quilts or beams, the report includes the tolerance value for the assembly
itself. The report includes all those components that have geometry, and is arranged
in descending order with components that have the highest tolerance values listed
first. To better understand how to use the values in this report, you need background
information on model accuracy, both relative and absolute.
Tolerance, as reported by Mechanica, is calculated in a manner similar to absolute

accuracy. However, the calculated values are somewhat different. You use the
Mechanica Info>Tolerance Report command to compare the tolerance—and, in
effect, the accuracy—of assembly components if your assembly mesh fails. For
Mechanica to mesh the assembly successfully, these values must be very close to
each other.
When reviewing a tolerance report, look for significant differences in the tolerance
values of components, the assembly as compared to the components, and so forth.
Although it can vary depending on the assembly, a significant difference is generally
considered to be a difference in the decimal order of magnitude. For example, the
difference in two tolerance values of 0.274 and 0.513 would not typically be
significant, but the difference between 2.874 and 0.513 probably would be.
If you notice significant differences in the tolerance values reported by Mechanica,

return to Pro/ENGINEER and use the Edit>Setup>Accuracy command to decrease
the relative or absolute accuracy value for the component whose tolerance value is
too high. If you want to change the accuracy value for the top-level assembly, work
in assembly mode. If you want to change the accuracy value for one component,
work in part mode. When working with the Accuracy command, be aware that a
decrease in the accuracy value actually represents an increase in the accuracy, or
precision, of the geometry. After you lower the accuracy value, the tolerance value of
the component will decrease as well. For more information on accuracy, see the Part
Modeling area of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
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Suppression and Family Tables

You manage modeling entities through the Suppress command or through family
table instances. The Suppress command and the family table instance methods are
useful in slightly different situations. Here is an overview:
• Suppress command — Use the Edit>Suppress command to suppress

specific modeling entities. Mechanica hides suppressed entities in the model
display and ignores them during meshing and analysis. You can reactivate
any suppressed modeling entity through the Edit>Resume command. Using
the Suppress command is handy if you want to suppress modeling entities
on the fly, or if you do not want the overhead of creating family table
instances. Optionally, you can Suppress or Resume by right-clicking the
specific modeling entity from the Model Tree. Modeling features cannot be
suppressed or resumed for example, Datum Curves.
Note: To display all the modeling entities in a Model Tree, you must
ensure that you select the Suppressed Objects check box on the
Model Tree Items dialog box that you access through the
Settings>Tree Filters command.
• Creation of family table instances — Use the Tools>Family Table

command to create separate instances of the simulation model, each with a
different set of suppressed modeling entities. This technique is useful if you
plan to solve several different types of simulation problems for a single model
and want a slightly different set of modeling entities for simulation problem.
The advantage of this technique is that you can set up each instance to solve
a particular problem. Each instance acts as a record of the modeling entity
state required to solve the associated simulation problem. Use of family table
instances can save substantial model adjustment overhead for large, complex
models, but requires preplanning and additional setup time.
To setup family table instances for simulation, you begin in standard mode,
where you create one or more family table instances for your model. You
create one instance for each problem that requires a unique set of modeling
entities. After you create family table instances, you enter Mechanica while in
the generic version of the model. You then add modeling entities by inserting
family table columns and selecting from the Model Tree. After you have all the
desired modeling entity columns in place, you can work through the model
instances, suppressing and activating individual modeling entities for each
instance. Having now defined the simulation family table, you can now decide
which problem you want to solve and open the associated model instance,
working through the problem in that instance only.
When working in a family table instance, be aware that Mechanica promotes

any modeling entity you create within an instance to the generic model.
However, the modeling entity appears as suppressed, and you must resume
the entity if you want to use it in the generic model or any of the other
instances.
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Note: When you are working in Mechanica, you can only add simulation
modeling entities to the family table. You cannot add Pro/ENGINEER
values, features, components, or parameters. You also cannot create
new family table instances while you work in Mechanica.
Simulation Model
Use the Info>Simulation Model command to view information about your model in
Mechanica. When you select this command, an information window appears with
your model's name and model type, as well as summaries of the materials,
idealizations, connections, loads, and constraints in your model.
For example, here is an information window entry for a spring:
Spring "Spring1"
Reference: Feature of Points (Model COMPONENT_NAME) — Edge

Type: Advanced
Y direction: Cartesian CSYS — "WCS"
Spring Property "SpringProp1"
You can edit and save the information window text as a .inf file. Use the following
commands on the information window toolbar to manipulate the information:
• File
o Save — Saves the file as model_name.inf.
o Save As — The Save A Copy dialog box appears. Enter a name for
the file and browse to find a directory.
o Close — Closes the dialog box.
• Edit
o Edit Mode — Activates the commands Cut, Copy, Paste, and Delete
Line. Use these commands to edit the text. To insert text, move the
red mark to the desired location and enter text.
o Cut — Removes the selected text. Use the cursor to highlight text, and
click this command.
o Copy — Moves the selected text to a buffer. Use the cursor to
highlight text, and click this command.
o Paste — Adds copied text from the buffer to the cursor location.
o Delete Line — Removes the line of text at the cursor location.
o Search — Opens the Search dialog box. Enter a search term and click
Search. The software highlights any instances of the search term it
finds in the information window.
• View
o Line Number — Turn on or off the display of line numbers. This
command is not active in edit mode.
You can also display the information window by using the shortcut menu in the Model
Tree.
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Displaying the Mesh Model

After you mesh a FEM model, Mechanica treats the model as though it has two
separate objects to display—a geometry model and a mesh model. The geometry
model includes the geometry itself as well as the properties and entities associated
with the geometry. The mesh model includes the mesh as well as any attributes of
the mesh.
The following Simulation Display options control how Mechanica displays the
geometry and mesh models:
• Mesh and Model check box on the Mesh tab.

• No Mesh option from the Mesh Display Mode drop-down menu
You can use the Mesh And Model check box on the Mesh tab of the Simulation
Display dialog box to display both the geometry and mesh models while you are
working with functionality in which only the mesh model is active. This prevents
portions of your model from disappearing from the screen if you remove a mesh.
Here are the situations in which only the mesh model is active:
• Immediately after you create a mesh

• When you are refining a mesh using Mesh>Improve
• When you are reviewing a mesh using Mesh>Review
• When you are deleting a mesh using Mesh>Erase
• When you are performing mesh operations using Mesh>Operation
• When you are running an analysis
• When you are viewing results
You use the No Mesh option to turn off the mesh line display. Regardless of how you
set the Mesh and Model check box, you can only use the No Mesh option when
both the geometry and mesh models are active in the overall model—for example,
when you add properties, loads, constraints, and so forth. You cannot use the No
Mesh option if only the mesh model is active.
Mechanica Mass Properties

Use the Info>Mechanica Mass Properties command to view the Mechanica mass
and moments of inertia for your model. Mechanica calculates mass properties for
your model based on material properties, so you must assign a material to your
model before you can view mass properties. This command is not available in FEM
mode.
When you select this command in assembly mode, Mechanica prompts you to select
a body. In part or assembly mode, Mechanica also prompts you to select or create a
reference point or accept the body's center of mass as the reference point.
When you complete your selections, the Pro/ENGINEER embedded browser opens
with the following information:
• Coordinates of the selected reference point in the UCS
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• Mass of the selected body

• Center of mass relative to the selected reference point in the UCS
• Moments and products of inertia about the reference point and relative to
UCS
• Principal moments of inertia about the center of mass and principal axes
relative to WCS
Example: Dependent Movement in Patterned

Features
Some part-building techniques, such as patterning, can link the movements of
multiple parts. In some cases, this effect may be exactly what you want during an
optimization—for example, you may need to retain an established distance between
two geometric entities.
In other cases, linked movement may cause undesirable shape changes. For
instance, one way to add the two holes to the shelf plate is to build the second hole
as an identical pattern of the first:
When you pattern the holes in this way, the surface placement of hole 2 is tied to
hole 1 through the dimensioning scheme. If you took this approach, and then
assigned a horizontal translation design parameter for hole 1, Mechanica would move
hole 2 along with hole 1. Depending on the range of movement you defined for hole
1, you could encounter unexpected topology conflicts between hole 2 and the left
surface of the plate, as shown below:
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To move hole 2 independently, you would define a translation design parameter for
hole 2. However, in this case, all movement would be based on the position of hole
1, which would also be dynamic.
When a Nonessential Feature Causes

Unexpected Model Behavior Changes
Some features that appear cosmetic can have an effect on the way a part behaves.
As a simple example, a round that blends a horizontal and vertical surface performs
the cosmetic function of smoothing the join between the surfaces. More importantly,
however, a round can help distribute a force load applied to one of the surfaces so
the stresses where the two surfaces join become finite and acceptable.
If you suppressed the round, Mechanica's analysis of the load would be inaccurate
due to the fact that the round was bearing part of the load. Further, the model would
now contain a high stress concentration that might distort the results of the analysis.
Mechanica Fatigue Advisor

When a model undergoes repeated cycles of loading and unloading, it can fail even if
the stresses are below safe values for static, constant load levels. The mechanism
underlying this class of failure is known as fatigue, and studies of the fatigue
performance are commonly known as durability assessments.
Fatigue Advisor allows you to predict and improve the fatigue performance of your
designs early in the product life-cycle, helping reduce design cost. Fatigue Advisor
uses fatigue technology supplied in partnership with nCode International, a world
leader in durability software.
Fatigue Advisor works entirely within Mechanica Structure. You simply specify an
existing static analysis, then define the material properties and loading history along
with the required design life for the study. You can either use the material library
and load history generator included in the software or import this information.
Fatigue Advisor calculates the following results quantities:
• Life — Determines the predicted cycles to failure.

• Damage — Measures percentage of damage due to loading.
• Factor of safety — Estimates the factor of safety based upon predicted
failure.
• Confidence of life — Measures the reliability of the results.
You can define and review these results using standard Mechanica visualization tools
including fringes, contours, and graphs. In addition, you can define and track local
and global measures of the results quantities for sensitivity and optimization design
studies. You can create parametric geometry models, assign a permissible range to
each parameter, and specify design goals and performance limits.
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Example: Avoiding Interference

In designing parts, be sure to avoid creating features that may interfere with each
other during a shape change. For example, if your part includes two perpendicular
bolt holes as shown below, avoid moving the bolt holes so far that they interfere with
each other:
In this case, if the design parameters you create to translate hole 1 and hole 2 have
too large a range, Mechanica may optimize the shape so that the bolt holes are in
conflict, and you could no longer place both bolts.
When a Nonessential Feature Provides Hidden

Benefits
Although they may not play a central role in the function of a part, some features
provide optimization benefits if included in the feature set that Mechanica studies.
For instance, a round on the edge of a part may have a purely cosmetic function in
terms of how the model bears a load. However, if one of your design goals is to
reduce the mass of the part, increasing the radius of the edge round would help
decrease the total mass.
If you suppress the round, Mechanica would be unable to optimize the round's
radius. Therefore, despite the fact that the edge round is not crucial to the part's
behavior, you would want to keep the edge round as an unsuppressed feature so
that you could define a design parameter.
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Example: Using a Simplified Part

Simplifying your parts means removing any feature or geometry that is not
significant to the analysis you plan to perform. To understand this principle more
clearly, consider the following example of a proposed shelf bracket design:
This bracket is made of steel and supports a bookshelf that rests on two rods. The
bracket ears and vertical face slide into a die-cast slot in the shelf post. Note that the
support holes accept a rod with a predetermined diameter.
Looking at the prior example, you can omit the following two items from your initial
design:
• the rear plate, provided it is stiff enough not to affect the analysis results
• the rounds
If you leave these items out of your initial design, the part you prepared for
Mechanica would resemble the following:
As you can see, all nonessential areas of the design are gone. Only the portion you
want to analyze or optimize remains. At this point, you can perform a complete
Mechanica analysis, sensitivity study, and optimization for your part.
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After Mechanica develops the optimized shape for this part, you can add the rear
plate and rounds. To ensure that the part is still valid, always return to Mechanica for
a standard analysis of the complete part.
FEM Mesh Display Buttons

For fast access to the FEM mesh display controls, Mechanica provides these buttons
on the menu bar:
Button Action/Name
No Mesh — Removes mesh lines from your model. The mesh

remains intact, but does not appear on your screen.
Wireframe — Turns geometry lines white and element lines

yellow. The software displays all elements with boundary faces.
Hidden Line — Turns visible geometry lines white and element

lines on visible surfaces yellow. Hidden geometry and hidden
element edges are gray. The software displays all elements with
boundary faces.
No Hidden — Turns visible geometry lines white and external,

visible surfaces of elements yellow. The software does not
display hidden geometry and hidden element edges.
Shaded — Turns visible geometry lines red and external, visible

edges of elements blue. The software does not display hidden
geometry and hidden element edges.
These buttons become available only when you work in FEM mode.
Example: Modeling Specialized Loads with a

Cylindrical Coordinate System
You can use user-defined coordinate systems to apply specialized loads, such as
loads with an unusual force profile. For example, let us say that you want to find out
how the plate below reacts to a nonuniform radial force applied to only a 120
segment of the hole, as though a rod smaller than the radius of the hole were pulling
outward against the far surface of the hole.
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To accomplish this, you could create a specialized load as a function of a cylindrical

coordinate system, as follows:
In this case, you would create a cylindrical coordinate system as shown above. You
would then create a force-per-unit-area load based on the following symbolic
function:
if(theta>=–pi/3&&theta<=pi/3,cos(theta),0)
The load resulting from this function has a sinusoidal profile, with the load at its
greatest where T=0. The load tapers symmetrically about T=0, reaching a 0 force at
T=60 and T=–60. This load profile is similar to that of a bearing load. However,
Mechanica's bearing load always applies to a 180 segment, while this load applies to
a 120 segment.
Controlling FEM Mesh Display

Use the Mesh Display Mode option list on the Mesh tab of the Simulation Display
dialog box to control the appearance of a mesh generated in FEM mode. The option
list includes:
• No Mesh — No mesh lines are visible, and the software displays only the
model geometry. Use this display type if you want to simplify the appearance
of your model so you can focus solely on the geometry. This is particularly
handy as you add loads, boundary conditions, and other properties to the
geometry.
Note: This option is not available when Mechanica is displaying the

mesh model only.
• Wireframe — Geometry lines are white and element lines are yellow. The
software displays all elements with boundary faces. For solid models, this
display type has the most complex appearance.
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• Hidden Line — Visible geometry lines are white and element lines on visible
surfaces are yellow. Hidden geometry and hidden element edges are gray.
The software displays all elements with boundary faces.
• No Hidden — Visible geometry lines are white and external, visible surfaces
of elements are yellow. The software does not display hidden geometry and
hidden element edges. For solid models, this display type has the simplest
appearance.
• Shading — Visible geometry lines are red and external, visible edges of
elements are blue. The software does not display hidden geometry and
hidden element edges. Be aware that, if you customize the colors you use for
shading, the Shading option may display element lines using different colors.
If you are displaying your model geometry as shaded and you select the
Shading mesh display option, Mechanica retains geometry shading. However,
instead of shading the elements as well, the software renders them as
outlines on the surface of the shaded geometry.
To create the model appearance you want, you can use the mesh display options in
combination with the geometry display buttons always present on the Pro/ENGINEER
menu bar. For example, you can set the geometry of your model to a Shaded
display and the mesh to a No Hidden display. This renders a geometrically accurate,
realistic-looking model with a simple element overlay.
The Wireframe, Hidden Line, and No Hidden settings are primarily useful for solid
and mixed models. For shell and midsurface models, all these settings look similar
because shell elements have no displayed depth. Additionally, if you shade the
geometry of your model, you will be able to see the element display more easily if
you ensure that the model color has some transparency.
As an alternative to using the option list to change mesh visibilities, you can use the
mesh display buttons on the menu bar. You can also set the initial state of your
mesh display through the sim_display_mesh_mode config.pro option.
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Example: Pre-planning for Shape Changes

In planning for shape change, you may need to build your parts differently than you
might normally build them in Pro/ENGINEER. To understand this principle more
clearly, consider the following example of a proposed shelf bracket design:
bracket ears and vertical face slide into a die-cast slot in the shelf post. Note that the
support holes accept a rod with a predetermined diameter.
If you were trying to determine the best design for this part, you would probably
want to optimize the shape for the lowest mass that would support a specified
weight. In this case, you might want to change the following aspects of the design:
• the angle of curve a

• the length of the part
• the thickness of the part
• the placement of the rod support holes
However, due to external restrictions like the support rod diameter, you cannot
change the following three aspects of the design:
• the diameter of the rod support hole

• the shape and dimensions of the bracket ears
• the overall height of the part
If you had no interest in optimizing this part, you might design the bracket as a
single plate with a uniform thickness and treat the body of the plate as a single
Pro/ENGINEER feature. However, because you plan to optimize for mass, you want
Mechanica to be able to change any aspect of the design that reduces the mass. This
objective can affect the way you develop your part in Pro/ENGINEER.
For example, one of the aspects directly tied to mass is part thickness. Because the
bracket ear shape and part height cannot change, you cannot alter the part thickness
if you develop the bracket as a single plate. Instead, you might choose to treat the
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body of the plate as two separate features—a rear plate and a shelf plate, as shown
below:
This approach lets you maintain a predefined thickness for the rear plate while
allowing Mechanica to vary the thickness of the shelf plate.
SIM SELECT Menu

Use this menu to specify what you are going to select on your model. This menu
appears when you are defining new shells, masses, beams, springs, gaps,
constraints, loads, and so forth. Depending on which entity you are creating,
different options appear on the menu.
• Select — Select a geometric reference for the location of the entity you are
placing on your model. Depending on the type of entity you are adding, this
can be a point, curve, or surface, or any of several other reference types.
• Individual — Select an individual surface on the model.
• Surf Options — Select the surface that you want using advanced surface
selection functionality to indicate the type of surfaces you want to include or
exclude.
• Part Boundary — Select the boundary surfaces of the model.
• Box Select — Select multiple geometric entities by left-clicking and dragging
your mouse to rubber-band the entities.
• Quilts — When defining shells only, use this option to select a whole quilt.
• Fix Normals — When defining shells and pressure loads, use this option to
fix the normals of specified quilt surfaces.
• Flip Normals — When defining shells and pressure loads, use this option to
flip the normals of specified quilt surfaces.
• Single — Select a single datum point on your model.
• Feature — Select a feature of datum points on your model.
• Pattern — Select a pattern of datum points on your model.
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Object Action Shortcut Menu

When you right-click simulation entities in the Model Tree or a prehighlighted icon in
the model, a shortcut menu appears containing some or all of the following
commands, depending on the entity you select:
• Promote — Move the selected datum simulation feature into Pro/ENGINEER

so that it is permanently visible there.
• Delete — Delete the selected entity from your model.
• Edit Definition — Open the appropriate menus or dialog boxes so you can
change the definition of the simulation entity or feature.
• Edit — Display simulation feature dimensions so that you can modify feature
geometry.
• Edit References — Open the appropriate menus or dialog boxes so that you
can reroute the selected entity.
• Rename — Rename a simulation entity or feature.
• Suppress — Suppress a simulation entity or feature.
• Info — Open a window that displays information about the selected entity or,
depending on the situation, open another shortcut menu displaying these
commands:
o Simulation Model Info — Open a window that displays information
about the model's simulation entities.
o Model Info — Open a window that displays information about the
model's units, features, and, if you have assigned a material in
Pro/ENGINEER, the material name.
• Copy — Copy a load set, constraint set, boundary condition set, or measure,
creating an identical set or measure that bears a new name.
Other commands general to Pro/ENGINEER, such as Rehighlight, Show Selection

Bin, and so forth may appear on the object action menu. For information on these
commands, search the Fundamentals and Part Modeling areas of the Pro/ENGINEER
Help Center.
Methods of Simplifying Your Model

You can use a variety of techniques to simplify your model, including:
• suppressing features that are not germane to the analysis. You can make this
process easier if you use these techniques:
o Create the simulation model using a family table instance of the
Pro/ENGINEER model that suppresses the features not critical to the
analysis.
o Place features that you want to suppress or resume for a particular
analysis on a layer. You can then use the commands on the Layers
dialog box to control which features the analysis includes. Access the
Layers dialog box by selecting the Show>Layers Tree command on
the Model Tree, or by clicking on the Pro/ENGINEER toolbar.

• using simplified representations of your model when appropriate. Simplified
representations give you a greater degree of modeling freedom while
preserving your original model.
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• modeling thin features with beams and shells rather than as solids. This
simplifies the model from the solver's perspective, greatly reducing model
size, disk usage, RAM requirements, and analysis times.
• aligning edges and surfaces that are nearly aligned in the part or assembly
• using cut features to remove portions of the model that are not pertinent to
the analysis
• using cut features to reduce the model to its symmetric section for models
that exhibit both geometric symmetry and modeling symmetry (symmetric
loads and constraints)
Customizing the Mechanica Toolbar

When you select Tools>Customize Screen in standard mode, the Customize
dialog box appears. Use the Commands tab of the Customize dialog box to add
buttons to or remove them from the Mechanica toolbar. You can use the following
items:
• Categories — Select a toolbar or menu.

• Commands — The software displays the buttons available for the selected
toolbar or menu.
• Description — Click to get a brief description of a selected button. Click the
message box to return to the Customize dialog box.
• Modify Selection — The following items refer only to the display of the
buttons on this dialog box. The commands do not affect the display on the
Pro/ENGINEER window.
o Copy Button Image
o Paste Button Image
o Reset Button Image
o Choose Button Image
o Edit Button Image
• Default — Reset all values on the dialog box to the default values.
If you want to save the configurations you have selected, choose the option
Automatically Save To filename. The default value for filename is config.win. The
default directory is the current working directory.
Permanent and Session-based Configuration

Files
Pro/ENGINEER supports two different types of configuration files—permanent files
and session-based files. Either one can control the session, and you are free to chose
which of these you want to work with. Here is how these files differ:
• Permanent configuration files — This type of configuration file is typically

called a config.pro file, but you can use a different name. For recognizability,
we recommend using the .pro extension regardless of what you name the file.
Note: If you name a configuration file anything other than config.pro,

Pro/ENGINEER cannot reference it during start-up, and you will need to
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explicitly specify the file through the Options dialog box after your
session begins.
When it starts, Pro/ENGINEER searches for a config.pro file in your working

directory. If it finds one, it references the settings contained in that file when it
begins your session. If Pro/ENGINEER does not find a config.pro file in your
working directory, it also searches your home directory and the Pro/ENGINEER
load point, in that order. Should it fail to find any config.pro files in those
locations, Pro/ENGINEER applies default configuration option settings.
• Session-based configuration files — This type of configuration file is called

current_session.pro and contains configuration options that you intend to use
only for the current session. You should consider any settings you place in
this file as transient. After you finish the session, Pro/ENGINEER ignores the
content of the current_session.pro file and, if you store new configuration
option settings in the file, will overwrite any past content.
Building and Saving Queries

You can build and save queries to search for simulation entities in a model by using
the Options button in the Search Tool dialog box. Additionally, you can save the
search results on a layer using the Layer option on the Status tab. For example,
you can check if a particular group of loads and constraint sets that you want in a
static analysis, includes all the specific loads and constraints that you require.
• Build Query — When you select the Build Query option, the Search Tool
dialog box changes to include the Query Builder section in the dialog box.
This section allows you to define rules and operations for your search. The
Query Builder uses the Boolean AND and OR operations. You can change the
operation by selecting the required operation in the Operator column.
After you have defined the rules for your model, you can add, remove, or
update the rules by using the Add, Remove, or Update options, respectively.
The Add option adds a new rule to the Query Builder. The Remove option
removes a selected rule while the Update option replaces a selected rule with
the current rule.
• Save Query — Saves a query. After you have built a query, you can save the
query by selecting Options>Save Query. Specify a layer name in the Save
Rules dialog box to save your query as a new layer. Mechanica displays the
new layer in the Model Tree. Select Layer in the Status tab to display layers
in the Value field. Include or exclude selected simulation entities so that only
the required items are displayed in the mesh.
Assembly Modeling Entities, Idealizations,

and Connections
If you have created modeling entities and idealizations in part mode, Mechanica
disregards them in assembly mode. You must define in assembly mode any modeling
entities and idealizations that you want to use in this mode.
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The following is a list of the modeling entities, idealizations, and connections that
Mechanica ignores in assembly mode:
Modeling Entities Idealizations and Connections
materials applied to geometry spot welds
constraints in native mode contacts
loads in native mode
measures
Note: In FEM mode, Mechanica respects part-level loads and constraints at the
assembly level.
For example, if you are working in native mode and you model the individual parts of
your assembly in part mode, the software ignores the loads you assigned to each
part after you access Mechanica from assembly mode. When you access Mechanica
from assembly mode, you can then define loads relevant to the assembly as a whole.
In any case, modeling entities that you assign while working from assembly mode
have no bearing on modeling entities you assign while working from part mode, and
the reverse.
Guidelines and Tips for Using Datum Points

Datum points are particularly useful in Mechanica for a variety of reasons. You need
to add datum points to define certain types of constraints, loads, idealizations,
connections, measures, and mesh controls. These include:
• point constraints
• prescribed temperatures applied to a point
• convection conditions applied to a point
• loads applied to a point
• loads distributed as a total load at point
• interpolated loads
• resultant loads
• connections such as welds, weighted links, rigid links, and rigid connections
• idealizations such as springs, masses, beams, and trusses
• local measures associated with a point
• FEM mesh hard points
• AutoGEM mesh seed points
Be aware that, although you can apply constraints, force loads, and moment loads to
points, this application method can cause high stress concentrations that make the
correct interpretation of analysis results difficult. You can often produce a more
realistic effect by distributing the load or constraint over a small surface region or
using a TLAP instead.
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If you decide to use point loads or constraints, always place your datum points on a
boundary curve or surface. Do not locate these points in the interior of the part. You
can add datum points to your model singly or, if you are adding the points in
Pro/ENGINEER, as a pattern.
Although datum points prove useful for certain types of modeling, large numbers of
datum points in your part can result in slower Mechanica performance. If your part
includes datum points that have no use in Mechanica, consider suppressing these
points before accessing Mechanica.
Considerations for Multiple Model Sessions

When you are working on more than one model at a time in Mechanica, be aware of
the following:
• If you have a part and an assembly open at the same time, and the part is a
component of the assembly, the part and assembly interact as follows:
o Saving the assembly automatically saves any changes you made to
the part.
o Any feature or idealization you add to the part is automatically
transferred to the assembly.
• Running an analysis automatically saves the model.
Pro/ENGINEER Parameters as Measures

To use Pro/ENGINEER parameters as measures, you use parameters created through
the Tools>Relations command—not the Tools>Parameters command.
The reason for this restriction lies in the fact that you want a measure quantity to be
able to change during the course of a study so that you can evaluate what happens
to the quantity as the study runs.
For example, if you define the Young's modulus of your material as a Pro/ENGINEER
parameter, you can vary that parameter during a global sensitivity study. If you
wanted to see how the change in Young's modulus affects model stresses, you could
also create a parameter-based measure for Young's modulus. This measure would
enable you to graph other measure quantities in terms of Young's modulus.
To learn more about using Pro/ENGINEER parameters as measures, see Parameter-

Based Measures.
Pro/ENGINEER Parameters as Design

Parameters
To use Pro/ENGINEER parameters as Mechanica design parameters, you must use
parameters created through the Tools>Parameters command—not the
Tools>Relations command.
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The reason for this restriction lies with how Mechanica uses design parameters
during a design study. When it performs a design study, Mechanica varies the value
of the selected design parameters within the range you specified as you defined the
design parameter and study. This, in turn, changes the value of the Pro/ENGINEER
driving parameter.
If you define the Pro/ENGINEER parameter as a variable instead of a constant, you

can create situations where both Pro/ENGINEER and Mechanica try to change the
parameter. The resulting conflicts would prove undesirable for the study.
In creating the Pro/ENGINEER parameters that you plan to use as design

parameters, take special care not to use these parameters in relations that would in
any way restrict their movement in Mechanica. In other words, do not use these
parameters on the left side of any relation equations.
To learn more about using Pro/ENGINEER parameters as design parameters, see

Design Parameters.
Example: Featuring Your Part

The order in which you create features and the aspects of your part that you choose
to develop as separate features affect how easily you can change the shape of your
model. For example, let us say you are building the following shelf bracket:
bracket ears and vertical face slide into a die-cast slot in the shelf post. The support
holes accept a rod with a predetermined diameter.
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If you want Mechanica to look at all the features of the shelf bracket when
performing shape changes instead of focusing only on the shelf plate and holes, you
might develop the part as follows:
In this case, you define the shelf plate (feature 1) as the base feature and build the
rear plate (feature 2) off the back surface of the base feature. Because you want
Mechanica to move the two holes independently, you design each as a separate
feature (feature 3 and feature 4).
When planning the rounds (feature 5 and feature 6), you can choose between two
alternatives. You can either incorporate the rounds into the profile of feature 1 as
you build that feature or you can treat the rounds as a separate feature.
For the purposes of Mechanica, you should strongly consider the latter method. With
this method, you can suppress the rounds if Mechanica encounters a conflict between
a round and the movement of any of the defining surfaces.
Driven and Driving Parameters

A Pro/ENGINEER parameter can be either a driven or a driving parameter. This
distinction is an important one for Mechanica, where certain modeling entities require
constant values and others require variable values. In planning your Pro/ENGINEER
parameters, bear the following Mechanica entity requirements in mind:
• For material properties — If you plan to use Pro/ENGINEER parameters to

define the characteristics of your material properties, you can use either
driven or driving parameters. The difference between the two approaches lies
in how directly you want to control the characteristic in question. For a
complete discussion of using Pro/ENGINEER parameters as part of a material
property definition, see Pro/ENGINEER Parameters.
• For measures — If you plan to use Pro/ENGINEER parameters as measures,
you must select parameters that have a variable value in Pro/ENGINEER.
• For design parameters — If you plan to use Pro/ENGINEER parameters as
Mechanica design parameters, you must select parameters that have a
constant value in Pro/ENGINEER.
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If you plan to use Pro/ENGINEER parameters in Mechanica, you may find it handy to
create all parameters before you enter Mechanica. If you are creating parameters
through the Tools>Parameters command, be aware that Mechanica does not
accept parameters that are created using Integer or String as a parameter type.
Be aware that Mechanica limits many modeling entity names to 16 characters. You
can use alphanumeric characters and underbars only. Names must always start with
alphabetic characters. Because Mechanica uses the Pro/ENGINEER parameter names
as design parameter and measure names, always observe these naming conventions
when creating Pro/ENGINEER parameters. If your Pro/ENGINEER parameter name is
too long, the software will truncate it.
For your convenience, Mechanica also enables you to define Pro/ENGINEER

parameters from the dialog boxes that you use to create design parameters. In this
case, the software only accepts a constant, numerical value as the Pro/ENGINEER
parameter definition. You can use the Pro/ENGINEER parameters defined by this
method as design parameters only—you cannot use them as measures.
Note: Mechanica does not enable you to define Pro/ENGINEER parameters

from the dialog boxes you use to create measures.
Model Accuracy
In Pro/ENGINEER, model accuracy is the granularity, or precision, with which the
software creates the geometry. For example, model accuracy determines such
characteristics as how finely the software tessellates the model's curves. A finely
tessellated curve is a smoother curve, whereas a coarsely tessellated curve would
give the appearance of a series of straight lines that approximate the shape of the
curve. Model accuracy in assemblies can determine whether geometry is treated as
merged or separate as well as how successfully you can mesh two components.
There are two types of model accuracy—relative accuracy and absolute accuracy.
Pro/ENGINEER applies a relative accuracy value when it creates geometry. The
default relative value is the same regardless of the part size. Pro/ENGINEER
determines the overall accuracy of the geometry by multiplying the relative accuracy
value by the part size to determine the absolute accuracy of the geometry.
Thus, using the default relative accuracy, the software would create a small part with
a greater degree of geometric refinement than a large part. For example, if the size
of a small part were 100 and the relative accuracy were 0.012, the absolute accuracy
of the geometry would be 1.2. If the size of the larger part were 10,000 and the
relative accuracy were also 0.012, the absolute accuracy of the geometry would be
120.
The significant difference between the geometric accuracy of these two parts can
make it difficult to create a cohesive assembly that includes both parts. In this case,
if you were to mate the two components, the differences in tessellation refinement
could cause geometric incompatibilities.
This is of particular concern for meshing, where the software uses the geometry to
determine element edge length, element size, and so forth. For instance, if you
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mated the two example parts along a nonlinear curve, Mechanica might experience
problems in trying to match the small elements that would be a byproduct of the
small part's refined tessellation with the larger elements that the larger part's
coarser tessellation would produce.
Object Action
Object action is a feature that enables you to perform an action on an object you
select on your model or in the Model Tree. You can right-click highlighted simulation
entities in the Model Tree or entity icons on your model to display a shortcut menu
listing Mechanica operations that you can perform on the entity.
The list of simulation entities on which you can perform object action operations
includes, but is not limited to, the following:
• loads • simulation features

• constraints • gaps (FEM mode)
• beams • mesh controls (FEM mode)
• shells • rigid links (FEM mode)
• masses • weighted links (FEM mode)
• springs • interfaces
• shell pairs • meshes
• perimeter welds • material assignments
• end welds • simulation measures
As you move your cursor over an icon representing any simulation entity that has
been set for prehighlighting, the software highlights the icon in red. If your cursor
pauses, a display tag appears showing the entity name. If you select a highlighted
icon or select an entity directly from the Model Tree, the icon highlights in red on the
model and you can right-click to display the shortcut menu to perform operations on
the entity.
The object action operations are always in effect, whether or not prehighlighting is
set for a simulation entity.
Example: Setting up a Solid Model for a 2D

Analysis on an Internal Surface
You can perform 2D analyses on internal surfaces of a solid model provided you first
prepare the model so that Mechanica can isolate the internal geometry to a 2D
planar surface.
For example, assume that you want to perform a 2D analysis on an internal section
of the following solid model.
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First, you would define a cut through the solid in Pro/ENGINEER to create an
external, planar surface. Then, in Mechanica you select the resulting surface for your
2D analysis. The following model is defined as a 2D axisymmetric model type
because the 2D geometry is intended to rotate about an axis.
Be aware that, in some cases, when you define a cut through a 2D axisymmetric
model, you may not be able to select only the surface that you want to include in
your analysis. Pro/ENGINEER may instead select multiple surfaces created by the
cut. If this occurs, you can define a surface region that includes only the surface or
surfaces required to define your 2D model. You can then use the Sketcher to sketch
the curve and the Use Edge geometry tool to trace around the geometry. The
surfaces created by the cut are effectively separated, and you are able to select the
geometry required for the 2D analysis.
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Connected and Unconnected Parts

After you start a run, Mechanica merges the individual parts into a single,
multivolume body, where individual parts are either connected or unconnected.
Mechanica merges the individual parts as follows:
• If parts in an assembly touch, Mechanica views the touching parts as

individual volumes with common faces (surfaces) or edges (curves). In this
case, the software recognizes an association between the volumes and treats
that portion of the assembly as a single Mechanica body with multiple
volumes. One exception occurs if the common faces separating two volumes
have contact regions defined. Contact regions allow the two volumes to
separate during the simulation.
If you compress the parts using midsurface compression, you can use end
welds or perimeter welds, or let the software create automatic midsurface
connections, to eliminate the gaps that occur between mating edges or
surfaces of the parts. This ensures that touching entities remain connected.
For more information, see Gaps in Assemblies.
• If a part does not touch any other part, Mechanica treats the part as an
unconnected body.
Depending on the tolerance between parts and the degree to which parts touch,
Mechanica may or may not connect some of the parts in an assembly. For example,
if you create the following assembly, Mechanica connects the parts as shown:
The two rectangular parts are close enough to be within tolerance, and they share
enough surface for Mechanica to merge them into a single body. However, the
sphere and rectangle have only one point of contact. Therefore, Mechanica does not
merge the sphere with the rest of the assembly. In this case, the assembly would
contain two connected parts and one unconnected part—two bodies in all.
Before you run an analysis or design study, Mechanica asks you whether you want
error detection. If you do, Mechanica checks for various modeling conditions
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including the presence of multiple bodies in the model. Should it encounter more
than one body, Mechanica displays a message indicating the number of separate, or
disjoint, bodies it finds. You can use this information to determine whether parts you
thought were connected are truly connected. If you see an unexpected number of
bodies, you may want to cancel the analysis or study and correct the assembly.
Search Tool Dialog Box

Use the Edit>Find command to search for simulation entities, define rules, and
specify the search criteria for your search. When you select this command, the
Search Tool dialog box appears.
The Search Tool dialog box includes the following items:
• Look for — The default selection is Simulation Modeling objects.

• Look in — This is available only for assemblies. Select the component or
assembly from the list in which you want to search for simulation entities.
Select Include submodels if you want to search for simulation entities in the
submodels of the assembly.
In Mechanica, you use two tabs—Attributes and Status—to examine the simulation
entities in your model. The Attributes tab enables you to search for classes of
simulation entities, and the Status tab lets you search for simulation objects on the
layers you have created in your model.
The Attributes tab on the Search Tool dialog box allows you to define the rule for
Mechanica to use when searching for simulation entities in the model you have
selected. You can search by selecting a rule class from Name, Type, or Property.
Depending on the rule class you select, the fields in the Criteria area of the dialog
box change.
• Name — Search for simulation entities by Name. Specify the search criteria
by selecting the required Comparison operation from the available list.
Select or enter the required value or manually type the name for the
simulation entity in the Value list. Based on the model you have selected, the
fields in the Value list are populated at runtime. Mechanica searches the
model for simulation entities that match the values specified in the
Comparison and Value fields.
For example, you have selected "is equal to" as the comparison operation and the
value specified is BEAM1, Mechanica searches for entities that have the name
BEAM1 and displays the search results in the items found: window. Additionally,
Mechanica highlights these items in the Model Tree.
• Type — Search for simulation entities by Type. Specify the search criteria by
selecting the required Comparison operation, the Category type the entity
belongs to, and the Value of the entity from the lists, respectively.
• Property — Search for simulation entities by Property. Specify the search
criteria by selecting the required Property type and Comparison operation.
Select or manually enter the value for the entity in the Value field.
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For the entity value, you can type an alphabetic character followed by a wild
card. For example, B*. The wild card is represented by a *.
You use the Status tab to examine the contents of a layer that you have defined for
your model. When you are working in Mechanica, the Status tab has only one active
option button, Layer. The Layer option button lists all the layers available in the
model. Layer is a rule that allows you to search for simulation entities in any of the
layers in your model by selecting the operation from the Comparison field and the
desired layer from the Value field.
The Value list contains all layers in your model regardless of the method you used to
create the layer—the Layer tool or the Search Tool query builder—or whether you
created these layers in Pro/ENGINEER or in Mechanica. Select Add New option to
include the new layer in the Query Builder.
You can also use the Options button in the Search Tool dialog box to search for
simulation entities in the model you have selected by building a query, saving the
query, highlighting and displaying selected items, and displaying the filtered
selections.
Use the Find Now option in the Search Tool dialog box to display a list of
simulation objects that the filter finds and, in case of only one matching object,
highlights the object. In case of more than one object, you can select an object, and
Mechanica highlights that object. You can view the search results in the items
found: window. Use the New Search option to start a new search by defining rules,
operations, and criteria for the new search operation.
Units
To Set a Principal System of Units
You can use any previously defined system of units as the principal system of units
for your model. This procedure assumes you are in Pro/ENGINEER.
1. Select Edit>Set Up>Units.
The Units Manager dialog box appears. The Systems Of Units tab displays
a list of existing systems of units, and a red arrow marks the current principal
system of units.
2. Select the system of units that you want to set as the principal system of
units.
3. Click the Set button.
A message box appears.
4. Select an option for changing your model's units:

• Convert dimensions (for example 1" becomes 25.4mm)
• Interpret dimensions (for example 1" becomes 1mm)
5. Click OK.
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Pro/ENGINEER sets the selected system of units as the principal system of

units for your model.
You return to the Units Manager dialog box. In the list of systems of units,
the arrow points to the principal system of units you just set.
To Review an Individual Unit

This procedure assumes you are in Pro/ENGINEER.
The Units Manager dialog box appears.
2. Click the Units tab.

3. If you want to see a list of units of only one type, select an option from the
Type drop-down list.
4. Select a unit from the list.
You can review the description for the selected unit displayed in the
Description box.
To Review a System of Units

You can display a read-only information window that describes a system of units.
2. Select a system of units from the list on the Systems Of Units tab.
3. Click the Info button.
The Information Window appears displaying units information for the

selected system of units. You can scroll down or sideways for more
information.
4. Click Close to return to the Units Manager dialog box.
To Edit a Custom Unit

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3. Select a custom unit from the list.
The Edit button becomes available only when you select a custom unit.
4. Click the Edit button. Or, you can also double-click the name of a custom unit
to edit it.
The Unit Definition dialog box appears.
5. Make any changes to the dialog box.

6. Click OK to apply the changes you made to the dialog box.
To Edit a Custom System of Units

2. Select a custom system of units from the list on the Systems Of Units tab.
The Edit button becomes available only when you select a custom system of
units.
3. Click the Edit button. Or, you can double-click the name of a system of units
to edit it.
The System Of Units Definition dialog box appears.
4. Make any changes to the dialog box.

5. If you want more information about the system of units, click the Info
button.
A read-only Information Window appears, displaying information about the

selected system of units. You can scroll down or sideways for more
information.
6. Click Close. You return to the System Of Units Definition dialog box.
7. Click OK to apply the changes you made to the dialog box.
To Create a Custom Unit

Pro/ENGINEER defines a custom unit as follows:
new unit = scale x existing unit
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3. Click the New button.
The Unit Definition dialog box appears.
4. Select an option from the Physical Dimension list. Use the Derived option
if you want to define a derived custom unit.
5. Enter a name for the custom unit or use the default name.
Note: If you selected the Derived option in step 4, go to step 9.
6. Select a reference unit from the drop-down list of existing units.

7. Enter a Scale factor. All custom units are scaled from existing units, including
other custom units.
8. If you selected Temperature in step 4, enter an Offset value.
9. If you selected Derived in step 4, enter a Numerical Unit Expression for
your derived unit.
10. Click OK.
The Units Manager dialog box appears with the name of your new custom
unit displayed in the list of units.
Units Management
You can use the Units tab on the Units Manager dialog box to create, copy, edit,
and delete units.
This tab displays a list of existing units in Pro/ENGINEER—predefined units and any
custom units. You can select a Type option to display units of a particular type only.
For more information about the units provided in Pro/ENGINEER, see Predefined
Units.
The following buttons appear on the Units tab:
• New — Creates a custom unit.

• Copy — Click this button to make a duplicate of an existing unit. On the
Copy Unit dialog box, enter a name for the new copy of the unit. This new
name will appear in the list on the Units tab.
• Edit — Active only if you select a custom unit. Click this button to edit a
custom unit.
• Delete — Active only if you select a custom unit. Click this button to delete a
custom unit. You cannot delete a custom unit if it is used to define another
unit or system of units.
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Systems of Units Management

You can use the Systems Of Units tab on the Units Manager dialog box to work
with systems of units and to set a principal system of units for your model.
This tab displays a list of the existing systems of units in Pro/ENGINEER—predefined

systems of units and any custom systems of units. You can select a principal system
of units from the list. A red arrow points to the current principal system of units for
your model. For more information about the systems of units provided in
Pro/ENGINEER, see Predefined Systems of Units.
The following buttons appear on the Systems Of Units tab:
• Set — Sets the principal system of units.

• New — Creates a custom system of units.
• Copy — Click this button to make a duplicate of an existing system of units.
On the Copy System of Units dialog box, enter a name for the new copy of
the system of units. This new name will appear in the list on the Systems Of
Units tab.
• Edit — Active only if you select a custom system of units. Click this button to
edit a custom system of units.
• Delete — Active only if you select a custom system of units that is not the
principal system of units. Click this button to delete a custom system of units.
• Info — Click to display an Information Window with units information for the
selected system of units.
Custom Unit
Use the New button on the Units tab of the Units Manager dialog box to create a
custom unit. A custom unit is a unit that the user defines.
You can combine predefined units and custom units to create a custom system of
units.
When you click the New button, the Unit Definition dialog box appears. Select an
option from the Physical Dimension list for the type of unit you want to create:
• If you select Length, Mass, Force, Time, or Temperature, the following

items appear on the dialog box for the Unit Definition:
o Name — Enter a name for the custom unit.
o Scale — Enter a scale factor. All custom units are scaled from existing
units, including other custom units.
o Reference Unit List — Select a reference unit from the list of existing
units.
o Offset — Appears only if you selected Temperature for the physical
dimension. Enter an offset value.
• If you select the Derived option, the following items appear on the dialog box
for the Derived Unit Definition:
o Name — Enter a name for the custom derived unit.
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o Numerical Unit Expression — Enter a value to define your derived

unit.
The following expressions are examples of custom derived units:
square_feet = ft*ft
gravity = 9.81 m/sec^2
atmosphere = 14.7 psi
gallon = 231 in^3
speed_of_light = 3e8 m/sec
After you click OK on the Unit Definition dialog box, the name of the new custom
unit appears in the list of units on the Units Manager dialog box.
Custom System of Units

Use the New button on the Systems Of Units tab of the Units Manager dialog box
to create a custom system of units. You create a custom system of units by
combining individual units. You can combine predefined units and custom units to
create a custom system of units. For a list of unit values available in Pro/ENGINEER,
see Predefined Units.
When choosing a system of units, decide which quantities will form the basic physical
dimensions and which quantities will be derived from the basic dimensions. The basic
dimensions can be either of the following:
• mass, length, time, and temperature

• force, length, time, and temperature
When you define force or mass as your primary unit, the other becomes a derived
unit. For example, if you select force as one of your primary units, mass becomes a
derived unit for your model. The connection between these two systems is given by
Newton's second law of motion:
force = mass x acceleration
the dimensions of which are: F = ML/T2
When you click the New button, the System Of Units Definition dialog box
appears. Enter a name for the new system of units and use these radio buttons to
determine the basic physical dimension type:
• Mass Length Time (MLT) — Select this radio button if you want your
system of units to be based on mass.
• Force Length Time (FLT) — Select this radio button if you want your
system of units to be based on force.
109
Then, select values for the following units:
• Length
• Mass or Force
• Time
• Temperature
Guidelines for Specifying Units

Before you specify a system of units for your model, read these guidelines:
• Default System of Units — If you do not specify a system of units,

Pro/ENGINEER uses inch pound-mass second (inch lbm second) as the default
system of units. In this system, units of force are defined as lbm * in/sec2.
These units of force are not generally used, so you should change the system
of units before applying loads in Mechanica.
You can also set a default principal system of units in Pro/ENGINEER using
the Tools>Options command.
• Use Consistent Units for Parts and Assembly — You can specify units in
part or assembly mode. If you are working in assembly mode, the units for all
the parts must be the same as the assembly. You need to make sure your
parts and assembly use consistent units. Also, when you specify values in
Mechanica, you need to keep those values consistent with your principal
system of units.
• Entering Numerical Data — When you enter numerical data for quantities
with physical dimensions, Pro/ENGINEER interprets the data as having units
consistent with the principal system of units.
• Density — Pro/ENGINEER displays density as mass per unit volume, not
weight per unit volume.
• Modeling Data — Pro/ENGINEER and Mechanica store all data for your
model in terms of the principal system of units. When you design a model,
you should select a system of units in Pro/ENGINEER before defining modeling
data.
• Exporting to Independent Mode — If you plan to export your model to
Mechanica independent mode, make note of your system of units. Mechanica
does not display your system of units in independent mode.
• Material Library — Mechanica displays in the material library only materials
with units.
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Unit Conversion Tables
This document contains information on using units in Mechanica and on converting

values between different systems of units. This document includes the following
sections:
Topic
Introduction
Basic Equalities
System of Units
Basic Units
Examples of Values for Gravitational Acceleration and Selected Properties of Steel
Correspondence Between Mass and Force
Correspondence Between Mass and Pounds-mass
Conversion of Basic Units
Correspondence Between Degrees Celsius and Degrees Fahrenheit
Note: Throughout this document, scientific notation is written as you would

type it in Mechanica. For example,
2.07 x 1011 is written as 2.07e11.
Introduction
Mechanica does not store information concerning the physical dimensions (units) of
the numerical data that you enter. Therefore, whenever you enter numerical data
into Mechanica, you must ensure that you are using a consistent set of units.
For example, if you enter distance in terms of inches and force in terms of pounds-
force, then you must enter Young's modulus in terms of pounds-force per square
inch. In this system of units, Mechanica reports stress in terms of pounds-force per
square inch.
If you do not use a consistent set of units when entering data, the values computed
by Mechanica will be meaningless. This document provides an overview of the
physical dimensions of many of the quantities in Mechanica.
The following abbreviations are used throughout this document:
L = length
M = mass
T = time
F = force
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E = energy (heat)
P = power
D = temperature (such as F, C, K)
R = angle radian
When choosing a consistent set of units, you must decide which quantities will form
the basic physical dimensions and which quantities will be derived from the basic
dimensions. Usually, you will choose either mass, length, and time (MLT) or force,
length, and time (FLT) as the basic dimensions. The connection between these two
systems is given by Newton's second law of motion:
force = mass x acceleration
the dimensions of which are:
F = ML/T2
Some quantities in Thermal are usually expressed in terms of energy and power, the
dimensions of which are determined from their definitions:
energy (work, heat) = force x distance
E = FL
power = energy ÷ time
P = E/T
Basic Equalities
Following is a list of many of the quantities in Mechanica and the physical dimensions
of each expressed in terms of common physical dimensions and also in terms of MLT
and FLT.
Quantity Common MLT FLT
length L L L
time T T T
mass M M FT2/L
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force F ML/T2 F
temperature D D D
area L2 L2 L2
volume L3 L3 L3
velocity L/T L/T L/T
acceleration L/T2 L/T2 L/T2
angle, rotation R R R
rotational velocity R/T R/T R/T
rotational acceleration R/T2 R/T2 R/T2
density M/L3 M/L3 FT2/L4
moment, torque FL ML2/T2 FL
distributed force along a curve F/L M/T2 F/L
distributed moment along a curve F ML/T2 F
distributed force over a surface, pressure, F/L2 M/LT2 F/L2

stress, Young's modulus
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distributed moment over a surface F/L M/T2 F/L
translational F/L M/T2 F/L

stiffness
rotational stiffness FL/R ML2/T2R FL/R
coefficient of /D /D /D
thermal expansion
moment of inertia of beam cross-sectional L4 L4 L4

area
mass moment of ML2 ML2 FLT2

inertia
energy, work, heat (E) FL ML2/T2 FL
power, heat E/T ML2/T3 FL/T

transfer rate (P)
temperature gradient D/L D/L D/L
heat flux P/L2 M/T3 F/TL
thermal P/LD ML/T3D F/TD

conductivity
convection P/L2D M/T3D F/LTD

coefficient
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specific E/MD L2/T2D FL/MD

heat (Cp)
System of Units
To define a system of units, you assign a unit of measure to each of the physical
dimensions. This section provides the units of the above quantities in four different
systems of units, two different metric systems, MKS and mmNs, and two different
English systems, FPS and IPS. The MKS system of units uses MLT as the basic
dimensions. The mmNs, FPS, and IPS systems of units use FLT as the basic
dimensions.
MKS
Following are the basic and some of the derived units of the MKS system:
Basic Units Some Derived Units
M: kilogram (kg) F: kg-m/sec2 = Newton (N)
L: meter (m) E: N-m = Joule (J)
T: second (sec) P: J/sec = Watt (W)
D: degree Celsius ( C)
mmNS
Following are the basic and some of the derived units of the mmNS system:
F: Newton (N) M: (N-sec2/mm) (kg-m/N-sec2) (1000mm/m) = 1000 kg =

tonne(t)
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L: millimeter (mm) E: (N-mm) (J/N-m) (m/1000mm) =

J/1000 = mJ
T: second (sec) P: (mJ/sec) (J/1000mJ) (W-sec/J) =

W/1000 = mW
D: degree Celsius
( C)
FPS
Following are the basic and some of the derived units of the FPS system:
F: pound-force (lbf) M: lbf-sec2/ft = slug
L: foot (ft) E: ft-lbf
T: second (sec) P: ft-lbf/sec
D: degree Fahrenheit ( F)
IPS
Following are the basic and some of the derived units of the IPS system:
F: pound-force (lbf) M: lbf-sec2/in
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L: inch (in) E: lbf-in
T: second (sec) P: lbf-in/sec
D: degree Fahrenheit ( F)
Basic Units
Using the definitions from the previous section, the units of the quantities in these
four systems are as follows:
Metric Metric English English

Units (MKS) (mmNS) (FPS) (IPS)
Length m mm ft in
Time sec sec sec sec
mass kg tonne slug lbf-

sec2/in
force N N lbf lbf
temperature C C F F
area m2 mm2 ft2 in2
volume m3 mm3 ft3 (cu-ft) in3 (cu-

in)
velocity m/sec mm/sec ft/sec in/sec
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acceleration m/sec2 mm/sec2 ft/sec2 in/sec2
angle, rotation rad rad rad rad
rotational rad/sec rad/sec rad/sec rad/sec

velocity
rotational rad/sec2 rad/sec2 rad/sec2 rad/sec2

acceleration
density kg/m3 tonne/mm3 slug/ft3 lbf-

sec2/in4
moment, torque N-m N-mm ft-lbf in-lbf
distributed force along a curve N/m N/mm lbf/ft lbf/in
distributed moment along a N N lbf lbf

curve
distributed force over a N/m2 N/mm2 lbf/ft2 lbf/in2

surface, pressure, stress, (Pa) (MPa) (psi)
Young's modulus
translational N/m N/mm lbf/ft lbf/in

stiffness
rotational stiffness N-m/rad N-mm/rad lbf-ft/rad lbf-in/rad
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coefficient of / C / C / F / F
thermal expansion
moment of m4 mm4 ft4 in4

inertia of beam cross-sectional
area
mass moment of inertia kg-m2 tonne-mm2 slug-ft2 lbf-in-

sec2
energy, work, heat (E) J mJ ft-lbf in-lbf
power, heat transfer rate (P) W mW ft-lbf/sec in-lbf/sec
temperature C/m C/mm F/ft F/in

gradient
heat flux W/m2 mW/mm2 lbf/ft-sec lbf/in-sec
thermal W/m- C mW/mm- C lbf/sec- F lbf/sec- F

conductivity
convection film W/m2- C mW/mm2- lbf/ft- lbf/in-

coefficient C sec- F sec- F
specific J/kg- C mJ/tonne- ft- in2/sec2-

heat (Cp) C lbf/slug- F
F
Note: 1W = 1N-m/sec, 1mJ = 1N-mm, 1mW = 1N-mm/sec, N/m2 = Pascal (Pa)
The numerical values of conductivity are the same in the MKS and mmNS systems
and in the FPS and IPS systems.
119
In Structure, units of modal frequency results are always cycles per unit time or Hz.
The units of time are affected by the force/length/time units you used to define the
model. Structure never reports modal frequency in terms of radians per unit time.
Examples of Values for Gravitational

Acceleration and Selected Properties of Steel
The following table shows examples of approximate values for acceleration, density,
Young's modulus, thermal coefficient of expansion, and thermal conductivity:

g (gravitational 9.81 9810 32.2 386 in/sec2

acceleration) m/sec2 mm/sec2 ft/sec2
density (steel) 7830.0 7.83e-9 15.2 7.33e-4 lb-

kg/m3 tonne/mm3 slug/ft3 sec2/in4
Young's modulus 2.07e11 2.07e5 4.32e9 3.0e7 lb/in2

(steel) N/m2 N/mm2 lb/ft2
coefficient of 12e-6/ C 12e-6/ C 6.5e-6/ F 6.5e-6/ F

thermal expansion
(steel)
thermal 43.37 43.37 5.4 5.41bf/sec- F

conductivity (steel) W/m- C mW/mm- C lbf/sec- F (2.083 Btu/
(25 Btu/ hr-in- F)
hr-ft- F)
Correspondence Between Mass and Force

The following list describes the correspondence between mass and force at sea level
for four common unit systems:
1 kg weighs 9.81 Newtons
1 tonne weighs 9810 Newtons
1 slug weighs 32.2 lbs
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1 (lb-sec2/in) weighs 386 lbs
Correspondence Between Mass and Pounds-

mass
In some English systems of units, mass is sometimes given in pounds-mass (lbm).
The relationship between pounds-mass and mass in the FPS and IPS systems of units
is determined by the fact that one pound-mass weighs one pound-force in the
gravitational field of the earth at sea level:
lbf = lbm x g
where g = 32.2 ft/sec2 = 386 in/sec2
Therefore:
lbm = 1/386 lbf-sec2/in
lbm = 1/32.2 lbf-sec2/ft = 1/32.2 slug
Conversion of Basic Units

The following tables show conversion factors for various quantities:
Length Conversion Factors
m mm ft in
1m= 1 1000 3.281 39.37
1 mm = 1.0e-3 1 3.281e-3 3.937e-2
1 ft = 0.3048 304.8 1 12
121
1 in = 2.54e-2 25.4 8.333e-2 1
Mass Conversion Factors
slug
tonne (lb-sec2/
kg (N-sec2/mm) ft) lb-sec2/in
1 kg = 1 1.0e-3 6.852e-2 5.71e-3
1 tonne = 1000 1 68.52 5.71
1 slug = 14.59 14.59e-3 1 8.333e-2
1 lb-sec2/in = 175.1 0.1751 12 1
Moments of Inertia
lbf-sec2
kg m2 tonne mm2 slug ft2 -in
1 kg m2 = 1 1000 .738 8.85
1 tonne mm2 = 1e-3 1 7.375e-4 8.85e-3
1 slug ft 2 = 1.356 1.356e3 1 12
1 lbf-sec2-in = 0.113 113 1/12 1
Force Conversion Factors
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N lb
1N= 1 0.2248
1 lb = 4.448 1
Moment Conversion Factors
N-m N-mm lb-ft lb-in
1 N-m = 1 1000 0.7376 8.851
1 N-mm = 1.0e-3 1 7.376e-4 8.851e-3
1 lb-ft = 1.356 1356 1 12
1 lb-in = 0.113 113 8.33e-2 1
Density Conversion Factors
tonne/ lb-sec2/
kg/m3 mm3 slug/ft3 in4
1 kg/m3 = 1 1e-12 1.94e-3 9.36e-8
1 tonne/mm3 = 1e12 1 1.94e9 9.36e4
1 slug/ft3 = 515 5.15e-10 1 4.82e-5
1 lb-sec2/in4 = 1.07e7 1.07e-5 20700 1
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Stress Conversion Factors
N/m2 N/mm2 lb/ft2 lb/in2
1 N/m2 = 1 1e-6 2.09e-2 1.45e-4
1 N/mm2 = 1e6 1 20900 145
1 lb/ft2 = 47.9 47.9e-5 1 6.94e-3
1 lb/in2 = 6890 6.89e-3 144 1
Translational Stiffness Conversion Factors
N/m N/mm lb/ft lb/in
1 N/m = 1 1.0e-3 6.8525e-2 5.7104e-3
1 N/mm = 1000 1 68.525 5.710
1 lb/ft = 14.593 1.4593e-2 1 8.33e-2
1 lb/in = 175.118 1.7512e-5 12 1
Rotational Stiffness Conversion Factors
N-m/rad N-mm/rad lb-ft/rad lb-in/rad
1 N-m/rad = 1 1000 0.7376 8.851
1 N-mm/rad = 1.0e-3 1 7.376e-4 8.851e-3
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1 lb-ft/rad = 1.356 1356 1 12
1 lb-in/rad = 0.113 113 8.33e-2 1
Thermal Conductivity Conversion Factors
mW/ Btu/ Btu/ lbf/

W/m- C mm- C hr-ft- F hr-in- F sec- F
1 W/m- C = 1 1 0.5777 4.817e-2 0.1249
1 mW/mm- C = 1 1 0.5777 4.817e-2 0.1249
1 Btu/hr-ft- F = 1.731 1.731 1 8.333e-2 0.2162
1 Btu/hr-in- F = 20.76 20.76 12 1 2.594
1 lbf/sec- F = 8.007 8.007 4.626 0.3854 1
Correspondence Between Degrees Celsius and

Degrees Fahrenheit
The following two formulas describe the correspondence between the Celsius and
Fahrenheit degree scales:
C = ( F – 32)/1.8
F = 1.8 C + 32
Thus, a temperature difference of 1 C is equal to a difference of 1.8 F.
125
Predefined Systems of Units

The Systems Of Units tab displays a list of six predefined systems of units as well
as any custom systems of units. You can select any system of units as the principal
system of units for your model.
The predefined systems are as follows:
• meter kilogram second (MKS)

• centimeter gram second (CGS)
• millimeter Newton second (mmNs)
• foot pound second (FPS)
• inch pound second (IPS)
• inch pound-mass second (inch lbm second) — Pro/ENGINEER default
Pro/ENGINEER displays the units for the physical dimensions as follows:
System Type Length Mass Force Time Temp
MKS MLT m Kg N* sec K
CGS MLT cm G erg * sec C
mmNs FLT mm tonne * N sec C
FPS FLT ft slug * lbf sec F
IPS FLT in lbf sec F
Pro/ENGINEER MLT in lbm sec F

Default
* derived unit
For a description of each predefined system of units and its basic dimensions, see
System of Units in Unit Conversion Tables. The Pro/ENGINEER default, inch pound-
mass second (inch lbm second), is not a standard system of units, and thus is not
described in System of Units.
126
Predefined Units
You can combine predefined units with custom units to create a custom system of
units.
The following predefined units for length, mass, force, time, and temperature are
available in Pro/ENGINEER:
Length Mass Force Time Temperature
cm g dyne day C
ft kg kg-f hr F
in lbm kip micro-sec K
micron ounce-m kN min R
mil mg lbf msec
m slug N sec
mm ton-m ounce-f week
tonne ton
Set the Principal System of Units

Use the Set button on the Systems Of Units tab to set a system of units as the
principal system of units for your model. When you select a system of units from the
list and click the Set button, a dialog box appears.
Select one of the following options in the dialog box:
• Convert dimensions (for example 1" becomes 25.4mm)
Select this option if you change your system of units after you design your
model. Pro/ENGINEER converts your existing Pro/ENGINEER or Mechanica
data to the new system of units but does not change the physical size of your
model.
Pro/ENGINEER converts the following values for your model:
o geometric dimensions
o materials
o loads
o prescribed displacements
127
o idealizations (mass, springs, beams)

o Mechanica design parameters based on Pro/ENGINEER dimensions or
beam sections
o in a global sensitivity study, start and end values of Mechanica design
parameters based on Pro/ENGINEER dimensions or beam section
dimensions
o in an optimization sensitivity study, minimum and maximum values of
Mechanica design parameters based on Pro/ENGINEER dimensions or
beam section dimensions
Pro/ENGINEER does not convert the following values:
o design parameters based on Pro/ENGINEER parameters

o limits for measures in an optimization design study
• Interpret dimensions ( for example 1" becomes 1mm)
Select this option if your model has correct values but an undesired system of
units. Pro/ENGINEER does not convert existing Pro/ENGINEER or Mechanica
data to the new system of units. Pro/ENGINEER changes the physical size of
your model but not your model's dimensional values.
When you click OK in the Warning message box, Pro/ENGINEER sets the selected
system of units as the principal system of units for your model.
About Units
Before designing your model, you should define a principal system of units in
Pro/ENGINEER using the Edit>Set Up>Units command in either part or assembly
mode.
As you build your model, Pro/ENGINEER and Mechanica associate your principal
system of units to all aspects of the model-building process. Thus, Pro/ENGINEER
and Mechanica store your model's data and perform analyses based on your principal
system of units. You must enter all modeling data in the principal system of units,
except on the Material Definition dialog box.
Before choosing a principal system of units, see Guidelines for Specifying Units.
When you select the Units command, the Units Manager dialog box appears. The
dialog box includes the following tabs:
• Systems of Units — Use this tab to set a principal system of units, or to

create, copy, edit, and delete systems of units.
• Units — Use this tab to create, copy, edit, and delete individual units.
The Description box at the bottom of the Units Manager dialog box displays a
short description of the selected unit or system of units.
128
The following icon appears in front of the description for predefined units or systems
of units:
To Create a Custom System of Units

2. Click the New button.
The System Of Units Definition dialog box appears.
3. Enter a name for the new system or use the default name.
4. Select the Mass Length Time (MLT) or Force Length Time (FLT) radio
button to indicate the system type.
5. Select a length unit from the Length option list.
6. Select a mass or force unit from the Mass or Force option list.
7. Select a time unit from the Time option list.
8. Select a temperature unit from the Temperature option list.
9. Click OK.
The Units Manager dialog box appears with the name of your custom
system of units displayed in the list of systems.
Modeling Structure and Thermal Problems

About Creating Models in Mechanica
Before you can analyze a part or assembly in Mechanica, you must create a
simulation model that captures the real world conditions that the model will undergo
and such characteristics as the material, the presence of masses, and so forth. You
create a simulation model by adding modeling entities that define the nature of the
model. In addition, you can evaluate and refine meshes as part of the model creation
process.
The modeling entities you can use to define a simulation model include:
• model type — Indicate whether you want Mechanica to treat your model as a
3D model or any of several 2D model types.
• simulation features — Add datum geometry to your model, select and create
coordinate systems, and add surface or volume regions.
• idealizations — Define idealized representations of your model or portions of
your model to more accurately represent your model to the solver and
improve solver efficiency.
129
• connections — Indicate how areas of your model connect and how loads
should transfer.
• constraints and loads for Structure — Add the loads that affect your model
and constrain the model's spatial degrees of freedom, giving the loads
something to act against.
• prescribed temperatures, convection conditions, and heat loads for Thermal —
Subject your model to heat loads and define the boundary conditions that
describe the model's thermal environment.
• materials — Define the material your model is made of.
• material orientations — Describe any material orientations that you want the
solver to consider.
• properties — Define the properties of the idealizations in your model, such as
spring properties, shell properties, beam properties, and so forth.
• measures — Define measures that the solver will calculate. You can define
some measures for the entire model, some for specific areas of interest, and
some for both.
• AutoGEM meshes (native mode) — Create a mesh for your native mode
model, determine whether the mesh is adequate for your analysis, and refine
the mesh if necessary.
• FEM meshes (FEM mode) — Create and evaluate a mesh for your FEM mode
model and refine the mesh if necessary.
• design parameters (native mode) — Add design parameters to your native
mode model so that you can determine the effect of varying geometry and
properties in your model as you strive to improve your design.
Model Type
About Specifying a Product, Mode, and Model
Type
When you enter Mechanica with a new model, you need to specify the product that
you want to use, the mode that you want to operate in, and the model type. You do
this using the Model Type dialog box that Mechanica displays after you select the
Applications>Mechanica command. This dialog box includes these items:
• Mode area — Specify the product that you want to use. You can select
Structure or Thermal.
• FEM Mode — In its default state, Mechanica assumes that you want to
operate in native mode. Select this check box to work in FEM mode instead.
• Advanced button — Open the advanced portion of the Model Type dialog
box, enabling you to choose between 3D and 2D modeling. 3D modeling is
the default for native mode. If you plan to treat your model as a 3D model
from the beginning, you do not need to use the Advanced button. However,
if you have already specified your model as a 2D model and then want to
convert it to a 3D model, you must select the Advanced button to redefine
the model as 3D.
Note: Because FEM mode supports 3D modeling only, Mechanica

deactivates the Advanced button if you select the FEM Mode check
box.
130
After you have defined your model using the Model Type dialog box and saved the
model, Mechanica stores the information with your model. From this point onward,
the software no longer displays the Model Type dialog box whenever you enter
Mechanica. If you want to change the product, mode, or model type, you can use the
Edit>Mechanica Model Type command. This command opens the Model Type
dialog box with its current settings. You can switch products, modes, or model types
by altering these settings.
If you tend to work in only one product or mode and you typically work with 3D
models, you can streamline your entry into Mechanica—and possibly bypass the
Model Type dialog box altogether—through the use of config.pro options. There are
two situations in which this might prove useful:
• If you only use one Mechanica product — If you work primarily in one
product—for example, Thermal—you can set that product as the default for
the Model Type dialog box through the simulation_product config.pro option.
In this case, the software assumes that all your models will be 3D Thermal
models and, provided the simulation_fem_mode config.pro option is set to
"yes" or "no," will bypass the Model Type dialog box when you enter
Mechanica.
• If you only use FEM mode — If you work exclusively in FEM mode, you can
set FEM mode as the default for the Model Type dialog box through the
simulation_fem_mode config.pro option. In this case, the software assumes
that all your models will be 3D FEM mode models, and the FEM Mode check
box will be turned on by default whenever the Model Type dialog box
displays for a new model. If you also set the product type using the
simulation_product config.pro option, the software will default to your chosen
product and will bypass the Model Type dialog box altogether when you
enter Mechanica. You will then automatically work in FEM mode for the
chosen product.
About Model Types

Use the Advanced button on the Model Type dialog box to open the Type portion
of the dialog box. The check boxes in this area enable you to select a 3D model type
or one of several 2D model types, depending on the kind of analysis that you want to
perform in Mechanica. Before selecting a model type, see Guidelines for Working
with Model Types.
The following model types are available on the Model Type dialog box for Structure
and Thermal:
Structure Thermal
3D 3D
2D Plane Stress (Thin Plate) 2D Plane Stress (Thin Plate)
131
Structure Thermal
2D Plane Strain (Infinitely Thick) 2D Plane Strain (Unit Depth)
2D Axisymmetric 2D Axisymmetric
If you select one of the 2D model types, Mechanica activates the Geometry and
Coordinate System areas of the dialog box. You use these areas as follows:
• Geometry area — Select the 2D geometry that you want to use for your 2D
model.
• Coordinate System area — Select a reference Cartesian coordinate system
so that Mechanica can correctly interpret your model and verify that the loads
and constraints lie in the model plane.
Be aware that if your model meets the criteria for a 2D model type, you can save
significant calculation time when you run a design study. Additionally, if you perform
a function that removes the highlighting of your 2D model, you can use the Repaint
option to restore the highlighting.
Regardless of which model type you select, Mechanica creates a mesh made up of
elements specific to the model type. The type of elements that Mechanica creates for
the model type depends on whether you are working in Structure or Thermal.
After you select a model type, Mechanica adjusts commands and dialog boxes to
reflect the idealizations and degrees of freedom available for the model type you
selected. If you change the model type later, Mechanica will delete a variety of
modeling entities such as loads, constraints, thermal boundary conditions,
idealizations, and meshes. It will, however, keep predefined measures and design
parameters.
Structure Model Types

3D Model Type
Use this option if anything about the model will be outside the XY plane, including
idealizations, loads, design parameters, or displacements.
You can create the following types of idealizations for a 3D model:
• shells • masses (Structure only)
• connections • springs (Structure only)
• beams • spot welds
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You can define loads, constraints, design parameters, and other model attributes in
six degrees of freedom for a 3D model:
• translation in X, Y, and Z
• rotation in X, Y, and Z
For solids, only three degrees of freedom are available—translation in X, Y, and Z.
2D Plane Stress Structure Model Type

Use this option if you are modeling a thin, flat plate—for example, a piece of
sheetmetal under tension. In 2D plane stress models:
• All included geometry must lie in the XY plane of the Cartesian coordinate
system that you select as the reference coordinate system for your model. If
you are working with assemblies, all included geometry from the assembly
components must lie at the same Z depth.
• Loads and displacements must be in the XY plane.
For 2D plane stress models, Mechanica meshes your model using 2D plate elements.
To successfully run an analysis, you must first assign a simple or advanced shell
idealization to any surfaces you plan to include in your plane stress model. In
addition to the shell idealizations that you must assign, you can create the mass and
spring idealizations for a 2D plane stress model.
As mentioned, you must use a Cartesian coordinate system as the model type
reference coordinate system. However, you can base other modeling entities on
Cartesian, cylindrical, or spherical coordinate systems. You can define loads,
constraints, design parameters, and other model attributes in two degrees of
freedom for a plane stress model—translation in X and Y (or the cylindrical and
spherical equivalents).
2D Plane Strain Structure Model Type

Use this option if the strain in one direction is negligible. This is typically the case for
structures that are long in one dimension and loaded transversely—for example, long
pipes, dams, and retaining walls. 2D plane strain models represent a unit thickness
slice of the actual 3D model.
In 2D plane strain models:
• Loads and displacements must be in the XY plane.
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If your model meets these criteria, you can model a cross-section of your structure
as a 2D plane strain model using shells or solids, or a combination of both.
Depending on your choice, Mechanica takes one of the following actions:
• Pure solid models — Mechanica meshes your model using 2D solid

elements. For solid modeling, you need to assign material properties to the
cross-section surface. You should not assign shell idealizations to any of the
curves in your model.
• Pure shell models — Mechanica meshes your model using 2D shell
elements. For shell modeling, you should choose only edges when you select
the geometry to include in your plane strain model. Do not select surfaces.
You also need to create simple or advanced shell idealizations on each curve
that you want Mechanica to mesh. You should not assign material properties
to the cross-section surface.
• Mixed models — Mechanica meshes your model using both 2D solid and 2D
shell elements. For mixed modeling, you need to create simple or advanced
shell idealizations on each curve that you want Mechanica to mesh. You must
also assign material properties to the cross-section surface.
In addition to shell idealizations, you can create the mass and spring idealizations for
a 2D plane strain model.
constraints, design parameters, and other model attributes in three degrees of
freedom for a plane strain model:
• translation in X and Y (or the cylindrical and spherical equivalents)

• rotation in Z (or the cylindrical and spherical equivalent)
For solid treatments of your model, only two degrees of freedom are available—
translation in X and Y.
2D Axisymmetric Structure Model Type

Use this option if the geometry of your model and the loads and constraints you plan
to place on it are symmetric about an axis—for example, cylindrical and conical
structures such as tanks, flanges, or certain clamps. 2D axisymmetric models
represent a slice of the actual 3D model that, if revolved around the Y axis of the
reference Cartesian coordinate system, would become the original 3D structure.
In 2D axisymmetric models:
• All the geometry must lie in the X > 0 portion of the XY plane.
• Loads and displacements must be specified in the XY plane.
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as a 2D axisymmetric model using shells or solids, or a combination of both. When
you use a cross-section for 2D axisymmetric modeling, you need to observe several
rules that govern Mechanica's ability to treat the cross-section geometry as an entity
that can be revolved about an axis. These rules differ depending on whether you are
working with surfaces or curves.
Depending on how you treat your model, Mechanica takes one of the following
actions:

the geometry to include in your 2D axisymmetric model. Do not select
surfaces. You also need to create simple or advanced shell idealizations on
each curve that you want Mechanica to mesh. You should not assign material
properties to the cross-section surface.
In addition to shell idealizations, you can create the mass and spring idealizations for
a plane strain model.
constraints, design parameters, and other model attributes in three degrees of
freedom for a 2D axisymmetric model:
• translation in X and Y (or the cylindrical and spherical equivalents)

• rotation in Z (or the cylindrical and spherical equivalent)
For solid treatments of your model, only two degrees of freedom are available—
translation in X and Y.
Thermal Model Type

3D Model Type
Use this option if anything about the model will be outside the XY plane, including
idealizations, loads, design parameters, or displacements.
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You can create the following types of idealizations for a 3D model:
• shells • masses (Structure only)
• connections • springs (Structure only)
• beams • spot welds
You can define loads, constraints, design parameters, and other model attributes in
six degrees of freedom for a 3D model:
• translation in X, Y, and Z
• rotation in X, Y, and Z
For solids, only three degrees of freedom are available—translation in X, Y, and Z.
2D Plane Stress Thermal Model Type

Use this option if you are modeling a thin, flat plate—for example, a piece of glass.
In 2D plane stress models, all included geometry must lie in the XY plane of the
Cartesian coordinate system that you select as the reference coordinate system for
your model. If you are working with assemblies, all included surfaces from the
assembly components must lie at the same Z depth.
For 2D plane stress models, Mechanica meshes your model using 2D plate elements.
To successfully run an analysis, you must first assign a simple or advanced shell
idealization to any surfaces that you plan to include in your plane stress model.
2D Plane Strain Thermal Model Type

Use this option if the heat flow in one direction is negligible—for example, the
temperature varies in two directions but not the third. This is typically the case for
structures that are long in one dimension such as a long pipe or a heat sink. 2D
plane strain models represent a slice of the actual 3D model.
In 2D plane strain models, all included geometry must lie in the XY plane of the
Cartesian coordinate system that you select as the reference coordinate system for
your model. If you are working with assemblies, all included geometry from the
assembly components must lie at the same Z depth.
as a 2D plane strain model using shells or solids, or a combination of both.
Depending on your choice, Mechanica takes one of the following actions:

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the geometry to include in your 2D plain strain model. Do not select surfaces.
You also need to create simple or advanced shell idealizations on each curve
you want Mechanica to mesh. You should not assign material properties to
the cross-section surface.
shell idealizations on each curve you want Mechanica to mesh. You must also
assign material properties to the cross-section surface.
2D Axisymmetric Thermal Model Type

Use this option if the geometry of your model and the heat loads, prescribed
temperatures, and convection conditions you plan to place on it are symmetric about
an axis—for example, cylindrical and conical structures such as storage tanks or
conduit. 2D axisymmetric models represent a slice of the actual 3D model that, if
revolved around the Y axis of the reference Cartesian coordinate system, would
become the original 3D structure.
In 2D axisymmetric models:
system that with assemblies, all included geometry from the assembly
• All the geometry must lie in the X > 0 portion of the XY plane.
as a 2D axisymmetric model using shells or solids, or a combination of both. When
you use a cross-section for 2D axisymmetric modeling, you need to observe several
rules that govern Mechanica's ability to treat the cross-section geometry as an entity
that can be revolved about an axis. These rules differ depending on whether you are
working with surfaces or curves.
Depending on how you treat your model, Mechanica takes one of the following
actions:

the geometry to include in your 2D axisymmetric model. Do not select
surfaces. You also need to create simple or advanced shell idealizations on
each curve that you want Mechanica to mesh. You should not assign material
properties to the cross-section surface.
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Guidelines for Working with Model Types

Before selecting a model type, you should be aware of the following:
• If you do not select a 2D model type, your model defaults to 3D.

• If you select a 2D model type, you must select the geometry on which you
want to perform a 2D analysis.
• For 2D model types, you must also select a Cartesian reference coordinate
system. You may need to create a reference coordinate system for your
model so that the geometry you select lies in the XY plane. For 2D
axisymmetric models, all the geometry must lie in the X > 0 portion of the XY
plane. for more information about specifying a reference coordinate system
for a 2D model, see About Coordinate Systems.
• If you change the model type after creating loads, constraints, or other
modeling entities, Mechanica deletes all the modeling entities.
• After you have selected the geometry for a 2D analysis, if you decide to
change your model to 3D and then back to a 2D type, Mechanica will highlight
the previously selected geometry.
• You can perform a 2D analysis on all 2D model types.
• Mechanica supports all analyses and design study types for 2D models,
except transient thermal analysis. Large deformation static analysis is
supported for 2D plane strain and 2D plane stress models, but not for 2D
axisymmetric models.
• You can perform a contact analysis on two disjoint surfaces.
• Mechanica cannot perform 2D analysis on midsurface models, sketches, or
sections.
• Mechanica treats assemblies that include 2D components differently
depending on whether the top-level assembly component is a 2D or 3D
component. Here is a summary of the difference:
o If the top-level component is 2D, Mechanica suppresses most
simulation data from lower-level assembly components, including
loads, constraints, boundary conditions, properties, and idealizations.
o If the top-level component is 3D, Mechanica suppresses the simulation
data listed above from any 2D lower-level assembly component.
• If you switch between 2D and 3D model types for the top-level component,
Mechanica suppresses or unsuppresses lower-level component simulation
data according to the rules just described.
To Specify a Product, Mode, and Model Type

The following procedure assumes that you have already specified a product, mode,
and model type, but want to change your original specification. In this case, you
need to open the Model Type dialog box and edit your specification as indicated in
the procedure.
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If, instead, you are beginning work on a new model or are working with a model you
have not yet saved in Mechanica, the software automatically displays the Model
Type dialog box after you select the Applications>Mechanica command. In this
case, simply skip step 1 of the following procedure.
1. Select Edit>Mechanica Model Type.
The Model Type dialog box appears.
2. Select the product you want to work with—Structure or Thermal—from the

Mode option list.
3. If you want to work with your model in FEM mode, ensure that the FEM
Mode check box is selected.
4. If you are working in native mode and you want to choose a model type other
than the default of 3D or you want to convert a 2D model to a 3D model, click
the Advanced button and select the appropriate model type.
If you select a 2D model type, see To Define 2D Model Types for additional details
and procedures.
To Define 2D Model Types

This procedure assumes that you are working in native mode, have opened the
Model Type dialog box, and selected the product you want to work with.
1. Click the Advanced button.
The dialog box expands to display a Type area that lists all model types you
can define, as well as additional areas that enable you to select geometry
references and a coordinate system.
2. Select the desired 2D model type.

3. Use the arrow selector in the Geometry area to select the geometric entities
that will form the 2D model.
For all 2D model types, you can select one or more coplanar faces or
surfaces. For 2D plane strain and 2D axisymmetric models, you can select
one or more of the following entities either alone or in combination:
• coplanar edges or curves

• faces or surfaces
If you want to create pure shell models for any of the model types just listed,
be sure to select edges only.
4. Use the arrow selector in the Coordinate System area to select the
Cartesian coordinate system that you want to use as the reference coordinate
system for your 2D model.
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All the selected geometry must lie in the XY plane of the reference coordinate
system you select. For 2D axisymmetric models only, all geometry must lie in
the positive X direction relative to the coordinate system.
Example: 2D Axisymmetric Modeling

The following example shows a simple tank model and indicates how you would
select geometry to rotate about an axis in a 2D axisymmetric model—in this case,
the Y axis. The example also shows the differing results of modeling the tank as a 2D
solid model and as a 2D shell model. Note that the geometry you select for the 2D
solid version of this model is the cross-section surface, whereas the geometry you
select for the 2D shell version is a curve to which you have already assigned a simple
or advanced shell idealization—in this case, the outside curve.
Example: 2D Plane Strain Modeling

The following example shows the differing results of modeling a pipe as a 2D solid
model and as a 2D shell model. Note that the geometry you select for the 2D solid
version of this model is the cross-section surface, whereas the geometry you select
for the 2D shell version is a curve to which you have already assigned a simple or
advanced shell idealization—in this case, the outside curve.
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Features
About Features
Use the Insert>Model Datum command to create simulation features on your
model. Simulation features are modeling features, such as datum points and
coordinate systems, that you can use to help define modeling entities, such as loads
and constraints.
Mechanica saves and regenerates these features each time you reenter the
Mechanica environment. You can promote certain simulation features (datum points,
datum curves, datum planes, and datum axes) to Pro/ENGINEER features, where
they remain permanently visible. If you do not promote the features, they are not
visible in Pro/ENGINEER. You cannot promote coordinate systems, surface regions,
or volume regions to Pro/ENGINEER.
You can create the following simulation features. Click on these topics for more
information:
• Datum points
• Datum curves
• Datum planes
• Coordinate systems
• Datum axes
• Surface regions
• Volume regions
You can add simulation features to your model while you are working with modeling
entities such as loads, constraints, and beams. To do so, use the datum features
creation buttons on the toolbar.
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Datum Features in Pro/ENGINEER and

Mechanica
You can create datum features (datum points, datum curves, datum planes,
coordinate systems, datum axes) for your model in Pro/ENGINEER, as well as in
Mechanica.
• If you create datum features in Pro/ENGINEER, the features are visible on

your model in both Pro/ENGINEER and Mechanica.
• If you create datum features in Pro/ENGINEER, you can take advantage of
certain Pro/ENGINEER part-building techniques not available in Mechanica,
such as patterning and mirroring.
• If you create datum simulation features in Mechanica, they are visible and
accessible only in Mechanica unless you promote them to Pro/ENGINEER.
Promoting Datum Features to Pro/ENGINEER

When you create datum features in Mechanica, the features are not visible or
accessible in Pro/ENGINEER unless you promote them. To promote a datum feature,
select the feature on your model and select Edit>Promote or right-click the feature
in the Model Tree and select Promote from the shortcut menu.
The following gives you more information about promoting simulation features to
Pro/ENGINEER:
• In the Pro/ENGINEER environment, if you delete or suppress a promoted

simulation feature that another simulation entity (load, constraint, feature,
and so on) references, the software deletes the referencing entity without a
warning message.
• You must promote a parent simulation feature before you promote a child
simulation feature.
• You cannot transfer a promoted simulation feature back to Mechanica.
• You cannot promote a simulation feature that is a child of a non-promotable
feature (surface region, volume region).
• You cannot promote a Pro/ENGINEER feature to Mechanica.
Creating Features
Datum Feature Creation
Use the Insert>Model Datum command and its subcommands to create datum
features. You can create the following datum features from these subcommands.
• Curve — Takes you directly to the CRV OPTIONS menu, from which you can
select the type of datum curve you want to create.
• Plane — Takes you directly to the DATUM PLANE dialog box, which you can
use to create and place the datum plane.
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• Axis — Takes you directly to the DATUM AXIS dialog box, which you can
use to create and place the datum axis.
• Point — Takes you directly to the DATUM POINT dialog box, which you can
use to create and place the datum point.
• Coordinate System — Takes you directly to the OPTIONS menu from which
you can select the method you want to use to create the coordinate system.
For information on these methods, you can use the help information on the
status bar or search for coordinate system information in the Part Modeling
functional area of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
The methods that you use to create datum points, curves, axes, and planes are the
same as those you use in Pro/ENGINEER. For more information, search the Part
Modeling functional area of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center. If you create datum
curves, datum planes, datum axes, or datum points in Mechanica, you can promote
them so they are permanently visible and accessible in Pro/ENGINEER.
Simulation Feature Creation Methods

Simulation features are modeling features that you create while you are working in
Mechanica—either native mode or FEM mode. These features exist only in your
Mechanica session and are not visible in Pro/ENGINEER unless you promote them.
Mechanica saves and regenerates simulation features each time you reenter the
Mechanica environment.
You can use simulation features to help define modeling entities, such as loads and
constraints. You can create simulation features on your model in three different
ways:
• While in Mechanica, use the Insert>Model Datum command to create

datum axes, all three types of coordinate systems, datum points, datum
curves, datum planes, surface regions, and volume regions.
• While in Pro/ENGINEER, use the Insert>Model Datum command to create
datum axes, coordinate systems, datum points, datum curves, and datum
planes. Note that you cannot create surface or volume regions while in
Pro/ENGINEER.
Additionally, you can only create Cartesian coordinate systems. Even if you
attempt to create cylindrical or spherical coordinate systems in Pro/ENGINEER
by using offsets, Mechanica treats the resulting coordinate system as
Cartesian. To create true cylindrical or spherical coordinate systems, work
from within Mechanica.
• Use the icons on the toolbar to create datum axes, datum points, datum
curves, or datum planes.
Guidelines for Simulation Features

• You can create simulation features in assembly components or subassemblies.
When you create a feature like this, all instances of the component or
subassembly are updated with the created feature.
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• You cannot delete simulation features from a part or subassembly of an

assembly.
• You can perform all simulation feature operations on master representations
of parts. For non-master representations (or instances), you can only create
simulation features.
Datum Point
Use the Insert>Model Datum>Point command to create datum points. You may
need datum points on your model to create a number of Mechanica modeling
entities. For example, point loads, springs, and Near Point measures require a
datum point.
When you select Insert>Model Datum>Point, Mechanica opens the DATUM

POINT dialog box, which you use just as you would in Pro/ENGINEER. If you are
working with an assembly, Mechanica displays the FEM SELCOMP menu first. Use
this menu to indicate whether you want to create the datum point at the assembly
level or on one of the assembly components.
Note: As an alternative, you can create the datum point by selecting the
Insert>Model Datum>Point command and then selecting the Sketched,
Offset Coordinate System, or Field command. If you use these methods,
you work with dialog boxes other than the DATUM POINT dialog box.
Also, you can use the button to add a datum point to your model during the
creation of other Mechanica entities. For more information on these methods of
creating datum points, search the Part Modeling functional area of the Pro/ENGINEER
Help Center.
When you create datum points, Mechanica treats the points as simulation features.
Simulation features are not visible or accessible when you return to Pro/ENGINEER
unless you promote them.
To Create Datum Points
1. Select Insert>Model Datum>Point>Point or click . If your model is an

assembly and you want to create datum points at the assembly level, select
Top Level from the FEM SELCOMP menu.
The DATUM POINT dialog box appears.
2. Use this dialog box to specify the datum point placement and properties.
3. Click OK.
The DATUM POINT dialog box functions as it would in Pro/ENGINEER. For more
information on the dialog box, search the Part Modeling functional area of the
Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
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As an alternative, you can create the datum point by selecting the Insert>Model
Datum>Point command and then selecting the Sketched, Offset Coordinate
System, or Field command. If you use these methods, you work with dialog boxes
other than the DATUM POINT dialog box. For more information on these methods
of creating datum points, search the Part Modeling functional area of the
Datum Plane
Use the Insert>Model Datum>Plane command to create datum planes. You may
need datum planes on your model to create a number of Mechanica modeling
entities. For example, you can use datum planes as references for modeling other
simulation features, like datum curves, volume regions, and so on.
When you select this command, Mechanica opens the DATUM PLANE dialog box,
which you use just as you would in Pro/ENGINEER. If you are working with an
assembly, Mechanica displays the FEM SELCOMP menu first. Use this menu to
indicate whether you want to create the datum plane at the assembly level or on one
of the assembly components.
Also, you can use the button to add a datum plane to your model during the
creation of other Mechanica entities. For more information on creating datum planes,
search the Part Modeling functional area of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
When you create datum planes, Mechanica treats the planes as simulation features.
To Create Datum Planes
1. Select Insert>Model Datum>Plane or click . If your model is an

assembly and you want to create datum planes at the assembly level, select
The DATUM PLANE dialog box appears.
2. Use this dialog box to define the datum plane placement and properties.
3. Click OK.
The DATUM PLANE dialog box functions as it does in Pro/ENGINEER. For more
Datum Axis
Use the Insert>Model Datum>Axis to create datum axes. You may need datum
axes on your model to create a number of Mechanica modeling entities. For example,
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you can use a datum axis when designing a cyclic symmetry constraint or defining a
coordinate system.
When you select this command, Mechanica opens the DATUM AXIS dialog box,
which you use just as you would in Pro/ENGINEER. If you are working with an
assembly, Mechanica displays the FEM SELCOMP menu first. Use this menu to
indicate whether you want to create the datum axis at the assembly level or on one
of the assembly components.
Also, you can use the button to add a datum axis to your model during the
creation of other Mechanica entities. For more information on creating datum axes,
When you create datum axes, Mechanica treats the axes as simulation features.
To Create Datum Axes
1. Select Insert>Model Datum>Axis or click . If your model is an

assembly and you want to create datum axes at the assembly level, select
The DATUM AXIS dialog box appears.
2. Use this dialog box to define the datum axis placement and properties.
3. Click OK.
The DATUM AXIS dialog box functions as it does in Pro/ENGINEER. For more
Datum Curve
Use the Insert>Model Datum>Curve command to create datum curves. You may
need datum curves on your model to create a number of Mechanica modeling
entities. For example, some loads and constraints can require a datum curve for
designing certain idealization features, like beams.
When you select this command, Mechanica opens the CRV OPTIONS menu, which
you use just as you would in Pro/ENGINEER. If you are working with an assembly,
Mechanica displays the FEM SELCOMP menu first. Use this menu to indicate
whether you want to create the datum curve at the assembly level or on one of the
assembly components.
Note: As an alternative, you can create the datum curve using the
Insert>Model Datum>Sketched Curve command. If you use this method,
you work with the Sketched Datum Curve dialog box.
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Also, you can use the button to add a datum curve to your model during the
creation of other Mechanica entities. For more information on creating datum curves,
When you create datum curves, Mechanica treats the curves as simulation features.
To Create Datum Curves
1. Select Insert>Model Datum>Curve or click . If your model is an

assembly and you want to create datum curves the assembly level, select
The CRV OPTIONS menu appears.
2. Select one of the options, and then specify the location of the datum curve.
3. Click Done.
The commands on the CRV OPTIONS menu function as they do in Pro/ENGINEER.

For more information on each option, search the Part Modeling functional area of the
As an alternative, you can create the datum curve using the Insert>Model
Datum>Sketched Curve command. If you use this method, you work with the
Sketched Datum Curve dialog box. For more information on this dialog box, search
the Part Modeling functional area of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
Coordinate Systems
About Coordinate Systems
Your model has two kinds of coordinate systems:
• WCS (world coordinate system) — The default coordinate system in

Mechanica, which is a Cartesian coordinate system with its origin at 0, 0, 0.
• UCS (user coordinate system) — A coordinate system you create. A UCS can
be Cartesian, cylindrical, or spherical. You can make a UCS the current
coordinate system in place of the WCS. Mechanica associates user coordinate
systems with the current body.
You can create a coordinate system using one of the following methods:
• Use the Insert>Model Datum>Coordinate System command. If you want

to create the coordinate system for an entire assembly, be sure to select
assembly datum geometry as coordinate system references.
• Click Datum Coordinate System Tool) on the Pro/ENGINEER toolbar.
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In either case, you may want to make the new coordinate system current if you plan
to use it as a reference for multiple modeling entities.
Also see Axis and Component Equivalents in Different Coordinate Systems and
Coordinate System Guidelines for more information.
To Create a Coordinate System

1. You can create a coordinate system using one of the following methods:
o Select Insert>Model Datum>Coordinate System.
o Click Datum Coordinate System Tool) on the Pro/ENGINEER
toolbar.
After using one of these methods, the COORDINATE SYSTEM dialog box
appears.
2. Select Cartesian, Cylindrical, or Spherical from the Type option menu.

3. Select reference geometry for the coordinate system as follows:
o If you want to create the coordinate system for an entire assembly,
select assembly datum geometry as the coordinate system references.
o If you want to create the coordinate system for a part or a single part
assembly component, select geometry on the part as the coordinate
system references.
4. Complete the tabs on the dialog box to define the coordinate system.
For more information on the dialog box and how to define coordinate
systems, search the Part Modeling functional area of the Pro/ENGINEER Help
Center.
5. Click OK.
6. The coordinate system appears in the model.
If you want to make this coordinate system the current coordinate system, see To
Set a Current Coordinate System.
To Edit a Coordinate System Definition

You can edit the definition of a coordinate system once it has been created.
1. Select the coordinate system and then select Edit Definition.

2. Use the COORDINATE SYSTEM dialog box to change the aspects of the
coordinate system you are interested in (such as Origin, Orientation, and so
on).
3. Click OK.
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To Modify an Offset Coordinate System

You can modify an offset coordinate system.
1. Select the offset coordinate system, click the right mouse button, and select
Edit from the pop-up menu.
Mechanica displays the offset dimensions in relation to the reference

coordinate system.
2. Modify the dimensions you want to change and repaint the work area.
The offset coordinate system updates.
To Set a Current Coordinate System

You can set a coordinate system already defined in your model as the current
coordinate system.
1. Select Edit>Current Coordinate System.

2. Select the coordinate system you want to make current. Mechanica highlights
the current coordinate system in green.
Axis and Component Equivalents in Different

Coordinate Systems
This table lists the names for equivalent axes in the three different types of
coordinate systems you can create (T=theta, P=phi):
Cartesian Cylindrical Spherical
X T=0, Z=0 P=0, T=90
Y T=90, Z=0 P=90, T=90
Z Z T=0
Mechanica documentation usually uses the Cartesian axes to describe the action of
various commands. If you are using cylindrical or spherical coordinate systems, you
need to substitute the appropriate equivalents of the X, Y, and Z axes.
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In addition, Mechanica dialog boxes use Cartesian component nomenclature for

certain property types. This table lists the cylindrical and spherical equivalents:
XX RR RR
YY
ZZ ZZ
XY R R
XZ RZ R
YZ Z
Coordinates for Spherical UCS

When a spherical coordinate system is active, you enter coordinates in the order R,
T, P, where:
• R is the distance from the point to the origin.

• T( ) is the angle from the T = 0 axis in a plane defined by the point, the
origin, and the T = 0 axis (enter in degrees).
• P( ) is the angle between the P = 0 axis and the line connecting the point as
projected onto the T = 90 plane (enter in degrees).
The following illustration shows a location (A) in spherical coordinates:
Note that the P = 0 axis is the line along which P = 0 and T = 90, and the P = 90
axis is the line along which P = 90 and T = 90.
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The following illustration shows you how to determine the direction of the unit
vectors for theta and phi using the right hand rule (r, , ).
Coordinates for Cylindrical UCS

When a cylindrical coordinate system is active, you enter coordinates in the order R,
T, Z, where:
• R is the distance from the point to the Z axis.

• T( ) is the angle in the counterclockwise direction between the T = 0 axis and
the line connecting the point as projected onto the Z = 0 plane and the origin
(enter in degrees).
• Z is the distance along the Z axis.
The illustration below shows a location (A) in cylindrical coordinates:
Note that the T = 0 axis is the line along which T = 0 and Z = 0, and the T = 90 axis
is the line along which T = 90 and Z = 0.
Cartesian Coordinate System

Mechanica creates a Cartesian coordinate system as follows:
• Uses the origin and the X axis location to define the X axis.
• Defines the Y axis as perpendicular to the X axis and in the plane defined by
the origin, the X axis location, and the Y axis location.
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• If the Y axis location is not on a line perpendicular to the X axis, Mechanica

places the positive Y axis in the direction perpendicular to the X axis that is
closest to the location you specified.
The Y axis still lies in the same plane in which you placed it:
The positive Z axis is perpendicular to the XY plane with the positive direction
determined by the right-hand rule.
Mechanica automatically makes the new coordinate system current.
Coordinate Systems and Loads and

Constraints
You can use coordinate systems to describe the direction of loads and constraints.
For example, a load applied to a circular hole, in the X direction relative to a
Cartesian coordinate system, should appear as follows:
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The same load defined in a cylindrical coordinate system with FR=1 now points in the
radial direction as shown below:
Coordinate Systems and Functions

You can use a coordinate system to define functions for prescribed temperatures,
heat loads, and spatially varying loads. For a spatially varying load, the load depends
on the location of the coordinate system with respect to the geometry. Depending on
the coordinate system you choose, the load can have different variations. For
example, the following illustrates the magnitude of a load component that varies
with the X coordinate of a Cartesian coordinate system:
Spherical UCS
When you create a spherical user defined coordinate system, you specify the
coordinates, which include the origin, the direction of the T = 0 (theta = 0) axis, and
the direction of the P = 0 (phi = 0) axis.
Mechanica creates the coordinate system as follows:
• Uses the origin and the T = 0 axis location to define the T = 0 axis.
• Makes the P = 0 axis perpendicular to the T = 0 axis and in the plane defined
by the origin, the T = 0 axis location, and the P = 0 axis location.
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• If you specified a P = 0 axis location that is not on a line perpendicular to the

T = 0 axis, Mechanica places the positive P = 0 axis in the direction
perpendicular to the T = 0 axis that is closest to the location you specified.
The P = 0 axis still lies in the same plane in which you placed it:
The positive P = 90 axis is perpendicular to the other axes with the positive
direction determined by the right-hand rule.
Mechanica displays an icon, showing the origin of the new user coordinate system
and the direction of each axis.
The orientation of the icon depends on the axes you entered. Here are two views of
the icon:
Coordinate System Guidelines

When you create coordinate systems, be aware of the following:
• When Mechanica displays coordinates, they are coordinates of the current

coordinate system, unless otherwise indicated.
• Mechanica displays an icon for the WCS and for each UCS you create. If you
have multiple windows, Mechanica displays the WCS icon in each window, but
only displays UCS icons in one window.
Mechanica highlights the icon of the current coordinate system in green.
• Mechanica saves user coordinate systems with your model. When you reopen
a model, Mechanica automatically uses the current coordinate system active
when you last saved the model as the current coordinate system for the new
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session. However, if you are working in Mechanica, switch to another

Pro/ENGINEER application, and return to Mechanica in the same session, the
software uses the last coordinate system you designated as current before
you switched applications.
• If you use a UCS as a reference for a load, constraint, or measure, Mechanica
warns you if you try to delete that UCS. If you delete the UCS, Mechanica also
deletes the load, constraint, or measure.
Cylindrical UCS
When you define a cylindrical user coordinate system, you enter the coordinates,
which include the origin and the locations of the axes. Mechanica creates the
coordinate system as follows:
• Uses the origin and the Z axis location you specify to define the Z axis.
• Makes the T = 0 axis perpendicular to the Z axis and in the plane defined by
the origin, the Z axis location, and the T = 0 axis location.
• If you specified a T = 0 axis location that is not on a line perpendicular to the
Z axis, Mechanica places the positive T = 0 axis in the direction perpendicular
to the Z axis that is closest to the location you specified.
The T = 0 axis still lies in the same plane in which you placed it:
The positive T = 90 axis is perpendicular to the other axes with the positive
direction determined by the right-hand rule.
Mechanica displays an icon that shows the origin of the new user coordinate system
and the direction of each axis.
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The orientation of the icon depends on the orientation of the axes you entered. Here
are two views of the icon:
Setting a Current Coordinate System

If you want to define multiple modeling entities—for example, a series of loads,
constraints, and so forth—relative to a particular coordinate system, you can set that
coordinate system as current. You can set an existing coordinate system as current
using the Edit>Current Coordinate System command.
When you set a coordinate system as current, Mechanica uses it as the reference
coordinate system for all entity creation unless you explicitly select a different
coordinate system when you define the entity. If you do not set a current coordinate
system, Mechanica will treat the WCS as the current coordinate system.
Surface Region
Use the Insert>Surface Region command to create surface regions. Surface
regions enable you to split up a surface so you can perform an operation on a portion
of a surface, such as applying loads or constraints. Applying a load to a region is
useful for models that require forces in one or more specific areas of a surface.
Region definition is a two-step process:
• First, you define the contour that bounds the region.

• Second, you identify the contour as a region boundary, in effect splitting the
bounded area from the parent surface. To do this, you use the SURFACE
REGION dialog box.
Before you assign a surface region, consider the effect the new region will have on
your model. After you fully define a surface region, you can apply constraints, loads,
and contact regions to the region, exclusive of the parent surface or other regions on
that surface. All rules and procedures that govern loads, constraints, and contact
regions applied to full surfaces hold true when you apply these entities to surface
regions.
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Before You Assign a Surface Region

Here are some factors to be aware of before when you work with surface regions:
• Be sure the contours you plan to use as region boundaries are in place.
• If you add surface regions to a fully periodic surface such as a cylinder, cone,
or sphere, be sure to select both the segments that make up the surface. This
approach eliminates problems like improper region handling if you leave
Mechanica and change the periodic surface's geometry.
• When you add or remove a region for a surface you already defined as part of
a shell model pair, Mechanica invalidates the associated pairing scheme, and
informs you of the situation. Thus, if you plan to treat your part as a shell
model, create all regions before pairing your part surfaces.
If you cannot avoid adding or removing a region associated with a paired

surface, redefine your pairing scheme to include both the region and parent
surface as part of the pair before starting Mechanica analysis. For information
on how the software creates shell pairs, see Pairing Schemes.
• If you plan to place loads on surface regions for a shell model, see Model
Entities and Idealizations for information on how Mechanica processes this
type of load.
• When you add a region to a surface that already has a constraint, load, or
contact region, Mechanica associates the modeling entity with both surfaces.
The program adjusts the constraint, load, or contact region icon according to
the new placement of the entity.
Thus, if you add a region to a surface, be sure to review any associated

constraint, load, or contact region placement. Otherwise, the load the surface
sees may not be what or where you expect. In the case of constraints, the
constraint may no longer be sufficient to prevent rigid body movement.
Defining a Surface Region Contour

Before you define a surface region, you must define the contour that defines the
region. If you plan to define multiple regions, be sure to create the defining contour
for each region as a separate feature; do not group all the contours in one feature. If
you do, Mechanica will be unable to region the surface. Also, be aware that
Mechanica disregards regions built using techniques such as patterning or mirroring.
Use one of the following approaches:
• Add a datum curve — Create a datum curve directly on the surface you
want to split.
If the surface region you want to define requires more than one curve to
complete, you can define the region using multiple datum curves. If you use
multiple datum curves, you must compile all defining curves into a single
composite curve. For more information, search for datum curves and
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composite datum curves in the Part Modeling area of the Pro/ENGINEER Help
Center.
• Add a cosmetic feature — Create the desired shape as a cosmetic feature

and project the feature onto the part. If you use this approach, the cosmetic
feature you create must be parametric. In other words, you must be able to
regenerate the section sketch. For more information, search for sketched
cosmetic features in the Part Modeling area of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
If you use an unregenerated cosmetic feature to create a region, Mechanica

displays an error message when you attempt to split the region from its
parent surface. You must then return to Pro/ENGINEER part mode to redefine
and regenerate the feature.
• Add a projected sketch — Create the desired shape as a datum curve and
project the curve onto the surface you want to subdivide. While projecting the
curve, Pro/ENGINEER treats connected datum curves as composites.
To Create Surface Regions

1. Select Insert>Surface Region. If your model is an assembly and you want
to create surface regions at the assembly level, select Top Level from the
FEM SELCOMP menu. The SPLSRF OPTS menu appears.
2. Select one of the following methods for creating a surface region:
o Sketch — Use the sketcher to sketch a boundary for the surface
region.
o Select — Specify a datum curve boundary for the surface region.
3. Click Done.
4. Use the SURFACE REGION dialog box to define the surface region by
selecting or creating the curve that defines the region and then selecting the
surface that you want Mechanica to split into regions.
Volume Region
Use the Insert>Volume Region command to create a volume region so you can
break a part into multiple volumes. Volume regions are primarily useful for:
• facilitating mesh refinement for both AutoGEM and the FEM solvers
• adding heat loads to internal surfaces of a parent volume. In this case, you
apply the heat load to one or more of the surfaces created by the volume
region.
• applying different material properties to different volumes in FEM mode. In
this case, you apply one material property to your part and another to the
defining surface for the volume region. Mechanica propagates the material
property throughout the volume region.
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When you select the Volume Region command, Mechanica displays the SOLID
OPTS menu with these options:
• Extrude — Extrude a single section.

• Revolve — Revolve a single section.
• Sweep — Sweep a section along a trajectory.
• Blend — Blend two or more sections.
• Use Quilt — Use quilt surfaces as the boundaries of a volume region. This
option is not active if your model contains no quilts.
• Advanced — Select any of several advanced volume creation methods.
These commands open various versions of the VOLUME REGION dialog box—the
tool you use to create the geometry that will define the volume region. The
procedure for creating volume region geometry using these options is almost
identical to the procedure you use to create similar features in Pro/ENGINEER. For
more information, search the Part Modeling area of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
After you create the volume region, Mechanica treats the volume region geometry as
a region boundary, in effect splitting the bounded area from the parent volume.
Options for Advanced Volume Region Creation

When you select Advanced from the SOLID OPTS menu, Mechanica displays the
ADV FEAT OPT menu. Use the commands on this menu to create advanced volume
regions.
• Var Sec Swp — Create a volume region based on a variable section sweep of
a surface from the trajectories of points on the swept surface.
• Swept Blend — Create a volume region based on a swept blend from
sections at different points on the trajectory of sweep.
• Helical Swp — Create a volume region based on a sweep along the
trajectory defined by profile and pitch.
• Boundaries — Create a volume region based on the boundaries of a surface.
• Sect To Srfs — Create a volume region based on a transitional surface
between a set of tangent surfaces and a sketched contour.
• Srfs to Srfs — Create a volume region based on a blend from one tangent
surface to another.
• From File — Create a volume region based on blend sections that are
specified from a file.
• TangentToSrf — Create a volume region that is tangent to a surface.
For more information on these techniques, search the Part Modeling functional area
in the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
To Create Volume Regions

1. Select Insert>Volume Region.
The SOLID OPTS menu appears.
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2. Select one of the following methods for creating volume regions.

o Extrude
o Revolve
o Sweep
o Blend
o Use Quilt
o Advanced
3. Click Done.
4. Use the VOLUME REGION dialog box to define the volume region by
selecting or creating the volume that defines the region and then selecting
the volume that you want Mechanica to split into regions.
Connections
About Connections
Use the Insert>Connection command to create connections in Mechanica. A
connection is the area of contact between two assembly components. When
analyzing an assembly for which you have created connections, the software uses
the connection type and definition to determine the nature of the contact between
the connected areas.
You can create the following kinds of connections:
Native Mode FEM Mode
welds welds
interfaces interfaces
fasteners rigid links
rigid connections weighted links
contacts gaps
If you work with native mode assemblies that include compressed midsurface shells,
you need to consider how you want Mechanica to treat mated and overlapping
surfaces. Wherever the surfaces of a component modeled with midsurfaces mate or
overlap with the surfaces of another component, Mechanica creates automatic
midsurface connections between all contacting surfaces of the two components.
Mechanica makes an exception for any surface where you explicitly create a weld,
fastener, rigid connection, or free interface.
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Welds
About Welds
You can use welds in Mechanica to bridge the gaps that form during shell
compression between plates that have been mated because they touch or overlap.
You can create the following types of welds:
• End Welds
• Perimeter Welds
• Spot Welds (native mode)
When you work with native mode assemblies that include compressed midsurface
shells, you need to consider how you want Mechanica to treat mated and overlapping
surfaces. Wherever the surfaces of a component modeled with midsurfaces mate or
overlap with the surfaces of another component, Mechanica creates automatic
midsurface connections between all contacting surfaces of the two components.
Mechanica makes an exception for any surface where you create welds, fasteners, or
rigid connections. If you do not want Mechanica to apply automatic midsurface
connections to given surfaces, you need to use one of the connection types just
mentioned or assign free interfaces to those surfaces.
About Automatic Midsurface Connections

If you work with native mode assemblies that include components with compressed
midsurface shells, Mechanica determines which components are modeled with
midsurfaces. For these components, the software creates automatic midsurface
connections wherever surfaces mate or overlap with those of another component.
Mechanica makes an exception for those surfaces that you explicitly designate as
free interfaces or those in contact through a weld, fastener, or rigid connection. FEM
mode does not support automatic midsurface connections.
Automatic midsurface connections allow the mated areas of the assembly to deform
as if they were one body. When you mesh your model, these connections appear as
dotted magenta lines along the edges of all connected curves and surfaces.
In general, you should only use automatic midsurface connections if the area of
contact is small relative to the size of the model. Also, for certain models, Mechanica
can give results that do not reflect the actual displacement if you use automatic
midsurface connections. If this concern you, you can disable automatic midsurface
connections by setting the sim_asm_modeling config.pro option to "no."
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End Welds
Use end welds in assembly models to connect plates. Plates can be curved and
placed at oblique or right angles, such as T or L configurations. Using the end weld,
the shell mesh from one plate is extended to meet the mesh from the base plate, as
shown here:
When Mechanica creates an end weld, it attempts to keep the neighboring geometry
consistent. When a plane surface is moved to a new location during the shell
compression process (to the midsurface of its contacting surface), sometimes the
surface cannot be extended to the new location. You must make sure, therefore, that
a surface to which you are adding an end weld can be extended in this way. If it
cannot be extended, consider using the automatic midsurface connection provided by
Mechanica.
You can use end welds to join the following entities:
• two thin-wall components connecting at a right or oblique angle

• two offset thin-wall components mated at a right angle with a gap between
the compressed surfaces of the components
• two offset thin-wall components mated at an oblique angle with no contact
between the components
To define an end weld, select the Insert>Connection>Weld command to open the

Weld Definition dialog box. After you create an end weld, you can edit or delete it
by selecting the associated icon on your model and using Edit>Definition or
Edit>Delete, as appropriate. If you are deleting an end weld, Mechanica asks you
for confirmation first.
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Defining End Welds and Perimeter Welds

Use the Weld Definition dialog box to create end welds and perimeter welds for
your model. The dialog box contains the following options:
• Type — Select one of the following weld types:

• End Weld
• Perimeter Weld
• References — Use to specify the surfaces to which Mechanica will attach the
end weld or perimeter weld. If you selected valid geometric references before
entering the dialog box, your selections appear next to the selector arrow
when the dialog box opens.
• Properties — If you selected Perimeter Weld, the following options appear:
• Edge(s) — Use the selection arrow to select the edges of the first
surface. This selection is optional. If you do not select any edges,
Mechanica uses all the edges from the first surface.
• Thickness — Enter a value if you want to specify the thickness of the
edges.
To Create an End Weld

1. Select Insert>Connection>Weld.
The Weld Definition dialog box appears.
2. Enter a name or accept the default name.

3. Select End Weld from the Type option menu.
4. If you did not select geometry before opening the dialog box, click and
use the regular selection methods to select the first and second surfaces now.
Your selections appear next to the selector arrow in the References area.
5. Click OK.
The end weld icon appears where the two surfaces meet.
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Perimeter Welds
Use perimeter welds in assembly models to connect parallel plates, that may be
curved, along the perimeter of one of the plates, as shown here:
Before mesh generation, a sequence of surfaces is automatically created to connect

the selected edges of the top plate to the base plate. Mechanica adds shell elements
to the newly created surfaces. A series of welds on one or more of the perimeter
edges of the top plate connects it to the base plate. In this case, the components are
touching, but the resulting compressed surfaces are parallel to one another and do
not touch. For this type of geometry, you should use a perimeter weld to connect the
two plates, or allow Mechanica to create automatic midsurface connections. For more
information on allowed surfaces, see Guidelines for Surface-Surface Connections and
Interfaces (FEM mode).
To define a perimeter weld, select the Insert>Connection>Weld command to

open the Weld Definition dialog box. After you create a perimeter weld, you can
edit or delete it by selecting the associated icon on your model and using
Edit>Definition or Edit>Delete, as appropriate. If you are deleting a perimeter
weld, Mechanica asks you for confirmation first.
Defining End Welds and Perimeter Welds

Use the Weld Definition dialog box to create end welds and perimeter welds for
your model. The dialog box contains the following options:
• Type — Select one of the following weld types:

• End Weld
• Perimeter Weld
• References — Use to specify the surfaces to which Mechanica will attach the
end weld or perimeter weld. If you selected valid geometric references before
when the dialog box opens.
• Properties — If you selected Perimeter Weld, the following options appear:
• Edge(s) — Use the selection arrow to select the edges of the first
surface. This selection is optional. If you do not select any edges,
Mechanica uses all the edges from the first surface.
• Thickness — Enter a value if you want to specify the thickness of the
edges.
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To Create a Perimeter Weld

1. Select Insert>Connection>Weld.
The Weld Definition dialog box appears.

3. Select Perimeter Weld from the Type option menu.
4. If you did not select geometry before opening the dialog box, click in the
References area and use the regular selection methods to select the doubler
surface on which you will place the weld and the base surface to which the
weld will extend.
5. Use the selector arrow under Edges to select one or more edges you want
Mechanica to weld.
6. Enter a thickness for the shell elements that will represent the perimeter
weld.
The perimeter weld icon appears between the two surfaces.
Spot Welds
Use spot welds to connect two somewhat parallel surfaces at a datum point you
specify. Mechanica creates a spot weld entity that connects the two surfaces using a
circular beam section to simulate the weld. Spot welds are not available in FEM
mode.
When you add spot welds to your model, Mechanica connects the two surfaces in a
circular spot at a point, and transfers displacements from one part to another. If you
are creating an assembly that has rivets, spot welds are one way to model the rivets.
When working with spot welds, be aware of the following:
• The surfaces that you connect must be within 15 of being parallel to each
other, and some distance apart. The surfaces cannot be touching.
• Spot welds transfer load forces. However, stresses close to the welds can be
inaccurate.
• You cannot apply beam releases to the beams created with spot welds.
To create a spot weld, select the Insert>Connection>Spot Weld>Create

command and follow the prompts. After you create a spot weld, you can edit or
delete it using the Insert>Connection>Spot Weld>Edit command or the
Insert>Connection>Spot Weld>Delete command, respectively.
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To Create a Spot Weld

1. Select Insert>Connection>Spot Weld>Create.
2. Select the first and second surfaces that you want to connect.
3. Select a datum point where you want to locate the spot weld. Or, use the
button to create a datum point.
4. If you want to create multiple spot welds for the two surfaces, simply create
or select more datum points. Mechanica creates a spot weld for each datum
point.
5. Enter a weld diameter.
6. Select a material for your weld. If the material you want is not in the material
library or already in the model, create a new material for your spot weld and
then assign it.
7. Click OK or Close.
For each spot weld, Mechanica adds a spot weld icon and a beam icon to your
model.
Rigid Connections
About Rigid Connections
A rigid connection connects geometric entities such as surfaces, curves, and points
so that they remain rigidly connected during an analysis. Use the
Insert>Connection>Rigid Connection>Create command to create rigid
connections in your model. Rigid connections are not available in FEM mode.
When you connect entities using rigid connections, be aware of the following:
• The entities move together as if part of a single rigid body.

• The entities do not deform, but the rigid body can move as a whole.
Because Mechanica uses linear constraint equations to enforce the rigid rotations,
rather than equations with sines and cosines, you should use rigid connections only
for small rotation angles of rigidly connected entities. Use rigid connections in this
way, even if you intend to use them in a large deformation analysis.
The following apply to 3D and 2D models:
• You can create, edit, and delete rigid connections.

• You can turn rigid connection visibility on and off by selecting or deselecting
Rigid Connections on the Simulation Display dialog box
(View>Simulation Display>Modeling Entities tab).
Additionally, you can use rigid connections to connect two or more parts at selected
surfaces, or to help idealize complex models. For example, you can use a rigid
connection to connect a point mass representing an engine to the engine mount bolt
holes.
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You can create a rigid connection from one point to a second point. If you are
working with a 3D model, at least one of the points must meet one of these two
conditions:
• The point must lie on a spring, beam, or shell.

• The point must act as the reference for a point constraint with at least one
free rotation, a point load with a moment, or a point mass with a nonzero
moment of inertia.
You can create a rigid connection from one or more curves or surfaces on your model
to a free point that is not otherwise associated with the model geometry. Use a rigid
connection from a surface to a free point with a constraint, for example, to model a
pin support. If you create a rigid connection from one edge, to a free point, and then
to a second edge, the two edges will move together when you apply a load.
When you create a rigid connection to a free point, be aware of the following:
• You can create a displacement measure on a free point with a rigid

connection, but the point will not be visible when you view results.
• You cannot query displacements or rotations at rigidly connected free points.
However, Mechanica will include loads or constraints on a rigidly connected
point when calculating measures over the entire model, such as maximum
displacement.
To Create a Rigid Connection

You can create a rigid connection that connects points, vertices, edges/curves, or
surfaces so they will move together as if part of a single rigid body.
1. Select Insert>Connection>Rigid Connection>Create.

2. Click in the References area and use the regular selection methods to
select one or more points, vertices, curves/edges, and/or surfaces that you
want to connect.
You can select entities of more than one type.
3. If you want to make a rigid connection to a free point, you must select the
point and at least one other entity on your model.
4. Click OK to complete the definition.
Mechanica places rigid connection icons on the selected entities and assigns a
name to each rigid connection.
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To Edit a Rigid Connection

After you have created rigid connections, you can redefine them.
1. Select Insert>Connection>Rigid Connection>Edit.

2. Select the rigid connection that you want to edit.
3. Click the selector arrow in the References area of the Rigid Connection
dialog box.
Mechanica highlights the entities you defined as associated with this rigid
connection.
4. Use the normal selection methods to deselect any of the highlighted entities,
and/or select new ones.
5. Click OK to complete the edit.
To Delete a Rigid Connection

1. Select Insert>Connection>Rigid Connection>Delete.
2. Select the rigid connections that you want to delete.
Mechanica deletes the rigid connections you chose.
Fasteners
About Fasteners
Fasteners simulate bolt or screw connections joining two assembly components.
Using fasteners, you can simulate the load path within the assembly as well as the
amount of load carried by each bolt or screw. Fasteners are not available in FEM
mode or for Thermal.
If you plan to add fasteners to your model, the model must meet the certain basic
conditions. In most cases, Mechanica informs you if your model does not meet these
conditions as you are creating the fastener. However, certain problems do not
become apparent until you mesh or analyze the model.
Mechanica models fastener stiffness using springs. When it meshes a model that
includes fasteners, Mechanica tailors the mesh to improve results about the fastener.
The mesh also accounts for the pressure exerted by the bolt head and nut or screw
head by refining the mesh in that area.
You can use the Insert>Connection>Fastener command to create fasteners in

your model. You can create either simple or advanced fasteners:
• Simple Fasteners — Mechanica creates the fastener using the material and
shaft diameter you specify. The software develops all of the fastener
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characteristics based solely on these specifications and various assumptions

concerning part separation, rotation, and so forth.
• Advanced Fasteners — You have the option of creating a fastener based on
either material and shaft diameter or on spring properties. Additionally, you
can specify various aspects of fastener behavior such as whether the fastener
carries shear, restricts rotations for the fastened parts, includes preloads, and
so forth.
Regardless of the fastener type, you can only create fasteners made of isotropic
materials.
After you create a fastener, you can edit or delete it by selecting the associated icon
on your model and using Edit>Definition or Edit>Delete, as appropriate. If you
are deleting a fastener, Mechanica asks you for confirmation first.
Modeling Prerequisites
If you plan to add fasteners to your model, the model must meet the following basic
conditions:
• The model must be an assembly. You can add as many fasteners to your
assembly as you want, but you can only pass any given fastener through two
components.
• Mechanica does not support zero-length fasteners. When adding fasteners to
quilt assemblies, you can inadvertently create zero-length fasteners if you do
not correctly account for shell thickness when you place the assembly
components. To prevent this problem, be sure to impose offsets equivalent to
at least:
(part1 shell thickness + part2 shell thickness) / 2
When adding fasteners to midsurface assemblies, take care that the

midsurface offsets you use do not result in direct contact between two
midsurfaces you intend to fasten.
• If you plan to create a fastener based on actual holes in your model, both
components must have holes through which the bolt or screw pass. In the
case of bolts, both holes must fully pierce the component. For screws, only
the component on the screw head side of the fastener connection must be
fully pierced. The component on the screw tip side can be fully or partially
pierced.
Any hole that participates in a fastener connection must be a right cylindrical

hole. In other words, the hole must be perpendicular to the component surface
and have straight sides.
The two holes must be approximately the same size, with the hole axes not
further apart than 5% of the hole diameter. The axes of the holes must also be
approximately parallel to each other. If the axes are not parallel to within 5 ,
Mechanica warns you.
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• If you plan to create a fastener based on points in your model, both

components must have points to establish the bolt or screw axis. The axes
established by the two points must be approximately parallel to each other. If
the axes are not parallel to within 5 , Mechanica warns you.
• There should not be any interfering or intervening geometry in the fastener
path—for example, interfering or intervening geometry from one of the
fastener components, or a third component that lies between the two fastener
components and in the fastener path.
• You must limit the degrees of freedom in your model by establishing
separation between fastened components and limiting their ability to rotate
about the bolt or screw axis.
When you create simple fasteners, Mechanica automatically enforces certain

degrees of freedom for you. However, if you create advanced fasteners, you
can either specify that Mechanica takes care of this automatically or use other
modeling techniques to deal with any unwanted degrees of freedom. These
techniques include adding appropriate constraints or, for separation, defining
contact regions. If you choose one of these alternative methods, you must
have them in place before running an analysis.
Fastener Meshes
When it meshes a model that includes fasteners, Mechanica creates the mesh
according to the type of fastener you specify and refines the mesh about the fastener
to increase the accuracy of your results. To create the mesh, Mechanica determines
whether the fastener is a bolt or screw, then creates one or two annular areas about
the fastener hole depending on whether the fastener is a bolt or screw, as shown
below. Note that the annular area serves only to guide mesh creation, and does not
appear as an entity or simulation feature on your model.
The illustration shows that if the fastener is a bolt, Mechanica creates two annular
areas—one on each of the outside fastener surfaces where the bolt head and nut
would contact the fastened components. For screws, Mechanica creates the annular
area on the screw head side only.
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In both cases, the size of the annular area is equivalent to the head diameter. For
simple fasteners and most advanced fasteners, Mechanica assumes the head
diameter to be 1.7 times the hole diameter. However, if you define a preload,
Mechanica instead uses the head diameter you specify as part of the preload
definition.
The annular areas act as a form of mesh control enforcing smaller elements within its
boundaries than might ordinarily be present on the surface. When Mechanica meshes
the model, it ensures that no element boundaries cross the border of the annular
area. For solid models, this surface mesh refinement extends into the volume,
radiating outward from the annular area so that you typically see a concentration of
small elements about the annular area with element size increasing as you move
away. This mesh refinement enables Mechanica to more accurately calculate the
pressure introduced by the fastener head and, for bolts, the fastener nut.
If you create simple fasteners or turn on Fix Separation for an advanced fastener,
Mechanica creates additional annular areas on the inner surfaces as follows.
Here, Mechanica inserts the separation annular areas where the two inner surfaces
would contact, enabling Mechanica to correctly model the separation for the solver.
These annular areas have a similar effect on the mesh as do the ones for the
fastener head and nut—they serve to refine the mesh about the separation area and
ensure that element boundaries do not cross the border.
For simple fasteners and for advanced fasteners defined using hole references or
materials and diameter, the separation annular areas are always 2 the diameter of
the fastener shaft. If you define advanced fasteners using both point references and
spring stiffness properties, the separation annular areas are always 1.4 (t1 + t2)
where t1 is the thickness of the first fastener component and t2 is the thickness of
the second.
Note: If you are working with a midsurface model or a pure surface, the
fastener head and nut annular areas physically coincide with the separation
annular areas. In this case, Mechanica uses the fastener head to determine the
size of the shared annular area.
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Creating Fasteners
When you select the Insert>Connection>Fastener command, the Fastener
Definition dialog box appears. The following items appear on the Fastener
Definition dialog box:
• Name — Specify a name for the fastener. If you do not specify a name,
Mechanica uses a default name of Fastener1, Fastener2, and so forth.
• References — Specify the reference type and select geometric entities for
your fastener. If you already selected valid geometric references for the
fastener before entering the dialog box, your selections appear next to the
selector arrow when the dialog box appears. Otherwise, use the selector
arrow and the regular selection methods to choose the desired geometry.
• Type — Specify either Simple or Advanced. The remaining fields on the
dialog box change depending on your selection.
After you define the fastener and click the OK button, Mechanica automatically
creates measures that compute the stresses in the fastener. Mechanica also adds a
fastener icon to your model. The size of the icon depends on the head size of the
fastener, which is either automatically defined or based on a preload you define.
Fastener References
You can select from several fastener reference types when you define the location
and nature of your fastener. The way you define references indicates the type of
fastener you are creating—bolt or screw—as well as the holes or points through
which the fastener passes.
To define the fastener references, select one of the following reference types on the
Fastener Definition dialog box:
• Bolt (edges of holes) — Select two edges of holes. The holes can be
through either a solid or a surface. The holes you select must meet certain
criteria. Mechanica designates the hole associated with the first edge you
select as the head side of the bolt.
• Bolt (points on surfaces) — Select one point on each of two quilts or
midsurfaces. If you select this form of reference, your model need not contain
actual holes. Instead, Mechanica uses the points you select to form the bolt
centerline. The points you select must meet certain criteria. Mechanica
designates the surface associated with the first point you select as the head
side of the bolt.
Note: Before meshing or analyzing the model, you must assign shell
idealizations to both quilts.
• Screw (edges of holes) — Select two edges of holes. The holes can be
through either a solid or a surface. As with bolts, the holes you select must
meet certain criteria. Mechanica designates the hole associated with the first
edge you select as the head side of the screw.
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Simple Fasteners
After you select Simple as a fastener type on the Fastener Definition dialog box,
the following items appear:
• Diameter — Specify the diameter of the fastener shaft. You can use a real-
number value, parameter name, or expression. If you are using holes as
references, Mechanica sets the default in the Diameter field to the diameter
of the smallest fastener hole. If you change the default diameter, be sure you
do not enter a negative number or specify a diameter larger than the
diameter of the smaller hole. If you are using points as references, Mechanica
does not display a default diameter in the Diameter field.
• Materials — Specify the material that the fastener is made of. Click the
arrow to display a drop-down list of material properties already associated
with your model. If you do not see what you want in the drop-down list, use
the More button to display more materials, or to create a new material.
Note: Because you can not use orthotropic or transversely isotropic

materials when creating fasteners, the drop-down list contains only
isotropic materials.
If you define a simple fastener, Mechanica assumes that:
• There is an enforced separation between the fastened components to prevent

interpenetration. If there is a valid contact region, Mechanica uses the contact
region to enforce separation. If you have not defined a valid contact region,
Mechanica enforces the separation automatically when solving for the
fastener.
• The components are free to rotate about each other relative to the fastener
axis. To prevent the solver from failing, you must impose constraints to
prevent this rotation or define an advanced fastener instead.
• The fastener carries all the shear force. In other words, there is no friction
between the components.
To Create a Simple Fastener

1. Select Insert>Connection>Fastener.
The Fastener Definition dialog box appears.
2. Enter a name for the fastener in the Name field.

3. Select Simple from the Type option menu.
4. Select a reference type from the drop-down menu in the Reference area.
use the regular selection methods to select the appropriate geometry now.
6. Enter a real-number value, parameter name, or expression for the Diameter
of the fastener.
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7. Select a material from the drop-down list. If you do not see the material you
want, click More to select a material from the library or to define a new one.
8. Click OK.
The fastener icon appears at the fastener location.
Advanced Fasteners
After you select Advanced as a fastener type on the Fastener Definition dialog
box, the following items appear:
• Stiffness — Specify the method you are using to define the fastener as
follows:
• Using Material And Diameter — Define the fastener by specifying
the fastener diameter and material.
• Using Spring Stiffness Property — Define the fastener by specifying
the spring properties of the fastener.
Depending on your choice, the items available on the dialog box change.
• Fix Separation — Ensure that the fastened components do not

interpenetrate. You can select from:
• Automatic — Enforces separation based on standard fastener
separation or based on a contact region that touches an inside hole
edge. If there is a contact region, the contact region ensures that the
components do not interpenetrate. If there is no contact region,
Mechanica uses standard fastener separation—a faster, less accurate
method of preventing interpenetration. One of the effects of using
standard fastener separation is that the components cannot separate
even if they would naturally do so.
• On — Enforces standard fastener separation regardless of the
presence of any contact regions about the fastener hole.
• Off — Does not enforce any separation. If you select this option, you
must enforce separation between the components in some other way—
with a contact region, for example.
The selection you make has an effect on the mesh and, if you select an option
that results in using contact regions, an effect on solver run time. Fix
Separation is not active for bolts that use points as fastener references, and
the separation for this type of bolt defaults to Automatic.
• Include Preload — Define a preload for the fastener. A preload simulates

the degree to which the bolt or screw will be tightened and enables you to
determine that the fastener properly compresses the components. Include
Preload is not active for bolts that use points as fastener references.
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Defining Advanced Fasteners Using Material

and Diameter
When you select the Using Material and Diameter option to define fastener
stiffness, the Fastener Definition dialog box displays or activates the following
items:
• Diameter — Specify the diameter of the fastener shaft. You can use a real-
number value, parameter name, or expression. If you are using holes as
references, Mechanica sets the default in the Diameter field to the diameter
of the smallest fastener hole. If you change the default diameter, be sure you
do not enter a negative number or specify a diameter larger than the
diameter of the smaller hole. If you are using points as references, Mechanica
does not display a default diameter in the Diameter field.
• Materials — Specify the material of the fastener. Click the arrow to display a
drop-down list of material properties already associated with your model. If
you do not see what you want in the drop-down list, use the More button to
display more materials, or to create a new material.
Note: Because you can not use orthotropic or transversely isotropic

materials when creating fasteners, the drop-down list contains only
isotropic materials.
• Fix Rotations — Constrain the components from rotating relative to each

other about the fastener axis. Unless you have fully constrained rotations
about the fastener by adding displacement constraints, defining extra
fasteners, or some other means, be sure this option box is turned on.
• Carries Shear — Specify that the bolt or screw carries all of the shear force
that passes through the fastener connection. If you turn this option box off,
the fastener carries none of the shear force. Instead, Mechanica assumes that
the shear force passes through the components by friction where the
components meet.
Defining Advanced Fasteners Using Spring

Stiffness Properties
When you select the Using Spring Stiffness Property option to define fastener
stiffness, the Fastener Definition dialog box displays a Spring Property option list
you can use to select a spring property that you have already defined. You can also
use the More button to create new spring properties, edit existing properties, and so
forth.
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If you choose this method to define a fastener, Mechanica uses spring properties to
model the fastener. The spring property you select or create determines the stiffness
of the spring, governs the ability of the components to rotate about the fastener, and
determines how the fastener carries shear. The X direction of the spring lies along
the fastener axis so that Kxx is the axial stretching stiffness of the fastener, Kyy and
Kzz are the shearing stiffness, and Txx is the axial rotational stiffness, as illustrated
below:
Note that, for any spring property you select or define when creating fasteners, you
must ensure that Kyy = Kzz. Also, to prevent components from rotating relative to
each other about the fastener axis, be sure to specify a relatively high axial
rotational stiffness—Txx.
Fastener Preloads
For advanced fasteners on solid components, you can define the tensile preload that
results from the torque you expect the fastener to be tightened to. With this
information, Mechanica can calculate such behaviors as component compression and
fastener tension, allowing more realistic distribution of stresses between the fastener
and the fastened components.
If you select the Include Preload check box, the Fastener Definition dialog box
displays the following items. For any of these items, you can enter a real-number
value, parameter name, or expression.
• Preload Force — Define the tensile force in the fastener that results from
tightening the bolt or screw. You must express the force as a positive value.
• Fastener Head and Nut Diameter — Define the head and nut diameter for
the fastener. You can specify a head and nut diameter for screws as well as
bolts. If the fastener is a bolt, Mechanica uses the value you enter for both
the head and nut. For screws, there is no nut, so the value applies to the
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head only. If you do not specify the value, Mechanica uses the default value
displayed in this field, which is 1.7 the fastener shaft diameter.
• Separation Test Diameter — Define an area within which Mechanica will
track normal stresses during analysis. Mechanica uses the value you specify
to determine a sampling area about the fastener. This area is an annulus with
the inside ring as the fastener shaft/hole diameter and the outside ring as the
separation test diameter. These annular areas are located on the inner
surfaces of the fastener components.
As the analysis runs, Mechanica checks the normal stresses at sampling

points in the annular area to be sure the stresses remain less than zero.
Values of zero or greater mean that there is no compression between the
components and the components are separating. Mechanica reports this
situation in the analysis summary.
If you do not specify a value for Separation Test Diameter, Mechanica uses
a default value that it determines as follows:
o If you select Using Material and Diameter from the Stiffness

option menu or are using holes as reference, the default is 2 the
fastener shaft diameter.
o If you select Using Spring Stiffness Property from the Stiffness
option menu and are using points as references, the default is 1.4 (t1
+ t2) where t1 is the thickness of the first fastened component and t2 is
the thickness of the second.
When you define a preload for a fastener, Mechanica creates a

fastener_separation_stress measure that it uses to track compression by evaluating
the stresses normal to the inner component surfaces.
To Create an Advanced Fastener

1. Select Insert>Connection>Fastener.
The Fastener Definition dialog box appears.
2. Enter a name for the fastener in the Name field.

3. Select Advanced from the Type option menu.
4. Select a reference type from the drop-down menu in the Reference area.
use the regular selection methods to select the appropriate geometry now.
6. Select the method that you want to use to determine stiffness from the
Stiffness menu. You can select from these options:
• Using Material and Diameter
• Using Spring Stiffness Property
To Define an Advanced Fastener Using Spring Stiffness Properties
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This procedure assumes that you have completed the appropriate preliminary steps
in To Create an Advanced Fastener.
1. Select a spring property from the drop-down list. If you do not see the spring
property you want, click More to define a new spring property.
2. If you are creating the fastener with hole edges as references, select a
separation option from the Fix Separation option menu.
3. If you are creating the fastener with hole edges as references and want to
include a preload, select the Include Preload check box.
4. Enter a real-number value, parameter name, or expression for the following
fields in the Include Preload area:
• Preload Force
• Fastener Head and Nut Diameter
• Separation Test Diameter
5. Click OK.
To Define an Advanced Fastener Using

Material and Diameter
in To Create an Advanced Fastener.
1. Enter a real-number value, parameter name, or expression for the Diameter

of the fastener shaft.
want click More to select a material from the library or to define a new one.
3. If you want Mechanica to remove all rotational degrees of freedom from the
fastened components, select Fix Rotations.
4. If you want the fastener to carry all the shear force, select Carries Shear.
5. If you are creating the fastener with hole edges as references, select a
separation option from the Fix Separation option menu.
6. If you are creating the fastener with hole edges as references and want to
include a preload, select the Include Preload check box.
7. Enter a real-number value, parameter name, or expression for the following
fields in the Include Preload area:
• Preload Force
• Fastener Head and Nut Diameter
• Separation Test Diameter
8. Click OK.
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Contact Regions
About Contact Regions
Use the Insert>Connection>Contact Region>Create command to create contact
regions for use in a native mode contact analysis.
A contact region indicates the curves or surfaces on which Mechanica considers the
effects during a contact analysis.
Mechanica ignores contact regions for all other analysis types.
You can create contact regions for:
• 2D models
• 3D models
After you create a contact region, you can review it to ensure that you have correctly
selected the geometric entities that you want to include in the contact region. You
can also delete the contact region using the Insert>Connection>Contact
Region>Delete command
Contact Regions — 2D Models

When you select Insert>Connection>Contact Region for 2D models, Mechanica
asks you to specify the two curves that you want to use. Be sure the second curve is
near and approximately parallel to the first.
After you select the curves, Mechanica checks for the following on a pass or fail
basis:
• The distance between the curves must be less than one half of the average of
the lengths of the two curves.
• At one or more points along the first curve, the normal to the first curve must
intersect the second curve.
• A contact region associated with the two selected curves cannot already exist.
Mechanica also checks to see if any points in common between the two selected
curves will prevent the curves from moving completely apart during an analysis. If
there are any such points, a warning box appears and you should respond
appropriately.
For each valid pair of curves, Mechanica places a contact region icon at the point
where the curves are closest to each other, oriented along the point of closest
approach.
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Contact Regions — 3D Models

For 3D models, you can create a contact region between two surfaces. When you
select Insert>Connection>Contact Region, Mechanica asks you to specify the
two entities that you want to use.
If you select two surfaces, Mechanica checks for the following on a pass or fail basis:
• The distance between the two surfaces must be less than one half the
average of the length of the diagonals of the surfaces.
Tip: When creating contacts between surfaces, Structure limits the

separation distance and angle between the two surfaces. If you are
certain that the two surfaces will eventually contact and you want to
work around this restriction, move the surfaces together, define the
contact region, and then move them apart again.
• The surfaces must be no more than 36 off parallel at one point at minimum.
• A contact region associated with the two selected surfaces cannot already
exist.
Mechanica also checks to see if:
• the contact region lies between two interpenetrating volumes.

• any curves in common between the two selected surfaces prevents the
surfaces from moving completely apart during an analysis. If there are any
such curves, a warning box appears and you should respond appropriately.
• you are attempting to create a contact region on a surface that is on the
boundary of two volumes. Applying a contact region to this surface allows the
volumes to separate.
If you split a surface that two volumes share, you must place contact regions
on all split surfaces to allow the volumes to separate.
For each valid pair of surfaces, Mechanica places a contact region icon at the point
where the surfaces are closest to each other, oriented along the point of closest
approach.
To Create Contact Regions

You can create a contact region between two surfaces or two parts in an assembly.
Mechanica monitors contact regions only for contact analyses.
1. Select Insert>Connection>Contact Region>Create.
If you have an assembly loaded, Mechanica displays the CREATE CON menu.
Select Face/Surface or Part.
2. Select a surface on a part, or a surface region on a part in an assembly.
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o For information on requirements for contact regions between surfaces,

see Contact Regions — 2D Models.
o For information on requirements for contact regions between surface
regions, see Contact Regions — 3D Models.
3. Select a second surface or surface region.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for each contact region.
Condensation Interfaces
Rigid Links (FEM mode)
About Rigid Links (FEM mode)
A rigid link is a rigid bar element that provides a stiff connection between nodes in
your model. The rigid link has two sides, dependent and independent. The
independent side governs the movement of a node on the dependent side. Any
motion on the dependent side is determined by the motion on the independent side.
The dependent side has six degrees of freedom that you can control and fix
selectively according to specific modeling needs.
Rigid links are useful in performing the following functions:
• Connect elements with unmatched DOFs. For example, it is common to

connect shell elements, which have rotational degrees of freedom, to solids,
which do not. In this case, rigid links can minimize perturbation of the
elements' stress and strain at the interface boundary.
• Tie together components with different meshes. For both hierarchical and flat
meshes, rigid links serve as load paths that transmit loads and displacements
through assembly components. For more information about the load paths,
see Creating Load Paths for FEM Meshing.
You can use the Insert>Connection>Rigid Link command to create rigid links in
your model. After you create a rigid link, you can edit or delete it by selecting the
associated icon on your model and using Edit>Definition or Edit>Delete, as
appropriate. If you are deleting a rigid link, Mechanica asks you for confirmation
first.
While creating, editing, or deleting rigid links, keep in mind the following:
• Use the rules that govern the way you work with the rigid links.
• Control visibility of the rigid link icons by using the View>Simulation
Display command. Mechanica places two icons—one for the link, another for
the degrees of freedom—on the model.
• Place the rigid links on layers.
• Use object action to make any changes to the rigid links.
Mechanica outputs rigid links as RBAR cards to be used with the NASTRAN solver.
One rigid link may create multiple RBAR cards in the output NASTRAN deck. Because
Mechanica supports only NASTRAN for the rigid link output, if you try to choose
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another solver, Mechanica ignores the rigid link. Mechanica does not output the rigid
link whose dependent side has constraints.
Creating Rigid Links (FEM mode)

When you select the Insert>Connection>Rigid Link command, the Rigid Link
Definition dialog box appears. To fully define a rigid link, you must name it and
specify the following on the Rigid Link Definition dialog box:
• References — Use to specify the reference type and select geometry for your
rigid link. The first geometric entity you select applies to the independent
side of the link, and the second—to the dependent. If you already selected
valid geometric references for your rigid link before entering the dialog box,
your selections appear next to the selector arrow when the dialog box opens.
Otherwise, use the selector arrow and the regular selection methods to
choose the desired geometry.
You can select one of the following reference types:
o Point–Point — Creates a rigid link between two points or two

vertices.
o Point–Surface — Creates a rigid link between a point and a surface,
or a vertex and a surface.
o Point–Edge — Creates a rigid link between a point and an edge, or a
vertex and an edge.
o Surface–Surface — Creates a rigid link between two surfaces. For
more information on allowed surfaces, see Guidelines for Surface-
Surface Connections and Interfaces (FEM mode).
• Override Coordinate System — This option is available for both dependent
and independent reference entities of the rigid link. Check this box if you
want to select a new coordinate system for the reference entities. The
selected coordinate system overrides the default WCS or the displacement
coordinate system that you have assigned using the Mesh Control dialog
box.
Note: You cannot override the displacement coordinate system that has
been earlier specified by another rigid link, load, or constraint
associated with the selected reference entity.
If you output to NASTRAN, conflicts between coordinate systems may

occur.
• Degrees of Freedom — Use to specify degrees of freedom for the dependent

reference entity. Degrees of freedom define the ability of a node on the
dependent side of the link to move in any direction in space. The node may
have six degrees of freedom—three translational and three rotational.
Note that if you change references or delete a link that has already been meshed,
Mechanica erases the mesh.
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After you create your rigid link, Mechanica displays two icons on the model—one for
the rigid link and another for the degrees of freedom.
To Create a Rigid Link (FEM mode)

1. Select Insert>Connection>Rigid Link.
The Rigid Link Definition dialog box appears.
2. Enter a name for the rigid link, or use the default name.
3. If you did not select references for the rigid link before entering the dialog
box, choose the reference type and click in the References area to select
geometry on your model. The first reference you select corresponds to the
independent side. The second one—to the dependent side.
The points you use for any reference type requiring points can be any of the
following:
o a single point or vertex

o a point feature (includes one or more single points)
o a pattern of point features
4. For the independent side, select the Override Coordinate System check
box if you want to select a new displacement coordinate system.
5. For the dependent side, select the Override Coordinate System check box
if you want to select a new displacement coordinate system.
6. For the dependent side, accept the default degrees of freedom or select a
different combination of DOF.
7. Click OK to save the new rigid connection. Mechanica places two icons on the
model—one for the rigid link and another for the degrees of freedom.
Weighted Links (FEM mode)

About Weighted Links (FEM mode)
A weighted link is an interpolation constraint element that takes masses or loads
acting at a single source node and distributes them to a collection of target nodes.
Weighted links have the following characteristics:
• Weighted links distribute masses or loads in a balanced manner.

• Weighted links help you to control this distribution through degrees of
freedom that you assign to a target node group as a whole. Assigning degrees
of freedom enables the target nodes to move in specific directions. Mechanica
uses degrees of freedom to construct linear constraint equations while
calculating load or mass distribution.
• Weighted links can have only one source node that follows the average
motion of the target node group. Thus, the source node is called dependent
and the target nodes—independent. Nodes at the independent side determine
the motion of a single node at the dependent side. In other words, any
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motion of a node on the dependent side reflects the average motion of the
nodes on the independent side.
These characteristics make weighted links useful when you need to attach mass
idealizations to your model without stiffening the structure.
You can use the Insert>Connection>Weighted Link command to create weighted

links in your model. After you create a weighted link, you can edit or delete it by
selecting the associated icon on your model and using Edit>Definition or
Edit>Delete, as appropriate. If you are deleting a weighted link, Mechanica asks
you for confirmation first.
While creating, editing, or deleting weighted links, keep in mind the following:
• Use the precedence rules.

• Control visibility of the weighted link icons by using the View>Simulation
Display command. Mechanica places two icons—one for the link, another for
the degrees of freedom—on the model.
• Place the weighted links on layers.
• Use object action to make any changes to the weighted links.
Mechanica outputs weighted links as RBE3 cards to be used with the NASTRAN solver
only. If you try to choose another solver, Mechanica ignores the weighted links.
Mechanica does not output the weighted link whose dependent side has constraints.
Creating Weighted Links (FEM mode)

When you select the Insert>Connection>Weighted Link command, the
Weighted Link Definition dialog box appears. To fully define a rigid link, you must
name it and specify the following on the Weighted Link Definition dialog box:
• Independent Side — Specify the location of target nodes that receive a

mass or load distributed from a source node. If you already selected valid
geometric references for the independent side before entering the dialog box,
your selections appear next to the selector arrow when the dialog box
appears. Otherwise, click the selector arrow to choose the geometric
reference entity for the independent side.
• Override Coordinate System — Select a new coordinate system for the
reference entities of the independent side. The selected coordinate system
overrides the default WCS or the displacement coordinate system that you
have assigned using the Mesh Control dialog box.
Note: If you output to NASTRAN, conflicts between coordinate systems

may occur.
• Degrees of Freedom — Specify degrees of freedom for the independent

reference entity.
• Dependent Side — Specify a source point where you apply a load or a mass
to be distributed. You can select a single point or vertex.
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• Override Coordinate System — Select a new coordinate system for the

reference entities of the dependent side. The same rules that govern your
selection of the coordinate system for the independent side apply here.
Note that if you change the references or delete a weighted link that has already
been meshed, Mechanica automatically erases the mesh.
After you create your weighted link, Mechanica displays two icons on the model—one
for the weighted link and another for the degrees of freedom.
To Create a Weighted Link (FEM mode)

1. Select Insert>Connection>Weighted Link.
The Weighted Link Definition dialog box appears.
2. Enter a name for the weighted link or use the default name.
3. If you did not select geometry for the independent side of the link before
entering the dialog box, choose the reference type and click to select any
of the following geometric references:
o Point(s)
o Edge(s)/Curve(s)
o Surface(s)
4. For the independent side, select the Override Coordinate System check
box if you want to select a new displacement coordinate system.
5. For the independent side, accept the default degrees of freedom or select a
different combination of DOF.
6. For the dependent side of the link, select or create a point as a reference
entity.
7. For the dependent side, select the Override Coordinate System check box
if you want to select a new displacement coordinate system.
8. Click OK to save the new weighted connection. Mechanica places two icons on
the model—one for the weighted link and another for the degrees of freedom.
Interfaces
Interfaces in Native Mode
The default interface type for mated surfaces in native mode is bonded, meaning
that the surfaces will share nodes and Mechanica will, in effect, treat them as
merged surfaces. If this is undesirable, use the Insert>Connection>Interface
command in native mode to specify which surfaces you want Mechanica to treat as
free interfaces during meshing and analysis. When you select this command, the
Interface Definition dialog box appears, enabling you to assign free interfaces for
any mated surfaces in your assembly that you do not want Mechanica to treat as
bonded.
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The Interface command is available only if you have a 3D assembly open. You can
define free interfaces for the following types of entity pairs in Mechanica:
• Solid—solid
• Solid—shell
• Solid—midsurface
• Shell—shell
• Shell—midsurface
• Midsurface—midsurface
To define a free interface on a midsurface, you select the surface that will be
compressed to a midsurface.
If your assembly includes components modeled with midsurfaces, Mechanica

compresses these components during meshing, potentially creating gaps in the
assembly. To prevent these assembly gaps, Mechanica creates automatic midsurface
connections where the original surfaces of midsurface components mate or overlap
with surfaces from other assembly components. If you want to avoid these automatic
midsurface connections, you can define a free interface between the overlapping
surfaces. In this case, your model will have inconsistent meshes for the contacting
components where you have placed the free interfaces, and there will be assembly
gaps at the free interfaces.
When you define an interface as Free, Mechanica outlines the interface and adds an
interface icon to your assembly. When you transfer the assembly to independent
mode Mechanica, the free interfaces will be outlined with a bold border.
Keep the following in mind if you work with your assembly in both native mode and
FEM mode:
• The default interface type in native mode is Bonded. You cannot change the
definition of the default interface type in native mode, but you can in FEM
mode. If you define the default type in FEM mode as Free, and then enter
native mode, Mechanica uses a default interface type of Bonded.
• If you specify a Bonded interface for surfaces in your assembly in FEM mode,
and then enter native mode Mechanica, the bonded interface definition will be
suppressed.
After you create an interface, you can edit or delete it by selecting the associated
icon on your model and using Edit>Definition or Edit>Delete, as appropriate. If
you are deleting an interface, Mechanica asks you for confirmation first.
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Interfaces in FEM Mode

In addition to end welds and perimeter welds, Mechanica uses interfaces to connect
surfaces. When you create an interface, you specify how your surfaces will be treated
during meshing and analysis. When you select the Insert>Connection>Interface
command in FEM mode, the Interface Definition dialog box appears with the
following items:
• Bonded — Mechanica considers two surfaces as bonded. This means that

matching nodes on surfaces merge. Instead of two geometrically consistent
nodes, a shared one exists.
• Free — Mechanica specifies two surfaces as contacting, but does not define
the type of contact. Meshes on the surfaces are identical, and matching nodes
are geometrically consistent unless you specify otherwise by deselecting the
Generate Compatible Mesh check box.
• References — Use the selector arrow in this area and the regular selection
methods to select two surfaces on your model that you want to define as
Bonded or Free. You can select any two surfaces that you defined as mated
or mated with offset in Pro/ENGINEER. For more information on allowed
surfaces, see Guidelines for Surface-Surface Connections and Interfaces (FEM
mode). If you already selected valid surfaces before entering the dialog box,
your selections appear next to the selector arrow when the dialog box
appears.
• Generate Compatible Mesh — This option is available only for Free
interfaces, and is on by default. If you clear this check box in the Properties
area, Mechanica treats the surfaces on your interface as having no contact
and does not create geometrically-consistent node locations when it
generates the mesh for the surfaces. This is the same behavior as seen in
previous releases for the None interface type.
Note: If you defined an interface type None for your assembly in a

previous release, Mechanica converts the interface type to Free with the
Generate Compatible Mesh option turned off. If you defined an
interface type Free for your assembly in a previous release, Mechanica
converts the interface type to Free with the Generate Compatible
Mesh option selected.
You can set either Bonded or Free as the default contact type for FEM mode. In this
case, Mechanica applies the default you set to all mated surfaces in your model
except those for which you explicitly define a different type of contact. To set the
default contact type, use the Properties>Default Interface Type command.
Note: In native mode, the Free connection type is not supported as a default
setting. If you define the default connection type for your assembly as Free in
FEM mode, and open the assembly in native mode, any analyses you run will
use a default connection type of Bonded.
After you create an interface, you can edit or delete it by selecting the associated
you are deleting an interface, Mechanica asks you for confirmation first.
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To Create an Interface
1. Select the Insert>Connection>Interface command.
The Interface Definition dialog box appears.

3. In FEM mode, select Bonded or Free from the option menu under Type. In
native mode, this option menu is inactive, and Free is the only available
interface Type.
4. If you did not select geometry before entering the dialog box, click and
use the regular selection methods to select two surfaces on your assembly
now.
5. In FEM mode, if you selected Free, the Generate Compatible Mesh check
box is available, and is selected by default. Clear this check box if you do not
want Mechanica to create geometrically-consistent node locations when it
generates the mesh for the surfaces of your interface.
6. Click OK. Mechanica adds an interface icon to your model.
Gaps (FEM mode)

About Gaps (FEM mode)
A gap is a nonlinear element you use to model contact between points, edges, or
surfaces in your model by connecting two nodes in separated geometries. You can
use a vertex as a point by selecting the vertex location.
Use gaps to represent a nonlinear flexible and friction link that can resist either
compression or tension. Depending on the FEA solver, a gap can have friction or
flexible characteristics. To learn how the FEA solvers treat gaps, see ANSYS and
MSC/NASTRAN.
To create a gap, select Insert>Connection>Gap to display the Gap Definition

dialog box. After you create a gap, you can edit or delete it as follows:
• editing a gap — Select the gap icon for the gap you want to edit. Then,
select Edit>Definition to re-open the Gap Definition dialog box and edit
the current settings.
• deleting a gap — Right-click on the gap icon for the gap you want to delete.
Then, select the Delete command from the object action menu. Mechanica
deletes the gap without confirmation.
You can control the visibility of gaps on your model by using the View>Simulation
Display command, or by placing them on layers.
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Creating Gaps (FEM mode)

Use these items on the Gap Definition dialog box to specify the properties for your
gap.
• Name — Enter a descriptive name or accept the default name.

• References — Select geometric entities on your model. You can create a gap
between a point and an edge, a surface, or a second point. You can also
create a gap between two surfaces.
If you already selected valid geometric references for your gap before entering
the dialog box, your selections appear next to the selector arrow when the
dialog box appears. Otherwise, use the selector arrow and the regular selection
methods to choose the desired geometry.
For a point–point, point–edge, or point–surface gap, you can select any of the
following entities. See Precedence Rules for more information.
o single point or vertex

o point feature (includes one or more single points)
o pattern of point features
For a surface-surface gap, you can select any of the following entities:
o surfaces on two different parts in an assembly

o a surface and a quilt on the same part
o surfaces with the same type of curvature. For example, you cannot
form a surface-surface gap between a planar surface and a spherical
surface, or a cylindrical surface and a cone surface.
• Clearance — Define the distance between two nodes at which Mechanica

activates axial and transverse stiffnesses due to displacement during an
analysis. If you specify Clearance as zero, the gap acts as a spring.
• Axial Stiffness — Define the axial stiffness value. Where applicable, this
parameter defines the stiffness or a spring factor.
• Transverse Stiffness — Define the transverse stiffness value. This
parameter defines elastic stiffness, characterizing resistance of the material
until the slippage occurs. This parameter is optional.
• Y direction — Define the Y direction by selecting a datum point, edge, curve,
axis, surface, or vertex to identify the XY plane of the element. You can also
specify a vector in the WCS.
The X direction is given by the gap length, which is the shortest distance
between the two selected references. A zero-length gap has no length between
the two references. For example, you can define a gap between a point on a
surface and the surface itself. For a zero-length gap, the X direction is normal
to the surface.
• Distribution — Select the method that Mechanica uses to calculate the axial
and transverse stiffnesses for your gap. This option is available only for
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surface–surface gaps. The stiffnesses are distributed uniformly across the

surfaces.
o Total — The entered value represents the sum of stiffnesses for all
gap elements.
o Per Unit Area — The entered value is multiplied by the surface area
to give the stiffness values. The area of the first selected surface is
used for the stiffness calculations. See Surface-Surface Gaps for more
information.
To Create a Gap (FEM mode)

1. Select Insert>Connection>Gap.
The Gap Definition dialog box appears.

3. If you did not select geometry before opening the dialog box, select one of
these references for the gap from the drop-down list, and use the normal
selection methods to select the appropriate geometric entities on your model:
o Point–Point — Select two points or two vertices.
o Point–Edge — Select a point and an edge, or a vertex and an edge.
o Point–Surface — Select a point and a surface, or a vertex and a
surface.
o Surface–Surface — Select two surfaces.
4. Select and define Y-direction and these stiffness properties:
o Clearance
o Axial Stiffness
o Transverse Stiffness
5. If you select Surface–Surface under Reference, select one of these
methods for calculation of the stiffness values from the Distribution drop-
down list:
o Total
o Per Unit Area
6. Click OK. Mechanica places a gap icon at the specified location on your model.
Precedence Rules
Precedence rules for your idealizations and connections determine which modeling
entity takes precedence when you apply two modeling entities of the same type on
or between the same reference entities. There are two types of precedence rules,
modeling precedence rules and geometric precedence rules.
Modeling Precedence Rules
These rules apply when you work with assemblies, and are determined by the
assembly hierarchy:
• When you apply a modeling entity from a top-level assembly, this modeling
entity takes precedence over a modeling entity applied from a subassembly or
a part.
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• When you apply a modeling entity from a subassembly, this modeling entity
takes precedence over a modeling entity applied from a part.
Geometric Precedence Rules
Keep these rules in mind when working with the modeling entities that require
points, curves, or surfaces as their reference entities. With some of these modeling
entities, you can use multiple geometric entities as reference entities. For example,
you can select a feature or a pattern of points and create a beam, spring, or rigid
link that runs along a sequence of points. You can also apply a beam on multiple
curves, or place a shell on a collection of surfaces.
If you later create a new modeling entity of the same type, placing it on or between
the same reference entities, it overrides the existing one when the following
conditions are met:
• You select a higher precedence geometric entity as a reference entity for your
new modeling entity.
• The higher precedence geometric entity belongs to a lower precedence
geometric entity already referenced by your existing modeling entity.
For example, if you select a single point as a reference entity for your new beam, the
new beam overrides an existing one that references a feature of points that include
this single point.
The following table illustrates how the precedence rules work for modeling entities
that can reference points, curves, or surfaces.
Modeling Entity or Geometric Precedence

Reference Entity
Mesh Control Rule
A single point takes
precedence over a
feature of points or a
pattern of points.
• beam
• spring
A feature of points takes
• mass
precedence over a
• gap points
pattern of points.
• rigid link
• weighted link
Points take precedence
over curves, edges, and
surfaces.
An individual curve takes

precedence over a
• beam
composite curve.
• mass (in FEM
curves or edges
mode)
Curves and edges take
precedence over
surfaces.
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Reference Entity
Mesh Control Rule
• shell
• beam (surface-
surface, in FEM A single surface takes
mode) surfaces precedence over a whole
• mass (in FEM quilt.
mode)
Weighted Link Icon

After you create a weighted link, Mechanica displays two graphical icons on your
model—one for the weighted link and another for the degrees of freedom. Mechanica
places the degrees of freedom icon on the independent side of the weighted link. The
icon is a triad, with each leg of the triad representing the X, Y, and Z directions of
the coordinate system you select. If you check any degree of freedom in any
direction, Mechanica adds the appropriate indicator to the icon:
• Arrow head — Indicates a translational degree of freedom for the given

direction.
• Ring — Indicates a rotational degree of freedom for the given direction.
The degrees of freedom icon changes orientation depending on the coordinate

system you select for the independent side of the weighted link. However, if you do
not check the Override Coordinate System box on the Weighted Link Definition
dialog box and do not select a new coordinate system for the independent side,
Mechanica displays the legs of the triad parallel to the axes of the default WCS. This
may not be correct if you have previously assigned a different displacement
coordinate system to the same node.
Reference Entities for Weighted Links

You can select one of the following reference entities for the independent side of your
weighted link:
• Point(s) — Select this option to distribute a load or mass over a point/vertex

or several points/vertices. You can create points as needed, or you can select
any of the following:
o a single point or vertex
o a point feature (includes one or more single points)
o a pattern of point features
• Edge(s)/Curve(s) — Select this option to distribute a load or mass over a
single edge/curve or a number of edges/curves. You can select edges/curves
or create curves as needed. If you choose to create a curve, Mechanica
displays the Pro/ENGINEER CRV OPTIONS menu. Use this menu as you
would in Pro/ENGINEER.
• Surface(s) — Select this option to distribute a load or mass over a single
surface or a number of surfaces. You can select any of the following:
o Individual — Selects one or more individual surfaces.
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o Surf Options — Displays the Pro/ENGINEER surface menus, which

you use as you would in Pro/ENGINEER.
o Part Boundary — Selects the part boundary.
Override Coordinate System for Weighted

Links
If you check the Override Coordinate System box on the Weighted Link
Definition dialog box and then click the selector arrow, Mechanica opens the SIM
CSYS SEL menu, which displays the following options:
• Current — Selects the current coordinate system for the model.

• WCS — Sets the WCS for the model.
• Select — Enables you to select a coordinate system for the model.
If you want to create a new coordinate system to use as a reference, use the
Insert>Model Datum>Coordinate System command.
Example: Bending Stiffness

In the following figure if you do not define a contact to overcome the bending
moment, the model will be under constraint.
• In the figure below, Mechanica applied a boundary mesh to an assembly with

offset-mated surfaces. The purple lines represent the gaps between the mesh
nodes.
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• If you select the Per Unit Area option under Distribution when you define
your surface–surface gap, the software uses the total area of the first surface
that you select to calculate the axial and transverse stiffness values.
However, if the two surfaces that you select only partially overlap, the
software first determines the portion of the first surface area that it can use
to form a coincident mesh during meshing, and uses that area for the
calculation of stiffness values. For example, in the illustration above, if you
first selected the top surface on the lower, smaller box for your surface–
surface gap definition, Mechanica would designate that surface for the Per
Unit Area calculation. The actual value the software uses in the calculation
would consist of only that surface area with the purple gap icons.
• A gap can be applied between two surfaces in a model containing shells
compressed to midsurfaces. If you specify your model as a midsurface shell
model, and the first surface you select for your gap undergoes midsurface
compression to an edge, the software uses the area of the surface before
compression for the distribution calculation.
Rigid Link Icon

After you create a rigid link, Mechanica displays two graphical icons on your model—
one for the rigid link and another for the degrees of freedom. Mechanica places the
degrees of freedom icon on the dependent side of the rigid link. The icon is a triad,
with each leg of the triad representing the X, Y, and Z directions of the coordinate
system you select. If you check any degree of freedom in any direction, Mechanica
adds the appropriate indicator to the icon:
• Arrow head — Indicates a translational degree of freedom for the given

direction.
• Ring — Indicates a rotational degree of freedom for the given direction.
The degrees of freedom icon changes orientation depending on the coordinate

system you select for the dependent side of the rigid link. However, if you do not
check the Override Coordinate System box on the Rigid Link Definition dialog
box and do not select a new coordinate system for the dependent side, Mechanica
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displays the legs of the triad parallel to the axes of the default WCS. This may not be
correct if you have previously assigned a different displacement coordinate system to
the same node.
Override Coordinate System for Rigid Links

If you select the Override Coordinate System check box on the Rigid Link
Definition dialog box and then click the selector arrow, Mechanica opens the SIM
CSYS SEL menu, which displays the following options:
• Current — Selects the current coordinate system for the model.

• WCS — Sets the WCS as the coordinate system for the model.
• Select — Enables you to select a coordinate system for the model.
If you want to create a new coordinate system to use as a reference, use the
Insert>Model Datum>Coordinate System command.
Guidelines for Surface-Surface Connections

and Interfaces (FEM mode)
There are several types of connections and interfaces in FEM mode that you can
create using two surfaces. These entities include:
• Interfaces (FEM mode only)

• Beams
• Gaps
• Rigid links
• Perimeter welds
To mesh your model successfully, you should keep the following points in mind when
you create surface-surface connections and interfaces:
• In most cases, the selected surfaces must belong to different parts in your
assembly. If you are creating an interface, however, you can select a quilt
surface and a solid surface on the same part.
• You cannot select two surfaces of different geometric types. For example, you
cannot create a surface-surface perimeter weld between a cylindrical surface
and a planar surface.
• If you want to create a solid mesh in which the meshes on the two surfaces
are compatible, you cannot use offset mate constraints when you create the
assembly in Pro/ENGINEER. If there is any offset between the mated
surfaces, Mechanica will not generate a compatible mesh.
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Rotation and Separation

When you define a fastener, you need to prevent unwanted movement about the
fastener. You can choose how you want to eliminate unwanted degrees of freedom in
your model:
• Separation — In the real world, fasteners do not cause components to

interpenetrate. So that your Mechanica model reflects this behavior, you must
establish separation between the two components to ensure that the solver
does not treat them as interpenetrating. You can establish separation by:
• Defining a small contact region between the components. This method
is the most accurate, but requires substantially more solver time. Note
that the contact region must touch the edge of the hole on the inside
fastener surface.
• Allowing Mechanica to automatically define standard fastener
separation when you create an advanced fastener. While this method
yields faster solution times, it does not allow the components to
separate even if they would naturally do so.
If you do not enforce separation using one of these methods, the model will be
underconstrained. In this case, the components may either interpenetrate or
fly apart.
Note that, for simple fasteners and for advanced fasteners that use point
references, you do not need to specify anything in the fastener definition to
ensure proper separation. For these fastener types, Mechanica assumes that
there should be an enforced separation between the fastened components, and
uses a contact region, if present, or standard fastener separation to prevent
interprenetration.
• Rotation — You should prevent the fastened components from rotating

relative to each other about the bolt or screw axis. You can prevent rotation
by:
• Creating constraints that eliminate all rotational degrees of freedom in

the fastened components, adding more fasteners, or other means
• Allowing Mechanica to automatically prevent rotation when you create
advanced fasteners
If you do not prevent rotation using one of these methods, the model will be
underconstrained. In this case, one or both components will spin and the
solver will fail.
Note that, for simple fasteners, Mechanica does not provide any automatic
mechanism for preventing rotation as part of the fastener definition. Therefore,
you need to add constraints or create one or more additional, appropriately-
located fasteners.
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Example: Fix Rotations

The Fix Rotations option on the Fastener Definition dialog box allows you to
decide if the two reference edges you select will be free to rotate against each other
or not.
In the figure, the model on the left has Fix Rotations activated while the model on
the right does not.
To create a bolt, the two holes must fully pierce the components and you must select
the top hole edge of the top component and the bottom hole edge of the bottom
component.
Select the first curve to create the head of the bolt
Select the second curve at the point where the nut rests against the second
component
The components will be linked as shown in the following figure.
The two annular areas shown in green are twice the diameter of the bolt and the
areas are connected to points Bt and Bb using weighted links. A very stiff separation
spring connects point Bt to Bb and a spring between the points At and Ab. Points At
and Ab are connected to their respective parts using weighted links that pass
between the points and the respective orange surfaces. Simple bolts do not prevent
rotations on the axis of the bolt.
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An example with separation set to off is represented in the following figure.
You can select any combination of the six degrees of freedom. If you do not make
any specific selection, Mechanica assumes that all degrees of freedom participate.
• T1, T2, T3 — These degrees of freedom specify translation of the node along
an axis or axes of the coordinate system you select.
• R1, R2, R3 — These degrees of freedom specify rotation of the node about
For information on correspondence between the axes in three coordinate systems,

see Axis Equivalents in Different Coordinate Systems.
Degrees of Freedom for Rigid Links

Use the Degrees Of Freedom field on the Rigid Link Definition dialog box to
specify the degrees of freedom for the dependent side of the link. You can select any
combination of the six degrees of freedom. If you do not make any specific selection,
Mechanica assumes that all degrees of freedom are allowed.
• T1, T2, T3 — These degrees of freedom specify translation of the node along
• R1, R2, R3 — These degrees of freedom specify rotation of the node about
For information on correspondence between the axes in three coordinate systems,

see Axis and Component Equivalents in Different Coordinate Systems.
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Pass or Fail Results — 2D

If the curves fail any of these checks, Mechanica does not create a contact region.
If the curves pass, Mechanica places a contact region icon at the point where the
curves are closest to each other, oriented along the vector between the points of
closest approach.
Pass or Fail Results — 3D

If the surfaces fail any of these checks, Mechanica does not create a contact region.
If the surfaces pass, Mechanica places a contact region icon at the point where the
surfaces are closest to each other, oriented along the vector between the points of
closest approach.
About Interfaces
In addition to end welds and perimeter welds, you can use interfaces to connect
surfaces in an assembly model. When you create an interface, you specify how
Mechanica will treat a particular pair of mated or overlapping surfaces during
meshing and analysis. Mechanica provides two basic interface types—bonded and
free.
• Bonded — Mechanica considers contacting surfaces as bonded. This means

that matching nodes on contacting surfaces merge. Instead of two coincident
nodes, a shared one exists.
• Free — Mechanica specifies that two surfaces have matching, geometrically
consistent nodes, but does not merge the nodes. Meshes on the contacting
surfaces are identical. As an exception for FEM mode only, you can also
specify free interfaces where the nodes have no geometric consistency.
To create an interface between components in your model, select the

Insert>Connection>Interface command. The way you create interfaces and the
interface type that Mechanica uses as a default differs depending on whether you are
working in native mode or FEM mode.
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Example: Screw Fastener

Use the Insert>Connection>Fastener command to create a screw fastener. Select
Screw (edges of holes) for the references. Select the Type as Simple and select
the edges as shown in the following figure
In this example, the bolt type selected is simple. This means that the stiffness is
defined by the materials and their geometries. A free connection is automatically
added at the interface of the two parts to keep them from merging with each other.
The bolt diameter is automatically set to be equal to the diameter of the smaller of
the two holes. You can also manually change the value of the bolt diameter.
Axial Stiffness
Assumptions:
• The axial stiffness acts in the direction along the bolt fastener.
• The bolt head diameter is assumed to be 1.7*(Bolt Diameter).
• The stiffness is calculated from the diameter of the bolt, the material, and the
equivalent length of the screw, that is, the distance between the point At and
point Ab. The Point Ab is at half the distance of the bottom hole.
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Normal Stiffness
Assumptions:
• Stiffness is in the direction perpendicular to the bolt (shear).

• Stiffness is calculated from the diameter of the bolt and the material.
If you run such a model with a load that tries to separate the two components, then
you will get results as shown in the following figure.
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Note that the cap lifts up from the bottom part, and that the two parts are not
welded together and are held only by the screw fastener.
The stress is due to the screw and not due to the contact between the cap and the
bottom part. You must remember that an automatic free connection has been
defined between the two mated surfaces and the cap and the bottom part
interpenetrate.
You can create a new traction model as shown in the following figure.
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In the above figure, you can see that the two parts are stuck together as displayed
by the red circle.
Mechanica creates two annular areas on the mated surface and surfaces and a
separation spring to enforce separation between these two areas. You use the
separation spring to place a contact to ensure that the two parts do not . However,
this separation spring may have the undesired consequence of forcing these two
areas to remain in contact with each other, even though they should naturally
separate.
The state of the separation spring is recorded with a separation stress measure that
is automatically created for each fastener. If the separation stress measure is
negative, then the separation spring is acting as it should. On the other hand, if the
separation stress measure is positive, then the spring is acting to hold the parts
together as shown above.
Alternatively, you may choose to define a contact region between the two parts that
allows the parts to separate. This approach requires more calculation time than when
using the separation spring.
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The two annular areas in green are created automatically. For simple fasteners, the
diameter of these areas is twice the diameter of the bolt. And these are connected to
the point Bt and Bb using weighted links, and a very stiff separation spring connects
Bt to Bb. As explained earlier, the screw fastener is modeled as a spring between At
and Ab and the points At and Ab are connected to their respective parts using
weighted links that go between the points and the respective orange surfaces. These
annular areas act as a form of mesh control enforcing smaller elements within its
boundaries. For solid models, this surface mesh refinement extends into the volume.
If the parts are not in compression, the separation stiffness carries some of the
tensile load. For a simple type of fastener,you can add a contact region between the
two mated surfaces. Note that in this case, you can run the analysis without the
included contact regions selected or turn off separation for advanced fasteners. See
the following figure without the included contact regions option selected.
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Note the mesh refinement on the top surface where the screw head lies and also
note that you get stress all along the hole in which the screw is tightened.
The new properties options in the Fastener Definition dialog box are available only
if you change the screw fastener type from Simple to Advanced. The options
available to define the stiffness of the fastener are Using material and diameter
and Using spring stiffness properties.
In this case, the model may be underconstrained and the Structure engine may fail.
The following example illustrates two versions of the model—the first,
underconstrained, and the second, correctly constrained.
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In the first example, both parts are solids, so there is no need to constrain the
component rotations. However, the constraint for part b allows translation in the X
and Y directions, thus failing to prevent part b from rotating about the fastener axis.
In the second example, both parts are fully constrained so there is no unwanted
rotation. Even though the parts cannot rotate, you can still model realistic behaviors
like flexion at the fastener by placing a force load on the front surfaces near the
centerline of the fastener holes.
The examples just discussed involve fixing rotations using constraints, but you can
also fix rotations by adding other fasteners, provided you consider extra fasteners
acceptable for your model and your model includes reference geometry.
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Example: Intervening Geometry

The components you connect with bolts or screws must fasten directly, with no
intervening geometry. The following illustration shows two common forms of
intervening geometry that you need to avoid if you are creating fasteners and, for
contrast, also shows a valid fastener assembly:
In the invalid 3-component assembly, part a and part c are fastened with a bolt or
screw. Part b lies between parts a and c, directly in the fastener path, causing
problems with the fastener path regardless of the fact that, in a physical model, the
bolt or screw could easily pass through all 3 parts. The invalid 2-component
assembly presents a similar situation—in this case, with the lower horizontal member
of part a causing the problem. Again, this construction would not present any issues
in a real world environment, but Mechanica considers it invalid.
As you can see, the valid assembly includes two components, one of which
incorporates two spacers. Note that, while the spacers enforce a distance between
the two components, the fastener path includes no interfering geometry. Because
the fastener path is clear, you can model the connection between the two
components using a bolt or screw.
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Example: Carries Shear

Use the Carries Shear option on the Fastener Definition dialog box to specify that
the fastener carries the shear force that passes through the fastener connection. If
you clear this option, the fastener does not carry the shear force. Instead, Mechanica
assumes that the shear force passes through the components by friction where the
components meet.
The figure represents two screw fasteners under pure shear stresses. In the model
on the left,the shear passes through the components. Note that the bottom
component bends. In the model on the right, the shear passes only though the
screw.
This is useful for shell models but can be used for solid model too,for example if you
have a model with no holes, you must consider the following points:
• The components must not touch each other and a gap must exist between the
parts if they are quilts.
• Fasteners cannot be of zero length
• The order of selection of the points is not important.
Axial Stiffness
The diameter of the nut is the same as the diameter of the bolt head.
Normal Stiffness
The reaction is applied to points between which the fastener is defined.
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Fix Separation Stiffness
Fix separation stiffness is automatically set to On as you cannot define a contact

between shells.
Mechanica defines a Z direction normal to this XY plane, and defines a Y direction

that is perpendicular to the X and Z vectors.
The X vector for a gap is defined by the gap length, which is the shortest distance
between the entities used to define the gap. For a zero-length gap, the X direction is
normal to the surface.
You can define the Y direction of a gap by selecting any of the following entities on
your model:
• Point — Defines the XY plane with the gap X vector and the selected point.
• Edge — Defines the XY plane with the gap X vector and the projection from
the first point of the gap to the selected edge.
• Curve — Defines the XY plane with the gap X vector and the projection from
the first point of the gap to the selected datum curve.
• Axis — Creates a line through the first point of the gap, which is parallel to
the selected axis. The parallel line and the gap's X axis form the XY plane of
the gap.
• Surface — Defines the XY plane with the gap X vector and the projection of
the first gap point to the selected surface.
• Vector in WCS — Defines the XY plane with the gap X vector and a line
projected from the first gap point in a direction parallel to the X, Y, or Z
vector in the WCS. The default vector is 0, 1, 0, which defines the Y direction
in the WCS.
• Not defined — The gap definition does not include a Y direction. You cannot
select this option if you output to the NASTRAN solver. Mechanica blocks
output to NASTRAN if the Y direction for gaps in the model is not defined.
Reviewing Contact Regions

Use the Info>Review Contacts command to examine contact regions that you
define. When you select this command, Mechanica prompts you to select the contact
region you are interested in. Mechanica then highlights the edges and surfaces
associated with the contact region so that you can ensure that you used the correct
geometric entities to model the contact area. This function is particularly handy for
large or complex models where the risk of inadvertently selecting the geometry that
does not participate in the contact region can be higher.
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Idealizations
About Idealizations
You create idealizations to represent your model with a set of elements that
simplifies the actual design, resulting in a faster simulation. Idealizations are a
means of fine-tuning the design of your model.
Mechanica provides these idealizations:
• Shells
• Beams
• Masses (Structure only)
• Springs (Structure only)
Shells
About Shells
Use shells to model a thin layer of a defined thickness for your part. If your part is
relatively thin compared to its length and width, shell modeling is more efficient.
You have several options for including shells in your model:
• Create a single shell as a layer on a solid. In this case, you can define the
shell as a composite of layers, or specify the material and thickness.
• Create a shell pair based on the surfaces in your part. The software
compresses the pair to a midsurface that it uses in the analysis.
• Create a volume-based shell that has specific material or thickness properties.
In this case, the software compresses your model to a midsurface. But, it
uses the material and thickness definitions of the shell rather than that of the
surfaces associated with the volume for the midsurface thickness.
You create both single shells and shell pairs using the Insert menu. The command
you select differs depending upon whether you want to create single shells or
midsurface compressed shells:
• If your design includes shells that are made of the same material as your
part, use the Insert>Midsurface command to create shell pairs. To create a
shell pair in this way your model must include at least two surfaces on
opposite sides of a volume.
When Mechanica analyses a shell model, it compresses shell pairs to a

midsurface or set of midsurfaces. To perform midsurface compression,
Mechanica requires a pairing scheme. To ensure the successful analysis of your
shell model, you should check the shell compression before you run an
analysis.
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• If you want to create a single shell, for example as a layer on a solid, or if you
want to create a shell pair that is composed of a different material than the
rest of your part, or if you want to include properties such as laminates or
material orientation, use the Insert>Shell command.
You may choose to design a model solely with midsurface compressed shells, or your
design may benefit from a mixture of shells, solids, beams, and other idealizations. If
you are working with midsurface compressed shells, before you begin analysis, you
should define your model as a solid, as a shell, or as a mixed model. The model type
determines how Mechanica analyzes your part.
Before you create shells on your model, read about recommended geometry for your
model.
You can control the visibility of shells on your model by using the View>Simulation
Display command, or by placing them on layers.
After you create a shell, you can edit or delete it by right-clicking on the shell
idealization—either Shell Pair or Shell—in the model tree and using Edit Definition
or Delete command, as appropriate. If you are deleting a shell, Mechanica asks you
Standard Shells
Shell Definition
Use the Insert>Shell command to define a simple or advanced shell on a model
surface. Simple shells differ from advanced shells in this way:
• Simple — A simple shell is of uniform thickness. If you select Simple as the

shell type, you can define a thickness and a material for the shell.
• Advanced — An advanced shell can be homogenous, or have laminated
properties. If you select Advanced as the shell type, the software displays
fields prompting you to define its shell property, material, and material
orientation.
When you select the Insert>Shell command, Mechanica displays the Shell
Definition dialog box, which includes:
• Name — Specify a name for the shell. The software provides default names,
such as Shell1, Shell2, and so on. You can change these default names to
more meaningful names if you like.
• Surface(s) — Specify the surfaces associated with the shell. If you already
selected a valid surface or surfaces for the shell before entering the dialog
box, your selections appear next to the selector arrow when the dialog box
appears. Otherwise, use the selector arrow and the regular selection methods
to choose the surfaces. When you select the surface, you can change the
normal direction of the shell.
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Note: The software shares data across several selected surfaces or

quilts. Therefore, if you change data on one surface or quilt with
shared data, the others will be affected as well.
• Type — Specify either Simple or Advanced. The remaining fields on the

dialog box change depending on your selection.
Simple Shells
After you have specified a name, associated surfaces, and the Simple shell type,
you need to provide Mechanica with the following information as well:
• Thickness — You can specify the thickness of your shell as a numerical

value. A numerical thickness is measured in the principal system of units that
is associated with all of your modeling activities. When Mechanica creates the
shell elements for the surface, it applies the thickness you specify equally on
both sides of the selected surface. For example, if you specify a shell
thickness of 1, Mechanica places 0.5 on the top side of the surface and 0.5 on
the bottom side.
The thickness field is a parameter-capable edit field. This field accepts

Pro/ENGINEER parameters, which you can select from a displayed list.
You can also enter an expression as a thickness value.
The shell thickness you assign to an individual quilt surface overrides any
other thickness that might be assigned to that quilt surface as part of another
shell definition.
• Material — Specify the material of the shell. Click the arrow to display a
drop-down list of material properties already associated with your model. If
you do not see what you want in the drop-down list, use the More button to
display more materials, or to create a new material.
You can only use isotropic materials with simple shells, so the drop-down list
contains only those. If you select a non-isotropic material after clicking the
More button, the software reminds you that you must use isotropic material
properties with simple shells.
To Define a Simple Shell

This procedure assumes that you are working with the Shell Definition dialog box
and have selected Simple in the Type area.
1. Enter a real-number value for the Thickness of the shell.

2. If you want to use a Pro/ENGINEER parameter for the thickness, click P. The
Select Pro/ENGINEER Parameter dialog box appears with a list of
available parameters. Select an existing parameter, or click Create to define
a new one.
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want, click More to select a material from the library or to define a new one.
4. Click OK to accept the shell definition.
Advanced Shells
After you have specified a name, associated surfaces, and the Advanced shell type,
you need to provide Mechanica with the following information as well:
• Shell Property — Click the arrow to display a drop-down list of shell

properties already associated with your model. If you do not see what you
want in the drop-down list, use the More button to open the Shell
Properties dialog box, where you can define a new shell property, name it,
and specify its type and thickness.
• Material — Click the arrow to display a drop-down list of material properties
already associated with your model. If you do not see what you want in the
drop-down list, use the More button to display the Materials dialog box,
where you can assign a material from the library to your model, or define a
new material.
The Material drop-down list may not be active if you select certain shell
properties. For example, if the shell property you select is a laminate layup,
the Material drop-down list is not active.
• Material Orientation — Click the arrow to display a drop-down list that

shows the material orientations on the surfaces of your model. If you do not
see what you want in the drop-down list, use the More button to display the
Material Orientations dialog box, where you can assign a material
orientation to your shell, or create a new orientation.
To Define an Advanced Shell

This procedure assumes that you are working with the Shell Definition dialog box
and have selected Advanced under Type.
1. Select a Shell Property from the drop-down list. If you do not see a shell
property that you want in the list, click More to select a shell property from
the library or to define a new one.
2. Select a Material from the drop-down list. If you do not see a material that
you want in the list, click More to select a material from the library or to
define a new one.
3. Select a Material Orientation from the drop-down list. If you do not see a
material orientation that you want in the list, click More to select a material
orientation from the library or to define a new one.
4. Click OK to accept the shell definition.
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Midsurface Shells
Before You Define a Shell Model
Before You Define a Shell Model
Before you define your part as a shell model, be sure you have all the geometry you
need already in place. Following are several factors you should be aware of when
working with shell models:
• Regions — If you plan to use loads or constraints for surface regions, be

aware that adding a region invalidates any prior shell definitions for that
surface. Therefore, be sure to add all regions and parent surfaces before
starting the shell model definition process. As an alternative, you can redefine
shell definitions after you add the region. For more information, see Surface
Region.
• Variable Thickness — In FEM mode, your part can have a variable
thickness. In native mode, Mechanica does not perform shell modeling for
surfaces that have a variable thickness. If any of the surfaces you plan to
model have a variable thickness, redesign the surface or suppress the
associated feature. For more information on surface thickness, see Model
Thickness.
• Properties — You can assign shells to faces, regions, or datum surfaces, and
to surfaces that will be compressed. The assigned shells can then reference
shell properties you define. You can also define a shell property that is not
assigned to any entity. For more information, see About Shell Properties.
• Complex Models — Simplify your model as much as possible before defining
it as a shell model. Keep your model's geometry symmetric whenever
possible.
Be sure to suppress any features that have no bearing on the analysis of the
part. You can start by identifying areas of the model that have minimal
significance in terms of carrying the load. In those areas, suppress features
that serve cosmetic purposes only. Feature suppression reduces the following:
o the amount of time required to define surface pairs. Also, you can
sometimes reduce the amount of complex geometry you may need to
add in order to accommodate your pairing scheme.
o the time required to analyze the model by reducing the number of
calculations the engine needs to complete
When determining which features to suppress, weigh the benefits of

suppressing the feature against the reduction in model accuracy.
• Unopposed Surfaces — Make sure all surfaces you shell pair have an
opposing surface.
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Pairing Schemes
Mechanica uses the surface pairs that you define to form a network of compressed
surfaces called the midsurface. When it models your part, the software places
elements on the midsurface only, using the thickness associated with each portion of
the shell to determine the depth of the elements.
For example, if you were modeling a T-bracket, you might take the approach shown
in the T-Bracket example.
Mechanica highlights the first surface or set of surfaces you select for a pair in red
and the opposing surface or surfaces in yellow. The red surface acts as a point of
reference for the pair. Mechanica uses this surface as a viewpoint when determining
which opposing surfaces in the model are part of the pair. In addition, Mechanica
defines the normal direction for a compressed midsurface from the red surface to the
yellow surface.
If you omit opposing surfaces from your model, Mechanica compresses the model
differently than if you include all opposing surfaces.
Mixed Models
Certain models contain some areas best suited for shells and others best suited for
solids.
For these models, you can create shell pairs for the areas that you want Mechanica
to treat as shells. Then, you use the following commands on the
MIDSURFACES>COMPR OPTS menu to get an idea of how Mechanica will treat
your model during analysis, provided you select the equivalent meshing options in
native mode and FEM mode.
• Shells Only — Select this command if you want to view what your model
would look like if you have Mechanica treat it as a pure shell model. In this
case, the software applies shell elements to the paired portion of the model at
analysis time and omits any unpaired portions from analysis.
• Shells And Solids — Select this command if you want to view what your
model would look like if you have Mechanica treat it as a mixed model. In this
case, the software applies shells to the paired portion of the model and solids
to the unpaired portion. This is the default option.
Once you have decided whether you want Mechanica to treat the model as a pure
shell model or a mixed model, you can use the Midsurface or Solid/Midsurface
option box on the AutoGEM menu to indicate your choice to the mesher and,
consequently, the solver.
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Model Thickness
Mechanica uses the thickness associated with each midsurface to calculate the
thickness of the shell elements. If it encounters unopposed surfaces in your model,
the software uses the thickness of a neighboring or related pair to define the
thickness for that portion of the model.
Mechanica supports shell pairs with both constant and multiconstant thickness.
• Constant-thickness pairs — All opposing paired surfaces are parallel to

each other and equidistant from the opposing surface.
• Multiconstant-thickness pairs — One or both of the opposing surfaces
include multiple surfaces. Although all the surfaces are parallel to the
opposing surface, they are not equidistant from the opposing surface.
Your model is a good candidate for use with multiconstant thickness if:
o it does not require high accuracy or solution quality near the

multiconstant-thickness pairs
o its behavior is not sensitive to minor shape changes
When it encounters surfaces with multiconstant-thicknesses, Mechanica

compresses the bottom surfaces and top surfaces into a single continuous
midsurface.
• Variable thickness pairs (in FEM mode) — Both opposing surfaces are
neither parallel nor concentric.
If you decide that your model is not a good candidate, rework the part geometry in
Pro/ENGINEER to improve midsurface coincidence or treat the model as a solid
instead of a shell.
Unopposed Surfaces
For Mechanica to create a complete shell model, you need to make sure all the
surfaces you pair have an opposing surface. Unopposed surfaces can be the result of
omitting a surface or surface region from a pair, or they can occur because of slight
geometrical differences between surfaces that make up a pair.
You can use any of the following approaches to resolve problems due to unopposed
surfaces:
• If the unopposed surface is a separate feature, such as a round, you can

suppress the feature.
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• You can elect to use or ignore unopposed surfaces during analysis through the
COMPRES MDL menu. If you choose to ignore these surfaces, Mechanica
omits the unopposed surfaces from your model, and your model may have
gaps. To understand how the midsurface compression of a part may differ
depending upon whether you use or ignore an unopposed surface, see
Example: Part with Unopposed Surfaces.
• You can add an opposing surface to the model.
Model Entities and Idealizations

Mechanica supports the same modeling entities and idealizations for both solid and
shell models. However, because Mechanica redefines geometry during midsurface
compression, you need to exercise care when placing these items. Be aware of the
following factors when planning modeling entities and idealizations for shell models:
• You cannot place certain types of loads or constraints on entities whose type
changes when Mechanica compresses the model. The loads and constraints
that fall into this category are loads distributed or applied based on unit type.
For example, a force load with a distribution of Force Per Unit of Length or
Force Per Unit of Area falls into this category, but a force load applied with
a Total Load distribution does not. Other types of loads and constraints in
this category include interpolated loads, bearing loads, heat loads distributed
based on unit type, pressure loads, and convection conditions.
Following are examples of entity-type changes that invalidate these types of

loads or constraints:
o compressing a loaded or constrained surface to a curve. There is one

exception—surface constraints that have fully fixed translations with
no prescribed displacements. In this case, Mechanica compresses the
surface constraint to an edge constraint whose translations and
rotations are fully fixed.
o compressing a loaded or constrained surface region to a partial curve,
unless you applied the load or constraint to the curve instead of the
region as a whole
o compressing a loaded or constrained curve to a point
For example, if you decide to model a rectangular plate as a shell, Mechanica

would ask you to redefine the problem load.
• If you place regional loads on both pair surfaces and those loads overlap,
Mechanica calculates the overlapping area by adding or subtracting the load
values and directions for the two regions.
• Mechanica maintains constraints applied to overlapping regions.
• If you place a constraint or load on a region and omit the region when you
define your pairs, the software may not include that constraint or load. In this
case, Mechanica displays a warning message when you try to analyze the
model.
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Gaps in Parts
Depending on how you pair your single-part model, Mechanica can encounter gaps in
the midsurface. A gap is a section of the model where the midsurfaces do not meet.
Gaps often occur in portions of a solid model that are not symmetric. In asymmetric
models, various sections of the model have different thicknesses and the midsurfaces
of the sections do not coincide. Thus, if you define individual shell pairs for each
thickness, the midsurfaces do not meet.
In addition, gaps can occur in Pro/SHEETMETAL models, depending on how you

create your features. This situation results from the fact that Pro/SHEETMETAL does
not typically merge common feature faces, or wall junctions.
In the solid following model, there are two gaps:
Be aware that no modeling information passes between gaps. For example, if you
create a constraint set that fixes the far end of section a for the model shown above,
sections b and c would not see this constraint.
Gaps can cause problems during analysis. If Mechanica analyzed the example model
using the constraint set just described, the software would interpret the model as
three independent bodies, only one of which is constrained. Because the model
contains unconstrained bodies, Mechanica would display an error message and halt
the analysis.
You can correct this problem by inspecting the model closely for gaps. When you
locate a gap, you can do one of the following:
• Use the Multiconstant Thickness command to redefine pairs for the

surrounding geometry. For more information on this command, see Model
Thickness.
When you define multiconstant-thickness pairs for asymmetric models, slight

shape differences can occur between the Pro/ENGINEER part and the model
analyzed by Mechanica. Before using multiconstant thicknesses, determine
whether this type of shape change is acceptable in terms of the results you
want Mechanica to provide.
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• Rework the part geometry in Pro/ENGINEER to improve midsurface

coincidence.
• Treat the model as a solid instead of a shell.
• For Pro/SHEETMETAL, rework the features using the Merge Walls command.
For information on merged walls and how to create them, search the
Sheetmetal functional area in the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
Gaps in Assemblies
For assemblies, gaps typically occur at locations where two parts meet or overlap.
Pro/ENGINEER assembly constraints are such that Mechanica treats an assembly as
a single body for solid modeling. However, when you treat an assembly as a shell
and perform midsurface compression, Mechanica sees more than one body, resulting
in a gap. For an analysis of a model to be accurate, you must correct these gaps so
that the parts of the assembly move together as if they were a single body.
For assemblies, the likelihood of gaps caused by midsurface compression is greater

than it is for single parts because an assembly can have gaps between parts as well
as within a particular part. For an example of an assembly that has a gap caused by
midsurface compression, see Example: Assembly Model with Gap.
To find gaps in your model, be sure to perform a compression test before starting an
analysis.
To avoid gaps in assemblies, you must make sure the midsurfaces of the parts
connect. You can correct assembly gaps in various ways depending on your model
geometry and sensitivities. Here are some methods you can consider:
• In native mode, Mechanica creates automatic midsurface connections

wherever two components have mated or overlapping surfaces. When you
mesh your model, these connections appear as dotted magenta lines along
the edges of all connected curves and surfaces. If your meshed model shows
automatic midsurface connections in areas where you do not want them,
define free interfaces for these areas.
In general, you should use automatic midsurface connections only if the size of
the connections is small relative to the size of the model.
In a model that uses automatic midsurface connections to connect two

overlapping surfaces that are subject to displacement, Mechanica can give
results that do not reflect the actual displacement. For a comparison of the
expected results versus the actual results, see Results When Using Automatic
Connections.
• You can use end welds, perimeter welds, or, in native mode, spot welds.
• You can use a rigid connection.
• You can use a fastener.
• You can use the Pair Place command on the MODIFY PAIR menu to define
the midsurface placement so the midsurfaces of the parts touch in the
merged area. This can result in coincident curves and surfaces, which can
cause meshing problems.
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When you start your first analysis or design study for an assembly, you should
request error checking. Among other things, error checking includes a count of the
disjoint bodies in the assembly.
If Mechanica finds multiple disjoint bodies during error checking, your assembly may
have gaps that you should consider before progressing further. The software does
not consider spot welds when determining the number of disjoint bodies.
Note: Do not confuse the term gaps as discussed here with the gap
idealizations that you can create in FEM mode.
Shell Model Development

Defining Solid or Shell Models
You can define your model as a solid, as a shell, or as a mixed model. The model
type determines the type of elements Mechanica uses to define your part.
• A solid model is a part that you model using solid elements like tetrahedrons,
bricks, or wedges.
• A shell model is a part that you model using shell elements like triangles and
quadrilaterals. Typically, you use shell modeling when your part is relatively
thin compared to its length and width. To meet Mechanica's criteria for shell
models, your part must have either a constant or multiconstant thickness in
native mode. In FEM mode, your part can have a variable thickness.
You can change the elements used for modeling with the AutoGEM>Settings
command in native mode or the Mesh>Create command in FEM mode. For
example, you can direct Mechanica to use only triangles to model your native
mode shell model rather than using both triangles and quadrilaterals.
• A mixed model is a combination of both a solid and a shell model, where

some areas of the model are better suited to shell elements and others are
better served by solid elements.
In native mode, Mechanica treats all models as solid models by default. To direct
Mechanica to treat your model as a midsurface shell model, or as a mixed model,
you first need to define the model, or some areas of it, using midsurface shells.
Then, use the following options buttons to indicate how Mechanica should mesh and
analyze the model:
• To direct Mechanica to mesh and analyze your model as a shell model, select
the AutoGEM>Midsurface option button. The Midsurface command is
selected by default when you create shell pairs, but if you start a new session
of Mechanica with a model for which you created shells, you should check the
setting. For example, if you have defined shell pairs for the surfaces in your
model, but want to analyze the model as a solid without deleting the shells,
you would select the AutoGEM>Solid command instead.
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• To direct Mechanica to mesh and analyze your model as a mixture of

midsurface shells and solids, select the AutoGEM>Solid/Midsurface option
button.
In FEM mode, the way you indicate how you want Mechanica to treat models that
include midsurface shells is different. In this case, you select the model treatment
when you create the mesh.
Specifying Mesh Treatment for Models with

Midsurfaces
The Solid, Midsurface, and Solid/Midsurface options on the AutoGEM menu let
you specify whether Mechanica will treat models that include midsurfaces as solid
models, midsurface shell models, or a mixture of both during meshing and analysis.
These toggle keys are only available in the native mode. In the FEM mode, you
indicate model treatment at the time you create the FEM mesh.
In models that have no midsurfaces, the Solid option is turned on and the
Midsurface and Solid/Midsurface options are deactivated. However, when you
define shell pairs for your model, the software automatically activates these two
options and turns on the Midsurface option. Provided that you keep the option on,
Mechanica meshes and analyzes the model as a shell model. If any potion of the
model is a solid, Mechanica omits that portion from the mesh and, consequently the
analysis. If you want to include the solid portions of the model, turn on the
Solid/Midsurface option instead.
For models with midsurfaces, the Midsurface option stays on by default unless you
select one of the other two options and then save your model in that state. If you
delete all the shell pairs in your model, Mechanica automatically turns off and
deactivates the Midsurface and Solid/Midsurface options, reverting to the Solid
option.
MIDSURFACES Menu
When you select Insert>Midsurface, the MIDSURFACES menu appears. From this
menu, you can use the following commands:
• Auto Detect — This command automatically creates shell pairs by pairing

any suitable surfaces.
• New — This command lets you specify the shell thickness type and select the
surfaces that are to be paired.
• Edit — This command takes you to the MODIFY PAIR menu, where you can
edit an existing shell pair.
• Show — This command lets you display the surfaces included in a shell pair.
At the same time, the software displays a message telling you the thickness
type associated with the shell pair.
• Delete — This command lets you delete a shell pair from the model.
• Compress — This command lets you compress the shell pair to its
midsurface to review the result of compression.
• Done/Return — This command returns you to the previous menu.
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To Create a Midsurface
You create a midsurface by pairing two surfaces. Mechanica creates a midsurface
from the surface pair and assigns shell elements to them.
1. Select Insert>Midsurface or click .

2. Select one of the following commands:
o Auto Detect — Select this command to automatically pair any
surfaces that can be automatically created.
o New — Select this command to manually pair surfaces.
3. Select Constant to define a constant-thickness pair or Multi Const to define
a multi-constant-thickness pair. In FEM mode, select Constant or Variable.
4. Select the surfaces you want to include in the pair.
5. Select Show to review the model's pairing scheme.
6. Select Compress to review the midsurface compression and check for errors.
7. If you find any unpaired surfaces that you do not want to treat as a solid,
repeat the appropriate procedures from step 2.
MODIFY PAIR Menu

When you select Insert>Midsurface>Edit, the MODIFY PAIR menu appears.
From this menu, you can use the following commands:
• Edit Pair — This command lets you add or delete a surface from a pair.
• Pair Place — This command lets you change the placement of the surface
pair to any of these locations:
o the red surface of the surface pair
o the yellow surface of the surface pair
o the midsurface
o a selected surface, which can be a datum surface
For any of these choices, you can click the Adj Tan Nbrs button to change
the placement of any neighboring surface pairs that are adjacent and tangent
to the surface pair you are modifying.
• Flip Pair — This command lets you swap the red and yellow surfaces in order
to flip the resulting mesh normal.
• Thick Type — This command lets you specify whether the thickness of the
surface pair you select is constant (the default value) or multiconstant.
Shell Compression
Mechanica processes all solid models as single volumes. However, the software uses
a different approach when processing models with paired shells. With shell models,
Mechanica compresses the model to a midsurface or set of midsurfaces.
To perform midsurface compression, Mechanica requires a pairing scheme for the

surfaces you want to model.
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To Test Shell Compression

Testing shell compression lets you identify problem areas in your model, specifically
pairing errors. Run this test before you run your analysis so that you can see the
midsurface that Mechanica has developed from your pairing scheme.
1. Select Insert>Midsurface>Compress. Mechanica displays the COMPR

OPTS menu.
2. Select one of these options to tell Mechanica how to analyze your model:
o Shells only
o Shells and Solids
3. If it encounters unopposed surfaces in your pairing scheme, Mechanica
displays a warning message and a diagnostic version of the COMPRES MDL
menu. If you see this diagnostic menu, see To Handle Unopposed and
Unpaired Surfaces.
4. Select one or more commands from the COMPRES MDL menu.
5. Examine your model to determine whether there are any errors in your
pairing scheme.
Pay special attention to gaps in the midsurface, paired areas where Mechanica
did not generate a midsurface, and areas where you may have selected the
wrong surfaces to pair. If there are gaps in your model, see either Gaps in
Parts or Gaps in Assemblies.
6. Select Done from the COMPRES MDL menu when you finish reviewing the
compressed model.
7. Be sure to correct any pairing problems using the commands on the MODIFY
PAIR menu.
To Handle Unopposed and Unpaired Surfaces

If it finds any unopposed or unpaired surfaces during the compression test,
Mechanica displays a warning message, highlights the surfaces in question, and
displays a version of the COMPRES MDL menu that includes commands you can use
to direct how the software processes the model.
1. If you want to display a particular aspect of model compression, select one or

more of the commands on the COMPRES MDL menu.
2. If you want to redefine your pairing scheme or geometry to correct a
problem, complete one of the following steps:
o If Mechanica (FEM mode only) provides the Paired Only and Abort
commands, select Abort.
o If Mechanica provides the Done command, select Done.
Mechanica closes the COMPRES MDL menu. You can then return to the
MIDSURFACES menu to modify your pairing scheme.
3. If you want to work with the model as is, review the state of the
UseUnopposed check box.
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COMPRES MDL Menu

Mechanica displays the COMPRES MDL menu if it finds unopposed or unpaired
surfaces during the compression test. From this menu, you can select one of the
following commands:
• IGES — creates an IGES file that represents the shell model. You must
specify a coordinate system before the IGES file creation takes place.
• SUPERTAB — creates a SUPERTAB universal file that represents the shell
model.
• ShowCompress — displays the compressed midsurface. Mechanica
highlights the midsurface in yellow, unopposed surfaces in cyan, and surfaces
that may be missing from a pair in red.
• ShowOriginal — displays the original model geometry. Mechanica highlights
the original three-dimensional geometry in green and surfaces that may be
missing from a pair in red.
• Show Both — displays the original model geometry and compressed
midsurface. Mechanica highlights the original three-dimensional geometry in
green, the compressed midsurface in yellow, and surfaces that maybe be
missing from a pair in red.
• Show Paired — displays the paired surfaces only, if you have both paired
and unpaired surfaces in your model. The unpaired surfaces (shown in red)
disappear when you select this command.
If your model includes unopposed surfaces, the UseUnopposed check box appears
on this menu, and is selected by default. Clear this check box if you do not want
Mechanica to include unopposed surfaces during analysis.
UseUnopposed Check Box

The UseUnopposed check box on the COMPRES MDL menu tells Mechanica
whether to include unopposed surfaces during analysis.
If you select this check box, Mechanica keeps the unopposed surfaces as part of the
analyzed model, and assumes that the intended pair surface is parallel to the
unopposed surface. The on state is the default state for this toggle. Mechanica
reverts to the default state each time you select Compress from the
MIDSURFACES menu or exit the Mechanica menu structure.
If you do not select this check box, Mechanica disregards any unopposed surfaces
during analysis. In effect, this state results in the elimination of these surfaces and
any associated midsurfaces from modeling.
The software uses the thickness of a neighboring or related pair to define a thickness
for the unopposed surface. Thus, Mechanica may sometimes calculate pair thickness
at a different value than the pair's true value.
When using unopposed surfaces, be aware that, if you place a constraint or load on
the surface that was missing from the pair, Mechanica may not include that
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constraint or load. In this case, Mechanica displays a warning message when you try
to analyze the model.
Note: You can change the default state of the UseUnopposed toggle by
editing your config.pro file. To learn about config.pro options that affect shell
compression, see Configuration File Options.
To Create Shells
1. Select the Insert>Shell command or click .
The Shell Definition dialog box appears.
2. Enter a name for your shell, or accept the default name.
use the regular selection methods to select the geometric references now.
4. Select one of the Types. The options on the dialog box are different
depending upon your choice. Click each type for more information.
o Simple
o Advanced
Beams
About Beams
A beam is a one-dimensional idealization that, in three dimensions, represents a
structure whose length is much greater than its other two dimensions. You create a
beam by specifying the cross-section shape and position, the degrees of freedom at
the beam ends, and the location of the beam with respect to the axis where
Mechanica applies the beam load. Mechanica sees beams slightly differently in native
mode and FEM mode.
• Native mode — A beam has a constant cross section that maintains the
same dimensions from end to end. When you define your beam, you specify
the section shape and size, and the orientation for the start of the beam only.
• FEM mode — A beam can have a variable cross section. In other words, you
can create a tapered beam, in which the starting end has one dimension or
shape and the terminal end, another. You can also select a different section
shape and a different orientation for the beam beginning and end. If your
beam has different section shapes at the two ends, Mechanica interpolates
the cross section. FEM mode allows you to create trusses as well as beams.
When you select the Insert>Beam command, the Beam Definition dialog box
appears. Use this dialog box to create beams in native mode, and to create beams
and trusses in FEM mode. After you create a beam, you can edit or delete it by
selecting the associated icon on your model and using Edit>Definition or
Edit>Delete, as appropriate. If you are deleting a beam, Mechanica asks you for
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confirmation first. To manage beam sections, orientations, and releases, use the
Properties menu.
There are three coordinate systems that govern the way Mechanica defines and
analyzes beams. To understand how to use these coordinate systems to design your
beams and to obtain the desired results for your beam read Beam Coordinate
Systems.
You can control the visibility of beams on your model by using the
View>Simulation Display command, or by placing them on layers.
Beam Coordinate Systems

When you create a beam in Mechanica, one of the properties you can specify is beam
orientation. The beam orientation affects how your beam relates to the axis where
the software applies loads, and how the software calculates results. To understand
how to specify beam orientation, you must first understand the three different beam
coordinate systems that Mechanica uses:
• Beam Shape Coordinate System (BSCS) — The software draws the beam
sections with respect to the beam shape coordinate system.
• Beam Action Coordinate System (BACS) — The software applies loads to
beams at locations defined with respect to the beam action coordinate
system.
• Beam Centroidal Principal Coordinate System (BCPCS) — The software
defines the BCPCS based on the beam section, and reports most of the results
in this coordinate system.
When you create your beam, you use the Y Direction option on the Beam
Definition dialog box to specify how the BACS relates to the WCS. You can then
offset the BSCS from the BACS by using the options on the Beam Orientation
Creating Beams
Beam Definition Dialog Box
When you select the Insert>Beam command, the Beam Definition dialog box
appears. Use the following items on this dialog box to define your beam or truss:
• References — Specify the geometric entities for your beam. If you already
selected valid geometric references for the beam before entering the dialog
opens. Otherwise, use the selector arrow and the regular selection methods
to choose the desired geometry.
• Material — Specify the material Mechanica uses to create the beam.
• Type — In FEM mode only, specify the type of beam you want to create—
either a beam or a truss. If you create a truss, you do not need to specify Y
direction, orientation, or release.
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• Y direction — Specify the orientation of the Y axis for the beam action
coordinate system.
• Start and End tabs — Define the start and end properties for beams. In FEM
mode, you can specify different section and orientation properties for the two
ends of your beam. However, in native mode, you can only specify section
and orientation properties for the beam start. These tabs include the following
items:
o Section — Define the cross-section properties for beams and save
sections in a library.
o Orientation — Specify the orientation of the beam shape coordinate
system with respect to the beam action coordinate system.
o Release — Specify the degrees of freedom at each beam end.
• Extra tab — In FEM mode only,define, stress relief factors and specify
whether to include stress recovery information.
When you create a beam or a truss, Mechanica displays an icon on your model that
includes a line representing the beam X axis and a figure representing the beam
cross section.
To learn how FEM mode's FEA solvers treat beams, see ANSYS and MSC/NASTRAN.
Beam References
The geometric entities that you use for your beam define the location and direction
of the beam X axis. Select one of the following reference types on the Beam
Definition dialog box to define the location of your beam on your model:
• Point–Point — Create a beam between two points or vertices, or any

combination of the two. The positive direction of the beam goes from the first
selected point to the second.
• Point–Surface — Create a beam between a point or vertex and a surface.
The positive direction of the beam goes from the point to the surface.
• Point–Edge — Create a beam between a point or vertex and an edge. The
positive direction of the beam goes from the point to the edge.
Note: For the location of the beam end positioned on the

surface/edge, the software selects the spot that is closest to the first
point of the beam. If you need to position the beam at a particular
place on the surface/edge, use the Point-Point option and create a
datum point along the surface/edge.
• Point–Point Pairs — Create multiple point-to-point beams with the same

characteristics.
• Chain (feature/pattern of points) — Create a beam that runs along a
sequence of points.
• Edge/Curve — Create a beam that runs along an edge or a curve. You can
select multiple curves and edges with which to associate a beam. To indicate
the direction of a beam, Pro/ENGINEER displays a purple arrow at the center
of each selected edge or curve. To invert the direction of an already-selected
edge or curve beam, click on it again and the software redraws the arrow.
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If you select a curve that is not straight, the beam X axis lies along the length
of and tangent to the curve. The Y direction is in the plane of the curve. If you
select a vector direction for the Y direction that is not within the plane of the
curve, Mechanica chooses the closest direction within the plane, or
perpendicular to the plane.
• Surface–Surface (Beam contact) — Create a beam between two surfaces.

This option is available only in FEM mode. For information on allowed
surfaces, see Guidelines for Surface-Surface Connections and Interfaces (FEM
mode).
following:
• single point or vertex

• point feature (includes one or more single points)
• pattern of point features
The software treats the beams you create from point features or patterns of points
as single entities. You cannot specify different properties for different beams created
from the same point feature or pattern of point features.
Beam Type
In FEM mode, only, select the type of beam you want to define on the Beam
Definition dialog box. You can define two types of beams:
• Beam — A beam has an assigned material, Y direction, beam section(s),

beam orientation(s), and beam releases. You can specify different beam
section shapes and sizes for the beam ends in FEM mode.
• Truss — A truss is a special kind of beam that has properties that define its
material and cross-sectional area. You cannot define the orientation or release
properties for a truss. A truss has no rotational DOF, and experiences no
bending or torsional effects under load.
Y Direction for Beams

You specify the orientation of the XY plane of a beam by defining its Y direction with
respect to the WCS on the Beam Definition dialog box. The X axis is along the
length of the beam. For the Y direction, you can enter vector coordinates, or select a
geometric entity to specify a direction. Mechanica then defines the Z axis of the
beam action coordinate system as perpendicular to the XY plane. The Y and Z axes
you define in this way orient the BACS.
You can define the Y direction of a beam by selecting any of the following entities on
your model:
• Point — Define the beam's XY plane by the X axis of the beam and its Y
vector, which extends from the start point of the beam to the selected datum
point or vertex.
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• Edge — In FEM mode only, define the beam's XY plane with the beam's X
vector and the projection from the start point of the beam toward the
selected edge.
• Curve — In FEM mode only, define the beam's XY plane with the beam's X
vector and the projection from the start point of the beam to the selected
datum curve.
• Axis — Define the beam's XY plane with the beam's X vector and the
projection from the beam start point to the selected axis.
• Surface — In FEM mode only, define the beam's XY plane with the beam X
vector and the projection of the start point of the beam to the selected
surface.
• Vector in WCS — Define the beam's Y direction by entering the X, Y, and Z
components of a vector. The default is 0, 1, 0, which specifies a Y direction
parallel to the positive Y axis of the WCS.
To Create a Beam
1. Select Insert>Beam or click .
The Beam Definition dialog box appears.
2. Type a name for the beam, or use the default name.

3. Select a reference type for the beam location from the drop-down list.
4. If you did not select reference(s) before opening the dialog box, click to
select them now.
5. Select the material for the beam from the drop-down list, or click More to
create a new material or select a material from the library.
6. Select one of the following options from the drop-down list to define the Y
direction:
o Point
o Axis
o Vector in WCS
7. On the Start tab, select a beam section from the drop-down list or click the
More button to create a new beam section.
8. Select a beam orientation from the drop-down list or click the More button to
define a new beam orientation.
9. Select a beam release from the drop-down list or click the More button to
create a new beam release.
10. On the End tab, select a beam release from the drop-down list or click the
More button to create a new beam release.
11. Select OK to accept your definition, or Cancel to close the dialog box without
creating the beam.
To Create a Beam (FEM mode)
1. Select Insert>Beam or click .
The Beam Definition dialog box appears.
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2. Type a name for the beam, or use the default name.

3. Select a reference type for the beam location from the drop-down list.
use the regular selection methods to select the geometric entities now.
5. Select the material for the beam.
6. Select the beam type.
7. Select one of the following options from the drop-down list to define the Y
direction:
o Point
o Edge
o Curve
o Axis
o Surface
o Vector in WCS
8. On the Start tab, select a beam section from the drop-down list or click the
More button to create a new beam section.
9. Select a beam orientation from the drop-down list or click the More button to
define a new beam orientation.
10. Select a beam release from the drop-down list or click the More button to
create a new beam release.
11. Repeat steps 8 through 10 on the End tab.
12. On the Extra tab, enter values for the shear relief coefficient for planes XY
and XZ.
13. Select the check box if you want to include stress recovery.
Masses
About Masses
A mass is an idealization that you can use to represent a concentrated mass without
a specified shape. The mass of an object determines how that object resists
translation and rotation. If you are interested in the way your model behaves with
mass at a given location, but not in the geometry or other features of that mass, use
mass idealization. For example, you can represent the mass of an engine on a car
frame without specifying the engine geometry.
To create a mass, select Insert>Mass and use the Mass Definition dialog box to
create a mass and specify its properties. After you create a mass, you can edit or
delete it by selecting the associated icon on your model and using Edit>Definition
or Edit>Delete, as appropriate. If you are deleting a mass, Mechanica asks you for
confirmation first. For some types of masses, you may need to assign mass
properties. You can create mass properties by selecting Properties>Mass
Properties or from the Mass Definition dialog box as you are creating the spring.
Your options for creating masses differ in native mode and FEM mode:
• Native mode — You can add a mass to a vertex or a point. You can also add
a mass to multiple single points, point features, and point patterns in most
cases. However, if you are working in the assembly mode and want to use a
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component's mass for your mass idealization definition, you can only select a
single point.
• FEM mode — In addition to adding a mass to a point, you can also add a
mass that is distributed over geometric entities such as curves, edges, or
surfaces. Use distributed masses, for example, to represent the mass
contribution from paint, or from a large number of small objects. You can
select several curves, edges, or surfaces. To learn how FEM mode's FEA
solvers treat masses, see ANSYS and MSC/NASTRAN.
If you want to override the precedence rules for masses in FEM mode, you can
use the config.pro option sim_additive_mass. When you set this option to
"Yes," you can create several masses that reference the same geometric entity
and the software will include all of the masses. Also, with this option turned on
you can override the precedence rules that normally govern mass creation. For
example, if sim_additive_mass is set to "No" and you try to create two masses,
mass a on a single point and mass b on a feature of points containing the
single point, mass a on the single point overrides mass b on that same single
point, leaving mass b on the other points in the feature unchanged. But if
sim_additive_mass is set to "Yes," you can create both masses, and include
both masses in your analysis. Use this option, for example, to simulate two
layers of paint as distributed masses on a surface.
If you need to create additional datum points or curves before you begin the process
of adding masses to your model, you can use the Insert>Model Datum>Point or
Insert>Model Datum>Curve command. Keep in mind that if you want to model a
mass on a point that is separate from your model, you must connect it to the model,
for example, with rigid links or beams. Otherwise, the mass will not be included in
any analyses.
You can control the visibility of masses on your model by using the
Native Mode
Mass Definition Dialog Box
When you select Insert>Mass, the Mass Definition dialog box appears. Use the
items on this dialog box to create a mass in native mode.
• Name — Enter a descriptive name, or accept the default name.

• References — If you already selected valid geometric references for your
mass before entering the dialog box, your selections appear next to the
arrow to select a datum point or a vertex. For Simple or Advanced masses
you can also select multiple single points, multiple points, vertices or
features, or a single point pattern for your mass. Use the SIM SELECT menu
to specify which type of entity you want to use.
Tip: Read Precedence Rules for information on how the software applies
masses to these references.
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• Type — The Properties area of the dialog box changes depending upon the
type you select from the drop-down list.
o Simple — Enter a real-number value for the mass, or click p to create
or select a Pro/ENGINEER parameter.
o Advanced — Select a coordinate system or accept the default WCS.
You must also specify a mass property for advanced masses. The mass
properties are relative to the selected coordinate system. You can use
any mass property previously defined for your model, or you can click
the More button to define new mass properties.
Tip: You cannot locate an advanced mass on the Z axis of a

cylindrical coordinate system, or on the = 0 axis of a spherical
coordinate system.
o Component (for assembly mode only) — Select a part or

subassembly on your model. The software uses the mass property
definition of the component for your mass idealization, as described in
Masses Based on Components.
Setting a Coordinate System for an Advanced

Mass
On the Mass Definition dialog box, click the selector arrow under Coordinate
System. From the SIM CSYS SEL menu, select one of the following options:
• Current — Select the existing current coordinate system set for the model.
• WCS — Set the WCS (World Coordinate System). This is the default selection.
• Select — Use the normal selection methods to set the coordinate system.
To Add a Mass to a Point
1. Select Insert>Mass or click .
The Mass Definition dialog box appears.
2. Enter a descriptive name for your mass, or use the default name provided.
3. Accept Point(s) as the reference.
4. Click , select one of the following from the SIM SELECT menu to specify
where the mass will be located, and select the appropriate entity on your
model.
o Single (default)
o Feature
o Pattern
5. Select one of the following from the drop-down list under Type.
o Simple
o Advanced
o Component
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6. If you select Simple, enter a real-number value for the mass or click p to
open the Select Pro/ENGINEER Parameter dialog box.
7. If you select Advanced, specify mass properties and select a coordinate
system, or accept the WCS as the default.
8. In assembly mode only, if you select Component, click and use the
normal selection methods to select a part or subassembly to supply the mass
value.
creating the mass.
FEM Mode
Mass Definition Dialog Box (FEM mode)
When you select Insert>Mass, the Mass Definition dialog box appears. Use the
following items on this dialog box to create a mass in FEM mode.
• Name — Enter a descriptive name, or accept the default name.

• References — If you already selected valid geometric references for your
mass before entering the dialog box, your selections appear next to the
selector arrow when the dialog box appears. Otherwise, select one of these
items from the drop-down list, and use the selector arrow to select a
reference on your model.
o Point(s) — Use the selector arrow to select a point or vertex on your
model. If you want to create a simple or advanced mass, you can also
select multiple single points, point features and point patterns.
o Edge(s) or Curve(s) — Use the selector arrow to select an edge or
datum curve.
o Surface(s) — Use the selector arrow to select a surface.
Note: If the config.pro option sim_additive_mass is set to "Yes,"

you can create multiple masses on the same geometric entity, or
on geometric entities, which would share the same node after
meshing, and thus would invoke the precedence rules if the
option were turned off. If you create a mass using a geometric
reference on which you previously created a mass, the software
opens a dialog box stating that another entity uses the same
references. When you confirm, the software creates the second
mass.
• Type — Select from these mass types:

o Simple — Create a simple mass on a point, pattern of points, or
feature of points, along a curve or edge, or across a surface.
o Advanced — Create an advanced mass with mass properties relative
to a coordinate system. You can only assign advanced masses to
points, patterns of point, or features of points.
o Component — Create a mass based on an assembly component's
mass, moments of inertia, and center of gravity as described in Masses
Based on Components (FEM mode). You can only assign component
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masses to points, patterns of point, or features of points in an

assembly.
The Properties area of the dialog box changes depending upon the type you
select from the drop-down list.
To Add a Mass (FEM mode)
1. Select Insert>Mass or click .
The Mass Definition dialog box appears.
2. Enter a descriptive name for your mass, or accept the default name.
3. If you did not select valid geometry as references before you entered the
dialog box, select one of these options from the References drop-down list:
o Point(s)
o Curves(s)/Edges(s)
o Surface(s)
4. If you select Point(s), see the procedure To Add a Mass to a Point.
5. If you select Curves(s)/Edges(s), or Surfaces(s), click and use the

regular selection methods to select one or more curves(s), edges(s), or
surfaces(s).
6. Select Simple or Component (for assemblies) from the drop-down list under
Type.
7. If you select Simple, select Total, Per Unit Length (curves and edges), or
Per Unit Area (surfaces) from the drop-down list under Properties.
8. Enter a real-number value for the mass, or click p and select or create a
Pro/ENGINEER parameter.
9. In assembly mode only, if you select Component, click and use the
normal selection methods to select a part or subassembly to supply the mass
value.
creating the mass.
Springs
About Springs
A spring connects two points or a point to ground in your model. You can use a
vertex as a point by selecting it. Any spring you add provides the stiffness that, you
specify at the location on your model where you place it. The stiffness can be
translational (force per unit length) or torsional (torque). The force generated by the
spring is proportional to the amount of displacement that occurs—for example, if you
double the displacement, you double the force.
When you model a spring, you must specify the spring's geometrical references, as
well as its stiffness and orientation. Use the Insert>Spring command to create
springs. For some types of springs, you may need to assign spring properties. You
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can create spring properties by selecting Properties>Spring Properties or from

the Spring Definition dialog box as you are creating advanced or to-ground-type
springs.
When you select the Insert>Spring command, Mechanica displays the Spring
Definition dialog box, which includes the following items:
• Name — The name of the spring. You can enter a descriptive name or accept
the default.
• References — Use this area to select the geometric references for your
spring. If you already selected valid geometric references before entering the
dialog box, your selections appear next to the selector arrow when the dialog
box opens. Otherwise, use the selector arrow and the regular selection
• Type — When you select one of these types of spring from the drop-down
list, the dialog box changes.
o Simple — You define a simple spring by specifying the extensional and
torsional stiffness with a real-number value or a Pro/ENGINEER
parameter.
o Advanced — You define an advanced spring by specifying the
magnitude and direction of components for the spring extensional and
torsional stiffness.
o To Ground — You define this type of spring by specifying the
orientation of the components for the extensional and torsional
stiffness in terms of a selected coordinate system.
When you click OK to accept your definition, the software adds a spring icon to your
model. You can control the visibility of springs on your model by using the
After you create a spring, you can edit or delete it by selecting the associated icon on
your model and using Edit>Definition or Edit>Delete, as appropriate. If you are
deleting a spring, Mechanica asks you for confirmation first.
To learn how FEM mode's FEA solvers treat springs, see ANSYS and MSC/NASTRAN.
Guidelines for Spring Creation

Before you begin the process of creating a spring, keep in mind the following points:
• A spring is attached to at least one point in your model. If you need to create
additional points before you add a spring, you can use datum point creation
functionality to do so. For more information on creating points this way, see
Datum Point. You can also click a vertex to use it as a point.
• A spring can act as a constraint in your model, and in some instances may be
all the constraint that you need. However, be aware that while a spring can
remove degrees of freedom in one direction, it can allow freedom of
movement in other directions.
• If you plan to place springs on a shell model, see Model Entities and
Idealizations to learn about how Mechanica processes idealizations applied to
a point.
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Simple Springs
Using Simple Springs
Use a simple spring to connect two points, two vertices, a point to a point on an
edge or a surface, a point to a pattern of points, or a point to a single point feature.
Note: You cannot define a zero-length simple spring.
Use the following areas on the simple version of the Spring Definition dialog box to
define a simple spring:
• Extensional stiffness — The stiffness that resists the stretching or

compression of the spring. You can enter a real-number value or an
expression that contains parameter names.
• Torsional stiffness — The stiffness that resists the twisting of the spring.
You can enter a real-number value or an expression that contains parameter
names.
These two stiffness fields are parameter-capable edit fields. They can accept
Pro/ENGINEER parameters as stiffness values, which you can select from a displayed
list.
Note: If you are using a simple spring to join two parts, make sure that the
parts are attached to each other in another manner, or that they are
constrained.
Simple springs do not require that you specify an orientation.
To Create a Simple Spring
1. Select Insert>Spring or click .
The Spring Definition dialog box appears.
2. Enter a name for the spring, or use the default name provided.
3. Select Simple as the spring type.
4. If you did not select geometric references before opening the dialog box, click
under References and use the normal methods to select references on

your model to specify the locations of the spring's end points.
5. Define the spring stiffness properties by entering real-number values for the
following properties, or click p to use a Pro/ENGINEER parameter:
o Extensional Stiffness
o Torsional Stiffness
6. Click OK to save the new spring.
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To Ground Springs
Using To Ground Springs
Use a To Ground spring to connect to ground a point, multiple points, a vertex, a
point feature, or a single pattern of points.
Note: In FEM mode, To Ground springs are not supported for ANSYS.
Use the following areas on the To Ground version of the Spring Definition dialog
box to define an advanced spring:
• Properties — Use any stiffness properties previously defined for your model,
or define new stiffness properties.
• Y Direction — Define the orientation of the spring by selecting a coordinate
system. This defines the directions to which the spring stiffnesses refer. You
can select any coordinate system for this purpose. The default is the WCS.
To Create a To Ground Spring
3. Select To Ground as the spring type.
4. If you did not select points as geometric references before opening the dialog
box, click and use the normal methods to select references on your model
to specify a location for the spring.
5. Define stiffness properties for the spring. You can select a previously-defined
stiffness property from the drop-down list, or you can click the More button
to define new stiffness properties.
6. Click in the Y Direction area to select a coordinate system to specify the

orientation of your spring. The default is the WCS.
Advanced Springs
Using Advanced Springs
You can use an advanced spring to model a connection between two objects
characterized by stiffness, and in FEM mode, by damping as well.
The characteristics of an advanced spring, such as its stiffness components, are

evaluated regardless of the location of its ends, but only with regard to the X, Y, Z
directions of its coordinate system.
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Use these areas on the advanced version of the Spring Definition dialog box to
define an advanced spring:
• Properties — Use any stiffness properties previously defined for your model,
or define new spring properties.
• Y Direction — Select a method to define the orientation of the spring
properties.
• Additional Rotation — Enter a real-number value for the number of degrees
to rotate the spring's Y axis.
In FEM mode, advanced springs can have a zero length—that is, they can have
coincident ends. An example might be a spring between a point on a surface and the
surface itself. To learn how the FEA solvers treat advanced springs, see ANSYS and
MSC/NASTRAN.
Advanced Spring Restrictions (FEM mode)

In FEM mode, for model output to ANSYS, the following restrictions apply when you
specify a coordinate system for an advanced spring:
• Two advanced springs with a common end must use the same orientation.
• A constraint defined at one of the ends of the advanced spring must use the
advanced spring's coordinate system.
Y Direction for Advanced Springs

When you create an advanced spring, you must specify a coordinate system for the
stiffness properties to reference. The spring's X axis is along the spring length. The
software defines the Y direction as lying in the XY plane, and perpendicular to the
spring X axis, and uses the right-hand convention to define the Z direction. Use the
following options on the advanced version of the Spring Definition dialog box to
define the XY plane for the stiffness properties of an advanced spring:
• Point — Use the selector arrow to select a reference point that lies in the
spring's XY plane.
• Axis — Use the selector arrow to select a reference axis that is parallel to the
spring's XY plane.
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• Vector in WCS — Specify the X, Y, and Z components, relative to the WCS,

of a direction vector that lies in the spring's XY plane. This option is the
default selection.
• Coordinate System — Specify the coordinate system to which the spring

properties refer. You can select any coordinate system for this purpose. The
default is the WCS.
Note: You can define zero-length springs in FEM mode. In this case, to
define the orientation, you should select a coordinate system.
To Create an Advanced Spring
3. Select Advanced as the spring type.
4. If you did not select geometric references before opening the dialog box, click
and use the normal methods to select references on your model to

specify a location for the spring.
5. Define stiffness properties for the spring. You can select a previously-defined
stiffness property from the drop-down list, or you can click the More button
to define new stiffness properties.
6. Define the Y direction of your spring.
7. Enter an additional rotation if you want a value other than zero. If you do not
enter a value, the software assumes a value of zero.
Precedence Rules
Precedence rules for your idealizations and connections determine which modeling
entity takes precedence when you apply two modeling entities of the same type on
or between the same reference entities. There are two types of precedence rules,
modeling precedence rules and geometric precedence rules.
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Modeling Precedence Rules
These rules apply when you work with assemblies, and are determined by the
assembly hierarchy:
• When you apply a modeling entity from a top-level assembly, this modeling
entity takes precedence over a modeling entity applied from a subassembly or
a part.
• When you apply a modeling entity from a subassembly, this modeling entity
takes precedence over a modeling entity applied from a part.
Geometric Precedence Rules
Keep these rules in mind when working with the modeling entities that require
points, curves, or surfaces as their reference entities. With some of these modeling
entities, you can use multiple geometric entities as reference entities. For example,
you can select a feature or a pattern of points and create a beam, spring, or rigid
link that runs along a sequence of points. You can also apply a beam on multiple
curves, or place a shell on a collection of surfaces.
If you later create a new modeling entity of the same type, placing it on or between
the same reference entities, it overrides the existing one when the following
conditions are met:
• You select a higher precedence geometric entity as a reference entity for your
new modeling entity.
• The higher precedence geometric entity belongs to a lower precedence
geometric entity already referenced by your existing modeling entity.
For example, if you select a single point as a reference entity for your new beam, the
new beam overrides an existing one that references a feature of points that include
this single point.
The following table illustrates how the precedence rules work for modeling entities
that can reference points, curves, or surfaces.

Reference Entity
Mesh Control Rule
A single point takes
precedence over a
feature of points or a
• beam pattern of points.
• spring
• mass A feature of points takes
• gap points precedence over a
• rigid link pattern of points.
• weighted link
Points take precedence
over curves, edges, and
surfaces.
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An individual curve takes

precedence over a
• beam
composite curve.
• mass (in FEM
curves or edges
mode)
Curves and edges take
precedence over
surfaces.
• shell
• beam (surface-
surface, in FEM A single surface takes
mode) surfaces precedence over a whole
• mass (in FEM quilt.
mode)
Results When Using Automatic Midsurface

Connections
When you model an assembly using midsurface compression and the automatic
midsurface connections established by this type of modeling connect overlapping
surfaces subject to displacement, Mechanica can give results that do not reflect the
actual displacement.
This figure shows an assembly with two mated parts before you apply any
displacement stress.
This figure shows the actual results when the two parts are modeled as solids
resulting in no slippage along the common surface.
This figure shows what happens when you use midsurface compression with
automatic midsurface connections. Mechanica displaces the assembly about four
times further than it does for solid parts.
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If the difference between the actual displacement and the displacement reported by
Mechanica is beyond an acceptable tolerance, consider one of these alternatives:
• In situations where the difference is unacceptable for the entire model, we

suggest that you model your assembly as a solid.
• In situations where the difference is only unacceptable for certain mated
components, you can create welds, fasteners, or rigid connections to model
the behavior in these areas. Alternatively, you can use beams to stiffen the
model and, thus, correct the behavior.
Spring References
You can define the location of a spring on your model by selecting one of the
following reference types from the References area on the Spring Definition
dialog box:
• Point–Point — Create a spring between two points or two vertices.

• Point–Surface — Create a spring between a point and a surface, or a vertex
and a surface.
• Point–Edge — Create a spring between a point and an edge, or a vertex and
an edge.
Note: For the location of the spring-end positioned on the

surface/edge, the software selects the spot that is closest to the first
point of the spring. If you need to position the spring at a particular
place on the surface/edge, use the Point–Point option and create a
datum point along the surface/edge.
• Point–Point Pairs — Create multiple point-to-point springs with the same

characteristics.
following:
• single point or vertex

• point feature (includes one or more single points)
• pattern of point features
The software treats the springs you create from point features or patterns of points
as single entities. You cannot specify different properties for different springs created
from the same point feature or pattern of point features.
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Extra Tab on Beam Definition Dialog Box

You can use the following items on the Extra tab of the Beam Definition dialog box
to include shear and stress information in your beam results. This tab is only active
in FEM mode.
• Shear Relief — Enter values in this area for the components of the shear
relief coefficient in the XY plane and XZ plane. You may want to specify a
shear relief coefficient if your beam is tapered and includes thick flanges. In a
tapered flanged beam, the flanges support a portion of the transverse shear
load, and the shear relief coefficients take this support into consideration. For
a beam for which the thicknesses at ends A and B are given by hA and hB,
respectively, the shear relief coefficient is given by:
S = 2(hA - hB)/(hA + hB)
• Include Stress Recovery — Check this box if you want Mechanica to include
beam stress recovery points in analyses.
Auto Detect Paired Surfaces

If you used feature creation methods that implicitly paired the surfaces in your
model, you can use the Insert>Midsurface>Auto Detect command to detect and
pair these surfaces automatically. Feature creation methods that implicitly pair
surfaces in your model include:
• shells
• ribs
• ears
• thin protrusions
• sheet metal
When you select Auto Detect, Mechanica highlights the pairs that it was able to
create. One surface in each pair is red and the other yellow. If you determine that
Auto Detect did not pair all the applicable pairs in the model, use New to complete
the pairing process manually. See Example: Unpaired Surface on L-Bracket for an
example of geometry with unpaired surfaces.
Guidelines for Assigning Mass Properties

Before you create a mass idealization that is based on a component (part or
subassembly) in Mechanica, you must use Pro/ENGINEER to calculate mass
properties for the component, and save the component before leaving
Pro/ENGINEER.
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Here are a few methods you can use to get the necessary mass information:
Part
• Open the part in Pro/ENGINEER and use the Edit>Setup>Mass Props

command. Enter a density value on the Setup Mass Properties dialog box.
Be sure you save the part before leaving Pro/ENGINEER.
• Open the part in Pro/ENGINEER and use the Edit>Setup>Material>Define
command to specify material properties. Then use the Edit>Setup>Mass
Props command to obtain the mass from the material properties. Be sure you
save the part before leaving Pro/ENGINEER.
• Use material properties from Mechanica with the Pro/ENGINEER
Edit>Setup>Material>Assign command. Then use the Edit>Setup>Mass
Props command to obtain the mass from the material properties. Be sure you
save the part before leaving Pro/ENGINEER.
Subassembly
• To use a subassembly as the component for your mass idealization, you must
assign mass properties to all of the parts in the subassembly using one of the
methods above. Be sure to use the Edit>Setup>Mass Props command and
save the subassembly before you leave Pro/ENGINEER.
• If you have not assigned any mass properties for your subassembly or its
components in either Pro/ENGINEER or Mechanica, you can use the
Pro/ENGINEER Edit>Setup>Mass Props command to calculate mass
properties for the entire subassembly. Select Geometry and Parameters
under Source, and enter a density value. When you click OK, Pro/ENGINEER
calculates mass properties for all the components in your subassembly based
on that density.
Parameter-Capable Edit Fields

When an edit field is parameter-capable, you can enter expressions that contain the
names of Pro/ENGINEER parameters. During design studies, Mechanica evaluates
these expressions and uses the resulting value in the computation.
If an edit field is parameter-capable, Mechanica displays a P button to the left of the

edit field. When you click the P button, the software displays the Select
Pro/ENGINEER Parameter dialog box. If no Pro/ENGINEER parameters are
defined, the data form appears but does not list any parameters. If Pro/ENGINEER
parameters are defined, you can select one from the displayed list. Mechanica then
displays the parameter you select in the edit field.
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Fix and Flip Normals

If your shell is not part of a volume or part of a shell pair in a midsurface
compressed model, these options appear on the SIM SELECT menu after you select
a surface for the Insert>Shell or Insert>Pressure Load command:
• Fix Normals — Use this option to adjust all surfaces so that the normal
directions in each element are consistent across the model. Mechanica
changes the normal direction of some surfaces to make the normals as
consistent as possible.
For certain models, it is not possible to generate a completely consistent set of

directions. Review the normals and use Flip to fine-tune the global fix.
• Flip Normals — Use this option to change the direction of the normal in
selected surfaces.
Select the surfaces. Mechanica flips the direction of the arrow for each surface
you selected.
Example: Geometric Precedence Rules

Suppose you apply your first beam between a single point and a feature of points.
Although the software creates multiple beams, it treats them as a single entity.
For your second beam, you select two single points, one of them belonging to the
feature of points referenced for the first beam. The second beam overrides the one
that already existed between the same single points. The remainder of the first beam
referencing the point feature is not changed.
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Example: Invalidating a Modeling Entity

You cannot use a force load with a force per unit area distribution on a geometric
entity that you midsurface compress to another type of geometric entity. For
example, if you decide to model the following rectangular plate as a shell, Mechanica
would display a warning indicating that you need to redefine the problem load.
If you applied the load with a force per unit of length distribution to the top or
bottom curve for the surface shown above, Mechanica would keep the load. If you
loaded both the top and bottom curve, Mechanica would calculate the compressed
load based on the value of both loads.
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Example: Multiconstant-Thickness Pairs

One of the simplest illustrations of a part you can model with a multiconstant-
thickness pair is the following:
In this case, you select all three top surfaces and pair them with the three
corresponding bottom surfaces. When it processes the pair, Mechanica compresses
the bottom surfaces and top surfaces into a single, continuous midsurface. The
software divides the midsurface into segments that coincide with the layout of the
top surfaces and associates the individual thicknesses with each of these segments.
Note: Make sure the compressed midsurfaces all intersect so that there are
no gaps or discontinuities. If they do not intersect, correct the model
manually to eliminate the gaps.
When it builds elements during an analysis run, Mechanica places half of the
thickness on top of the midsurface and half on the bottom. If your model includes
shell pairs of variable thickness, or one where you have modified the pair placement,
the shape of the final model may be different from that of the uncompressed model,
as in the following example:
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Point–Point Pairs
When you select Point–Point Pairs from the Reference option menu on the Beam
Definition or Spring Definition dialog boxes, you can create multiple beams or
springs on individual pairs of points. These beams or springs will all share the same
definition. In contrast, if you select Point–Point, Point–Surface, or Point–Edge
from the Reference option menu, the definition applies to only one spring or beam
at a time.
To create multiple beams or springs, you select Point–Point Pairs from the
Reference option menu, click the selector arrow under the Reference option menu,
and then select the beginning and end points of each beam or spring you want to
create. You must select an even number of points and you can select the same point
twice. All the settings you make on the dialog box will apply to all the beams or
springs you create before you click the OK button.
You can use the Point–Point Pairs option to create multiple continuous or individual
beams or springs, all having the same definition. For example:
• You can create a continuous string of end-to-end beams or springs where the
end of one beam or spring is at the same point as the beginning of the next.
As shown on the left in the example below, you can create four continuous
end-to-end beams or springs that have the same beginning and end point by
clicking points 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, and 1, in that order.
• You can create multiple individual beams or springs by clicking the beginning
and end points of each one. As shown on the right in the example below, you
can create two individual beams or springs that do not touch each other by
clicking points 1, 2, 3, and 4.
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Example: Collet Illustration
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Example: Unpaired Surface on L-Bracket

The following L-bracket includes one unpaired surface. Shown with this example are
two solutions:
In this case, the L-bracket round does not have a surface that the software can pair
it with. To remedy the situation, you should suppress the round, as in solution A, or
create an opposing round, as in solution B.
Omit Unopposed Surfaces

If you omit unopposed surfaces from a pair, Mechanica compresses the model
differently depending on the following factors:
• whether the surface you omitted is on the red side of the pair or the yellow
side of the pair
• the state of the UseUnopposed toggle on the COMPRES MDL menu
For example, if you designed a collet and wanted to constrain a small section of the
outside surface, you might add a region to the model. If you then omitted the region
from your pairing scheme, Mechanica would compress and subsequently analyze the
model differently depending on which surface had the red highlighting. To see how
the compression results change when the unopposed surface is on the red side or
the yellow side of the pair, see the collet cross section illustration.
After you pair your model, you can inspect the pairing scheme by shading your
model. To shade your model, select View>Shade and highlight Shell Pairs in the
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Model Tree. Reviewing the shaded model can disclose areas that are unpaired but
may not be noticeable in the wireframe view of the model.
Example: T-Bracket
In the following approach, Mechanica compresses shell pair a to form the horizontal
plane of the T-bracket and shell pair b to form the vertical plane.
Note: If your model includes a meeting of more than two surface pairs, make
sure the compressed midsurfaces all intersect at a common point or axis. If
they do not, correct the model manually to ensure a proper intersection.
The original model in the above example was created as a solid model. However, if
you created this model using Pro/SHEETMETAL, the software may not merge the
common surface of the two perpendicular plates, resulting in a gap between the two
midsurfaces. In this case, you may need to correct the geometry to ensure that
Mechanica solves the model correctly.
Example: Part with Unopposed Surfaces

The part in the figure is an example of geometry that can lead to unopposed surfaces
in a shell model. The top of the part, surface a, is selected first for the shell pair.
There are three shorter, non-continuous surfaces opposite and parallel to surface a.
Suppose you select only surface b on the bottom portion of the horizontal bar to
complete the shell pair. This means that surface a does not have an opposing surface
for its entire length.
To see how the presence or absence of an unopposed surface affects the midsurface
compression, select the Insert>Midsurface>Compress>Shells only command.
The COMPRES MDL menu appears with the UseUnopposed check box selected. If
you select the Show Pairs command with the UseUnopposed check box selected,
Mechanica uses the entire length of surface a for the compressed midsurface, as
shown on the right. If you select Show Pairs with the UseUnopposed check box
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cleared, Mechanica uses the length of surface b, and displays the shorter midsurface
on the left.
Example: Assembly Model with Gap

This figure shows that after midsurface compression, the resulting model develops a
gap between the collet and the bracket. By nature, the collet midsurface is smaller
than the outer surface and no longer reaches the bracket despite the assembly
constraints. Because it applies a shell thickness that would interfere with the bracket
were the bracket to move, Mechanica does not adjust the position of the bracket
midsurface to meet the collet midsurface.
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Masses Based on Components (FEM mode)

Keep the following points in mind when using components for mass definitions in
assembly mode:
• Before you create a mass idealization that is based on a component, you

must calculate mass properties for the component or the entire assembly
using the Pro/ENGINEER command Edit>Setup>Mass Props. This command
opens the Setup Mass Properties dialog box. Enter a density for the
assembly or components and click OK to assign or update the mass property
values. If you want to review the mass properties values, click Generate
Report. Be sure to save the component so that the mass will be available for
Mechanica.
Note: For tips on alternative methods to assign mass properties before

you create a mass idealization, see Guidelines for Assigning Mass
Properties. For more information on the Mass Props command, search
the Fundamentals functional area of the PTC Help system.
• The component that you use to define your mass cannot contain volumes that
will be meshed as solids during a FEM analysis.
• You can select a curve or surface on a master representation or a simplified
representation. For information on simplified representations, search the
Fundamentals functional area in the PTC Help system.
• The component that you use to define your mass can be specified as excluded
or substituted in the simplified representation. In this case, select the
excluded or substituted component from the Model Tree when you define your
mass.
• After you define a mass by component, you can confirm the values of the
mass, moments of inertia, and center of gravity for the component by using
object action or by right-clicking the mass item under Idealizations on the
Model Tree and selecting the Info command. The moments of inertia and
center of gravity are reported in terms of the component's WCS.
• The location of the selected point affects the analysis of your FEM mesh data.
If the point you select for your mass idealization coincides with the center of
gravity of the component, you can output mesh data to the ANSYS or
MSC/NASTRAN solvers.
• If the point you select for your mass idealization does not coincide with the
center of gravity of the component, you can only output to the NASTRAN
solver. You cannot use the other FEM solvers with this type of mass
idealization. After you run the NASTRAN solver, you can view the center of
gravity offset on the NASTRAN output.
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Properties According to Mass Type (FEM

mode)
The information you need to enter in the Properties area of the Mass Definition
dialog box changes depending on whether you select Simple, Advanced, or
Component from the Type option list. Here is an overview:
• Simple — For simple masses on points, enter a real-number value or click p

to create or select a Pro/ENGINEER parameter. For simple masses on edges,
curves, or surfaces, select one of these properties to define a simple mass:
o Total — Enter a real-number value for the mass, or click p to create
or select a Pro/ENGINEER parameter. The distribution of the mass
along the surface or curve depends upon the mesh nodes. Each node
contributes to its neighboring nodes. The mass distribution is weighted
by the contribution from adjacent nodes. For example, a node on a
curve with two neighboring nodes will have twice the mass distribution
as a node with only one neighbor.
o Per Unit Length or Per Unit Area — Enter a real-number value or
click p to create or select a Pro/ENGINEER parameter. For a curve, the
total mass is the product of the entered value times the length. For a
surface, the total mass is the product of the entered value times the
area. The mass distribution is weighted by the contribution from
adjacent nodes.
• Advanced — For advanced masses, select a coordinate system or accept the
default WCS. You must also specify a mass property for advanced masses.
The mass properties are relative to the selected coordinate system. You can
use any mass property previously defined for your model, or you can click the
More button to define new mass properties.
Tip: You cannot locate an advanced mass on the Z axis of a cylindrical

coordinate system, or on the = 0 axis of a spherical coordinate
system.
• Component — For component masses, select one of the parts or

subassemblies on your assembly. The software uses the component's mass,
moments of inertia, and center of gravity for the mass definition.
Surfaces and Curves Used in Shell Definition

You can use the following surfaces and curves to define a shell:
Mode Surfaces/Curves You Can Select
Native mode You can select surfaces or quilts as

references.
Surface references are valid only for 3D

model types and 2D plane stress model
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Mode Surfaces/Curves You Can Select
types.
Curve references are valid only for 2D

plane strain and 2D axisymmetric model
types.
FEM mode You can select quilts and quilt surfaces,

or surfaces of shell pairs.
When you choose a shell pair, Mechanica

respects any shell properties, such as
thickness or material, provided you
assign the properties to the red surface
of the pair. If you choose the yellow
surface of the compressed pair,
Mechanica ignores the shell properties
and derives such properties from the
geometry of the solid.
Masses Based on Components

Keep the following points in mind when using components for mass definitions in
assembly mode:
• Before you create a mass idealization that is based on a component, you

must calculate mass properties for the component using the Pro/ENGINEER
command Edit>Setup>Mass Props. This command opens the Setup Mass
Properties dialog box. Enter a density and click OK to assign or update the
mass property values. If you want to review the mass properties values, click
Generate Report. Be sure to save the component so that the mass will be
available for Mechanica.
Note: For tips on alternative methods to assign mass properties before

you create a mass idealization, see Guidelines for Assigning Mass
Properties. For more information on the Mass Props command, search
the Fundamentals functional area of the PTC Help system.
• You can select a point or vertex on a master representation or a simplified

representation. For information on simplified representations, search the
Fundamentals functional area in the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
• The component that you use to define your mass can be specified as excluded
or substituted in the simplified representation. In this case, select the
excluded or substituted component from the Model Tree when you define your
mass.
• After you define a mass by component, you can confirm the values of the
mass, moments of inertia, and center of gravity for the component by using
object action or by right-clicking the mass item under Idealizations on the
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Model Tree and selecting the Info command. The moments of inertia and
center of gravity are reported in terms of the component's WCS.
Properties
About Properties
You must assign properties to your model and to its idealizations to provide
Mechanica with the information it needs to analyze your model. Mechanica provides
the following property types:
• Materials
• Material Orientations
• Shell Properties
• Beam Sections
• Beam Orientations
• Beam Releases
• Spring Properties
• Mass Properties
For most properties, you must perform two main activities—creating the property
and assigning the property:
• Property Creation — You can create properties at any time through the
Properties menu and the dialog boxes for each property type. You can also
create properties associated with idealizations as you create the idealization.
• Property Assignment — You can assign most properties that are associated
with idealizations while creating the idealization. For example, you can assign
spring properties as you create a spring idealization. You can assign
properties associated with geometry or with the model as a whole at any time
prior to analysis. Material properties assigned to a part or surface fall into this
category.
To learn more about the properties required by idealizations, see Properties on

Idealizations and Geometry. For information on factors you should consider when
using properties, see Considerations for Using Properties
Deleting Properties
You can delete properties using the following commands:
• Material Properties — Properties>Materials. The Materials dialog box

appears. You select a material from the Materials in Model list and click the
Delete button to eliminate it. In FEM mode, you can also unassign materials
you have assigned to your model.
• Shell Properties — Properties>Shell Properties. The Shell Properties

dialog box appears. You select a shell property from the Shell Properties in
Model list and click the Delete button to eliminate it.
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• Beam Section Properties — Properties>Beam Sections. The Beam

Sections dialog box appears. You select a beam section from the Beam
Sections in Model list and click the Delete button to eliminate it.
Background Information
Properties on Idealizations and Geometry
You typically assign properties to model geometry and, in some cases, idealizations.
Assigning properties to idealizations can be indirect, as in the case of assigning a
material to a part that you then compress as a midsurface shell. Or, it can take place
as part of creating an idealization on a geometric entity—for example, when you
create a beam section directly assigned to a curve. The properties you assign vary
with the type of idealization you are using:
Idealization Properties Needed
beam Material
Beam Section
Beam Orientation
Beam Releases
mass Mass Value
Moments of Inertia
shell Material
Thickness
solid Material
Considerations for Using Properties

Some considerations for using properties include the following:
• Assigning Properties to Geometric Entities — You assign properties to

geometric entities, not individual elements. For example, you can assign shell
properties to curve and surface geometric entities. During a run, the elements
Mechanica creates inherit properties from the geometric entity on which the
element lies.
• Using Orthotropic or Transversely Isotropic Material Properties — If
you plan to use orthotropic or transversely isotropic material properties, you
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need to assign material orientation properties to solids, 2D solids, and 2D

plates. See About Material Orientation for more information.
Beam Sections
About Beam Sections
Use the Properties>Beam Sections command to define the shape and size of the
cross sections when you create beams. You can also define a beam section and save
it in a library file, called mbmsct.lib, for future use.
There are three categories of beam section types that you can use:
• Sketched — Create your own cross section using the sketch thin or sketch
solid beam type.
• Standard — Use Mechanica's standard cross sections, such as square,
rectangle, I-beam, and so on.
• General — Use Mechanica's general type to design a cross section. The
general beam section does not have a specific shape, but you must provide
the area, as well as section properties, shear parameters, and stress grids.
When you select the Properties>Beam Sections command, the Beam Sections
dialog box appears. You can also access this dialog box by clicking the More button
in the Section area of the Beam Definition dialog box. Use the items on this dialog
box to create, edit, copy, or delete beam sections.
You can create several types of beam sections from these three categories. Standard
beam sections reflect a particular predefined beam shape. You use the sketcher to
define the shapes for sketched beam sections. General types do not reflect a
particular shape. When you create a beam, Mechanica represents each of the
standard beam section types with a unique icon that represents their shape and size.
Icons for sketched sections reproduce the sketch, and General section icons are not
associated with any shape.
Beam Section Library

Library Lists for Beam Sections, Shell
Properties, and Spring Properties
You can save beam section definitions, shell properties, and spring stiffness
properties in property-specific libraries. These libraries are a convenient way to use
the same property definition for more than one model. There is no limit to the
number of property definitions you can have in a model or in your library. You can
use the library lists on the Beam Sections, Shell Properties, and Spring
Properties dialog boxes to add property definitions to these libraries, or to move
property definitions from a library to your model. For information on how Mechanica
saves the libraries, see Managing Library Files.
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• Adding to the libraries — After you create a property definition, use the left
arrow button on the appropriate dialog box to move the definition from the
Entity in Model list to the Entity in Library list. This places the current
property definition in your library. Be aware that Mechanica creates and saves
the property-specific library file as soon as you move the first property from
the Entity in Model list to the Entity in Library list.
If the property definition you are adding has the same name as a definition
already in the library, Mechanica tells you that the name already exists and
asks if you want to overwrite it. If you select No, Mechanica does not add the
current definition to the library.
You cannot, overwrite a property definition in the Entity in Model list with a
property definition with the same name from the Entity in Library list. If you
create a new property definition with the same name as a definition already in
the library, the left arrow button becomes inactive.
• Editing library definitions — To edit a property definition from the library,

use the right arrow button to move the property definition from the Entity in
Library list to the Entity in Model list and select Edit to open the dialog box
that you used to create the property definition. When you are finished editing,
use the left arrow button to move it back to the Entity in Library list.
Managing Library Files

Mechanica handles the libraries for beam sections differently from the libraries for
shell and spring properties.
• Beam sections — beam_sections directory
The beam_sections directory contains one file for every beam section definition
in your library. The files have the same name as the beam section definition,
with the extension .bsf. In addition, for sketched sections, Mechanica saves a
.sec file with the sketch information. To delete a property definition from the
beam section library, delete the appropriate .bsf file.
Note that if you have a beam section library file (mbmsct.lib) from an earlier
release present in one of the directories where Mechanica searches for the
libraries and you save a new beam section into that library, the software
creates a beam_sections directory that includes a .bsf file for each of the
previous beam section definitions. Mechanica retains the original beam section
library file so you can archive it or use it with older Mechanica releases that
support .lib files for beam sections.
• Shell properties — mshlprp.lib.

• Spring stiffness properties — mspstf.lib
The default location for all library files is your home directory, but you can move it to
a different directory. You can use the environment variable $HOMEDRIVE to set your
home directory on Windows platforms.
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When you access the library, Mechanica looks for the library file in the following
directories in this order:
1. the directory from which you started Mechanica

2. your home directory
3. the lib subdirectory of the Mechanica home directory
You can move or copy the library files into any of the above directories.
Note: For the beam section library, you can specify another location for the
beam_sections directory with the config.pro option sim_beamsec_path. You
must use a full path for this option.
Beam Section Definition Dialog Box

When you click New on the Beam Sections dialog box, this dialog box appears with
the following items. Use the Beam Section Definition dialog box to choose a cross-
section type and specify the properties for your beam sections.

• Description — Enter an optional description for your beam section. The
description appears on the Beam Sections dialog box when you highlight a
beam section in one of the lists.
• Section tab — Select one of these sections from the Type drop-down list.
The dialog box changes depending upon the type of section you choose. You
can create the following beam section types:
o General
o Square
o Rectangle
o Hollow Rect
o Channel
o I-Beam
o L-Section
o Diamond
o Solid Circle
o Hollow Circle
o Solid Ellipse
o Hollow Ellipse
o Sketched Solid
o Sketched Thin
• Review — Click this button to open the embedded browser with a summary
of the parameters that Mechanica calculates for your section.
• Warp & Mass tab — In FEM mode only, use this tab to define additional
beam values when you use the MSC/NASTRAN solver.
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Sketched Thin and Sketched Solid

As you create sketched beam cross sections, you will be working with the section
sketcher. Following are some guidelines for working with the sketcher:
• For Sketched Thin and Sketched Solid beam types, use the sketcher to
draw and dimension the cross section of your beam.
• When you sketch a beam section, Mechanica displays the sketcher coordinate
system with Y as the vertical axis and X as the horizontal axis. After you leave
the section sketcher, Mechanica translates this coordinate system to one with
Y as the vertical axis and Z as the horizontal axis. When you complete the
beam the software displays a beam section icon on the appropriate model
geometry. This icon shows the beam section's shape coordinate system
(BSCS) in Y and Z, and reproduces the sketch in the correct size.
• You can add sketched sections to Mechanica's section library. If you created
your sketched section in a previous release, be sure that the units for the
beam section are consistent with the current principal system of units.
• If you want your solid sketched section to have a shear center that is different
from the beam centroid, you must specify values for Shear DY and Shear
DZ on the Beam Section Definition dialog box.
• To view stress results for recovery points for your sketched beam section, you
must create points on the sketched section. When you view results,
Mechanica displays a graphic of your sketch showing the location of the
points. Keep in mind that the maximum number of recovery points is nine in
native mode and four in FEM mode.
• Once you have completed your sketched beam sections, you can define shape
changes for these sections by creating design parameters for them. In this
case, the design parameters control the sketch dimensions you defined for
the beam section. Thus, you can dynamically modify your beam profile during
sensitivity and optimization studies. You can create design parameters using
any sketched solid or thin beam section.
Note: You cannot create design parameters for predefined Mechanica

beam sections. Only sketched sections allow design parameters.
• For thin sections, you must define thickness using the Sketch>Feature
Tools>Thickness command.
Beam Stress Calculations

When you review results for beams, you can look at the maximum, minimum, or
maximum absolute stress for each beam. You can also look at stress at any of the
locations on each beam at which Mechanica reports bending stresses.
The standard beam section types have default locations for the points at which you
can view stress. For the general section, you must enter coordinates in Y and Z for
the stress recovery points in the Stress Grids area of the Beam Section Definition
dialog box. For a sketched section, you must explicitly create datum points on the
section sketch in the location where you want to view stress results. When you
define your result window, the software displays a graphic with the available stress
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recovery point locations for standard and sketched sections. The graphic for general
sections displays default locations that may not correspond to the location of the
points you enter in the Stress Grids area of the Beam Section Definition dialog
box.
Mechanica assumes that the shear center of the beam element lies on the neutral
bending axis, which is true in general only for symmetric cross sections. If the beam
cross section you are modeling is not symmetric about one or both principal bending
axes, the displacement or stress results reported by Mechanica may not be correct.
There are a few differences in reviewing results for beam stress in FEM mode:
• You can only view stress recovery points in FEM mode results if you run with
the MSC/NASTRAN solver and view the .xdb results file.
• There is a maximum of four beam stress recovery points. To compare the
location of the allowed stress recovery points in native mode and FEM mode,
see the help topic for each section type.
• You can create beams in FEM mode that have different section types at the
start and end. Mechanica interpolates the cross-sections internally. If you
create a beam with different start and end section types, you cannot view
results for the stress recovery points.
Beam Section Icons

When you have entered values and accepted them on the Beam Section Definition
dialog box, Mechanica places wireframe icons of the beam section on the beam. The
icon is a full-scale representation of the beam section you defined. The beam section
icon allows you to verify the sizing of the beam section, beam orientation, and beam
offsets. For example, if you specify non-zero values for the DY and DZ offset on the
Beam Orientation Definition dialog box, the icon is offset from the beam axis the
specified distance.
The beam section icon lies in a plane orthogonal to the beam X axis, as shown in this
illustration:
Note that for general sections, the software does not display an icon. For sketched
sections, the software uses a reproduction of the sketch for the icon.
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For information on the icons used for each beam section type, see Beam Section
Definition Dialog Box and select the description for the appropriate beam section
type.
Beam Section Property Calculations

Depending on the type of beam cross section, Mechanica uses the following
formulations for beam section property calculations:
• Solid Sections — The shear center is not calculated for solid sections. It is
assumed to be at the centroid of the section, coincident with the neutral axis.
You can modify the location of the shear center. Torsional stiffness, the
second polar moment of area J, is approximated as:
J = 4 Iy Iz / (Iy + Iz)
Note: This equation gives the exact value only for circular sections and
can have an error as high as 20% for rectangular sections. For other
shapes, the error can be even higher. Exercise caution when using the
calculated value of J. You can find exact values of J for torsional stiffness
in R.J. Roark and W.C. Young, Formulas for Stress and Strain, 6th
edition, Table 20, pages 348–359.
• Thin Wall Sections — The calculation for this section type assumes the
thickness is small relative to the overall dimensions of the section. The
thickness is assumed to be distributed equally about both sides of the section.
It is recommended, therefore, that you use this section type only when this
length-to-thickness ratio exceeds 20:1. The overall exterior dimension of the
sketch is a suitable characteristic length for this purpose.
The calculation of torsional stiffness depends on the type of section. The

section types, and their torsional stiffness calculations, are as follows:
o An open section:
J = 1/3 Ut3
where U is the total length of the sketched section, and t is the

thickness.
o A section containing a single closed cell:
J = 4 Am2 t / U
where Am is the area enclosed by the loop that defines the section, t is
the thickness, and U is the total length.
For more complex sections, the software applies a numerical procedure. See
R.J. Roark and W.C. Young, Formulas for Stress and Strain, 6th edition, for
examples.
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Note: For beams likely to experience torsional loading or deformation, it

is recommended that you use the standard, predefined Mechanica
sections.
To Create a Beam Section

1. Select Properties>Beam Sections.
The Beam Sections dialog box appears.
Note: You can also access this dialog box by clicking the More button
in the Section area of the Beam Definition dialog box.
2. Click the New button. The Beam Section Definition dialog box appears.
3. Enter a section name or use the default name.
4. Optionally, enter a description.
5. On the Section tab, select the type of beam you want to create.
6. In FEM mode only, on the Warp & Mass tab, define beam section
information.
7. Optionally, you can click the Review button to review the beam section
properties.
8. Click OK to save the beam section and exit the dialog box.
Beam Orientation
About Beam Orientations
Use the Properties>Beam Orientations command to define beam orientations.
Beam orientation specifies the orientation of the BSCS relative to the BACS.
When you select this command, the Beam Orientations dialog box appears. Use
this dialog box to create, edit, select, or delete beam orientations. When you create
beam orientation definitions Mechanica saves the definition with your model file. You
can associate the beam orientation definitions with beams as you create the beam or
later.
The Beam Orientations dialog box displays a list of the beam orientations you
defined previously. When you highlight an orientation name, any description you
included with the definition appears. This dialog box includes the following buttons:
• New — Opens the Beam Orientation Definition dialog box to allow you to
define a new orientation.
• Edit — Opens the Beam Orientation Definition dialog box to allow you to
modify the selected orientation.
• Copy — Adds a copy of the orientation to the list. Mechanica names the copy
BeamOrientx, where x is a number calculated as one plus the number of
beam orientations in the list. To change the name, use Edit.
• Delete — Removes the selected orientation from the list.
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For information on how the software defines beam orientation, see Beam Coordinate
Systems.
Beam Action Coordinate System

Loads applied to beams act through the beam action coordinate system (BACS).
Forces and moments transmit to beams at beam connections through the BACS.
The origin of the BACS is on the curve that the software draws as a blue line when
you create a beam. The X axis of the BACS is parallel to the axis of the beam. You
control the direction of the Y and Z axes of the BACS by setting the Y direction on
the Beam Definition dialog box.
Beam Shape Coordinate System

Mechanica defines the beam cross-section shape relative to the beam shape
coordinate system (BSCS). The X axis for beams is along the length of the beam,
with the positive X direction determined when you select the beam references. For
standard beam section types, the software determines the Y and Z axes for the
BSCS. Here are a few examples of BSCS for standard beam sections:
If you create a sketched beam section, the orientation of the Y and Z axes for the
BSCS is the same as the orientation of the Y and X axes in the sketcher. For a
general cross section, the software determines the BCPCS based on your
specifications, and the BSCS is essentially the same as the BCPCS for this cross-
section type.
When Mechanica draws the beam section outline as part of the beam icon in the
model window, it also draws the BSCS, with a Y-shape at the tip of the Y axis and an
arrow at the tip of the Z axis.
You can position the origin of the BSCS relative to the BACS by entering values for
DY and DZ on the Beam Orientation Definition dialog box. You can also rotate the
BSCS around the beam X axis by entering a value for Orientation Angle on the
same dialog box. As an alternative adjustment, you can click the Shear Center
radio button to position the shear center of the beam section relative to the BACS.
When you assign a beam orientation to your beam, Mechanica adjusts the beam icon
in the model window to reflect the rotational and linear offsets.
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Beam Centroidal Principal Coordinate System

The origin of the beam centroidal principal coordinate system (BCPCS) is at the
centroid, or mass center, of the section.
The Y and Z axes of this coordinate system are the principal axes that pass through
the centroid of the section. The principal axes define the axes of maximum and
minimum moments of inertia.
The location and orientation of the BCPCS relative to the BSCS is a function of the
shape of the beam's section only. For general sections and all standard sections
except channel and L, the BSCS is coincident with the BCPCS. For sketched, channel,
and L sections, Mechanica determines the BCPCS automatically.
The BCPCS is sometimes referred to as the principal coordinate system. When you
review properties for a beam section, Mechanica uses the BCPCS to report many of
the values.
Beam Orientation Definition Dialog Box

Use the items on the Beam Orientation Definition dialog box to specify the
orientation of the BSCS relative to the BACS. To see how the values you enter here
affect the orientation of the BSCS relative to the BACS, it may be helpful to view the
example of shifting the shape origin or shifting the shear center. You can access this
dialog box by selecting Properties>Beam Orientations, or by clicking the New
button on the Beam Orientations dialog box. The Beam Orientation Definition
dialog box includes these items:
• Name — Enter a name or accept the default name, BeamOrientx, where x is

a number that Mechanica increments by 1 with each succeeding definition.
• Description — Enter an optional description. After you complete the beam
orientation definition, the description appears in the Beam Orientations
dialog box when you highlight the orientation name.
• Orientation Angle — Specify the angle to rotate the BSCS about the BSCS X
axis.
• Shape Origin, Shear Center — Select one of these as the attribute for
Mechanica to offset. The software uses the values you enter for DX, DY, or
DZ to offset the BSCS from the beam action coordinate system (BACS).
o Shape Origin is the point of origin of the beam shape coordinate
system (BSCS).
o Shear Center is the point on a beam section about which the section
rotates under deflection. For many of the standard beam sections, the
shear center is coincident with the shape origin. Channel sections and
L-sections are exceptions. For channel sections, for example, the shear
center is below the shape origin. You can view the offset of the shear
center from the shape origin when you define or edit your beam
section by reviewing beam section properties.
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• DX (FEM mode only) — Offset of the BSCS X axis from the BACS X axis. The
offset occurs along the direction of the BSCS X axis.
• DY, DZ — Offset of the BSCS from the BACS along the axis direction of the
BSCS.
To Define Beam Orientation

1. Select Properties>Beam Orientations.
The Beam Orientations dialog box appears with a list of previously defined
orientations.
Note: You can also access this dialog box from the Beam Definition
dialog box by clicking the More button in the Orientation area.
2. Click the New button. The Beam Orientation Definition dialog box
appears.
3. Enter a descriptive name for the beam orientation, or accept the default
name.
5. Enter the orientation angle.
6. Select Shape Origin or Shear Center as the attribute that you want to
offset with respect to the BACS.
7. Enter values for DY and DZ. In the FEM mode, you can also enter a value for
DX.
8. Click OK to save the definition and return to the Beam Orientations dialog
box. The beam orientation definition appears in the list.
Beam Releases
About Beam Releases
Use the Properties>Beam Releases command to specify the degrees of freedom
you want to release for a beam's ends. If you do not define a beam release,
Mechanica fixes all degrees of freedom at the ends of the beam.
Beam releases determine the degrees of freedom that do not participate in a

connection at the end of a beam. You can specify beam releases for both straight
and curved beams if they are defined using two entities, such as point-to-point
beams. You cannot specify beam releases for beams based on edges or curves.
When you apply a beam release definition to your beam, Mechanica displays a beam
release icon on the model that illustrates which degrees of freedom are fixed and
which are free.
When you select the Properties>Beam Releases command, the Beam Releases
dialog box appears. You can also access this dialog box by clicking the More button
in the Releases area of the Beam Definition dialog box. Use the items on the
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Beam Releases dialog box to manage the beam releases for your model. The dialog
box includes these items:
• Description — Displays any description you entered for the beam release on
the Beam Release Definition dialog box.
• New — Opens the Beam Release Definition dialog box to allow you to
specify the degrees of freedom for the beam end.
• Copy — Copies the selected beam release to a new name and adds it to the
list. Mechanica gives the copy the default name BeamReleasex, where x is a
number that is one greater than the number of beam releases in the list. To
change the name, use Edit.
• Edit — Opens the Beam Release Definition dialog box to allow you to
modify the current definition for the selected beam release.
• Delete — Remove the selected beam release from the list.
Beam Release Definition Dialog Box

Use the Beam Release Definition dialog box to specify the degrees of freedom you
want to release on the ends of your beams.
When you click the New button on the Beam Release dialog box, this dialog box
appears with the following items:
• Name — Enter a name or accept the default name.

• Description — Enter an optional description for the beam release. The
description appears on the Beam Releases dialog box when you select the
beam release from the list.
• Degree of Freedom to Release Relative to Beam Action Coordinate
System — Select a button to instruct Mechanica to release that degree of
freedom on the beam end. The software uses the BACS to define the direction
for the degrees of freedom.
o Translation — Dx, Dy, Dz
o Rotation — Rx, Ry, Rz
Beam Release Icons

When you create a beam release, the software displays a graphical icon on the
beam, positioned toward the end to which the release is applied. The icon is a triad,
with each leg of the triad representing the X, Y, and Z directions. The X direction is
aligned with the positive X direction of the beam, the Y direction with the positive Y
direction.
Note: The software does not display beam releases by default. You can
display them by selecting View>Simulation Display>Visibilities, and
clicking their check box.
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If a degree of freedom is released in any direction, Mechanica adds the appropriate

indicator to the icon:
• arrow head — indicates a translational release of the degree of freedom for

the indicated direction
• ring — indicates a rotational release of the degree of freedom for the
indicated direction
In the following illustration, the beam release has degrees of freedom released in all
six directions:
To Create a Beam Release

1. Select Properties>Beam Releases.
The Beam Releases dialog box appears.
Note: You can also access this dialog box by clicking the More button
in the Release area of the Beam Definition dialog box.
2. Click the New button. The Beam Release Definition dialog box appears.
3. Enter a name for the beam release or accept the default name.
5. Select the degrees of freedom you want to release by toggling on any of the
Translation or Rotation buttons.
6. Click OK to complete the definition.
Shell Properties
About Shell Properties
Use the Properties>Shell Properties command to create and manage shell
properties. If you want shells that are not homogeneous or shells that are comprised
of several layers, or plies, you must create shell properties for your model.
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You can assign shell properties to the following geometric entities, depending on the
model type:
Model Type Entity
3D surface (applies the shell property to

shell elements)
2D Plane Stress surface (applies the shell property to 2D

plate elements)
2D Plane Strain curve (applies the shell property to 2D

shell elements)
2D Axisymmetric curve (applies the shell property to 2D

shell elements)
You can assign a shell property (its thickness and laminate matrices) to a face,
region, or datum surface. You can also define a shell property that will reside in the
shell property library, but is not assigned to a particular entity. The shell property
library file is named mshlprp.lib.
When you select the Properties>Shell Properties command, the Shell Properties
dialog box appears. You use this dialog box to define the properties of a shell as you
define the shell, or you can define a shell property and save it in the library.
Before you define shell properties, see Guidelines for Using Shell Properties. To learn
more about shell properties, see Shell Thickness.
You can define three types of shell properties—homogeneous, laminate layup, and
laminate stiffness.
Shell Property Library

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Shell Property Types

There are two basic kinds of shells:
Homogeneous • Used for 2D and 3D shells

• Consists of a single material whose
properties do not vary through the thickness
of the shell
Laminate • Used for 3D shells

• Consists of one or more materials whose
properties may vary through the thickness of
the shell
There are three types of shell properties:
• Homogeneous — Assigned to homogeneous shells.

• Laminate Stiffness — Assigned to laminate shells to specify their degree of
stiffness.
• Laminate Layup — Assigned to laminate shells to define them as layers of
shells.
For more information about defining these property types, see the description of
Property Type.
Guidelines for Using Shell Properties

The following are guidelines for using shell properties:
• If you assign a shell definition to a surface that will be compressed,

Mechanica associates the shell property with the resulting midsurface.
• A shell definition assigned to a surface will overwrite the calculated shell
thickness of the paired model. A shell definition assigned to the red side will
overwrite the property assigned to the yellow side of a paired model.
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• If you define a shell of variable thickness, be aware that Mechanica takes the
value of the thickness from the shell, rather than from the actual thickness of
the part.
Shell Properties Dialog Box

When you select Properties>Shell Properties, the Shell Properties dialog box
appears. You can also access this dialog box by clicking More on the Shell
Definition dialog box after you have selected Type Advanced. You use this dialog
box to do the following:
• Create new shell properties in your model.

• Edit, copy, or delete existing shell properties.
• Move shell properties into or out of the library using the right and left arrows.
When you click New to create a new shell property, the Shell Property Definition
dialog box appears.
Shell Property Definition Dialog Box

Use this dialog box to define properties for shells on your model. The properties you
define for your shells depend upon whether you are working with a 2D or 3D model,
and upon the type of shell you want to simulate.
Homogeneous • Used for 2D and 3D shells

• Consists of a single material whose properties do not vary
through the thickness of the shell.
Laminate • Used for 3D shells

• Consists of one or more materials whose properties may
vary through the thickness of the shell.
When you click New on the Shell Properties dialog box, the Shell Property
Definition dialog box appears with these items:
• Name — Enter a name or accept the default name.

• Description — Enter an optional description.
• Property Type — Select Homogeneous, Laminate Layup, or Laminate
Stiffness. The items on the dialog box change depending upon your
selection.
Homogeneous Stiffness
To define a homogeneous shell property type, you must specify a value in the
Thickness field. You enter a positive value to define shell thickness for shells, 2D
shells, 2D plates, surfaces, or curves you selected. When Mechanica creates the shell
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elements for the surface, it applies the thickness you specify for the shell property
equally on both sides of the selected surface. For example, if you specify a shell
thickness of 1, Mechanica places 0.5 on the top side of the surface and 0.5 on the
bottom side.
The Thickness field is a parameter-capable edit field. You can create or select a
Pro/ENGINEER parameter for the thickness by clicking the p button.
Laminate Stiffness
To define a laminate stiffness shell property type, you must specify several values for
Mechanica using the Shell Property Definition dialog box. Use the Stiffness tab
and the Mass and Additional Calc tab to move from one portion of the dialog box
to another. For each component there is a non-editable text field that displays the
units.
If you are working in the FEM mode, Mechanica does not support laminate stiffness.
The components of the following stiffnesses are relative to the material orientation
you have assigned to the shell. Entries in the fields on this dialog box are optional
unless stated otherwise. You define them using the equations described in Shell
Property Equations:
• Extensional Stiffness — You must enter positive real numbers for A11,
A22, and A66.
• Coupling Stiffness — Entries in these fields are optional.
• Bending Stiffness — You must enter positive real numbers for D11, D22,
and D66.
• Transverse Shear Stiffness — You must enter positive real numbers for
A44 and A55.
The thermal resultant coefficients reflect the additional load applied to the laminate
shell as a result of a difference in thermal properties in the ply materials. Mechanica
assumes that the temperature distribution is uniform through the thickness of the
shell. Keep this in mind when entering values in the Thermal Resultant
Coefficients area for:
• Force
• Moment
If you want to perform a modal analysis of your model, or if this shell property set is
to contribute to the total mass of the model, you must enter values for:
• Mass Per Unit Area

• Rotary Inertia Per Unit Area
If you click the Calculate Stresses and Strains button, more items appear.
For ease of use when modeling composites and the ability to compute ply stresses in
the postprocessor, use Laminate Layup rather than Laminate Stiffness.
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Laminate Layup
A laminate consists of a number of layers, or plies, stacked on each other. When you
define your 3D shell property as a laminate layup, you can:
• specify the properties for each ply

• obtain ply-by-ply stress results (native mode)
• parameterize ply thickness and orientation
You can review the properties for each ply in the results.
For a picture of what a laminate layup shell looks like, see Laminate Layup
Illustration.
When you select Laminate Layup on the Shell Property Definition dialog box,
additional items appear on the dialog box:
• Layup
For each ply, you must specify the following information:
• Material or Sub-laminate
• Thickness
• Orientation
• Number
Use the buttons to the right of the dialog box to control your laminate layup table.
For ease of use when modeling composites and the ability to compute ply stresses in
the postprocessor, use Laminate Layup rather than Laminate Stiffness.
Note: In the FEM mode, Mechanica supports laminate layup shell properties
and material orientations assigned to surfaces for NASTRAN only. If you are
running an analysis with another solver, Mechanica informs you that you
cannot run the analysis with the solver you have chosen.
To Define Shell Properties

1. Select Properties>Shell Properties, or click More on the Shell Definition
dialog box.
The Shell Properties dialog box appears.
2. Click New. The Shell Property Definition dialog box appears.

3. Enter a name, or accept the default name.
5. Select one of the following property types. The items on the dialog box
change depending upon your selection.
o Homogeneous
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o Laminate Layup
o Laminate Stiffness
6. If you select Homogeneous, enter a real-number value for the thickness, or
click p to select or create a Pro/ENGINEER parameter. Mechanica displays the
units for the thickness.
7. If you select Laminate Stiffness or Laminate Layup, fill out the
information on the dialog box.
8. Click OK to accept your definition, or Cancel to discard your changes and
close the dialog box.
Spring Properties
About Spring Properties
You can define spring properties in one of the following ways, depending on the
situation.
• Use the Properties>Spring Properties command.

• If you are defining and advanced or to-ground spring, you can also use the
More button in the Properties area of the Spring Definition dialog box to
create a spring property.
In either case, Mechanica opens the Spring Properties dialog box, which you can
use to manage spring properties for an Advanced or To Ground spring. This dialog
box lists any stiffness properties already created for your model and lets you create
new ones.
The dialog box contains the following items:
• Spring Properties in Library — Displays a list of the spring properties you

saved in your library. You can select one of these definitions and click the
right arrow to move it to the Spring Properties in Model list. The spring
properties library file is called mspstf.lib.
• Spring Properties in Model — Displays a scrollable list of the spring
properties that can be assigned to one or more springs in your model. You
can select one of these spring property names to assign to the current spring
definition. To add a spring property to your library, select it and use the left
arrow to add it to the Spring Properties in Library List.
• Description — This non-editable field displays the (optional) description you
entered for the spring property currently selected in the Spring Properties
in Library or Spring Properties in Model list.
• New — Opens the Spring Properties Definition dialog box opens to allow
you to create a new spring property.
• Copy — Copies the selected spring property to a new name and adds it to the
Spring Properties in Model list. A new spring property appears in the list
with the default name SpringPropx, where x is one more than the number of
items created for the model. To change the name, select it and click Edit.
• Edit — Opens the Spring Properties Definition dialog box with the values
of the selected spring property.
• Delete — Removes the selected spring property from the Spring Properties
in Model list.
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If you accessed the Spring Properties dialog box from the Spring Definition
dialog box, when you close the Spring Properties dialog box, the software uses the
property you selected from the Spring Properties in Model list for the current
spring definition, and displays the property name in the Spring Definition dialog
box. If you did not select a property, the first property in the Spring Properties in
Model list is selected by default.
Spring Property Library


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Defining Spring Stiffness and Damping

Properties
When defining spring properties for an Advanced or To Ground spring, click New
or Edit on the Spring Properties dialog box. Mechanica displays the Spring
Properties Definition dialog box on which you can enter the following information:
• Name — The name for the spring property. Enter a name or accept the
default name .
• Description — An optional description of the spring property.
• Stiffness tab — These components represent the extensional and torsional
characteristics of the spring. You should enter a non-zero value for at least
one of these items. Enter non-negative values for the following:
o Kxx — Specifies the xx component of extensional stiffness relative to

the spring's coordinate system.
o Kyy — Specifies the yy component of extensional stiffness relative to
o Kzz — Specifies the zz component of extensional stiffness relative to
o Txx — Specifies the xx component of torsional stiffness relative to the
spring's coordinate system.
o Tyy — Specifies the yy component of torsional stiffness relative to the
o Tzz — Specifies the zz component of torsional stiffness relative to the
• Damping tab (FEM mode only) — Specify non-negative values for the
following properties of the spring:
o Cxx — Specifies the xx component of the damping coefficient relative

to the spring's coordinate system.
o Cyy — Specifies the yy component of the damping coefficient relative
o Czz — Specifies the zz component of the damping coefficient relative
For information on defining extensional and torsional stiffness for 2D and 3D models,
see Defining Spring Properties for 2D and 3D Models.
Note that Mechanica labels the stiffness components using Cartesian component
directions. To review the equivalent component directions for cylindrical and
spherical components, see Axis and Component Equivalents in Different Coordinate
Systems.
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Defining Spring Properties for 2D and 3D

Models
There are a few differences you should be aware of when you define extensional and
torsional stiffness properties for springs on the Spring Properties Definition dialog
box:
Extensional stiffness
• For 3D models, you specify extensional stiffness for Kxx, Kyy, and Kzz.
• For 2D models, you specify extensional stiffness only for Kxx and Kyy.
Torsional stiffness
• For 3D models, you specify torsional stiffness in Txx, Tyy, and Tzz. For 2D
plane strain and 2D axisymmetric models, you specify torsional stiffness only
in Tzz.
• For 2D plane stress models, you do not specify torsional stiffness. A spring in
a 2D plane stress model does not contribute to rotations when the engine
calculates results.
To Define Spring Properties

1. Select Properties>Spring Properties, or click More on the Spring
The Spring Properties dialog box appears.
Note: You can also access this dialog box from the Spring Definition
dialog box by clicking the More button in the Orientation area.
2. Click New. The Spring Properties Definition dialog box appears.

5. On the Stiffness tab, enter a non-negative real number for at least one of
the extensional and torsional components:
• Kxx
• Kyy
• Kzz
• Txx
• Tyy
• Txx
6. In FEM mode only, on the Damping tab, enter a non-negative real number
for any of the damping coefficients:
• Cxx
• Cyy
• Czz
7. Click OK to accept your definition or Cancel to discard your changes and
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Mass Properties
About Mass Properties
You can define mass properties in one of the following ways, depending on the
situation.
• Use the Properties>Mass Properties command.

• If you are defining an advanced mass, you can also use the More button in
the Properties area of the Mass Definition dialog box to create a mass
property.
In either case, Mechanica displays the Mass Properties dialog box, which you can
use to create a mass property. From this dialog box, you can also edit, copy, or
delete an existing property. To create a new property, click New. The Mass
Property Definition dialog box appears. You use this dialog box to define the
property.
This dialog box includes the following items:
• Name — Enter a name for the mass property, or use the default name
provided.
• Description — Enter an optional description.
• Mass — Specify the value of the mass in units consistent with the other units
you have used in this model. You must enter a positive value.
• Moments of Inertia — Specify the moments of inertia about each mass
element's center of gravity with respect to the axes and principal planes of
the WCS.
For 3D models, you can specify values for Ixx, Iyy, Izz, Ixy, Ixz, and Iyz.
For plane strain and 2D axisymmetric models, you can specify a value for only
Izz. For plane stress models, you cannot specify any moments of inertia. The
default value for all moments is 0.
Depending on the situation, you may not need to specify all of the diagonal
terms when you specify moments of inertia.
Note that Mechanica labels the moments of inertia using Cartesian component
directions. To review the equivalent component directions for cylindrical and
spherical components, see Axis and Component Equivalents in Different
Coordinate Systems.
Specifying the Off-diagonal Moments of

Inertia
The moment of inertia of a mass element depends on the coordinate system you use
to define the property. It consists of six independent components: Ixx, Iyy, Izz,
Ixy, Ixz, and Iyz, where the subscripts refer to the axes of the reference coordinate
system.
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In most cases, the moment of inertia definition requires only three diagonal terms—
Ixx, Iyy, and Izz—with zero values for the off-diagonal terms. This depends on the
principal coordinate system you use to define the moment of inertia and is always
true if any two of the three coordinate system planes are planes of reflection
symmetry for the mass element.
Materials
About Materials
Use the Properties>Materials command to specify materials for geometry and
idealizations in your part or assembly and to save materials in a library. You can
assign materials to parts, surfaces, and curves. When doing so, be aware of the
following:
• If you are assigning materials to surfaces or, for 2D models, assigning

materials to curves, Mechanica uses the material you assign only if the
surface or curve is part of a shell.
• In the case of curves for 3D models, you perform the material assignment
when you create the beam idealization rather than through the
Properties>Materials command. However, the dialog boxes you use are the
same.
• In FEM mode, you can assign materials to parts, solid portions of a model,
and shell pairs.
If you select this command in native mode, the Materials dialog box appears. If you
select the Materials command in the FEM mode, the FEM MATERIAL menu
appears.
To learn more about materials, see:
• Guidelines for Using Materials

• Material Types
• Material Property Requirements
• Material Basics
• Material Definition for Native and FEM Mode
Guidelines and Background

Guidelines for Using Materials
Be aware of the following when using materials:
• You can use the same material properties in Structure and Thermal.
• If you assign a material to a part, it is not automatically assigned to all
volumes, surfaces, and curves.
• If you are working in the assembly mode, you can individually assign
materials to the parts in your assembly.
• In Structure, you cannot assign materials to springs or masses.
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• If you assign materials to a curve in a solid or shell model, the curve's

materials are independent of the materials you assign to the part.
• Mechanica maintains consistency between Pro/ENGINEER and Mechanica data
for all materials for the following material properties: name, density, and
specific heat.
For Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, shear modulus, coefficient of thermal

expansion, and thermal conductivity, consistency is maintained between the
databases only for isotropic materials.
Orthotropic materials defined in Mechanica will not be defined in the

Pro/ENGINEER database.
• You can assign the value of Pro/ENGINEER parameters as you create

materials.
• In Structure, you can create isotropic materials that are temperature-
dependent by specifying that Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, or the
coefficient of thermal expansion is a function of temperature.
• You can also save materials in a library and use them across models.
• You cannot define material orientation for curves—or, by implication, beams.
• If you assign a material orientation to a part and that part gets compressed to
a surface, the definition of the material orientation changes from one defined
over a part to one defined over a surface. The material orientation applies to
all the surfaces that are created when Mechanica compresses the part.
Material Types
You can define properties for three types of material symmetry:
• Isotropic — a material with an infinite number of planes of material

symmetry, making the properties equal in all directions. You enter a single
value for each property.
• Orthotropic — a material with symmetry relative to three mutually
perpendicular planes. You enter three values for each property.
• Transversely isotropic — a material with rotational symmetry about an
axis. The properties are equal for all directions in one plane, the plane of
isotropy. You enter two values for each property—one for the plane of
isotropy, and one for the remaining principal material direction.
These types are independent for Structure and Thermal. Thus, a material may have
isotropic structural properties and orthotropic thermal properties.
You can assign isotropic materials to any entity that requires materials.
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You can assign orthotropic and transversely isotropic materials to the following
entities according to model type:
3D Plane Stress/2D Plate All Other 2D Model

Types
Part shell face/surface
face/surface
shell
Material Property Requirements

Assign these material properties as appropriate:
Property Type Required
mass density Structural and only for modal analyses

Thermal
cost per unit mass Structural and no, but useful if you want
Thermal Mechanica to calculate model cost
Young's modulus Structural yes
Poisson's ratio Structural yes
shear modulus Structural yes (Mechanica calculates this

automatically for isotropic
materials)
coefficient of Structural only for models with thermal loads

thermal expansion
failure criterion Structural only to calculate failure indices
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Property Type Required
specific heat Thermal only for transient thermal analyses
thermal conductivity Thermal yes
ultimate tensile Structural only for fatigue analysis

strength
material type Structural only for fatigue analysis
fatigue strength Structural only for fatigue analysis

reduction factor
surface finish Structural only for fatigue analysis
Note: You can create isotropic material properties that are temperature-
dependent by specifying Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, or coefficient of
thermal expansion as a function of temperature.
Material Basics
You can save materials in a library and use them across models. Both Mechanica
products—Structure and Thermal—can use the properties from a single material set.
You can use materials in the following ways:
• You can assign a material to one or more geometric entities in a model.

• You can place a material in a material library.
• You can create a new material.
There is no limit to the number of materials you can have in a model or in your
library.
For more information, see Materials Dialog Box or, for FEM mode, FEM MATERIAL
menu.
Material Definition for Native and FEM Mode

You can define materials for your model in Structure or Thermal. If you plan to work
with your model in both Structure and Thermal, Mechanica assigns the same
material for both products. For example, if you assign the material for your Structure
model as Aluminum 2014, Mechanica assumes Aluminum 2014 for Thermal as well.
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However, several of the material properties available in Structure are different from
those available in Thermal. For instance, Structure enables you to define such
properties as Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio, whereas Thermal enables you to
define conductivity and specific heat.
Mechanica retains mass density across products. In other words, Mechanica assumes
the mass density you define in Structure is the mass density in Thermal, and the
reverse.
When you create a material in the native mode, the material will also be created
automatically in the FEM database, and the reverse is also true. However, the
synchronization of property data and assignments between the native mode and the
FEM mode depends on the situation. Be aware of the following factors in regard to
synchronization:
• Property data for isotropic materials without parameters or functions is

synchronized.
• Material assignments to beams and shells are synchronized.
• Material assignments to parts are not synchronized.
Material Library
The material library is a convenient way to use the same material in more than one
model. When you install Mechanica, the material library consists of a set of standard
materials known as the default material library.
If you do not find the material you want in the default material library, you can
create your own material and add it to the library. When you save a material to the
library, Mechanica creates a library file named mmatl.lib in your working directory.
This new file contains all the materials in the Materials in Library list—both the
Mechanica default materials and any materials you added. There is no limit to the
number of materials you can have in your material library.
You can edit any material in the library, whether the material is part of Mechanica's
default material set or you created the material yourself. However, you cannot delete
materials from the material library. Thus, if you create a new material and save it to
the library, it will always be there.
When you access the material library, Mechanica looks for the mmatl.lib file in the
following directories in this order:
1. the directory from which you started Mechanica (working directory)

3. the lib subdirectory of the directory in which Mechanica was installed
You can move or copy the mmatl.lib file into any of these three directories.
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Default Material Library

Mechanica has a default material library, located in the lib subdirectory of the
Mechanica installation directory, containing a few selected materials. This library is
intended, primarily, as a template for you to follow when creating your own material
library.
The properties in the library included with Mechanica are taken from standard
references and textbooks and may not match exactly the properties of the material
you intend to use. You should review all material properties to ensure that their
values are accurate for your material and that their units are consistent with those of
the model.
Also, the property values given are those for materials at room temperature. Actual
material properties change with temperature.
The Mechanica library contains isotropic materials only.
Units for Materials

Pro/ENGINEER and Mechanica store the material data for your model in terms of a
principal system of units. Mechanica displays only materials with units in the material
library.
You can define materials by entering data with units that are different from the
principal system of units. Mechanica automatically converts the data you enter to the
principal system of units when you run a design study.
If you plan to export your model to independent mode of Mechanica, make a note of
your system of units. Mechanica does not display your system of units in the
independent mode.
Mechanica displays only materials with units in the material library.
The values for density, Young's modulus, and the thermal expansion coefficient are
given in the indicated system of units. The units used for conductivity follow a
slightly different system of units:
• For the meter-newton-second and millimeter-newton-second systems of

units, the conductivity value is in the indicated system of units—Watts/meter-
Kelvin and milli-Watts/millimeter-Kelvin, respectively.
• For the foot-pound-second and inch-pound-second systems of units, the
conductivity value is in Btu/hour-foot-degree-Fahrenheit and Btu/hour-inch-
degree-Fahrenheit (not in pound/second-degree-Fahrenheit).
For transient thermal analysis, all of these measuring systems measure conductivity
in seconds.
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Materials in Native Mode

Materials Dialog Box
When you select Properties>Materials in the native mode or
Properties>Materials>Assign in the FEM mode, Mechanica displays the Materials
dialog box. Mechanica also opens this dialog box as you define certain connections,
such as spot welds, or when you create certain idealizations, such as beams and
shells.
Use the Materials dialog box to:
• create, edit, copy, and delete materials from your model database
• assign materials to or delete materials from your model
• add a material to the library
The following lists appear on the dialog box:
• Materials In Library
• Materials In Model
Use the arrow keys to do the following:
• Right arrow — to add a material to the model from the library. This places
the material in the model database. Note that the material must still be
explicitly assigned to have an effect on an analysis.
• Left arrow — to add a material to the library from the model
The following buttons on the dialog box enable you to perform various actions:
• Assign — This option is not available when creating a beam definition or shell
definition. This option is inactive in the FEM mode because you perform FEM
mode material assignment from the FEM MATERIAL menu and not from this
dialog box.
• New
• Edit
• Copy
• Delete — This option is not available for a material associated with an
idealization, such as a beam definition or shell definition.
Materials In Library List

This is a list of the materials saved in your library. You can select one of these
materials to assign to your model.
If you do not have your own library, this column displays the materials from the
default Mechanica material library.
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If you add a new material to the material library, the software places the new
material library in your home directory.
Materials In Model List

This is a list of the materials in the model database. You can select one or more
materials to assign to entities. Mechanica selects the first set on this list by default.
Assign a Material
On the Materials dialog box, click Assign to assign a material from the Materials
In Library list or the Materials In Model list to one or more geometric entities. To
add a material from either list to your model, select a material on the list, and click
Assign. You can assign materials to parts, faces/surfaces, edges/curves.
Note: The Assign button is inactive in FEM mode because you assign
materials through the FEM MATERIAL menu rather than from the Materials
dialog box.
If you select a material from the Materials In Model list and click Assign, a drop-
down list of entity types appears. If you select an entity type, you should use the
normal selection methods to select one or more entities on the model.
To change the properties of a material, click Edit to open the Material Definition
dialog box where you can alter any property. You can verify an assignment by
selecting a material on the Materials In Model list and reviewing the highlighted
part or geometry.
After you assign materials to your model, Mechanica lists those materials on the
Model Tree. If you select the material in the Model Tree, Mechanica highlights the
part or surface to which it is assigned. For example, if you select bronze on the
Model Tree, Mechanica will highlight every part or surface that is bronze.
When assigning materials, be aware of these factors:
• When you assign a material to a part, Mechanica does not automatically

assign the material to curves and surfaces of that part. To assign a material
to curves or surfaces, you must specifically select the Edge/Curve or
Face/Surface command on the Assign drop-down menu.
• You cannot change the name of a material. However, you can copy the
material using a different name, thus achieving a similar effect.
• There is no need to assign a material to a curve for a 3D model. To assign
materials to beams, use the Beam Definition dialog box instead of the
Material Definition dialog box.
• If a surface has a material that is different from the material assigned to the
volume it makes, reviewing the material assigned to the surface highlights
just the surface, while reviewing the material assigned to the volume
highlights the entire volume.
• You can assign a material to a shell pair surface that is different from the
material that you assign to the part.
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• Mechanica handles material assignment differently depending on whether you

are working in part mode or assembly mode.
To Assign a Material
1. Select Properties>Materials or click .
The Materials dialog box appears.
2. Select a material using one of the following methods:

o Highlight a material on the Materials In Model list.
o Highlight a material on the Materials In Library list.
3. Click Assign.
A drop-down list of entities appears.
4. Select an entity type and use the normal selection methods to select one or
more entities on your model.
The material you selected appears on the Model Tree.

5. If you are working with an assembly and you select Part from the Assign
drop-down list, you can use either the Model Tree, or the normal selection
methods, to select a subassembly or the entire assembly. In this case,
Mechanica implicitly assigns the material to all parts, datum, geometry,
edges, and surfaces in the selected assembly or subassembly.
6. When you confirm your selection, the material is assigned to the entity,
unless a material is already assigned to it.
7. If the entity you select is associated with a material other than the one you
are trying to assign, Mechanica asks if you want to change the material.
o Click Yes to replace the current material with the selected material
and be returned to the Materials dialog box.
o Click No to return to the Materials dialog box without changing the
material.
This message does not appear if you assigned the same material in a product
other than the one you are currently using—for example, if you previously
assigned a material in Thermal but are now in Structure.
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Create a Material
Click New on the Materials dialog box to create a material.
A blank Material Definition dialog box appears on which to define the material.
After you complete the definition and click OK, the new material name appears on
the Materials In Model list.
Note that you can add a material to the Materials In Model list in the following
ways:
• select a material from the library, and click the right arrow
• create a new material by using the New button on the Materials dialog box
Either method adds the new material to the database, but the material is not
associated with any geometry until you assign it in either native Mode or FEM mode.
Material Definition Dialog Box

Use the Material Definition dialog box to:
• enter material properties for a new material

• review and change properties for an existing material
On this dialog box, you enter the material name and an optional description, as well
as determine definitions for:
• Cost
• Density
The principal system of units previously set for the model determines the units that
appear by default on this dialog box. You can specify the system of units and also
create individual units for your model.
Choose one of the following tabs:
• Structural — to define structural material properties for a model

• Thermal — to define thermal material properties for a model
Different options appear on the Structural and Thermal tabs, depending on the
material symmetry you select:
• Isotropic (in FEM mode, only isotropic materials are available)

• Orthotropic
• Transversely Isotropic
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These symmetries are independent for Structure and Thermal. A material may have
isotopic structural properties and orthotropic thermal properties. The Mechanica
library contains isotropic materials only.
You define an isotropic material for materials such as steel. For wood or fiber-
reinforced composite, you define an orthotropic or transversely isotropic material.
To Create a Material
1. Select Properties>Materials. In FEM mode, also select Whole Part on the
FEM MATERIAL menu.
2. Click New.
The Material Definition dialog box appears.
3. Enter the appropriate material properties on the Material Definition dialog

box.
4. Click OK on the Material Definition dialog box.
The material you created appears in the Materials In Model list on the
Materials dialog box.
Edit a Material
Click Edit in the Materials dialog box to edit an assigned or unassigned material in
the Materials in Model list. You can also edit a material in the Materials in
Library list, but you must first move the material to the Materials in Model list.
You can then move the edited material to the Materials in Library list, thus
overwriting the original library material.
When you click Edit, the Material Definition dialog box appears. Change the fields
in the dialog box to the values you want for your material properties. By editing a
material, you change the material on all of the geometric entities to which it was
assigned.
To Edit a Material
By editing a material, you change the material on all the geometric entities to which
it was assigned.
1. Select Properties>Materials or click . In the FEM mode, also select

Whole Part on the FEM MATERIAL menu.
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2. Select a material from the Materials in Model list. The material you select
must be a user-created material rather than one of the standard materials in
Mechanica's material library.
3. Click Edit.
4. Change the fields in the dialog box to the values you want.
As a quick alternative to this procedure, you can select the material you want to edit
from the model tree. Right-click on the material or, for FEM mode solid chunks, the
material assignment, and select the Edit Definition command from the object
action menu.
Copy a Material
Click Copy on the Materials dialog box to duplicate a material on the Materials In
Model list. You can also copy a material in the Materials in Library list, but you
must first move the material to the Materials in Model list. Note that you cannot
make an exact copy of a material because no two materials can have the same
name. The materials may be identical in every way except their name.
The copy will exist in the model file but not be assigned until you assign the material
to a geometric entity.
To Copy a Material
1. Select Properties>Materials or click . In FEM mode, also select Whole

Part on the FEM MATERIAL menu.
2. Select a material from the Materials in Model list.

3. Click Copy.
The Copy dialog box appears.
4. Enter a new material name xxx in the To text box.
Mechanica duplicates a copy of the material xxx and places it in the

Materials In Model list with the name of xxx. If the name is too long, the
software issues a warning.
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Delete a Material
Click Delete on the Materials dialog box to delete an assigned or unassigned
material from the Materials in Model list, provided that material is not assigned to
a shell or beam. You cannot delete any of the materials in the Materials in Library
list.
If you did not previously assign the material to an entity, Mechanica deletes the
material from the model database. If you assigned the material to an entity, the
software first asks whether you want to delete the material. Click one of the
following buttons:
• No — to retain the material

• Yes — to delete the material. Mechanica deletes the material from your
model and the model database.
To Delete a Material

3. Click Delete.
If you did not previously assign the material to an entity, the material is
deleted from the model database.
4. When you assign the material to an entity, the software asks whether you
want to delete it. Click one of the following buttons:
o No — to retain the material
o Yes — to delete the material. The material is deleted from the model.
As a quick alternative to this procedure, you can select the material you want to
delete from the model tree. Right-click on the material and select the Delete
command from the object action menu.
Materials in FEM Mode

FEM MATERIAL Menu
When you select Properties>Materials in FEM mode, Mechanica displays the FEM
MATERIAL menu. Use this menu to:
• assign materials to or unassign materials from your model
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• review information about a material in your model
The following commands enable you to select an object type to which to apply a
material:
• Whole Part — Select the whole part.

• Solid Chunk — Select a surface associated with a solid. The Solid Chunk
option enables you to propagate the material throughout the tetrahedral
elements in the solid area defined by the surface you select. For Solid
Chunk, you must select a surface belonging fully to a solid portion of your
model. You cannot select a surface that is only partially associated with a
solid.
If you use the Solid Chunk option, you create a simulation object known as a
Material Assignment. This object appears in the Model Tree with the default
name of MaterialAssignX, where X is a unique number. You can rename the
material assignment to make its associations more obvious.
You can also use the button as a quick alternative to using the FEM
MATERIAL menu for assigning a material to a solid chunk.
• Shell Pair — Select a shell pair.
The following commands on the FEM MATERIAL menu enable you to review
information about a material, in addition to assigning materials to and unassigning
materials from entities in your model:
• Info — Review information about a material. Mechanica displays an

information window that shows the material definition. Using commands in
the information window, you can edit the material definition if you want to
change values for specific properties such as Young's Modulus.
• Assign — Assign a material to one or more entities of the object type you
select on the upper section of the FEM MATERIAL menu. For Solid Chunk
and Shell Pair, Mechanica prompts you to select an entity of the chosen
object type. After you select an entity on your model, the Materials dialog
box appears.
• Unassign — Unassign a material from one or more entities of the object type
you select on the upper section of the FEM MATERIAL menu. For Solid
Chunk and Shell Pair, Mechanica prompts you to select an entity of the
chosen object type.
Information About a FEM Material

Click Properties>Materials. When the FEM MATERIAL menu appears, select Info
to review information about the materials in your model.
When you select Info, the SEL MATERIAL menu appears. This menu lists all the
materials in your model, whether or not you have assigned them to your part. This
list reflects the contents of the Materials in Model area of the Materials dialog
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box. After you select a material, the Information window appears, which enables
you to review and edit material properties.
Materials Dialog Box

When you select Properties>Materials in the native mode or
Properties>Materials>Assign in the FEM mode, Mechanica displays the Materials
dialog box. Mechanica also opens this dialog box as you define certain connections,
such as spot welds, or when you create certain idealizations, such as beams and
shells.
Use the Materials dialog box to:
• create, edit, copy, and delete materials from your model database
• assign materials to or delete materials from your model
• add a material to the library
The following lists appear on the dialog box:
• Materials In Library
• Materials In Model
Use the arrow keys to do the following:
• Right arrow — to add a material to the model from the library. This places
the material in the model database. Note that the material must still be
explicitly assigned to have an effect on an analysis.
• Left arrow — to add a material to the library from the model
The following buttons on the dialog box enable you to perform various actions:
• Assign — This option is not available when creating a beam definition or shell
definition. This option is inactive in the FEM mode because you perform FEM
mode material assignment from the FEM MATERIAL menu and not from this
dialog box.
• New
• Edit
• Copy
• Delete — This option is not available for a material associated with an
idealization, such as a beam definition or shell definition.
Materials In Library List

This is a list of the materials saved in your library. You can select one of these
materials to assign to your model.
If you do not have your own library, this column displays the materials from the
default Mechanica material library.
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Materials In Model List

This is a list of the materials in the model database. You can select one or more
materials to assign to entities. Mechanica selects the first set on this list by default.
Assign a Material
Assign a Material in FEM Mode
Click Properties>Materials. When the FEM MATERIAL menu appears with Assign
highlighted, select one of the following object types:
• Whole Part — Enables you to assign a material to the whole part.

• Solid Chunk — Enables you to propagate a material throughout the
tetrahedral elements in the solid area defined by the surface you select.
• Shell Pair — Enables you to assign a material to a shell pair.
If you select Solid Chunk or Shell Pair, Mechanica prompts you to select an entity
to which to assign a material.
After you select an entity on your model, the Materials dialog box appears.
Select a material from the Materials In Library list or from the Materials In
Model list, or create a new material. After you click OK, the material is assigned to
the selected entity. Repeat this procedure for each entity to which you are assigning
a material.
To Assign a Material in FEM Mode

This procedure assumes that your model does not have assigned materials.
The FEM MATERIAL menu opens and software prompts you to select an
object type to which to assign the material.
2. Select an object type on the FEM MATERIAL menu.
The software prompts you to select an entity on the model.
3. Use the normal selection methods to select an entity or entities on your

model.
The Materials dialog box opens.
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4. Select a material from the Materials In Model list.

5. If you want to use a material from the library, use the right arrow to move
the material from the Materials in Library list to the Materials in Model
list.
The material you selected appears on the Model Tree.

6. Click OK.
The material is assigned to the selected entity.
Create a Material
Click New on the Materials dialog box to create a material.
A blank Material Definition dialog box appears on which to define the material.
After you complete the definition and click OK, the new material name appears on
the Materials In Model list.
Note that you can add a material to the Materials In Model list in the following
ways:
• select a material from the library, and click the right arrow
• create a new material by using the New button on the Materials dialog box
Either method adds the new material to the database, but the material is not
associated with any geometry until you assign it in either native Mode or FEM mode.
Material Definition Dialog Box

Use the Material Definition dialog box to:
• enter material properties for a new material

• review and change properties for an existing material
On this dialog box, you enter the material name and an optional description, as well
as determine definitions for:
• Cost
• Density
The principal system of units previously set for the model determines the units that
appear by default on this dialog box. You can specify the system of units and also
create individual units for your model.
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Choose one of the following tabs:
• Structural — to define structural material properties for a model

• Thermal — to define thermal material properties for a model
Different options appear on the Structural and Thermal tabs, depending on the
material symmetry you select:
• Isotropic (in FEM mode, only isotropic materials are available)

• Orthotropic
isotopic structural properties and orthotropic thermal properties. The Mechanica
library contains isotropic materials only.
To Create a Material
1. Select Properties>Materials. In FEM mode, also select Whole Part on the
FEM MATERIAL menu.
2. Click New.
3. Enter the appropriate material properties on the Material Definition dialog

box.
4. Click OK on the Material Definition dialog box.
The material you created appears in the Materials In Model list on the
Materials dialog box.
Edit a Material
Click Edit in the Materials dialog box to edit an assigned or unassigned material in
the Materials in Model list. You can also edit a material in the Materials in
Library list, but you must first move the material to the Materials in Model list.
You can then move the edited material to the Materials in Library list, thus
overwriting the original library material.
When you click Edit, the Material Definition dialog box appears. Change the fields
in the dialog box to the values you want for your material properties. By editing a
material, you change the material on all of the geometric entities to which it was
assigned.
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To Edit a Material
By editing a material, you change the material on all the geometric entities to which
it was assigned.

3. Click Edit.
4. Change the fields in the dialog box to the values you want.
As a quick alternative to this procedure, you can select the material you want to edit
from the model tree. Right-click on the material or, for FEM mode solid chunks, the
material assignment, and select the Edit Definition command from the object
action menu.
Copy a Material
Click Copy on the Materials dialog box to duplicate a material on the Materials In
Model list. You can also copy a material in the Materials in Library list, but you
must first move the material to the Materials in Model list. Note that you cannot
make an exact copy of a material because no two materials can have the same
name. The materials may be identical in every way except their name.
To Copy a Material
1. Select Properties>Materials or click . In FEM mode, also select Whole

Part on the FEM MATERIAL menu.
2. Select a material from the Materials in Model list.

3. Click Copy.
The Copy dialog box appears.
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4. Enter a new material name xxx in the To text box.
Mechanica duplicates a copy of the material xxx and places it in the

Materials In Model list with the name of xxx. If the name is too long, the
software issues a warning.
Delete a Material
Click Delete on the Materials dialog box to delete an assigned or unassigned
material from the Materials in Model list, provided that material is not assigned to
a shell or beam. You cannot delete any of the materials in the Materials in Library
list.
If you did not previously assign the material to an entity, Mechanica deletes the
material from the model database. If you assigned the material to an entity, the
software first asks whether you want to delete the material. Click one of the
following buttons:
• No — to retain the material

• Yes — to delete the material. Mechanica deletes the material from your
model and the model database.
To Delete a Material

3. Click Delete.
If you did not previously assign the material to an entity, the material is
deleted from the model database.
4. When you assign the material to an entity, the software asks whether you
want to delete it. Click one of the following buttons:
o No — to retain the material
o Yes — to delete the material. The material is deleted from the model.
As a quick alternative to this procedure, you can select the material you want to
delete from the model tree. Right-click on the material and select the Delete
command from the object action menu.
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Unassign a Material
To Unassign a Material in FEM Mode
The FEM MATERIAL menu appears.
2. Select Unassign.
The software prompts you to select an object type from which to unassign a
material.
3. Select an object type from the FEM MATERIAL menu.

4. Select an entity or entities from which to delete an assigned material.
The software asks if you want to remove the reference to the material.
5. Click Yes to remove the reference to the material or No to retain the

reference to the material in your model.
If you want to unassign a material from a solid chunk, there is a quick alternative to
this procedure. Select the material assignment you want to remove from the model
tree. Right-click on the material assignment and select the Delete command from
the object action menu.
Unassign a Material in FEM Mode

Click Properties>Materials. When the FEM MATERIAL menu appears, select
Unassign and select the object type from which you want to unassign the material,
as follows:
• Whole Part — Enables you to unassign a material from the whole part.
• Solid Chunk — Enables you to unassign a material from the solid area
defined by the surface you select.
• Shell Pair — Enables you to unassign a material from a shell pair.
After you select an object type, select an entity from which to delete a material.
After you select an entity, the software asks if you want to remove the reference to
the material. Click Yes to remove the reference to the material or No to retain the
reference to the material in your model.
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To Assign a Mechanica Material in

Pro/ENGINEER
This procedure assumes you have a part file open in Mechanica.
1. Select Properties>Materials. The Materials dialog box appears.

2. Highlight one of the material names in the Materials in Library or Materials
in Model list.
3. Click Assign and select Part from the menu.
4. Use the normal selection methods to select a part on your model. The
material name appears in the Materials in Model list.
5. Select Close.
6. Select Applications>Standard to return to Pro/ENGINEER.
7. Select Edit>Setup>Material>Assign.
8. Select From Part, and highlight the material you assigned in Mechanica.
9. Select Accept to assign the material to the part.
To Create an Orientation for Parts, Solids,

Volumes
Follow the steps below to complete defining a material orientation for a part, solid, or
volume.
1. Enter a name for the material orientation or use the default name provided.
3. Accept the default WCS or use the selector arrow to specify a coordinate
system to which the principal material directions are relative.
4. For Material Directions 1, 2, and 3, you specify any of these values:
o the axes of the current coordinate system
o one of the solid directions
5. If you want to apply an additional rotation about one or more material
directions, select Additional Rotation About.
6. If you want to see what your model looks like with this material orientation
even though it is not assigned, perform the following steps:
o Click Preview.
o Mechanica prompts you to select an entity of the type you selected
above.
o Select one or more entities. The software highlights the selected
entity.
Note: The new orientation is not assigned to your model until you
explicitly assign it to a geometric entity.
7. Click OK.
The new material orientation appears on the Material Orientations list.
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To Create an Orientation for Surfaces

Follow the steps below to complete defining a material orientation for a surfaces. In
creating material orientations for a surface, you may, in effect, be creating the
material orientation for a shell, 2D plate, or 2D solid, depending on how you have
idealized your model.
1. Enter a name for the material orientation, or use the default name provided.
3. Specify what the material orientation is to be relative to:
o Referenced Coordinate System — Use the selector arrow to specify
a coordinate system to which the principal material directions are
relative.
Mechanica displays the Material Direction 1 menu, which lets you

select either Projected x axis or Projected "closest" axis.
Projected x axis is the default value.
In the FEM mode, to specify what the material orientation is relative

to, you can select Referenced Coordinate System and Projected x
axis only. The other options are unavailable.
o First Parametric Direction — Specifies that the orientation is

relative to the first parametric direction.
o Second Parametric Direction — Specifies that the orientation is
relative to the second parametric direction.
o Projected Vector — Select either Vector Components or Two
Points. If you select Vector Components, you need to specify the
WCS components of the projected vector. If you select Two Points,
you need to select two points on the model that determine the vector.
4. If you want to apply an additional rotation about one or more material
directions, select Additional Rotation About. Additional rotations are not
available in the FEM mode.
5. If you want to see what your model looks like with this material orientation
even though it is not yet assigned, perform the following steps:
o Click Preview.
o Mechanica prompts you to select an entity of the type you selected
above.
o Select one or more entities. The software highlights the selected
entity.
Note: The new orientation is not assigned to your model until

you explicitly assign it to a geometric entity.
6. Click OK.
The new material orientation appears on the Material Orientations list.
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To Assign Fatigue Properties to Materials
2. Click New.
3. Select the Structural tab.

4. Verify that Isotropic is selected for the material type. You can use only
isotropic materials for fatigue analysis.
5. Select the Fatigue tab.
6. Enter a value for Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS).
7. If you want to change the units for UTS, select the units from the list to the
right.
8. Select a Material Type.
9. Select a Surface Finish.
10. Enter a value for Fatigue Strength Reduction Factor (Kf).
Material Orientation
About Material Orientation
Use the Properties>Material Orientations command to specify material
orientation for surfaces and volumes of 2D or 3D models. Mechanica uses these
properties to determine the material directions of orthotropic or transversely
isotropic material properties you assign to these entities. You may also view certain
results, such as stress, displacement, flux, and others, relative to the material
orientation of the elements associated with these entities.
If you are working with a single part, Mechanica defines the material orientation for
that part. If your model is an assembly, Mechanica enables you to define material
orientation for each of the parts that make up the assembly.
When you select Properties>Material Orientations, the Material Orientations

dialog box appears.
To learn more about using material orientation, see:
• Guidelines for Material Orientation

• Default Material Orientation
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Default Material Orientation

If you do not specify a material orientation, Mechanica assumes the following:
• For all entities, except for surfaces of 3D models and shells, the principal
material directions are aligned with the WCS axes.
• For surfaces of 3D models and shells, the principal material directions are
defined by the parameterization of the surface, and that:
o Material direction 1 is parallel to the first parametric curve of the
surface.
o Material direction 2 is set perpendicular to directions 1 and 3.
o Material direction 3 is perpendicular to the surface and aligned with
the surface normal. For information about surface normals, see
Surface Normals.
Guidelines for Material Orientation

Be aware of the points discussed here when assigning material orientation.
• The two types of material orientation are:

o 2D — use for surfaces and shells
o 3D — use for parts, volumes, and solids
• Material orientation is associated with an entity, not with a material.
• The material directions 1, 2, and 3 defined by the material orientation
correspond to the directions listed on the Material Definition dialog box
when you enter orthotropic or transversely isotropic material properties.
• If you assign a transversely isotropic or an orthotropic material to your
model, you must specify the material's orientation or be aware of the default
behavior.
• If you do not specify material orientation, Mechanica assumes the default
material orientation.
• If you delete an orientation, you set the entity back to its default.
• You cannot assign material orientation properties to curves, beams, or 2D
shells.
• In the FEM mode, you cannot define material orientations that reference
cylindrical or spherical coordinate systems.
• In the native mode, if you define a material orientation with a cylindrical or
spherical coordinate system as a reference, the origin of that coordinate
system must not lie on the entity to which you assign the material
orientation.
• Material orientation is defined in 3D for both 2D and 3D model types.
• If you assign a material orientation to a part and that part gets compressed to
a surface, the definition of the material orientation changes from one defined
over a part to one defined over a surface. The material orientation applies to
all the surfaces that Mechanica creates when it compresses the part.
• You cannot assign a material orientation to a surface that has a shell
associated with it.
• You can define any number of material orientations for a model without
assigning them.
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Material Orientations Dialog Box

Use this dialog box to:
• assign material orientations to your model

• create, copy, or edit material orientations for your model
• delete material orientations from your model
The Material Orientations dialog box lists all material orientations that you have
defined. You can define as many material orientations as you want without assigning
them.
When you select one of the listed material orientations, the entities to which that
orientation is assigned are highlighted and a material orientation icon appears for
each of those entities. The icon has 3 axes and is labeled for the material directions
1, 2, and 3.
The type of entities to which you can assign a material orientation depends on:
• the current model type

• the type of material orientation that you selected
The following commands appear on the Material Orientations dialog box:
• Assign
• New
• py
• Edit
• Delete
If a description was entered for a selected material orientation, it appears below the
list of material orientations.
Assign a Material Orientation

Click Assign on the Material Orientations dialog box to assign a material
orientation to one or more entities. The type of entity you can select on your model
depends on the mode, model type, and the type of material orientation selected.
Select a material orientation from the list on the Material Orientations dialog box.
The software highlights all the entities to which that material orientation is assigned
and displays the material direction icons for that material orientation.
Click Assign and use the normal selection methods to select one or more entities.
The software highlights any entity you select. After you confirm your choice, the
Material Orientations dialog box reappears. The software adds all the material
orientation icons for the type of entity you selected to the model.
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If you have previously assigned a material orientation to any of the selected entities,
Mechanica gives you the opportunity to retain the existing orientation or to change
it. Click Yes to change the orientation or No to retain the existing one.
To Assign a Material Orientation

1. Select Properties>Material Orientations.
The Material Orientations dialog box appears.
2. Select a material orientation from displayed list.

3. Click Assign. Mechanica prompts you to select an entity.
4. Use the normal selection methods to select one or more entities on your
model.
If you are working with an assembly and you select a 3D-type material
orientation, you can select a specific subassembly or the entire assembly on
the Model Tree or on the model. In this case, Mechanica assigns the material
orientation to all parts, datum, geometry, edges, and surfaces in the selected
assembly or subassembly.
5. The software highlights the entity you select. (If you have previously assigned
a material orientation to any of the entities you select, Mechanica gives you
the opportunity to retain the existing orientation or to change it.)
6. Confirm your selection. The Material Orientations dialog box reappears.
Create a Material Orientation

Click New on the Material Orientations dialog box to define a material orientation.
You select an entity type to which you will later assign the material orientation. In
the case of 2D model types or in FEM mode, no option menu appears because using
surfaces is the only option.
The type of entities that you can select on the option menu depends on:
• the mode (native or FEM)

• the model type
You can select the following types of entity:
Mode Model Type Entity Type
Native 3D Part
Surface
Native 2D Surface
FEM 3D Surface
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When you select an entity type, the Material Orientation Definition dialog box
appears.
Enter values in the dialog box fields to define a new material orientation. After you
click OK, the new material orientation appears on the Material Orientations dialog
box.
The new orientation is not assigned to your model until you assign it to a geometric
entity.
Material Orientation Definition Dialog Box

Use this dialog box to define values for a material orientation. The items on the
dialog box vary depending on the model type and the type of entity.
Enter the material orientation name and an optional description, as well as other
information. The information you enter depends on the entity involved.
• Parts and volumes

• Surfaces
Be aware that when you create material orientations for a surface, you may, in
effect, be creating the material orientation for a shell, 2D plate, or 2D solid,
depending on how you have idealized your model.
If a material orientation is not assigned, the Preview button enables you to select a
surface or solid to view the material orientation icon as if the orientation were
assigned.
Part
When you select Part or Volume, Mechanica asks you to select the part or volume
you want, and then displays a dialog box. On this dialog box, you can specify:
• Relative To — Specifies the reference coordinate system for the principal

material directions.
• Material Direction — Specifies the material direction. This area includes:
o Material Direction grid — Use the buttons in this grid to select the
alignment axis for material directions 1, 2, and 3.
o Rotate About — Specifies additional rotations about one or more
material directions.
Material Orientation Definition for Surfaces

To define the material orientation for surfaces, specify the following items. Note that,
in creating material orientations for a surface, you may, in effect, be creating the
material orientation for a shell, 2D plate, or 2D solid, depending on how you have
idealized your model.
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• Relative To — Specifies the references for the principal material directions.

You can specify:
o Referenced Coordinate System — Mechanica uses the selected
coordinate system to determine the material directions. This option is
available in both native mode and FEM mode.
o First Parametric Direction — When you select this option, you are
defining material direction 1 to be the same as the first parametric
direction of the surface, which can vary from point to point on the
surface. Material direction 3 is always normal to the surface, and
material direction 2 is defined to be normal to material directions 1
and 3. Mechanica does not support this option in FEM mode.
o Second Parametric Direction — When you select this option, you
are defining material direction 1 to be the same as the second
parametric direction of the surface, which can vary from point to point
on the surface. Material direction 3 is always normal to the surface,
and material direction 2 is defined to be normal to material directions
1 and 3. Mechanica does not support this option in FEM mode.
o Projected Vector — Mechanica requires the vector's start and end
points or the vector's components, and performs a normal projection.
Mechanica does not support this option in FEM mode.
• Rotate About — Specifies additional rotations about the normal to the
surface, or the material direction normal to the surface. Mechanica does not
support this option in FEM mode.
For examples of material orientation on surfaces, see:
• Example: Curved Surface Directions

• Example: 2D Surface Directions
• Example: Variable Material Orientation
• Example: Rotation for Shells and Surfaces
To Create a Material Orientation

2. Click New.
In the native mode, a drop-down menu appears.
In the FEM mode, the Material Orientation Definition dialog box appears.
3. In the native mode, select Part or Surface, depending on whether the

orientation is for the whole part or for an individual surface.
The Material Orientation Definition dialog box appears.
The next steps depend on whether you are creating an orientation for a part, solid,
or volume, or for a surface, shell, 2D plate, or 2D solid.
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Edit a Material Orientation

Click Edit on the Material Orientations dialog box to edit a material orientation.
Change the fields on the dialog box to the values you want for your material
orientation.
By editing a material orientation, you change the orientation on all of the geometric
entities to which it was assigned.
To Edit a Material Orientation

The changes you make affect all the entities to which the material orientation was
assigned.
2. Click Edit.
3. Change the fields on the dialog box to the values you want for your material
orientation.
Copy a Material Orientation

Click Copy on the Material Orientations dialog box to duplicate a selected material
orientation from the Material Orientations list. Note that the copy is not assigned
to an entity until you explicitly assign it.
To Copy a Material Orientation

2. Select a material orientation from displayed list.

3. Click Copy.
4. If desired, edit the copy to differentiate it from the original material
orientation.
Mechanica does not assign the copy to a geometric entity until you explicitly assign
it.
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Delete a Material Orientation

Click Delete on the Material Orientations dialog box to delete a selected material
orientation from those listed on the Material Orientations dialog box.
If you have assigned the orientation to one or more entities, the software asks
whether you want to delete it. Click No to retain the previously assigned orientation.
Click Yes to delete the orientation from all of the entities to which it is assigned.
To Delete a Material Orientation

2. Click Delete.
If you have assigned the orientation to one or more entities, the software
asks whether you want to delete it.
3. Click No to retain the previously assigned orientation. Click Yes to delete the
orientation from all of the entities to which it is assigned.
Reentrant Corners
This option enables AutoGEM to detect reentrant (for example, inside) corners on an
individual surface in your model and place a transitional set of small elements around
them. A reentrant corner can be an area of high stress or flux concentration. Placing
small elements around reentrant corners helps prevent these stress or flux
concentrations near the local feature from degrading the efficiency of the analysis
process in larger neighboring elements. For an example of how this AutoGEM feature
works, see Example: Reentrant Corners.
AutoGEM does not detect reentrant corners that span more than one surface.
AutoGEM also does not detect reentrant corners on volumes.
This item appears on both the Structure and Thermal versions of the dialog box, and
works the same way in either mode.
Display AutoGEM Messages

Select this option on the Settings tab if you want AutoGEM to display the messages
and dialog boxes that it generates during an AutoGEM session.
You should deselect Display AutoGEM Messages if you cannot be at your computer
to monitor the AutoGEM process. However, the suppressed messages and message
boxes are recorded in the AutoGEM log file.
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If you deselect this item, AutoGEM does not display messages and message boxes.
Instead, it automatically selects the default response for each one and continues
creating elements.
If it encounters a problem, AutoGEM first displays a message directing you to the

AutoGEM log file and then displays the AutoGEM Summary dialog box.
Creating
You can override the default limits for creating elements when your model contains
angles constrained by geometry to less than the angles allowed on the dialog box.
Online help uses the term geometry-constrained to refer to such elements.
For example, the angle in the following geometry-constrained element is smaller

than the limit of 5 on the dialog box:
Example: Brick
A brick (or hexahedron) has six quadrilateral faces, twelve edges, and eight points:
Boundary Processing Takes Too Long

If the boundary processing stage seems to be taking too long (it can take over 10
minutes for very complex parts), you can do try the following techniques:
• Deselect all the items under Feature Isolation area on the AutoGEM
Settings dialog box. This disables any mesh refinement that AutoGEM would
normally use to isolate problem features.
• Use AutoGEM on all surfaces that form the volume boundary. Use box
selection to select all of the boundary surfaces at the same time.
• Let AutoGEM run at least a few minutes after seeing the Creating <element
type> elements status message.
• Interrupt AutoGEM when it reaches the maximum percentage completion or
when the element count starts to increase rapidly. After you interrupt, use the
Boundary Edges option on the AutoGEM Info menu to find incomplete
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areas. Additionally, look for areas with too many points. This should help you
find the problem areas on the volume boundary.
• Modify the geometry in the problems area. For example, if the problem occurs
near a round, try altering the radius of the round.
Automatic Interrupt
Select this option on the Settings tab if you want AutoGEM to automatically stop
when it has created a specified percentage of elements.
If you select this item, Mechanica displays an additional line on the AutoGEM
Settings dialog box where you enter the percentage of completion at which you
want Mechanica to stop AutoGEM.
Automatic Interrupt is useful when you know from previously using AutoGEM on
your model that you will encounter swap space or AutoGEM problems if you allow
AutoGEM to continue. You can use the AutoGEM log file to determine the point at
which you should interrupt the AutoGEM process.
Max Aspect Ratio

This option enables you to enter the maximum aspect ratio that you want AutoGEM
to allow when it creates or edits elements.
We recommend that you keep the default value for this field and address your
element count through the Allowable Angles field instead. If you lower the Max
Aspect Ratio setting, you may experience slower performance and AutoGEM may
create inappropriate element concentrations.
The Mechanica guideline is that the aspect ratio of a solid face's length to its width
and a shell's length to its width should be no greater than 30 to 1. The guideline for
2D plates and 2D solids is the same as for shells.
The default aspect ratio for creating is 30; the minimum value is 2. You should not
use an aspect ratio higher than 30 for areas of your model that have high stress or
flux gradients, or for areas of your model where you are especially interested in the
results.
The default aspect ratio for editing is 100.
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Allowable Edge and Face Angles

The following diagram illustrates edge and face angles:
The following table shows the valid minimum angles and the defaults for edges and
faces during creation and editing (all angles are in degrees):
Minimum Angles
Defaults
Entity Valid Range Creating Editing
Edge 0 to 30 5 1
Face 0 to 30 5 1
The following table shows the valid maximum angles and the defaults for edges and
faces during creation and editing (all angles are in degrees):
Maximum Angles
Defaults
Entity Valid Range Creating Editing
Edge 150 to 179 175 179
Face 150 to 179 175 179
These settings control the minimum and maximum angles that AutoGEM uses.
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AutoGEM Overconstrained
We recommend that you run AutoGEM against all of the surfaces and volumes in
your model at the same time. This approach assures a cohesive mesh.
However, if you mesh your model in stages, selecting volumes one or two at a time,
examine the volume interfaces before you start. Be sure to use AutoGEM on the
volume that includes the smallest features near the interface before you use it on the
volumes with larger features.
This is because, after you use AutoGEM on one of the volumes in a model, the
element faces on that volume become constraints that AutoGEM must respect while
processing other adjacent volumes. If you start with volumes that have larger
features near the interface, the existing large elements at the volume interface may
overconstrain AutoGEM when you then try to mesh adjacent volumes with smaller
features.
You can correct this situation through the AutoGEM Settings dialog box. In this
case, you select Modify Or Delete Existing Elements and select the volume filled
with elements as well as the unfilled volume. AutoGEM then completes the unfilled
volume and modifies the existing elements in the filled volume as required.
Required Modeling Entities

If you plan to mesh your model with AutoGEM before running an analysis or design
study, you should follow a few common sense practices to ensure that all modeling
entities are correctly accounted for in the mesh. In some cases, you must add the
modeling entity before you mesh, while, in others, you can add the entity later. Here
are the guidelines you should follow:
• Entities you must add before using AutoGEM — You must add
idealizations, connections, and simulation features that you want to use as a
basis for another modeling entity—for example, a datum point that will be
used to apply a measure—before running AutoGEM. Additionally, if your
model includes point loads, constraints, or boundary conditions, you must add
them as well. All of these modeling entities influence the mesh. If you do not
add them before using AutoGEM, the mesh will not correctly account for these
entities.
While it may not be absolutely necessary in all cases, we strongly recommend

that you also define all properties before running AutoGEM. Defining
properties before you run AutoGEM enables you to use the All With
Properties option in the AutoGEM References area of the AutoGEM dialog
box.
• Entities you can add before or after using AutoGEM — Provided all
reference simulation features and geometry are in place before you run
AutoGEM, you can add loads, constraints, and boundary conditions before or
after using AutoGEM. These entities must use curves, surfaces, or
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components as references; they should not use points. Also, you can add
measures before or after you run AutoGEM. While Mechanica correctly
accounts for modeling entities that you add to geometry after you run
AutoGEM, it is a good practice to add all modeling entities prior to meshing
the model.
Create Links Where Needed

Select this option on the Settings tab if you want AutoGEM to create links where
needed to continue creating elements on volumes.
If you select Create Links Where Needed, AutoGEM links tetrahedrons to existing
wedge and brick quad faces. Mechanica does not create links to existing quad shell
elements.
In general, you should select Create Links Where Needed if you have existing
wedge or brick elements in your model. Adding links may increase run time.
AutoGEM Interruption Guidelines

In determining whether to interrupt AutoGEM, you should evaluate changes in the
completion percentage. If the completion percentage in the status messages
fluctuates by less than 10%, you should try to avoid interrupting. But if the
completion percentage drops by 10% to 15% or more, that may be a sign that
AutoGEM has encountered problems and will not be able to complete.
You should then interrupt and investigate areas of your model where AutoGEM did
not create elements. Suppressing unnecessary geometry features or modifying
model dimensions can sometimes result in cleaner geometry with a better mesh
success rate.
Detailed Fillet Modeling

Select this option on the Settings tab if you want AutoGEM to create a greater
number of elements near fillets. In many cases, selecting Detailed Fillet Modeling
yields smoother fringe plots for fillets.
If you want even smoother fringe plots, you can add extra points to your fillets
before using AutoGEM. For this type of modeling, be sure to deselect Move Or
Delete Existing Points. Otherwise, AutoGEM removes all points that it considers
unnecessary. Depending on the situation, the points AutoGEM removes may include
the points you added.
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Minimum and Maximum Angles

The angle between any two adjacent element edges or faces must be equal to or
greater than 0 and less than 179 , unless they are geometry-constrained angles.
When AutoGEM is creating elements, edge and face angles should be between 5 and
175 .
Angles less than 5 or greater than 175 can affect run time and results. For some
models, angles less than 5 and greater than 175 may be useful for the following
purposes:
• creating elements in a difficult area

• decreasing the total number of elements
• helping AutoGEM to finish creating elements
When you first switch from creating to editing mode, Mechanica checks that the
creation edge and face angles are between 5 and 175 and warns you if the angles
are not in this range. Select Accept to keep the values you selected for the angles.
Select Cancel to change the creation limits back to the previous limits.
Create a Full Set of Elements

Try one or more of the following steps:
• Use the Boundary Faces command on the AutoGEM Info menu to find and
examine unfinished areas of the model.
• If AutoGEM creates an incomplete set of elements, you can try adding points
along curves and surfaces. Then, delete the existing mesh and run AutoGEM
again.
• If the volume contains a small feature close to a large feature, you can try
adding points to the large feature.
• Reduce the minimum edge and face angles, increase the maximum edge and
face angles, or increase the aspect ratio on the Limits tab on the AutoGEM
Settings dialog box. Try this strategy only when other strategies have failed
or when your model has some very thin surfaces.
• Review the AutoGEM log file to determine what percentage of elements
AutoGEM completed. Select the Automatic Interrupt option on the
AutoGEM Settings dialog box, and enter the completion percentage at which
you want to interrupt AutoGEM. After AutoGEM interrupts itself, add points in
the incomplete region.
After you have taken one or more of these steps, you can run AutoGEM again.
You can do either of the following:
o Keep the elements AutoGEM created the first time

o Delete some or all of the elements before using AutoGEM a second
time
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If you restart AutoGEM on a volume that is partially filled with tetrahedral

elements, it is usually best to select Modify Or Delete Existing Elements on
the AutoGEM Settings dialog box.
Shell , 2D Plate Element Type, 2D Solid

Element Type
The name of this option varies according to your model type. Select one of the
following items from this option menu:
• Quad and Tri — AutoGEM creates a combination of quadrilateral and

triangular elements when you create elements using the Surface menu
option. For most models, this is the best choice.
• Tri — AutoGEM creates only triangular elements when you create elements
using the Surface menu option. Select this option if you want shells that are
compatible with the tetrahedral solids that the Volume menu option creates.
Solids
This option enables AutoGEM to create different types of solids after you select one
of the following options:
• Tetra — Creates a purely tetrahedral mesh. This option is ideal for irregular,
chunky models where none of the other solid element types would be
appropriate.
• Wedge, Tetra — Creates a mesh that may include tetrahedra, wedges, or
both, based on model geometry. Use this option for models that are at least
partially composed of thin sections (2.5D) with opposing surfaces. AutoGEM
selects the element type that works best in each area of your model, and
finds the most efficient mesh for the geometry. The result will be that the thin
areas of the model will contain wedges and the thick areas will contain
tetrahedra. If you use this option instead of the Tetra option, your element
count may be significantly lower and your solution times, faster.
• Brick, Wedge, Tetra — Creates a mesh that may include tetrahedra,
wedges, bricks, or any combination of these element types, based on model
geometry. Use this option for models that are at least partially composed of
thin sections (2.5D) with opposing surfaces. AutoGEM selects the element
type that works best in each area of your model, and finds the most efficient
mesh for the geometry. The result will be that the thin areas of the model will
contain wedges or bricks and the thick areas will contain tetrahedra. If you
use this option instead of the Tetra or Wedge, Tetra options, you may be
able to minimize the number of elements in your model and achieve faster
solution times.
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Invalid Curves for 2D Axisymmetric Models

When you model shells for 2D axisymmetric models, Mechanica assumes that you
intend the curves you select to be treated as though they revolve about the Y axis of
your reference coordinate system. For this type of modeling to be valid, the curves
must satisfy certain criteria. For example, no curve can cross or lie on the Y axis. To
ensure this, Mechanica enforces a rule that all model geometry must lie in the
positive X direction relative to your reference coordinate system.
The following illustration shows curve selections that are invalid for 2D axisymmetric
models:
When you define your model as a 2D axisymmetric model, Mechanica checks for
curves that break the first two rules. If it finds any problems of this sort, Mechanica
displays a warning box indicating that it cannot change the model type because the
geometry does not lie in the positive X direction relative to the reference coordinate
system.
If it encounters a curve that breaks the third rule—coincidence with the Y axis—
Mechanica allows the model, but any analyses you attempt to run may fail.
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Example: Wedge
A wedge (or pentahedron) has two triangular faces, three quadrilateral faces, nine
edges, and six points:
Example: Point Loads

The Structure model shown below has one surface and a load at one corner:
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If you deselect the Point Loads option on the AutoGEM Settings dialog box,
AutoGEM creates eight shells. The display of surfaces is turned off so you can clearly
see the shells:
If you select the Point Loads option, AutoGEM creates an additional small element
to isolate that point. Again, the display of surfaces is turned off:
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Max Edge Turn (Degrees)

This option enables you to enter the maximum subtended edge angle that you want
AutoGEM to use when it creates or edits elements.
During element creation, the value of this item cannot exceed 100 . The default for
creating elements is 95 .
The default limit for editing is 100 . You cannot exceed the editing limit.
If you enter a value for the edge angle that is not within the range allowed for that
mode, Mechanica prompts you to reenter a value within the proper range.
Validate
Click this button on the Limits tab if you want AutoGEM to verify that all elements
meet the limits. If all elements satisfy the limits, a message box states that all
elements satisfy the limits for creating or editing.
If there are elements that do not satisfy the limits on this dialog box, Mechanica
highlights all the elements that do not satisfy the currently displayed limits. A
message box asks if you want to create a new group and add the highlighted entities
to this group.
Example: Tetra
A tetra (or tetrahedron) has four triangular faces, six edges, and four points:
Invalid Surfaces for 2D Axisymmetric Models

When you model solids for 2D axisymmetric models, Mechanica assumes that you
intend the surfaces you select to be treated as though they revolve about the Y axis
of your reference coordinate system. For this type of modeling to be valid, the
surfaces must satisfy certain criteria. For example, no surface can cross or lie on the
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Y axis. To ensure this, Mechanica enforces a rule that all model geometry must lie in
the positive X direction relative to your reference coordinate system.
The following illustration shows surface selections that are invalid for 2D
axisymmetric models:
When you define your model as a 2D axisymmetric model, Mechanica checks for
surfaces that break these rules. If it finds any problems of this sort, Mechanica
displays a warning box indicating that it cannot change the model type because the
geometry does not lie in the positive X direction relative to the reference coordinate
system.
Modify or Delete Existing Elements

Select this option on the Settings tab if you want AutoGEM to modify or delete
existing elements as required. AutoGEM does not modify or delete existing wedge or
brick solids.
AutoGEM sometimes cannot create a full set of elements on a surface or volume

having complex features. If you select Modify Or Delete Existing Elements,
AutoGEM is more likely to fully cover each surface or volume with elements.
In general, you should select Modify Or Delete Existing Elements. If you want to
keep any existing elements, you should deselect this check button.
Point Loads, Point Constraints, Point Heat

Loads, Point Prescribed Temperatures, Point
Convection Conditions
Selecting these options enables AutoGEM to place small transitional elements
around:
• point loads or constraints in your Structure model

• heat loads, prescribed temperatures, or convection conditions in your Thermal
model
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Any of these point-based modeling entities could distort the results in elements
adjacent to the point by introducing singularities—areas of theoretically infinite stress
for Structure or infinite flux for Thermal. Thus, whenever possible, you should apply
loads and constraints to curves and surfaces, not points.
If you must apply the load, constraint, or boundary condition to a point instead of a
curve or surface, you can use the check boxes in the Feature Isolation area on the
AutoGEM Settings dialog box to mitigate the effects of the singularity on your
results. This enables AutoGEM to create small transitional elements around the
singularity, lessening the stress or flux concentration.
To take advantage of feature isolation for point loads, constraints, and boundary
conditions, you should create these entities on your geometry before using AutoGEM
to mesh the model. As a general rule, you should keep these items selected for all
models.
For an example of how this feature works, see Example: Point Loads
Move or Delete Existing Points

Select this option on the Settings tab if you want AutoGEM to move or delete
existing points as required.

having complex features. If you select Move Or Delete Existing Points, AutoGEM
is more likely to fully cover the surface or volume with elements. In general, you
should select Move Or Delete Existing Points.
AutoGEM moves or deletes a point only if the point meets the following conditions:
• The point is associated with a single curve, a single surface, or both a curve
and surface associated with each other.
• The point is not associated with model entities such as loads, measures, or
material properties.
• The point is not a user-created datum point.
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Example: Insert Points

The model contains one surface and several small features, which complicates
element creation. The model is shown before creating any elements:
If you turn off Insert Points, AutoGEM is unable to create a full set of elements on
the surface. The display of surfaces is turned off so you can clearly see the shells:
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If you turn on Insert Points, AutoGEM adds the points it needs to finish creating
elements, as shown below. Again, the display of surfaces is turned off:
Insert Points
Select this option on the Settings tab if you want AutoGEM to add extra points when
needed to help create elements in complex areas of your model.
If you select Insert Points, AutoGEM may add the following types of points:
• Boundary points — points on surface boundary curves in addition to those it

adds to create valid element edges.
• Interior points — points on surfaces and inside volumes. These points are in
addition to those points that AutoGEM adds to create valid element edges
between existing points.

having complex features. If Insert Points is selected, AutoGEM is more likely to
fully cover each surface or volume with elements.
Note: You can also choose to add points manually to guide AutoGEM through
complex areas of your model.
For an example of a model for which Insert Points enables AutoGEM to create a full
set of elements, see Example: Insert Points.
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Example: Reentrant Corners

A model with a single surface and two reentrant corners is shown below:
If you turn off Reentrant Corners, AutoGEM creates four shell elements. The
display of surfaces is turned off so you can clearly see the shells:
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If you turn on Reentrant Corners, AutoGEM creates 11 elements, including several

small elements around the reentrant corners, as shown below. Again, the display of
surfaces is turned off:
The reentrant corners have a total of seven small elements. The reentrant corner
shown below has three:
Fatigue Properties
The following options for material properties appear on the Fatigue tab on the
Material Definition dialog box:
• Ultimate Tensile Strength — Enter a value between 50 MPa and 4000 MPa.
• Material Type — Select an option for the type of material you are using:
Unalloyed steels, Low Alloy steels, Aluminum alloys, Titanium alloys, or None.
• Surface Finish — Select an option for the surface finish of your model:
o Polished
o Ground
o Good Machined
o Average Machined
o Poor Machined
o Hot Rolled
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o Forged
o Cast
o Water Corroded
o Seawater Corroded
o Nitrided
o Shot Peened
o Cold Rolled
• Fatigue Strength Reduction Factor — Enter a fatigue strength reduction
factor (Kf) greater than 1. This factor is used to reduce the endurance limit to
account for unmodeled stress concentrations, such as those found in welds.
Thermal Values for Orthotropic Properties

In Thermal, enter values for the following orthotropic properties.
• Specific Heat — Enter a positive value for the material's specific heat.
• Thermal Conductivity — Enter positive values for the following aspects of
the material's conductivity:
o k1
o k2
o k3
These values represent the conductivity in each of the three principal material
directions of the model.
To specify thermal conductivity, you can type in a value or click the P button
to assign a parameter name.
Shear Modulus
Enter positive values for the shear moduli of the material. You can define this
property or you can assign a parameter to the property. Type in a value or click the
P button as appropriate.
For orthotropic material properties, enter values for:
• G12
• G13
• G23
These values represent the shear modulus in each of the three material directions.
For transversely isotropic material properties, enter a value for the shear modulus of
the material in two of the three principal planes of the material for the model. The
dialog box shows the following shear modulus values:
• G12 = G13
• G23 = E2/(2 X (1 + Nu32))
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Enter a single positive value for the 21 and 31 planes. Structure automatically
calculates the value for the 32 plane, using the equation shown on the dialog box.
Note: For both orthotropic and transversely isotropic, G21 is also denoted as
G12, G31 as G13, and G32 as G23.
Projected Vector
When you select Projected Vector from the Relative To option menu, Mechanica
displays a second option menu with the following items:
• Vector Components — Enter the values for the WCS X, Y, and Z

components to define the vector to which the material orientation will be
relative.
• Two Points — Click the following buttons to define the vector to which the
material orientation will be relative:
o From — specifies the start point of the vector

o To — specifies the end point of the vector
For more information on how Mechanica projects a vector onto a surface, see
Example: Project a Vector onto a Surface.
Poisson's Ratio
Enter values for Poisson's Ratio, the ratio of lateral contraction to longitudinal
extension for a bar in tension. You can define this property or you can assign a
parameter to the property. Type in a value or click the P button as appropriate.
• Nu21
• Nu31
• Nu32
For transversely isotropic material properties, enter values for:
• Nu21 = Nu31
• Nu32
There are two widely used, but conflicting, definitions of Poisson's ratios for
anisotropic materials. Mechanica uses the definition described by Tsai in Composite
Design. For more information, see Tsai Definition for Poisson's Ratios.
You can change the labels for Poisson's ratios on the orthotropic and transversely
isotropic tabs of the Material Definitions dialog box. In the config.pro file, if the
default for the sim_mat_poissons_notation is set to the default value, TSAI, the
labels are Nu21, Nu31, and Nu32. When it is set to JONES, the labels are Nu12,
Nu13, and Nu23, respectively.
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Parameter-Capable Edit Fields

You can use Pro/ENGINEER parameters in arithmetic expressions that define
thickness and orientation for your laminate-layup shell properties.
When you move your cursor into one of the rows under Thickness or Orientation
on the laminate-layup version of the Shell Property Definition dialog box, the
cursor changes to this form:
When you right-click, a menu appears with the following items:
• Parameter — Display the Select Pro/ENGINEER Parameter dialog box

with a list of existing parameters. You can use this dialog box for the following
actions:
o Select a parameter from the list and click Accept. The parameter
appears in the edit field. You can add text to form an expression.
o Click Create. Enter a name and value for the parameter on the
Create a Pro/ENGINEER Parameter dialog box.
• Undo — Reverse the last action.
• Cut — Remove the highlighted text from the edit field and copy it to the
system buffer.
• Copy — Add text from the edit field to the system buffer to be pasted into
another area.
• Paste — Add text to the edit field from the system buffer.
• Delete — Remove the selected text from the edit field.
• Select All — Highlight all the text in the edit field.
Order of Rotation
Mechanica rotates the material coordinate system in this order:
1. Rotates the material coordinate system about Material Direction 1.

2. Rotates the material coordinate system about the new Material Direction 2
created by the first rotation.
3. Rotates the material coordinate system about the new Material Direction 3
created by the first two rotations.
Mechanica uses the right-hand rule to determine the direction of each rotation.
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Example: Material Directions

If you want material direction 1 in the WCS Y direction and material direction 3
essentially unchanged, select the second button in the first row (Material Direction
1). The material directions now appear as they do in the following figure:
Material Directions 1, 2, and 3

For material directions 1, 2, and 3, you observe or specify any of these values,
depending on the model type and material orientation:
• the axes of the referenced coordinate system

• one of the solid directions
For 3D material orientations, you select one of the following six combinations of the
current coordinate system directions for the three principal material directions:
Material Direction: 1 2 3
Coordinate System Direction or Solid X Y Z

Direction:
Z X Y
Y Z X
X –Z Y
Y X –Z
–Z Y X
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Mechanica automatically changes the label above the third column of check buttons
from Z to –Z when necessary to reflect the fact that the material orientation is right-
handed.
Note: The material directions 1, 2, and 3 correspond to the directions

understood on the Material Properties dialog box when you enter
orthotropic or transversely isotropic properties.
When you click a Material Direction option button:
• Mechanica redraws the material orientations.

• The displayed material directions differ depending on the option you select on
the Relative To menu.
For an example of material directions, see Example: Material Directions.
Transversely Isotropic Properties

The following items appear on the Properties tab:
• Poisson's Ratio
• Young's Modulus
• Shear Modulus
• Coeff. of Thermal Expansion
Thermal Values for Transversely Isotropic

Properties
In Thermal, enter these values for transversely isotropic properties:
• Thermal Conductivity — Enter positive values for these two aspects of the
material's conductivity:
o k1
o k2=k3
These values represent the conductivity in each of the three principal material
directions of the model.
To specify thermal conductivity, you can type in a value or click the P button
to assign a parameter name.
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Review Stiffness
Opens the Laminate Stiffness Review dialog box. You can save the information on
the Laminate Stiffness Review dialog box in a text file. Select the File>Save
command at the top of the dialog box. In the Save As dialog box, select a directory
to save the file. The default is the current working directory. Accept the default
name, shellpropname_stiffness.inf, or enter another name.
You cannot change the information in any of the fields on the Laminate Stiffness
Review dialog box. However, you can select the text in a field and copy it to a
clipboard to paste into another application. For example, you can copy the text from
one of the fields on this dialog box and then close the box. Create a new laminate
stiffness shell property, then click in the field where you want to add the copied
information. Right-click and select Paste to add the information from the Laminate
Stiffness Review dialog box.
For more information about the terms on this dialog box, see Laminate Stiffness.
Review Layup
Opens the Laminate Layup Review dialog box, which displays all the individual
plies of the laminate, with the sub-laminates expanded into individual plies.
Mechanica substitutes all the current parameter values and provides the total
thickness at the bottom.
You can save the information on the Laminate Layup Review dialog box in a text
file. Select the File>Save command at the top of the dialog box. In the Save As
dialog box, select a directory to save the file. The default is the current working
directory. Accept the default name, shellpropname_layup.inf, or enter another name.
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Material Property Requirements — Failure

Criterion
The properties below appear depending on which failure criterion you select. Assign
these material properties as appropriate:
Property Product Required
tensile yield stress Structure only for models with a von Mises or
Tresca failure criterion
ultimate tensile Structure only for isotropic materials with a

strength (UTS) Modified Mohr failure criterion and
for transversely isotropic materials
with a failure criterion
ultimate Structure only for isotropic materials with a

compressive Modified Mohr failure criterion and
strength for transversely isotropic materials
with a failure criterion
shear strength Structure only for transversely isotropic

materials with a failure criterion
normalized Tsai-Wu Structure only for transversely isotropic

interaction term materials with a Tsai-Wu failure
criterion
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Example: Project a Vector onto a Surface

This figure illustrates how Mechanica determines material orientation by projecting a
vector onto a surface:
Material orientation 3 is defined to be normal to the surface. Material direction 1 is

defined to be parallel to the projection of the vector onto the plane tangent to the
surface at the point of interest. Material direction 2 is set orthogonal to material
directions 1 and 3. Note that the directions of the material orientation vary with
position on the surface.
Warp & Mass Tab

Use the Warp & Mass tab on the Beam Section Definition dialog box to define
additional beam values for NASTRAN. This tab is active only in FEM mode, and
contains the following items:
• Warp Coefficient — Enter the warp coefficient, which is expressed as:
units of length6
Use this field for tapered beams only. NASTRAN normally calculates beam
sections using equations that assume a beam section is uniform. If you enter a
warp coefficient, NASTRAN applies that coefficient as a corrective factor for
torsion so that the equations accurately interpret the beam section.
• Non-Structural Mass per Unit Length — Enter the non-structural mass per
unit length. A non-structural mass is a mass that responds to gravity, but
does not strengthen the structure—for example, fluid running in a pipe that
you have modeled as a beam. Non-structural masses can have different
moments of inertia and gravitational centers than the beam you are creating.
• Non-Structural Mass Moment per Unit Length — Enter the non-structural
mass moment of inertia per unit length.
• Y Coordinates of Non-Structural Mass C.G. — Enter the Y coordinates of
the non-structural mass center of gravity.
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• Z Coordinates of Non-Structural Mass C.G. — Enter the Z coordinates of

the non-structural mass center of gravity.
Square
The icon for a square beam section type looks like this:
When you select Square as the beam type on the Beam Section Definition dialog
box, you must enter a positive value in the a text-entry box for its cross-section
dimension.
The figures below illustrate stress recovery points for square beam section types.
The figure on the left shows the points for the native mode, and the figure on the
right shows the points for the FEM mode.
Rotate About
This button lets you specify additional rotations about one or more material
directions, depending on the model type. These rotation angles enable you to modify
the orientation of the material directions from those you specified higher on the
dialog box.
When you select this check box, additional items appear on your dialog box,
depending on the model type and the type of material orientation you have selected:
• Surfaces, Shells, 2D Plates, and 2D Solids — Enter an angle from –360º

to +360º in the Material Direction Normal To Surface text box or the
defined normal material direction.
Mechanica rotates the material orientation about the orientation normal to the
surface or shell. For an example of this kind of rotation, see Example:
Rotation for Shells and Surfaces.
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• Parts, Volumes, Solids — Enter angles from –360º to +360º in the

Material Direction text boxes for one or more of the material directions.
Rotations are understood in order about the 1, 2, then 3 material directions.
FEM mode does not allow you to have additional rotations.
For information about how Mechanica rotates the material coordinate system, see
Order of Rotation.
Property Type
Use these items in the Shell Property Definition dialog box to select the type of
shell properties you want to define:
• Homogeneous, Laminate Stiffness, Laminate Layup — Select whether

you want to define a homogeneous, laminate stiffness, or laminate layup shell
property. In the Thermal mode, Laminate Stiffness is unavailable. If your
model is 2D, this menu does not appear.
You can use either laminate stiffness or laminate layup if you want to model a
shell that is comprised of layers, or plies. The laminate stiffness version of the
dialog box depends on matrix terms that describe stiffness and bending
components for the laminate. The laminate layup version of the dialog box
requires material properties, thickness, and orientation for each ply of a
laminate, and allows you to review the stiffness components calculated from
the ply specification.
The items on the remainder of the dialog box are different depending on which
property you select. Click the following links for more information:
• Homogeneous
• Laminate Stiffness
• Laminate Layup
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Example: Applying a Material to a Solid

Portion of Your Model
In FEM mode, you can use the Solid Chunk option on the FEM MATERIAL menu to
assign a material to select solid areas of your model. For example, you can use Solid
Chunk to assign a material to a volume region, creating a solid that has two
materials, one for the parent solid and one for the solid defined by the volume
region, as shown below:
In addition, you can use Solid Chunk to apply different materials to solid areas of
mixed models provided that the solid areas are isolated through the use of
interleaved idealizations, as shown below:
When you assign bronze to this model using the Whole Part option, the entire
model receives bronze as its material. However, you can override bronze for the solid
area on the right side of the model by assigning a different material—in this case,
brass—to the surface on the far right side of the model using the Solid Chunk
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option. The midsurface shell acts a barrier, in effect isolating the solid chunk on the
right side of the model. Mechanica applies brass to the right side solid, propagating
that material through the tetrahedral mesh until it reaches the bounding midsurface.
Note that you could achieve the same effect using the Solid Chunk option for the
top, bottom, or left surface (upper or lower) of the right side solid. However, had you
selected the front or back surface for the Solid Chunk option, brass would have
propagated through both the right and left side solid, leaving the midsurface bronze.
Also, had you wanted to assign the midsurface a different material, you could have
done so with the Shell Pair option.
Tsai Definition for Poisson's Ratios
The relation between strains, ( , and so forth) and stresses ( , and the
like) is written as follows:
Note: The Material Properties dialog box represents as Nu.
In the above expression, 1, 2, and 3 denote the three principal material directions.
In a uniaxial tension test pulling in the 1 direction, the ratios of transverse normal
strains, and , to longitudinal normal strain, , is given by:
and
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Also, since the elasticity matrix is symmetric, the following relation between
Poisson's ratios and Young's moduli holds:
where i and j take on the values 1, 2, and 3.
Therefore, if , then , and .
The values you enter for Poisson's ratios must satisfy the requirement that the
determinant of the 6 X 6 constitutive equation matrix above is positive.
Example: Orienting the BSCS to the BACS

After you define the orientation of the BACS relative to the WCS, you can also
change the orientation of the BSCS relative to the BACS by using the options on the
Beam Orientation Definition dialog box. The figures show the effect of changing
the orientation angle, DY and DZ offsets on the Y and Z axes of the BSCS for a
square beam section. The X axis, which is along the beam length, extends out of the
plane of the image towards the viewer.
You can choose to apply DY and DZ offsets while keeping the orientation angle at
zero, as shown below. In this case the beam's X axis is shifted away from the X axis
of the BACS.
You can choose to change only the orientation angle is changed, as shown below,
causing the BSCS to rotate around the X axis.
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Lastly, you can specify non-zero values for both the orientation angle and the DY, DZ
offsets. The software performs the rotation first, then translates the BSCS along the
rotated BSCS axes to satisfy the DY and DZ offset values, as shown below.
Example: Orienting the BSCS Shear Center

You can choose to shift either the beam shape origin or shear center with the options
on the Beam Orientation Definition dialog box. The figures here illustrate the
difference in changing the orientation of the shape origin or the shear center with a
channel beam section, in which the shear center falls below the shape origin.
In each case below, the left figure shows the change in orientation of the shape
origin, and the right figure shows the change in orientation of the shear center. The
first figure shows the effect of applying DY and DZ offsets while keeping the
orientation angle at zero.
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In the next figure, only the orientation angle is changed, causing the BSCS to rotate
around the X axis.
In the last figure, both the orientation angle and the DY, DZ offsets have non-zero
values. The software performs the rotation first, then translates the BSCS along the
rotated BSCS axes to satisfy the DY and DZ offset values.
Review Beam Section Properties

When you click the Review button on the Beam Section Definition dialog box, the
embedded browser opens with a summary of the computed section properties based
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on the information you entered for the beam section definition. You can use the
embedded browser buttons to print or save the information.
The specific entries included in the summary depend upon your beam section
definition and upon the product you are running.
All products:
• Beam Section "Name" — The summary displays the name you specified
when you defined the beam section. If you have assigned the beam section to
a beam on your model, when you click this link the beam highlights in the
model window.
• Description — The summary displays the optional description you included
with the section definition.
• Type — The summary displays the beam section type, such as square,
channel, or sketched. In addition, for standard section types, the summary
displays a figure that illustrates the section dimensions.
• Feature Type — For sketched sections, this entry is either thick or thin.
• Orientation — For sketched sections, the summary explains how the
coordinate axes in the sketch relate to those in the beam shape coordinate
system.
• Dimension(s) — The summary displays the dimensions you entered when
defining a standard section.
• Area — The summary displays the area computed for the beam section based
upon the specified dimensions. For general sections this is the entered value.
• Iyy, Izz, Iyz — The summary displays the values for Iyy and Izz about the
centroid with respect to both the beam centroidal principal (BCPCS) and beam
shape (BSCS) coordinate systems. It also includes Iyz in terms of the BSCS.
• J — The summary displays the effective second polar moment of area about
the centroid for the beam section.
• Shear Area Factor — The summary displays the values you specified for Fy
and Fz with respect to the BCPCS. For channel, L, and sketched sections, it
also lists the values with respect to the BSCS.
• Shear Center — The summary displays values for Dy and Dz with respect to
the BCPCS. For those sections in which the BSCS is not coincident with the
BCPCS, the summary also lists values for Dy and Dz with respect to the
BSCS.
• Centroid — The summary displays the computed Y and Z coordinates
specifying the location of the origin of the BCPCS system relative to the BSCS.
• Rotation of Principal Axis — The summary displays the computed value for
the rotation of the BCPCS around the beam X axis relative to the BSCS. The
value is typically non-zero only for sketched sections and L-beams.
• Stress Computation Offsets — The summary displays the maximum
positive values of the Y and Z offsets for the beam stress recovery points.
• Grid Points — For all sections, the summary displays the Y and Z coordinates
of the stress recovery points with respect to the BCPCS. In addition, for
standard section types, the summary displays a figure that relates the labels
for the stress recovery points to the beam section shape. Note that in FEM
mode there is a maximum of four stress recovery points.
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FEM mode Structure or Thermal:
• Warp Coefficient
• Non-Structural Mass per Unit Length
• Non-Structural Mass Moment per Unit Length
• Coordinates of Non-Structural Mass Center of Gravity — The summary
displays the Y and Z coordinates with respect to the beam shape coordinate
system.
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion — Isotropic

Enter a value or the name of a thermal expansion coefficient function. You can type
in the value, click the f(x) function button to define the coefficient of thermal
expansion as a function of temperature, or click the P button to assign a parameter.
This property is optional, but you should enter a value if you plan to place a thermal
load on the model.
Each field that has dimension can have its own units and Mechanica scales the values
you enter when the units change.
Tsai-Wu Failure Criterion

When you select Tsai-Wu, the Tensile Strength, Compressive Strength, Shear
Strength, and Normalized Tsai-Wu Interaction Term entry boxes appear.
For information about the Tsai-Wu failure criterion for a plane stress state, see
Jones, Robert M., Mechanics of Composite Materials. Washington, DC: Taylor and
Francis Book Company, 1975.
Calculate Stresses and Strains

Calculating stresses and strains can take a great deal of time. The resulting files can
also be quite large, depending on the size of your model. If you do not select this
check box, Mechanica does not provide an output or compute stresses and strains
(for measures and full results) for the shells that are assigned this property.
If you want Mechanica to calculate these values for measures, select the Calculate
Stresses and Strains check box on the Shell Property Definition dialog box. The
dialog box expands to display an area for the shell "Top" location and the shell
"Bottom" location. Mechanica uses the values that you enter in these areas to
calculate the stresses and strains for the corresponding areas for results.
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Enter values for the following items:
• CZ — The distance from the midsurface of the shell at which Mechanica

calculates stresses and strains. The software defines CZ relative to material
direction 3 of the material orientation assigned to the shell, as shown below:
• Ply Orientation (Degrees) — The orientation of the ply material relative to

the material orientation that Mechanica assigns to the element. The software
measures the ply orientation angle, (theta), as a counter-clockwise rotation
from material direction 1 about material direction 3. The value of this item
must be from –360 to +360 .
• Material — The material at the CZ location. When you click the More button,
the Materials dialog box appears.
After you select a material, Mechanica displays the material name.
Structural Options for Material Definition

Different options appear on the Structural tab, depending on the material symmetry
you select:
• Isotropic
• Orthotropic
isotopic structural properties and orthotropic thermal properties.
The Mechanica library contains isotropic materials only. Also, if you selected
Edge/Curve as a geometry type, the Orthotropic and Transversely Isotropic
options are inactive.
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Thermal Options for Material Definition

Different options appear on the Thermal tab, depending on the material type you
choose:
• Isotropic
• Orthotropic
The Mechanica library contains isotropic materials only. Also, if you selected
Edge/Curve as a geometry type, the Orthotropic and Transversely Isotropic
options are inactive.
Thickness
Enter the thickness of the ply for the material you are defining. The thickness may
be zero, in which case Mechanica ignores the layer.
Note: The sub-laminate thickness may depend on the current values of

parameters.
The entry box for thickness is parameter-capable. Right-click in the Thickness field
of the Shell Property Definition dialog box and select Parameter from the menu.
When Mechanica creates the shell elements for the plies, it calculates the total,
combined thickness of all the plies and applies the plies so that the total thickness is
distributed equally on both sides of the selected surface. For example, let us say you
specify three plies with thicknesses as follows:
Ply 1 thickness = 2
Ply 2 thickness = 7
Ply 3 thickness = 4
In this case, the total thickness of all three plies is 13 so Mechanica places 6.5 of the
thickness on the top of the surface and 6.5 on the bottom. Thus, 4.5 of ply 2's
thickness lies atop the surface and 2.5 of ply 2's thickness lies below.
Working with the Laminate Layup Dialog Box

Use these buttons on the laminate layup version of the Shell Properties dialog box
to manipulate the table containing the laminates' specification.
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To select a row, click one of the fields in the table.
• — Add a row to the layup table above the selected row. If none of the
rows are selected, when you click this button Mechanica adds a row to the top
of the table.
• — Delete the selected row.
• — Clear all of the values from the table, but leave the rows.
• — Remove empty rows and compact the remaining rows. Mechanica

leaves at least one empty row, if none of the rows contain entries.
• Preview Layup — Display a non-editable dialog box with the values entered
for the laminate layup definition.
• Preview Stiffness — Display a non-editable dialog box with the values
entered for the stiffness components.
Layup
When you define shell properties for laminate layup-type shells, you can specify the
layer repetition pattern. Use the drop-down list under Layup Symmetry on the
Shell Property Definition dialog box. You can select one of these options:
• No Symmetry — The layers are not repeated.

• Symmetrical — The layers are repeated in reverse order.
• Antisymmetrical — The layers are repeated in reverse order, and the
orientation is also changed.
For example, a three-layer laminate would change as follows:
No Symmetry a b c
Symmetrical a b c c b a
Antisymmetrical a b c -c -b -a
The dialog boxes require that you complete a table that defines the layers in your
laminate. Each line in the table represents either a ply or sub-laminate of the shell
property being defined. Note that the row numbers decrease as you go down the list
since plies are traditionally numbered from the bottom up.
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Example: Material Coordinate System for a

Cylindrical UCS
This illustration shows the material directions you define relative to a cylindrical UCS.
Note that the orientation varies at different locations on the surface:
Young's Modulus — Isotropic

Enter a value for the Young's modulus, the modulus of elasticity of the material. You
can type in the value, click the f(x) function button to define Young's modulus as a
function of temperature, or click the P button to assign a parameter.
You must enter a positive value or, if Young's modulus varies with temperature, the
name of a Young's modulus function for this property.
Poisson's Ratio — Isotropic

Enter a value for Poisson's ratio, the ratio of lateral contraction to longitudinal
extension for a bar in tension. You can type in the value, click the f(x) function
button to define Poisson's ratio as a function of temperature, or click the P button to
assign a parameter.
You must enter the name of a Poisson's ratio function or a value between –0.9999
and 0.4999. The default is 0.3.
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Isotropic Properties
Select the Properties tab to enter values for the following properties. You can define
any of these properties as a function of temperature or you can assign a parameter
value to define a property. You can either type in a value or click the ƒ(x) button to
define a function or P button to assign a parameter as appropriate.
Each field that has dimension can have its own units, and Mechanica scales the
values you enter when the units change.
• Poisson's Ratio — You must enter the name of a Poisson's ratio function or
a value between –0.9999 and 0.4999. The default is 0.3.
• Young's Modulus — You must enter a positive value or, if Young's modulus
varies with temperature, the name of a Young's modulus function for this
property.
• Coeff. of Thermal Expansion — This property is optional, but you should
enter a value if you plan to place a thermal load on the model.
Isotropic
If you select Isotropic material symmetry on the Structural tab on the Material
Definition dialog box, the following tabs appear:
• Properties
• Failure Criterion
• Fatigue
If you select the Thermal tab, the following properties appear:
• Specific Heat
• Thermal Conductivity
Maximum Strain Failure Criterion

When you select Maximum Strain, the Tensile Strength, Compressive
Strength, and Shear Strength entry boxes appear.
For information about the in-plane strains in the principal strain directions, see
Jones, Robert M., Mechanics of Composite Materials. Washington, D.C: Taylor and
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Example: Curved Surface Directions

This figure shows the material orientation relative to the first surface and second
surface directions on a curved surface. The dashed lines indicate surface directions.
(These lines are the parametric curves of the surface.)
Failure Criterion
Specify strength properties for isotropic and transversely isotropic materials to
determine whether a material has failed under given loading conditions. These
properties are stored in the material library. Select None if no failure criterion is
required.
To view the results, display a fringe plot. If the failure index is equal to or greater
than 1, the material has failed.
Failure index measures and results are not available if you do not request stress
quantities.
For Isotropic Properties — Select one of the following stress quantities from the
Failure Criterion tab:
• None — This is the default.

• Distortion Energy (von Mises)
• Maximum Shear Stress (Tresca)
• Modified Mohr
For Transversely Isotropic Properties — Select one of the following from the
Failure Criterion tab:
• None — This is the default.

• Tsai-Wu
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• Maximum Stress
• Maximum Strain
These failure criteria are valid only for 3D shells. The 1 and 2 on the dialog box
quantities denote the 1 and 2 directions of the material.
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion

Enter values for the coefficients of thermal expansion. You can define this property
or you can assign a parameter to the property. Type in a value or click the P button
as appropriate.
• a1
• a2
• a3
These values represent the thermal expansion coefficient in each of the three
principal material directions of the model.
For transversely isotropic material properties, enter the following two values for
coefficients of thermal expansion:
• a1
• a2 = a3
These values represent the thermal expansion coefficient in each of the three
principal material directions of the model, with equal values in directions 2 and 3.
You should enter values for this property if you plan to place a thermal load on the
model.
Ultimate Compressive Strength

For Isotropic Properties — If you enter a value for this quantity:
• The value must be negative.

• You must also enter a value for ultimate tensile strength.
For Transversely Isotropic Properties — For all failure criteria, if you enter
values for this quantity:
• Sc1 and Sc2 must be negative.
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Note: Sc1 is compressive failure stress in the material 1 direction and

Sc2 is compressive failure stress in the material 2 direction.
• You must also enter values for ultimate tensile strength and shear strength.
Example: Laminate Layup

A laminate layup is a number of shells layered together. Each shell has its own
midsurface. You calculate the stress for each ply when you analyze the model.
For a shell with laminates, the face of the shell is at the midsurface of the laminated
layers:
When you create a laminate stiffness shell property set, you can realign the default
material orientation.
Example: Variable Material Orientation

Even though Mechanica draws only one material orientation icon for the entity, the
material orientation is defined everywhere on that entity and may vary from one
position to the next:
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Example: Rotation for Shells and Surfaces

In the following example, the principal material directions from the example in 2D
Surface Directions are rotated about material direction 3 by –30º:
Mechanica uses the right-hand rule to determine the direction of each rotation. If
you had entered a positive angle, the material directions would have rotated in the
other direction.
Modified Mohr Failure Criterion

When you select Modified Mohr, the Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) and
Ultimate Compressive Strength entry boxes appear.
For more information about how the Modified Mohr failure criterion is calculated,
see Shigley, Joseph Edward, Mechanical Engineering Design, First Metric Edition.
New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1986.
Maximum Shear Stress (Tresca) Failure

Criterion
When you select Maximum Shear Stress (Tresca), the Tensile Yield Stress entry
box appears.
Enter a positive value for yield stress.
If you leave the field blank, Mechanica does not compute failure indexes for this
material.
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The software calculates Tresca failure index as follows:
failure_index = 2 x Maximum Shear Stress/Tensile Yield Stress
Density
Enter a positive value for the mass density associated with this material. This
property is optional, unless you plan to define a modal, prestress modal, or any
dynamic analyses for the model in Structure.
To specify mass density, you can type in a value or click the P button to assign a
parameter.
Example: Laminate Orientation

You define the orientation of your laminate layup with respect to the material
orientation specified for the surface. The figures below illustrate the sign convention
for the ply orientation relative to the material orientation. The 1' and 2' axes for the
material orientation define a right-hand coordinate system with the 3' axis extending
out of the plane of the illustration.
For a 0 laminate, the 1 direction of the ply is aligned with the 1' direction of the
material. For a 90 laminate, the 1 direction of the ply is aligned with the 2' direction
of the laminate.
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Orientation
Enter the orientation for the ply or sub-laminate. For a single ply, the orientation is
the amount the material is rotated about the material direction perpendicular to the
shell or surface (the material orientation 3 direction). See the illustration for more
information.
For sub-laminates, the orientation is the amount by which the entire sub-laminate is
rotated.
Enter positive or negative real number values for the orientation. If you have more
than one ply, you can specify multiple orientations by entering the values separated
by a slash. For example, enter 0/90/45/–45 for a 4-ply laminate.
To enter a negative orientation, insert a minus sign before the number in the entry
box. For example, the negative orientation of a ply can be entered as –45.
The entry box for orientation is parameter-capable. Right-click in the Orientation

field of the Shell Property Definition dialog box and select Parameter from the
menu.
Note: If you enter multiple values for the orientation, you cannot use
expressions based on parameters, and you cannot mix parameter names and
real numbers. For example, you cannot use an expression such as
90/45/ANGLE.
Young's Modulus
Enter values for the Young's Modulus (the modulus of elasticity) of the material. You
can define this property or you can assign a parameter to the property. Type in a
value or click the P button as appropriate.
For orthotropic material properties, enter positive values for:
• E1
• E2
• E3
These values represent the Young's modulus along each of the three principal
material directions of the model.
For transversely isotropic material properties, enter positive values for the following
two Young's modulus values:
• E1
• E2 = E3
These values represent the Young's modulus along each of the three principal
material directions of the model, with equal values in directions 2 and 3.
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Number
Enter the number of times the ply definition listed in the table is repeated for this
laminate. You can also use a counter to increment the number from 1 to 100.
Mechanica does not accept negative values in this field. If the value is zero,
Mechanica ignores the ply. The Number field for at least one of the plies in the
laminate must contain a non-zero, positive number.
Example: 2D Surface Directions

This figure shows the material orientation relative to the first and second surface
directions on a 2D diamond-shaped surface. Note that the first and second surface
directions are not necessarily orthogonal, but the three material orientation
directions are mutually orthogonal.
Normalized Tsai-Wu Interaction Term

Enter a value for the Tsai-Wu normalized interaction term.
This quantity appears only if you select Tsai-Wu as the failure criterion. The
quantity F12* is dimensionless.
Thermal Values for Isotropic Properties

In Thermal, enter values for these isotropic properties:
• Thermal Conductivity — Enter a positive value for the material's
conductivity. To specify thermal conductivity, you can type in a value or click
the P button to assign a parameter name.
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Material or Sub-laminate
Enter the name of a previously defined material for your shell definition. You can also
use a previously defined laminate as one of the plies when you define a laminate
layup-type shell.
To specify a material or sub-laminate as part of your shell definition, use one of

these methods on the laminate layup version of the Shell Property Definition
dialog box:
• You can right-click in the Material/Sub-laminate field and select Material.

The Materials and Shell Properties in the Model dialog box appears.
Select a laminate layup-type shell property from the list, or click More to
transfer one from the library to the model.
• You can type in the name of an existing material or laminate-layup shell
property.
Be careful while entering a name for a shell property or a material. If you have
assigned the same name to a material and a shell property, Mechanica
searches for saved materials and shell properties in the following order in
trying to match the entered name:
o materials in the model

o materials in the material library
o shell properties in the model
Keep the following points in mind when specifying sub-laminates:
• Mechanica displays only those shell properties whose structural properties are
those of a laminate layup.
• The dialog box does not allow recursive definitions. A shell property cannot
reference itself as a sub-laminate.
• You cannot select shell properties defined for a 3D model if the active model
is 2D.
If you select a previously defined laminate, you cannot edit the value in the
Thickness entry box.
Shell Thickness
The properties of a shell are determined by thickness, material, and shape. The
following points are true for shell thickness:
• Your model must have either a constant or multiconstant thickness. In FEM

mode, it can also have a variable thickness.
• The thickness of a body you model with one or more entities should be
significantly smaller than the length of any of the body's other dimensions
and radii of curvature.
• As a guideline, the ratio of the body's thickness to its other dimensions should
not be greater than 1 to 10 and no less than 1 to 1000.
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• For shells, the thickness times the maximum curvature cannot be more than
1.5.
In this illustration, the face of the entity that appears in the work area is the
midsurface of the entity. For example, if you assign a thickness of 1 to a shell, the
element actually has a thickness of 0.5 in each direction.
Solid Circle
The icon for a solid circle beam section type looks like this:
When you select Solid Circle as the beam type on the Beam Section Definition
dialog box, you must enter the radius of the circular beam cross section in the R
text-entry box. The value you enter must be a positive number.
The figures below illustrate stress recovery points for solid circle beam section types.
The figure on the left shows the points for native mode, and the figure on the right
shows the points for FEM mode.
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Stress Grids
When you click the arrow beside Stress Grids on the Beam Section Definition
dialog box for general beam sections, the dialog box expands to display a table of
text-entry boxes. Enter the Y Offset and Z Offset values for stress recovery points
for your section. You can define y and z values for up to nine points for the native
mode, and four in the FEM mode. You must specify values in the stress grid in order
to view results for beam recovery points.
Example: Cylindrical Coordinate System

This example shows a material coordinate system you define relative to a cylindrical
coordinate system. Notice that the orientation varies at different locations on the
cylinder:
Mechanica projects a Cartesian coordinate system onto a surface or shell in the same
manner as Mechanica projects a vector.
Maximum Stress Failure Criterion

When you select Maximum Stress, the Tensile Strength, Compressive
Strength, and Shear Strength entry boxes appear.
For information about the in-plane stresses in the principal stress directions, see
Jones, Robert M., Mechanics of Composite Materials. Washington, D.C: Taylor and
361
Distortion Energy (von Mises) Failure

Criterion
When you select Distortion Energy (von Mises), the Tensile Yield Stress entry
box appears.
Enter a positive value for yield stress.
If you leave the field blank, Mechanica does not compute failure indexes for this
material.
The von Mises failure index is calculated as follows:
failure_index = von Mises Stress/Tensile Yield Stress
Function — Material Properties

Click the ƒ(x) button to select or create a temperature-dependent material property:
• If you defined one or more functions for your model, the Functions dialog
box appears. Select a function from the dialog box.
• If no function name exists for your model, the Function Definition dialog
box appears on which you can define one or more functions.
After you select or define a function and click OK, the function name appears in the
text box next to the ƒ(x) button on the Material Definition dialog box.
Rectangle
The icon for a rectangular beam section type looks like this:
When you select Rectangle as the beam type on the Beam Section Definition
dialog box, you must enter positive values for the following cross-section
dimensions:
• b
• d
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The figures below illustrate stress recovery points for rectangular beam section
types. The figure on the left shows the points in native mode, and the figure on the
right shows the points in FEM mode.
L-Section
The icon for an L-section beam section type looks like this:
When you select L-Section as the beam type on the Beam Section Definition
dimensions:
• b
• t
• di
• tw
If you are interested in examining the exact effects of shear on a beam, enter
positive values for Shear Factor FY and Shear Factor FZ. These factors represent
the ratio of a beam's effective "shear area" to its true cross-sectional area for shear
in the principal Y and Z directions. The default value is 0.833333, which is accurate
for rectangular cross sections.
Note: An L-section beam type has fewer than two planes of symmetry.
Therefore, make sure the beam is loaded or braced to prevent twist under
shear loading.
The figures below illustrate stress recovery points for L-section beam section types.
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Beam Sections Dialog Box

Use the items on the Beam Sections dialog box to manage your beam section
definitions. When you select the Properties>Beam Sections command, or click the
More button in the Section area of the Beam Definition dialog box, this dialog box
appears. This dialog box enables you to assign a previously defined beam section to
your beam, or to create a new beam section.
The dialog box contains the following items:
• Beam Sections in Library — Displays a scrollable list of the beam sections

saved in your library. You can select one of these definitions and click the
right arrow to move it to the Beam Sections in Model list. This assigns it to
the current beam definition.
• Beam Sections in Model — Displays a scrollable list of the beam sections
assigned to one or more beams in the current model. You can select one of
these section names to assign to the current beam definition. To add a beam
section to the library, select it and use the left arrow to add it to the Beam
Sections in Library list.
• Description — This non-editable field displays the description you entered, if
any, for the beam section currently selected in the Beam Sections in
Library or Beam Sections in Model list.
• New — Opens the Beam Section Definition dialog box to allow you to
create a new beam section.
• Copy — Copies the selected beam section to a new name and adds it to the
Beam Sections in Model list. Mechanica gives the copy the default name
BeamSectionx, where x is one more than the number of items created for the
model. Note that you cannot copy sketched beam sections.
• Edit — Opens the Beam Section Definition dialog box with the values of
the selected beam section.
• Delete — Removes the selected beam section from the Beam Sections in
Model list.
If you accessed the Beam Sections dialog box from the Beam Definition dialog
box, when you close the Beam Sections dialog box, Mechanica uses the section you
selected from the Beam Sections in Model list for the current beam definition, and
displays the beam section name in the Beam Definition dialog box.
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General
There is no predefined shape for a General beam section type. When you create a
beam with a general section, the beam icon on your model includes only the Y and Z
axes. For General beam section types, you must define values for the following on
the Beam Section Definition dialog box:
• Area
• Iyy, Izz, Iyz
• J
• Shear Fy, Shear Fz
• Shear Dy, Shear Dz
You can optionally perform the following tasks:
• Use the Stress Grid option to enter Y and Z offset values for each stress
recovery point. You must specify stress grid values in order to view results for
beam stress recovery points for general beam sections.
• Use the Review button to display the section properties of a beam section.
The default graphic for a general beam section type is illustrated below for native
mode. Note that this graphic appears regardless of the stress recovery point
locations that you define using the Stress Grid. That is, the software does not
display a graphic with the entered locations when you define your results window. In
FEM mode, the software uses the first four points that you define for the section.
Factors Determining the Selection of Entities

The type of entity you can select on your model depends on the model type and the
type of material orientation.
Model Type Material Orientation Type Selectable Entities
3D 3D Part (part mode)

Parts (assembly mode)
3D 2D Surfaces
2D (Any) 2D Surfaces
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Hollow Rect
The icon for a hollow rectangle beam section type looks like this:
When you select Hollow Rect as the beam type on the Beam Section Definition
dimensions:
• b
• d
• bi
• di
The figures below illustrate stress recovery points for hollow rectangle beam section
types. The figure on the left shows the points for native mode, and the figure on the
right shows the points for FEM mode.
Material Assignment in Part Mode and

Assembly Mode
In the part mode, you can assign material properties to the volume defined by the
part and to curves and surfaces in the part. However, Mechanica uses these curve
and surface properties only if you assign a beam section to the curve or assign a
shell property to the surface. Otherwise, Mechanica disregards curve and surface
assignments.
In the assembly mode, you assign material properties to each of the parts that make
up the assembly. As in the part mode, you can also assign material properties to
individual curves and surfaces. However, Mechanica uses the material properties
assigned to curves only if you also assign a beam section property to the curve.
Similarly, Mechanica uses the material properties assigned to the surface only if you
also assign a shell property to the surface.
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Be aware that if you assign material properties to a part, curve, or surface in part
mode, those material properties are not available in assembly mode, and the
reverse. For example, if you assigned AL2014—an aluminum from Mechanica's
material library—to body1 in part mode, the software does not automatically assign
AL2014 to body1 in assembly mode. Therefore, if you ultimately plan to work with
your parts as an assembly, you should strongly consider assigning material
properties in assembly mode.
Mechanica treats each material you assign to a part or curve as a material set. Each
material set consists of a set of material property values that you specify on the
Material Definition dialog box.
You can assign three types of material properties to the model: isotropic, orthotropic,
and transversely isotropic. Most engineering materials are isotropic.
If you are working with a curve instead of a part, you can assign isotropic material
properties only.
J
Enter the effective second polar moment of area for each beam section. This
property describes stiffness in torsion. You must enter a positive value. For more
information on J, see Todhunter and Pearson's History of the Theory of Elasticity,
Dover, 1960.
Coordinate System Types

Mechanica labels the direction buttons according to the type of coordinate system
that is current (the WCS is a Cartesian system):
X R R
Y T T
Z Z P
You select one axis for each material direction. Since you must select a different
coordinate system direction for each material direction, Mechanica automatically
selects the remaining axis for the third direction after you select axes for the first
two directions.
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Cost
This property is optional.
Enter a value for cost per unit mass if you want:
• Mechanica to calculate the model's cost

• to use cost as a goal or limit in an optimization design study for this model
To specify cost per unit mass, you can type in a value or click the P button to assign
a parameter.
Orthotropic
If you select Orthotropic material symmetry, additional items appear on the
Material Definition dialog box. For these items, enter values in terms of material
directions 1, 2, and 3.
If you select the Structural tab, the following properties appear:
• Poisson's Ratio
• Young's Modulus
• Shear Modulus
• Coefficient of Thermal Expansion
If you select the Thermal tab, the following properties appear:
• Specific Heat
Parameter Button
Click the P button to define a parameter-specified property. The Select
Pro/ENGINEER Parameter dialog box enables you to select or create a
Pro/ENGINEER parameter. After you click Accept and return to the Material
Definition dialog box, you can convert the parameter into a Mechanica design
parameter.
Select a parameter from the dialog box. After you click Accept, the parameter name
appears in the text box next to the P button on the Material Definition dialog box.
Mechanica does not write parameters to the library but evaluates the parameters
and writes their current value to the library.
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Referenced Coordinate System

When you select Referenced Coordinate System, Mechanica determines the
material orientation by projecting the UCS directions onto the surface or shell, or into
a solid. Material Direction 3 remains perpendicular to the surface or shell.
Depending on the entity you select:
• For surfaces and shells, Mechanica displays the current coordinate system
(the WCS is selected by default). You can select another coordinate system if
you wish.
• For parts, solids, volumes, 2D plates, and 2D solids, Mechanica displays
Material Directions 1, 2, and 3, which you can change on the dialog box if you
like.
• A menu appears that lets you define the following items:
o Projected X axis — This option is the default value, and the only
available choice in FEM mode. It defines Material Direction 1 to be the
direction of the X axis of the referenced coordinate system projected
onto the surface.
o Projected closest axis — This option defines Material Direction 1
through a series of calculations.
To calculate this value, the software first determines which of the

three coordinate system directions—(X, Y, Z) or (R, T, Z) or (R, T, P)—
is closest to the surface normal. Next, the software picks the
coordinate system direction that follows the previously selected
direction. For example, if the X direction is closest to the surface
normal, the software selects the Y direction. Or, if the Z direction is
closest to the surface normal, the software picks the X direction. The
projection of this direction onto the surface is defined as Material
Direction 1.
To learn about more aspects of the Referenced Coordinate System, see:
• Coordinate System Types

• Example: Material Coordinate System for a Cylindrical UCS
• Example: Cylindrical Coordinate System
Shear Strength
For all transversely isotropic failure criteria, if you enter a value for this quantity
keep the following in mind:
• Ss must be positive.
• You must also enter values for ultimate tensile strength and ultimate
compressive strength.
entered when you change the units.
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Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS)

you enter when the units changed.
For Isotropic Properties — If you enter a value for this quantity:
• The value must be positive.

• You must also enter a value for ultimate compressive strength.
For Transversely Isotropic Properties — For all failure criteria, if you enter
values for this quantity:
• St1 and St2 must be positive.
Note: St1 is tensile failure stress in the material 1 direction, and St2 is
ultimate tensile failure strength in the material 2 direction.
• You must also enter values for ultimate compressive strength and shear
strength.
Transversely Isotropic
If you select this type of material symmetry on the Structural tab on the Material
Definition dialog box, the following tabs appear:
• Properties
• Failure Criterion
If you select the Thermal tab, these properties appear:
• Specific Heat
Solid Ellipse
The icon for a solid ellipse beam section type looks like this:
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When you select Solid Ellipse as the beam type on the Beam Section Definition
dimensions:
• a
• b
The figures below illustrate stress recovery points for solid ellipse section types. The
figure on the left shows the points for the native mode, and the figure on the right
shows the points for the FEM mode.
Iyy, Iyz, Izz

Enter the second moments of area for each beam section. Mechanica interprets the
entered values with respect to the BSCS. The software also displays the values with
respect to the BCPCS when you review beam section properties. These properties
describe stiffness in bending about a beam's principal Y and Z axes.
You must enter a positive value for Iyy and Izz.
Iyz can be either positive or negative and must obey the rule:
(Iyz)2 < Iyy Izz
Note that Iyz is zero for beam sections for which the BSCS is the same as the
BCPCS.
Hollow Ellipse
The icon for a hollow ellipse beam section type looks like this:
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When you select Hollow Ellipse as the beam type on the Beam Section Definition
dimensions:
• a — the length of the major (longer) cross section of the outer ellipse
• b — the length of the minor (shorter) cross section of the outer ellipse
• ai — the length of the major (longer) cross section of the inner ellipse
Mechanica calculates the inside minor axis by making its ratio to the inside
major axis the same as the ratio of the outside minor axis to the outside
major axis, as shown in this equation:
Inside Minor = (Outside Minor/Outside Major) Inside Major
If you want to examine the exact effects of shear on a beam, enter positive values
for Shear Factor FY and Shear Factor FZ. These factors represent the ratio of a
beam's effective "shear area" to its true cross-sectional area for shear in the
principal Y and Z directions. The default is 0.833333, which is accurate for
rectangular cross sections.
The figures below illustrate the stress recovery points for hollow ellipse section types.
The figure on the left shows the points in native mode, and the figure on the right
shows the points in FEM mode.
Hollow Circle
The icon for a hollow circle beam section type looks like this:
When you select Hollow Circle as the beam type on the Beam Section Definition
dimensions:
• R
• Ri
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The figures below illustrate stress recovery points for hollow circle section types. The
figure on the left shows the points for native mode, and the figure on the right shows
the points for FEM mode.
Diamond
The icon for a diamond beam section type looks like this:
When you select Diamond as the beam type on the Beam Section Definition
dialog box, you must enter positive values for these cross-section dimensions:
• b
• d
Stress recovery points for diamond beam section types are illustrated below. The
figure on the left shows the points in native mode, and the figure on the right shows
the points in FEM mode.
Area
Enter the cross-sectional area for each beam section. You must enter a positive
value. Because General beam section types lack geometry, for the purpose of
calculating torsional stress, Mechanica assumes that the cross section is circular.
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Channel
The icon for a channel beam section type looks like this:
When you select Channel as the beam type on the Beam Section Definition dialog
box, you must enter positive values for the following beam cross-section dimensions:
• b
• t
• di
• tw
If you are interested in examining the exact effects of shear on a beam, enter values
for Shear FY and Shear FZ. These factors represent the ratio of a beam's effective
"shear area" to its true cross-sectional area for shear in the principal Y and Z
directions.
You must enter a positive value for each of these properties. The default is
0.833333, which is accurate for rectangular cross sections.
When you click Accept, if your section type has fewer than two planes of symmetry,
Mechanica informs you that the beams should be loaded or braced to prevent twist
under shear loading.
Stress recovery points for channel beam section types are illustrated below. The
figure on the left shows the points for native mode, and the figure on the right shows
the points for FEM mode.
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I-Beam
The icon for an I-beam beam section type looks like this:
When you select I-Beam as the beam type on the Beam Section Definition dialog
box, you must enter positive values for the following cross-section dimensions:
• b
• t
• di
• tw
The figures below illustrate stress recovery points for I-beam beam section types.
Shear FY, Shear FZ

Enter these values on the Beam Section Definition dialog box for general sections
if you are interested in examining the exact effects of shear on a beam. These
factors represent the ratio of a beam's effective "shear area" to its true cross-
sectional area for shear in the principal Y and Z directions.
You must enter a positive value for each of these properties. If you leave this value
blank:
• Native mode assigns the default value of 0.833333, which is accurate for
rectangular cross sections.
• FEM mode interprets the value as undefined.
For L and channel sections, the default value is section-specific.
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Shear DY, Shear DZ

Enter these values on the Beam Section Definition dialog box to specify the
distance between shear center (the point on a beam section about which the section
rotates under deflection) and the centroid of the beam section, with respect to the
principal axes.
The values for these properties are relevant for non-doubly-symmetric beam sections
(those that are not symmetrical about two normal axes). For many standard beam
sections types such as square and rectangle, the shear center and the beam centroid
are the same.
For channel, thin sketched, and L-sections, Mechanica calculates these values
automatically. For general and solid sketched beam sections, you need to calculate
the values yourself and specify them on the dialog box.
You can load a beam directly through its shear center, eliminating torsion from the
element's behavior, by aligning the section to the assigning curve. To do this, you
can use the Beam Orientation functionality to apply beam offsets. You can view the
offset distances to enter for beam orientation when you review beam section
properties. Note that the values given on this review for Shear Center are reported
with respect to the BCPCS. Alternatively, you can select the Shear Center option on
the Beam Orientation Definition dialog box and leave the offset values set to
zero.
Structural Constraints
About Structure Constraints
In Structure and FEM mode Structure, use the Insert>Displacement Constraint
or Insert>Along Surface Constraint command to constrain entities in your model
or use relations functions. In defining constraints for a Structure model, your goal is
to fix portions of the model geometry so that the model cannot move, or can move
only in a predetermined way. Your model's constraints, along with its loads, provide
the software with the real-world conditions that it uses as the basis for analysis. In
native mode you can also use the Insert>Symmetry Constraint command to
apply constraints that allow you to take advantage of your model's geometric
symmetry.
In constraining a Structure model, you are defining the extent to which your model
can move in reference to a coordinate system. Thus, when you add constraints, you
specify translational or rotational part movement. The software assumes that any
unconstrained portion of your Structure model is free to move in all directions.
Before applying constraints, see Guidelines for Structure Constraints. Every

constraint is created as part of a constraint set. In Structure, you can use only one
constraint set per analysis.
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You can choose from the following constraint types:
• Displacement constraint — Create various entity-based constraint types.

• Symmetry constraint — Create cyclic or mirror symmetry constraints. This
command is not available in FEM mode.
• Along Surface constraint — In FEM mode only, create a displacement
constraint along a surface.
For each of these three constraint types, you need to consider different factors and
use different creation methods. To review information that is common to all three
constraint types, see:
• Adding Constraints
• Constraints, Loads, and Analysis Types
Mechanica applies the constraints you specify to all the entities that you select and
places a constraint icon at each location.
For compressed solid parts in assemblies, Mechanica automatically adds a constraint

between intersecting midsurfaces whenever possible. When Mechanica adds such a
constraint, the constrained midsurfaces are forced to deform together during a run.
If you are working in Thermal, see About Thermal Boundary Conditions for
information on applying convection conditions, prescribed temperatures, cyclic
symmetry, or in FEM mode, radiation.
After you create a constraint, you can edit or delete it by selecting the associated
you are deleting a constraint, Mechanica asks you for confirmation first. You can also
troubleshoot constraints, control constraint icon visibility, and place constraints on
layers.
To create, edit, or delete constraint sets, select Properties>Constraint Sets to

open the Constraint Sets dialog box.
Adding Constraints
For Mechanica to perform most types of analyses, you must constrain at least one
area of your model. When you apply constraints, Mechanica associates the
constraints with model geometry. For structural analysis, a constraint is an external
limit on the movement of a portion of your model. For thermal analysis, a constraint
is an external limit on the temperature of a portion of your model.
You can apply a constraint to a single geometric entity or to multiple entities. When
you apply a constraint to multiple entities, Mechanica does not allow you to mix
entity types, except for points and vertices, and edges and curves. For example, if
you specify a point as the first entity, all remaining entities, to which constraint
applies, must also be points or vertices.
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Note: Constraints applied to vertices and to multiple datum points in

Mechanica FEM mode are suppressed in Mechanica.
In general, you should plan the placement of your constraints according to the model
type. For example, if you are working with a solid model, you should try to place
your constraints on surfaces or surface regions rather than points or curves. With
shell models, you should try to place your constraints on curves, surfaces, or surface
regions, depending on the load type. Although you can place constraints on other
entity types, this placement can adversely affect convergence.
When constraining a structural assembly, be aware that you must constrain all
independent bodies in the assembly. If the constraint set does not constrain all
bodies in the model, Mechanica is unable to run the associated analyses.
You can place some types of constraints on a surface that will be compressed to a
midsurface edge. When possible, Mechanica automatically transfers the constraint
from the original surface to the compressed midsurface. When not possible,
Mechanica deletes the constraints.
Constraints, Loads, and Analysis Types

Some Mechanica analysis types require loads and constraints. To help you determine
which of these modeling entities your analysis plan calls for, the following tables
provide an overview of the load and constraint requirements for the various analysis
types.
FEM Mode Analyses
Analysis Type Constraint or Boundary Load

Condition
Mechanica Structure
structural yes optional
modal yes no
Mechanica Thermal
thermal yes optional
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All Other Mechanica Analyses
Analysis Type Constraint or Boundary Load

Condition
Mechanica Structure
static yesa optional
modal yesb no
buckling yesc yes
large deformation static yesa optional
prestress static yesa yes
prestress modal yes no
contact yesa optional
dynamic time yes yes
dynamic frequency yes yes
dynamic random yes yes
dynamic shock yes yes
fatigue no yesd
Mechanica Thermal
steady-state thermal yes optional
transient thermal yes optional
a. If your model includes point-to-ground springs, you do not need to specify a

constraint.
b. If you plan a constrained modal analysis, you need to add at least one constraint.
However, for unconstrained modal analyses with rigid mode search, you need no
constraints.
c. Buckling analysis uses the loads and constraints defined for the static analysis you
select as a basis for the buckling analysis.
d. Fatigue analysis uses the results from a static analysis as the basis for calculating
loading.
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Constraints on Entities
You can place displacement constraints on a variety of geometric entities including
points, vertices, edges, curves,and surfaces.
You define a displacement constraint by selecting the appropriate geometric

reference before or after opening the Constraint dialog box to indicate how
Mechanica should apply the constraint.
The geometric entities you can constrain differ according to the model type and
operating mode, as shown below:
Model Types Constrainable Entities
3D point (FEM only: vertex), edge/curve, surface
2D plane stress point, edge/curve, surface
2D plane strain point, edge/curve, surface
2D axisymmetric
Guidelines for Structure Constraint Sets

If you need more information on what a constraint set is, see Understanding
Constraint Sets.
When you create constraint sets, use the following guidelines:
• Use names that are 32 characters or fewer. You can use alphanumeric
characters and underbars. Names must start with alphabetic characters.
• The software does not permit you to use a name already used for another
load, constraint, or boundary condition.
• Use names that uniquely and clearly identify the objective, placement, or
other key characteristic of the set. If you use the default names, you or other
users may have trouble distinguishing the sets later.
• You can include as many different types of constraints as you want within a
single constraint set.
• There is no limit to the number of constraint sets you can create or the
number of constraints you can include in a constraint set.
• You can edit and delete the individual constraints that make up a set. You can
also edit and delete a constraint set. With constraint sets, you can change the
set description or the name.
• You can remove a given constraint from its set by editing the constraint and
changing the selected set. Use the name of a set that already exists, or click
New. The software adds the constraint to that set.
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See Constraint and Load Sets in Structural Analyses for guidelines on how to use
constraint sets in your analysis.
Understanding Structure Constraint Sets

Every constraint you add in the software is part of a constraint set. A constraint set
is a collection of constraints that act together, and at the same time, on your model.
Constraint sets cannot contain loads. For more information, see Guidelines for
Structure Constraint Sets.
You can manage your constraint sets with the Constraint Sets dialog box in
Structure and FEM mode Structure. When you select the Properties>Constraint
Sets command, this dialog box appears with the following buttons:
• New — Opens the Constraint Set Definition dialog box. Enter a name and
optional description for the new constraint set.
Note: You can also access the Constraint Set Definition dialog box by
clicking the New button in the Member of Set area on the Constraint
and Symmetry Constraint dialog boxes.
• Copy — Opens the Copy Constraint Set dialog box to enable you to enter a
name for the copy, or accept the default name. When you click OK, the copy
is added to the list in the Constraint Sets dialog box. The new constraint set
includes copies of the same constraints as the original constraint set.
• Edit — Opens the Constraint Set Definition dialog box to enable you to
modify the information that you used to specify the highlighted constraint set.
• Delete — Removes the highlighted constraint set.
• Description — Displays the optional description you entered when you
created the constraint set.
If you want the flexibility of treating each of your constraints separately, use a
unique name and unique set name for each constraint. Remember, however, that an
analysis can only access one constraint set.
Load and constraint sets provide a logical means of organizing your modeling entities
so that you can define analyses effectively and clearly. A carefully considered
approach to load and constraint set creation simplifies load and constraint selection
when defining your analyses. Although the software permits you to create each load
and constraint as a separate load set or constraint set, you can greatly reduce the
number of selections you need to make for analysis definition by grouping your loads
and constraints into sets.
Guidelines for Structure Constraints

Mechanica assumes that any part of your model that you do not constrain is free to
move in all degrees of freedom available for that model type. For analysis to
succeed, all degrees of freedom should be constrained somewhere in your model.
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Before you add constraints to your model, be sure you have the geometry and
references you need already in place. Pay particular attention to the following items:
• Geometry
• Coordinate Systems
• Datum Points
• Regions
• Points — If you attempt to delete a point associated with a load or
constraint, the software informs you of the association by displaying a
message with the information that the geometry you want to delete is
referenced by a simulation feature. You can delete the point, but Mechanica
also deletes the associated load or constraint.
• Surfaces — If you apply a displacement constraint to a surface by selecting
the surface with Box Select or Part Boundary, and Mechanica later creates
a new surface due to a parameter change, the software does not
automatically apply the existing constraint to the new surface.
• Shell Models — If you plan to constrain a shell model surface, edge, region,
curve, or point that Mechanica may compress during analysis, see Model
Entities and Idealizations to learn about how the software processes
constraints placed on these geometry types.
• Cyclic Symmetry Models — If you plan on assigning a cyclic symmetry
constraint to a portion of a symmetric model, you must first create the model
section in Pro/ENGINEER, using the Cut feature on the original model.
• Mirror Symmetry Models — If you apply a mirror symmetry constraint to a
surface that is collapsed to a curve due to midsurface compression during
analysis, the software ignores the mirror symmetry constraint.
Displacement Constraints
When you select the Insert>Displacement Constraint command, the following
version of the Constraint dialog box appears. Use the following items on the dialog
box to define a displacement constraint in Structure:
• Name — The name of the constraint.

• Member of Set — The name of the constraint set. You can select an existing
constraint set from the drop-down list, or create a new constraint set by
clicking the New button to display the Constraint Sets dialog box.
• References — The drop-down list includes the following geometric entities.
You can select the geometry for these references before you enter the dialog
box, or use the selector arrow and the normal selection methods to choose
the desired geometry.
o Surface(s) (default) — You can select individual surfaces, several

surfaces, quilts, or part boundaries.
o Edge(s)/Curve(s) — You can select edges, curves, or composite
curves.
o Point(s) — You can select single points, vertices, features of points,
or patterns of points.
• Coordinate System — The selection button allows you to change the
reference coordinate system. The default is the WCS.
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• Constraint type — The translation and rotation constraints that you can
apply differ depending upon your model type and coordinate system. You
must specify the setting for each component of these constraint types.
o Translation — The extent to which you allow your model to move

along a principal axis of the referenced Cartesian, cylindrical, or
spherical coordinate system.
o Rotation — The extent to which you allow your model to rotate in
reference to an axis of the referenced Cartesian, cylindrical, or
spherical coordinate system.
If you are working with symmetry constraints in native mode or Along Surface
constraints in FEM mode, Mechanica provides a different version of the dialog box.
Constraint Settings
You can select one of the following settings for each constraint option:
• Free — Allows freedom of movement in the specified direction.

• Fixed — Constrains the entity, preventing movement in the specified
direction.
• Prescribed — Prescribes a specific displacement or rotation in the specified
direction. Prescribed has an effect on the entity similar to a load.
When you select Prescribed, an input field appears to the right of the
column. You can enter a value, mathematical expression, or parameter name
in this field. When entering a value:
o For translation options, enter an enforced displacement value in length

units. For native mode, if you define the constraint referencing a
cylindrical or spherical coordinate system, enter theta and phi in
radians rather than length units. In this case, the effective prescribed
translation is the product of the radians you enter and the radial
distance of the entity from the origin of the reference coordinate
system.
o For rotation options, enter an enforced rotation in radians.
In defining prescribed displacement constraints, you should consider various

guidelines and behaviors.
• Function of coordinates (FEM mode) — Enables you to define a constraint

as a function of coordinates.
When you click the Function Of Coordinates button, the f (x) button and
option menu appear to the right. Select a function from the option menu or
click the f (x) button to use the Functions dialog box to define a new function
or edit an existing one.
The software uses only the translational degrees of freedom for solid models because
solids have only three degrees of freedom. The software disregards any setting you
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select for the rotational degrees of freedom. If you apply the constraint to shell or
beam models, the software uses both translational and rotational settings because
the shell formulation has all six degrees of freedom.
Constraint Options
The following table shows which constraint options are available for each model type
in a Cartesian coordinate system:
Model Type Constraint Options
3D Trans X, Trans Y, Trans Z, Rot X, Rot Y, Rot Z
plane strain and 2D Trans X, Trans Y, Rot Z

axisymmetric
plane stress Trans X, Trans Y
Note: The software ignores any rotational degrees of freedom for 2D solids or
solids in 3D models. If you specify constraints on Rot X, Rot Y, or Rot Z for
these elements, the software ignores the constraints.
The software labels the coordinate directions differently if a cylindrical or spherical

coordinate system is active. The following table shows the constraint options for each
coordinate system (R=radial, T=theta, and P=phi):
Trans X Trans R Trans R
Trans Y Trans T Trans T
Trans Z Trans Z Trans P
Rot X Rot R Rot R
Rot Y Rot T Rot T
Rot Z Rot Z Rot P
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For more information about coordinate systems, see Coordinate Systems.
Structure Constraint Icons

The constraint icon shows which degrees of freedom you constrained.
Two rows of boxes appear at the base of the triangle, with each box representing a
degree of freedom. The degree of freedom represented by each box varies
depending on the type of coordinate system, as shown below:
Cartesian:
Trans X Trans Y Trans Z
Rot X Rot Y Rot Z
Cylindrical:
Trans R Trans T Trans Z
Rot R Rot T Rot Z
Spherical:
Trans R Trans T Trans P
Rot R Rot T Rot P
Filled boxes correspond to constrained degrees of freedom or enforced

displacements. Empty boxes correspond to degrees of freedom designated as free.
In this example, the current coordinate system is Cartesian and the constraint is
fixed in Trans X, Trans Y, and Rot Z:
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This icon indicates cyclic symmetry constraints. The icon appears on your design at
the axis of symmetry:
This icon indicates mirror symmetry constraints:
This icon indicates Along Surface constraints in FEM mode. The icon appears on your
design at the reference surface:
To Define Displacement Constraints
1. Select Insert>Displacement Constraint or click . The Constraint

dialog box opens.
2. Enter a descriptive name or accept the default name.
3. Select the desired constraint set from the Member of Set drop-down list.
If you want to create a new constraint set, click the New button to display
the Constraint Set Definition dialog box. Enter a name and optional
description for a new constraint set.
4. If you did not select geometric entities as references before you opened the
dialog box, select one of the following References from the drop-down list
now:
o Surface(s)
o Edge(s)
o Point(s)
5. Click and use the normal selection methods to select a reference.
6. If you want to change the reference coordinate system, click and select a
coordinate system. The default is the WCS.
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7. Click one of these settings buttons for each translational and rotational
degree of freedom to define how you want to constrain the geometry:
Translation Rotation
Free
Fixed
Prescribed
Function (FEM mode
only)
If you select a prescribed setting, enter a value in the field to the right. You
can enter a value, mathematical expression, or parameter name in this field.
The value should be in length units for translation constraints, and in radians
for rotation constraints.
8. Click OK to accept the definition and exit the dialog box.
Troubleshooting Your Constraints

Verifying a Constraint
If you think that a constraint is not behaving as you expect, you can review the
constraint using either of the following methods:
• Select the associated icon on the model and use Edit>Definition. Mechanica
displays the appropriate constraint definition dialog box. To change any of
your entries, simply edit the dialog box.
• For Structure models only, if you want to troubleshoot or review your
constraints, you can spot-check the constraint icons to generally determine
whether you applied the constraint correctly. To learn how to spot-check a
constraint icon, you need to understand the icon layout. The constraint icon
shows which degrees of freedom you constrained. Two rows of boxes appear
at the base of the triangle, with each box indicating the state of the
displacement. Following is an example of a constraint icon:
Filled boxes correspond to fixed displacements or enforced displacements.

Empty boxes correspond to displacements designated as free. In the above
example, the constraint fixes the translation in the X and Y directions and
fixes the rotation about the Z axis.
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Performing a Body Check for Assemblies

If you are working with an assembly, you can check the number of bodies in your
assembly by requesting error detection when you start your Mechanica analysis.
During the error detection cycle, Mechanica informs you of how many bodies it finds
in your assembly. If this count does not agree with the number you expect, review
the assembly in Pro/ENGINEER and correct any mating problems. Then, return to
Mechanica and add loads or constraints to any bodies that require them. For more
information, see Assembly Considerations.
• These problems can lead to poor accuracy for analysis results.

• Curve constraints can introduce theoretically infinite stresses or fluxes in solid
models.
You may want to define a small surface region and apply the constraint to the region
instead of to a point. This approach distributes the stresses and fluxes over a slightly
wider portion of the model, avoiding concentration problems.
Symmetry Constraints
Use the Insert>Symmetry Constraint command in Structure or Thermal to create
a cyclic or mirror symmetry constraint. This command is not available in FEM mode.
When you select this command, the Symmetry Constraint dialog box appears with
these items:

• Member of Set — The name of the constraint set (in Structure) or boundary
condition set (in Thermal). You can select an existing set from the drop-down
list, or create a new set by clicking the New button to display the Constraint
Sets dialog box.
• Type — Select one of the following constraint types. The dialog box changes
depending upon your selection:
o Cyclic
o Mirror (Structure only)
• References — For mirror constraints, you can select points, curves, edges,
or surfaces to define the plane of symmetry.
For cyclic constraints, you must make the following selections:
o First Side — Define the first side of the cut section.

o Second Side — Define the second side of the cut section.
o Axis — Select the axis of symmetry. Axis is inactive if the software
automatically determines the axis of symmetry.
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Your model can include both cyclic and mirror symmetry constraints, with these
limitations:
• Your model can include only one cyclic symmetry constraint.

• The plane defining a mirror symmetry constraint must be orthogonal to the
symmetry axis for a cyclic symmetry constraint.
Working with Symmetric Models

If the model you create is symmetric, you have the option of subdividing the model
and working with a symmetric section instead of the entire model. By modeling only
a portion of the part, you can greatly reduce the number of elements in your model,
thus saving significant analysis time and system resources. Depending on the model,
you can also save yourself the overhead spent defining repeated versions of a load
or constraint or selecting multiple surfaces, edges, or points during load or constraint
definition.
For example, if you were trying to determine how a disk reacted to a uniform load
applied to the top surface, you might decide that you only wanted to analyze a
portion of the disk. Because the part and modeling conditions are symmetrical, the
analysis results for a section of the disk would provide information accurate enough
to give you an idea of how the model will behave as a whole.
For a model to be symmetric for Mechanica's purposes, it must exhibit the following
characteristics:
• The geometry must be symmetric.

• The loads, constraints, and idealizations must be symmetric.
There are two types of symmetry you can model in Mechanica—mirror symmetry and
cyclic symmetry. Mirror symmetry relies on the principle that one segment of a
model is the mirror image of other segments. An example of this type of model
would be a rectangular plate with a hole at its center. In native mode you can use
the mirror symmetry constraint to take advantage of your model's symmetry. To use
mirror symmetry in FEM mode you must apply a displacement constraint to fix
translation normal to the plane of symmetry and fix rotations in opposition to the
plane of symmetry.
Cyclic symmetry relies on the principle that a segment of the geometry is repeated in
a cyclic manner throughout the model, but the segment is not a mirror image, either
in its geometry or its load scheme. An example of this type of geometry would be a
fan blade or turbine. You can only use cyclic symmetry in native mode. FEM mode
does not support this type of modeling.
The methods you use to develop these two types of symmetry differ, as does the
application of constraints and certain loads. Both types of symmetry can prove
efficient for a 3D solid or shell model. The choice of which symmetry type you use
depends on the model and the problem you wish to solve.
Note that, in some situations, you can use 2D axisymmetric modeling in place of
symmetry. While not strictly a form of symmetry, 2D axisymmetric modeling
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provides an extremely efficient alternative to treating your model as a symmetric

solid. This form of modeling relies on the principle that a 2D slice of your solid
model, if rotated around an axis, can accurately depict the whole of your model's
geometry, loads, and constraints. For an example of this type of model, see Setting
up a Solid Model for a 2D Analysis on an Internal Surface.
Cyclic Symmetry Constraints

A cyclic symmetry constraint allows you to analyze a section of a cyclically symmetric
model that simulates the behavior of the whole part or assembly. This relational
constraint reduces meshing and analysis time. Cyclic symmetry constraints are not
available in FEM mode.
The original model (part or assembly), from which you take a section, must exhibit
cyclic symmetry. That is, copying the cut section about a common axis a specified
number of times reproduces the whole model. The number of times must be an
integer. The model must exhibit cyclic symmetry in all of the following:
• geometry
• loads
• other constraints
• material type and orientation
In Structure, a cyclic symmetry constraint prescribes rotation and displacement on

two boundaries to be the same. In Thermal, a cyclic symmetry constraint prescribes
the temperature distribution on two boundaries to be the same.
Note: All results are cyclically symmetric because the model is cyclically
symmetric.
To solve a cyclic symmetry problem, you need to complete three steps—cutting your
model to isolate a cyclically symmetric segment, defining the constraint with the
Cyclic Constraint dialog box, and running an analysis that includes the constraint.
For more information on cyclic symmetry, see Guidelines for Cyclic Symmetry.
Guidelines for Cyclic Symmetry

Cyclic symmetry constraints are typically applied to surfaces. When you are making
a cyclic symmetry model, you should be careful about applying modeling entities,
loads, or constraints to the curves bordering a cyclically constrained curve. Cyclic
symmetry boundary geometry should only be associated with surfaces of volumes,
curves of surfaces, and points of curves. Geometry not specifically associated with a
cyclic symmetry constraint is still available for the assignment of modeling entities.
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If you choose to apply loads, constraints, and so on to the perimeter of a cyclically

constrained model, you need to be aware of how cyclic symmetry affects their
behavior.
• Loads applied to a boundary curve or to the end point of a curve behave as

though divided equally between the applied geometry and the corresponding
geometry on the other boundary. This means that a load of 100 lb applied to
a curve on one boundary will behave as though a 50 lb load has been applied
to each boundary.
Heat loads behave in the same way.
• Structure constraints applied to a curve behave as though applied to both the

applied geometry and the corresponding boundary geometry, through the
rotational transformation defined by the cyclic symmetry constraint.
That is, a constraint restricting X axis displacement for a boundary curve

parallel to the X axis of the current coordinate system effectively restricts
radial displacement from the cyclic symmetry axis. The corresponding
geometry on the other boundary is not constrained with respect to the X axis
of the current coordinate system, as might be expected, but it is effectively
restricted with respect to radial displacement.
This behavior is true for conflicting constraints applied to corresponding

geometry from both boundaries, as well as to enforced displacements.
Thermal boundary conditions behave in the same way.
• Enforced displacements that effectively displace both boundaries of a cyclic

symmetry constraint are not permitted, since they may force violation of
cyclic symmetry. For example, a surface that shares common border curves
with both cyclic symmetry boundary surfaces cannot have an enforced
displacement assigned to it. Enforced displacements are generally permitted,
provided they do not violate this condition.
• All constraints that touch the cyclic symmetry boundary must be associated
with a cylindrical or spherical coordinate system whose axis coincides with the
cyclic symmetry axis.
• The stiffness characteristics of your model should be very carefully considered
when you use beams, shells, springs, or masses on the cyclic symmetry
perimeter. This type of modeling is not recommended.
To Add a Cyclic Symmetry Constraint

1. Modify a part or an assembly in Pro/ENGINEER by cutting away the portions
of the model that are not part of the cyclically symmetric model.
2. In Mechanica, apply a cyclic symmetry constraint, which compensates for the
rest of the model not being there, to the boundaries created by the cut
feature.
3. Run the desired analyses, making sure that the cyclic symmetry constraint
set is included.
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To Create a Cyclic Symmetry Model Section

1. Open the part or assembly in Pro/ENGINEER.
2. Make a cut feature in your model, leaving the cyclically symmetric portion.
For more information on cuts, search the Part Modeling functional area of the
3. You can optionally save the cyclically symmetric portion of the model as a
separate model. The cut boundaries need not be planar. If you save the
section as a separate model, any analyses or design study that you run will
affect the cut section only, not the entire model.
When you apply a cyclic symmetry constraint to the cut section, any
displacement that occurs will mimic the behavior of the entire, uncut model.
To Define a Cyclic Symmetry Constraint

After you have created the portion of your model on which you want to place a cyclic
symmetry constraint in Mechanica, complete the following steps in Structure or
Thermal:
1. Select Insert>Symmetry Constraint or click .
The Symmetry Constraint dialog box appears.
2. Enter a new name or accept the default name.

4. If you want to create a new constraint set, click the New button to display
the Constraint Set dialog box. Enter a name for the new constraint set.
5. In Structure, select Cyclic from the Type drop-down list. (This is the only
choice in Thermal.)
6. Use the selector arrows in the References area and the normal selection
methods to select two sets of surfaces, curves, and/or points to define the
boundaries of the cyclic symmetry constraint.
Depending on the geometry you selected, the software determines the axis of
symmetry automatically. If it cannot, the software prompts you to specify the
axis of symmetry. Datum axes/curves and solid edges/curves are all available
for selection.
For planar cuts, the axis of symmetry generally occurs at the intersection of
the two cuts at the virtual center of the original model. For non-planar cuts,
this is not the case and the location of the axis of symmetry will vary.
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Mirror Symmetry Constraints

A mirror symmetry constraint fixes the translational degrees of freedom normal to
the symmetry plane, and frees the rotational degrees of freedom around the axis
normal to the symmetry plane. Note that for solid models, the software disregards
the rotational settings, because solids have only three degrees of freedom. However,
the software uses the rotational settings for shell and beam models.
You can use mirror symmetry constraints in Structure when you want to analyze a
segment of a model and project the results to the entire model. Using mirror
symmetry allows you to take advantage of your model's symmetry to reduce
meshing and analysis time. Mirror symmetry constraints are not available in FEM
mode.
To use mirror symmetry successfully to analyze your model, your part or assembly
must exhibit reflective symmetry through a plane. In other words, the geometry and
modeling entities on one side of the plane must be matched in size and location by
the geometry and modeling entities on the other side. If your model has mirror
symmetry you should be able to visualize folding it along the mirror plane and
obtaining two identical geometries with loads and other displacement constraints
exhibiting the same placement and orientation.
If you run a modal analysis on a model with mirror symmetry constraints or a

representative segment of that model, the results will not include any nonsymmetric
modes. To determine whether there are nonsymmetric modes, run the modal
analysis with the entire model without mirror symmetry constraints.
To define a mirror symmetry constraint, you must select sufficient geometric

references on your model to define a plane. Keep the following in mind when
selecting references:
• The references must be coplanar.

• You can use combinations of points, curves, edges, or surfaces that lie on the
plane of symmetry.
• You cannot use reference combinations that are collinear.
• You can define more than one mirror symmetry constraint for your model, but
if you do, you cannot reference the same geometric entities for two different
mirror symmetry constraints.
• The symmetry planes for multiple mirror constraints in the same model must
be either parallel or orthogonal to each other.
To Define a Mirror Symmetry Constraint
1. Select Insert>Symmetry Constraint or click .
The Symmetry Constraint dialog box appears.

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description for the new constraint set.
5. If it is not already selected, select Mirror from the Type drop-down list.
6. Click in the References area and use the normal selection methods to
select sufficient points, curves, edges, or surfaces on your model to specify a
symmetry plane.
7. Click OK to accept your definition and exit the dialog box.
Along Surface Constraints

Constraints Along Surface (FEM mode)
You can use the Along Surface Constraint command to create a surface constraint
that fixes a planar or cylindrical surface in a particular direction while allowing free
movement in other directions. Along Surface constraints are particularly useful for
models where you need the surface to move in one or more directions, but be held in
place in the remaining directions—for example, a piston that slides within a cylinder,
but stays tight to the inner cylinder wall and does not rotate.
You define a constraint along a surface by selecting the Along Surface Constraint
command and using a special version of the Constraint dialog box to indicate how
Mechanica should apply the constraint.
Along Surface Constraints (FEM mode)

When you select the Insert>Along Surface Constraint command, Mechanica
opens a special version of the Constraint dialog box allowing you to create an Along
Surface constraint. This dialog box contains the following items:

• Member of Set — The name of the constraint set. You can select an existing
constraint set from the drop-down list, or create a new constraint set by
clicking the New button to display the Constraint Sets dialog box.
• Type — Select the type of Along Surface constraint you want to create from
the following options:
o Planar — Allow full planar movement, but constrain any off-plane
displacement. For this type of constraint, you can only select planar
surfaces as reference surfaces.
o Cylindrical — Allow rotation and translation of a cylindrical surface
relative to its axis, but constrain all radial displacement. For this type
of constraint, you can only select cylindrical surfaces as reference
surfaces.
o Cylindrical Fixed Angular — Allow translation of a cylindrical surface
along its axis, but constrain all radial and angular displacement. For
this type of constraint, you can only select cylindrical surfaces as
reference surfaces.
o Cylindrical Fixed Axial — Allow rotation of a cylindrical surface about
its axis, but constrain all radial displacement and axial translation. For
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this type of constraint, you can only select cylindrical surfaces as the
reference surfaces.
• References — Select planar or cylindrical surfaces to constrain, as
appropriate to the constraint type. If you want to constrain a plane, you can
select the geometry before you enter the dialog box. Otherwise use the
selector arrow and the normal selection methods to choose the desired
geometry.
To Define Constraints Along Surfaces (FEM

mode)
1. Select Insert>Along Surface Constraint or click . The Constraint

dialog box appears.
4. Select one of the following options from the Type drop-down list:
o Planar
o Cylindrical
o Cylindrical Fixed Angular
o Cylindrical Fixed Axial
use the normal selection methods to select the surface or surfaces you want
to constrain. Note that, if you selected Planar from the Type option menu,
you must select one or more planar surfaces. If you selected one of the
cylindrical options, you must select one or more cylindrical surfaces.
6. Click OK to accept the definition and close the dialog box
Structure Constraints on Geometry

When you define structure constraints for geometry, keep the following points in
mind:
• Any point, curve, or surface you constrain must be associated with at least
one element. To check associations with geometry that will be meshed, click
the constraint icon on the model or select the constraint in the Model Tree.
Mechanica highlights the constraint icon and associated geometry.
• A structure boundary condition defined at a point or on a curve can result in
theoretically infinite stresses. See Handling Stress Concentrations for
information on working around this problem.
• Any constrained curve constrains the edges, beams, or 2D shells that lie on
that curve.
• Any constrained surface constrains the shells, solid faces, 2D solids, or 2D
plates that lie on that surface.
• Any constrained edge constrains the beams and 2D shells that lie on that
edge.
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About Thermal Boundary Conditions

Use the Insert>Prescribed Temperature or Insert>Convection Condition
command to apply thermal boundary conditions to your model or use relations
functions. In defining boundary conditions for a Thermal model, your goal is to limit
the temperature of your model (prescribed temperature), or to limit the heat through
your model (convection condition). You can use the Insert>Symmetry Constraint
command to apply a cyclic symmetry boundary condition, which ensures that the
temperatures on the edges of the cut are the same. In FEM mode, you can also limit
the heat from a model (radiation) by applying a radiation boundary condition with
the Insert>Radiation command. Your model's heat loads and boundary conditions,
along with its loads, provide the software with the real-world conditions that it uses
as the basis for analysis.
You can choose from the following types of boundary conditions in Thermal:
• Prescribed Temperatures — Specify prescribed temperatures for various

geometric entities.
• Convection Conditions — Create convection conditions that reference
geometric entities.
• Symmetry Constraint (native mode only) — Create cyclic symmetry
constraints.
• Radiation (FEM mode only) — Specify radiation properties for a surface or
part boundary.
Before applying thermal constraints, see Guidelines for Thermal Boundary Conditions
or Guidelines for Thermal Boundary Condition Sets.
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Example: Axis of Symmetry
Constraints on Compressed Midsurfaces

For compressed solid parts in an assembly, Mechanica automatically adds, whenever
possible, a rigid structural constraint that links compressed curves or surfaces so
they are meshed compatibly and will deform together during a run.
Mechanica can add this type of constraint when the solid parts are relatively thin—for
example, two plates overlapped and mated—and will attempt to add it whenever you
run an analysis, or transfer from integrated to independent mode.
This drawing shows two relatively thin solids with intersecting surfaces. When these
solids are compressed to their midsurfaces, there is a physical gap between the
intersecting portion of the midsurfaces, and they no longer touch.
The constraints that Mechanica adds bridge this gap, and link the overlapping
portions of the two compressed surfaces.
If your assembly contains two solids that intersect in a "T" formation, it might look
like the drawing below. When these solids are compressed to their midsurfaces,
Mechanica attempts to add a constraint between the edge of one midsurface and the
corresponding area on the other.
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Troubleshooting Constraints
To help ensure a successful run, you may want to verify your constraints and, if you
are working with an assembly, perform a pre-run error detection pass. To learn
about constraint verification and other technical tips, read the following:
• Verifying a Constraint
• Performing a Body Check for Assemblies
• Handling Stress Concentrations
• Checking Your Model
• Insufficiently Constrained Models
Example: Cut for Cyclic Symmetry

Cut along the dotted lines to create B from A:
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Guidelines for Prescribed Displacement

Constraints
In defining prescribed displacement constraints, be aware of the following:
• Do not set a prescribed displacement on a model that conflicts with another

constraint in the same constraint set.
• If the Z axis of a reference cylindrical or spherical coordinate system touches
an entity that you want to constrain, you may not be able to successfully
specify a prescribed displacement value for one or more of the directional
components. Mechanica may display a message informing you of the
problem. For FEM mode, you will see the message at run time.
To work around this problem, you can change the coordinate system to a
Cartesian coordinate system or re-orient the coordinate system so that the Z
axis no longer touches the entity you want to constrain.
• When you define a large displacement analysis, do not include constraint sets
containing prescribed displacement constraints that reference cylindrical or
spherical coordinate systems.
• Although you can specify prescribed displacements in contact analyses, you
should take care not to place these on geometry that is part of the contact
region.
• The software assumes the displacement values you enter are consistent with
your principal system of units.
Structure Constraints on Regions

If you plan to constrain a specific surface region, your model needs to include the
contour that defines the region. Before you attempt this type of constraint, see
Surface Regions, which describes how to create a region from a datum curve.
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For assemblies, you cannot constrain geometry that Mechanica merges during a run,
such as mated surfaces. You also cannot constrain geometry associated with merged
geometry, such as points associated with mated surfaces. If you cannot avoid
placing constraints on these geometric entities, you need to work with regions. For
more information, see Assembly Considerations.
Structure Constraints on Datum Points

If you plan to constrain a specific point on an exterior curve or surface in native
mode, your part needs to include a datum point at that location. In FEM mode, you
can use vertices or datum points. Be aware that point or curve constraints can
introduce theoretically infinite stress or thermal fluxes in your model. For more
information, see Troubleshooting Your Constraints.
Note: Constraints applied to vertices in Mechanica FEM mode are suppressed

in Mechanica.
You can add datum points within Mechanica as you define your constraints. These
datum points are available for your Mechanica sessions only. They are not visible on
your part or assembly while you are working at the Pro/ENGINEER level.
As an alternative, you can add datum points to your model in Pro/ENGINEER before
entering Mechanica. In the latter case, the datum points are available for all your
Pro/ENGINEER sessions as well.
Structure Constraints and Coordinate Systems

The software applies constraints in reference to a coordinate system. When you
enter Structure, the current coordinate system is the WCS. You can change the
current coordinate system. When you create a constraint, the current coordinate
system is the reference coordinate system for the constraint. You can change
reference coordinate systems on the Constraint dialog box as part of creating or
editing constraints. For more information, see Coordinate Systems.
Within the context of Mechanica, you will probably use a Cartesian coordinate system
most frequently. Cylindrical and spherical coordinate systems can be useful for
symmetrical parts. For example, you could use a cylindrical coordinate system to
constrain a slider to a rod (R, T fixed, Z free) without the presence of the rod. Radial
enforced displacements simplify the modeling of shrink fits and similar processes.
You should not constrain geometry that touches the Z (phi=0) axis of the associated
cylindrical or spherical coordinate system. Instead, you can change the coordinate
system to Cartesian or change the orientation of the coordinate system so that it
does not touch the geometry you want to constrain.
If you have a 2D plane strain, 2D plane stress, or 2D axisymmetric model, and you
want to associate constraints to a UCS, the UCS must meet the following criteria:
• The UCS Z axis must be parallel to the WCS Z axis. (In Pro/ENGINEER, the
UCS Z axis must be parallel to the reference UCS Z axis.)
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• The UCS origin must lie in the WCS Z=0 plane.
Mechanica does not report reaction force data at constrained points and edges when
the constraint is associated to a UCS.
In FEM mode, there may be a conflict between your constraint coordinate systems
and coordinate systems associated with connections and mesh controls.
Improperly Constrained Springs, Beams, or

Shells
Springs, beams, or shells that are connected to solids without properly constrained
degrees of freedom can cause some problems. Solids have only translational degrees
of freedom. Because solids have no rotational degrees of freedom, adjacent
idealizations with unconstrained rotational degrees of freedom can cause an error.
When springs, beams, or shells are connected to solids, they are really only
connected at the translational degrees of freedom. The rotational degrees of freedom
remain loose. Make sure that the rotational degrees of freedom are either supported
or constrained.
• For example, you can attach a network of beams or shells to a set of solids
such that the connection has structural integrity without need for further
constraints. If you attach only one end of a beam or only one edge of a
surface to a solid, you may need to use links to weld the rotational degrees of
freedom to the solid.
• If you attach a single spring directly to a solid, you must constrain the
rotational degrees of freedom of the spring, as shown in the following
illustration.
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Improperly Connected Idealizations

These problems are often caused by idealizations that are not connected to the rest
of the model or not connected to adjacent idealizations.
• Beams are connected when they share common endpoints. Shells are
connected when they share a common edge and the endpoints of that edge.
Solids are connected when they share a common face and the edges and
endpoints of that face.
• Beams are best connected to shells when the beam and shell share a common
edge and the endpoints of that edge. Shells are best connected to solids when
the shell and solid share a common face and the edges and endpoints of that
face.
• Two adjacent shells that share two points but no common edge can cause an
error.
Problems with Elements

Listed here are some problems with elements that you may encounter in your
Mechanica models.
• Improperly connected idealizations

• Improperly constrained springs, beams, or shells
• Elements with links — If a model contains too many links or contains links
in areas of high stress concentration, errors can occur during a run. When
running AutoGEM, eliminate links where possible by deselecting Create Links
Where Needed on the AutoGEM Settings dialog box.
• Poorly shaped elements — Elements that have sharp angles, excessive
curvature, excessive spanned angles, or high aspect ratios—or that are
excessively slender or thin—may cause your model to be poorly constrained,
may cause delayed convergence, or may yield poor results. Reshape the
existing elements or create additional elements in the region. This is
particularly true for shell elements.
• Sharp corners, reentrant corners, and/or notches — These features can
exist along the load flow path, on the surface of the structure, or on the
boundary between elements with different material types. You should replace
them with filleted joints.
• Excessively small numerical dimensions — The overall dimensions of
your model should not be excessively small numerically. For example, it is
best to create a model with all dimensions in millimeters or micrometers,
rather than with all dimensions in small fractions of meters.
• Springs without mass — In a modal analysis, each degree of freedom at
the endpoint of a spring must be connected to a beam, shell, solid element
that has mass, or an element that is connected to a concentrated mass
element. Otherwise, the endpoint must be constrained. For example, the
rotational degrees of freedom of a spring attached to a solid element should
either be constrained or have a concentrated mass with rotational inertia.
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Insufficiently Constrained Models

If a run ends in an error and the summary or log file informs you that your model is
insufficiently constrained for analysis, you should examine your model and attempt
to locate the problem. In some cases, you may want to look at the AutoGEM mesh to
determine whether the problem arises from the element configuration and quality.
Insufficiently constrained models can be the result of:
• Problems with Elements

• Problems with Properties
• Problems with Loads and Constraints
Unless you are doing a modal analysis of a free body with rigid mode search on, your
model must satisfy the following rules:
• Attach the structure to ground such that you can apply loads to the structure
from any direction without causing rigid body motion.
• Connect all parts of the structure to each other such that you can apply loads
to any part of the structure without causing unopposed motion of any part of
the structure.
The structure must be capable of resisting loads from any direction by transmitting
the loads to ground at the constraints. If the structure or any part of the structure is
capable of undeformed motion—rigid-body translation or rotation—under some type
of loading, you must add appropriate constraints to resist that rigid-body motion.
Problems with Loads and Constraints

Listed here are some problems with loads and constraints that you may encounter in
your Mechanica models.
• Concentrated loads or constraints — This includes point loads or

constraints applied to plate, shell, or solid elements, and line loads or
constraints applied to solid elements. Use distributed loads or the total load at
point instead.
• Improperly applied moments — Errors are sometimes caused by moment
application with the axis of twist aligned—or nearly aligned—with the surface
normal of a plate or shell element. Apply the moment using the total load at
point.
• Prestress load is too high or exceeds the buckling load — Decrease the
prestress load and rerun the model.
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Singularities and Loads

The following table shows combinations of loads and different types of entities that
can result in infinite stresses or displacements:
Load Beam Shell Solid
1
Point disp ok disp ok disp
stress ok stress stress 1
2
Line, Edge disp ok disp ok disp
stress ok stress ok stress 2
Surface, Face disp n/a disp ok disp ok
stress n/a stress ok stress ok
1. Timoshenko and Goodier, Theory of Elasticity, 3rd ed., McGraw-Hill Book Co.
Section 36: Concentrated Force at a Point of a Straight Boundary.
2. Timoshenko and Goodier, Theory of Elasticity, 3rd ed., McGraw-Hill Book Co.
Section 138: Force on Boundary of a Semi-infinite Body.
This information also applies to temperatures and fluxes that result from heat loads,
convection conditions, and prescribed temperatures in Thermal.
Singularities and Constraints

The following table shows which combinations of constraints and different types of
entities can possibly result in infinite stresses or displacements:
Constraint Beam Shell Solid
Point disp ok disp ok disp ok
stress ok stress stress
Line, Edge disp ok disp ok disp ok
stress ok stress stress
Surface, Face disp n/a disp ok disp ok
1
stress n/a stress stress
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Constraint Beam Shell Solid
1. Stress is infinite along the boundary of the surface/face.
This information also applies to temperatures and fluxes that result from heat loads,
convection conditions, and prescribed temperatures in Thermal.
Strategy: Minimizing Singularities

To minimize singularities, consider the following:
• Use distributed loads and constraints whenever possible to avoid singular

stress or displacement concentrations that could distort your results. Use the
Total Load At Point option to distribute a point load over a surface or curve
in a statically equivalent manner.
• If you cannot avoid singularities, use the Feature Isolation area of the
AutoGEM Settings dialog box to create a set of small, transitional elements
at the singular point, edge, or corner.
Sometimes, when trying to avoid element singularities, you impose too few
constraints. In these cases, a run may end with an error message in the summary
file indicating that your model is insufficiently constrained. For more information on
how to address this condition, see Insufficiently Constrained Models.
Singularities
Mechanica Structure is based on the theory of linear elasticity, which is a useful
approximation of physical reality. Linear elasticity allows solutions that have infinite
values of displacement or stress. These solutions with infinite values are called
singular elastic states and the locations where they occur are called singularities.
At the location of a singularity and in the small area around the singularity, the
theoretical elasticity solution is not a valid representation of physical reality because
displacement and stress cannot be infinite. Outside the area of the singularity, the
theoretical elasticity solution is valid. Structure attempts to represent the singular
representation as accurately as possible using polynomial functions.
Singularities cause edges in a model to require a high p-level for convergence, thus
resulting in a longer solution time. Some of the most common locations where
element singularities can occur include:
• at reentrant corners
• at point loads and constraints
• along line loads and constraints on solids
• at the interface between elements of different properties, materials, or
element types
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To understand the causes of singularities, see Singularities and Loads or Singularities

and Constraints.
Problems with Properties

Listed here are some problems with properties that you may find in Mechanica
models.
• Improper material properties — Sections of the model with material

properties that are not physically realistic, or adjoining sections that have a
difference in material properties that is too great may cause problems. There
may be typographical errors in material properties. If you estimate any
physical properties, then be sure to check how the estimates compare to the
properties for other materials. One possible source of errors is an element
with very flexible material properties in a model containing elements with
much stiffer material.
• Improper spring stiffness, beam section, or shell thickness properties
— If one shell is far thinner than other shells in the model, an error can occur.
Check for omissions or typographical errors in these types of properties.
• Mass density properties of 0 for a modal analysis — Mass density must
not be zero for modal analyses.
• Beam releases — If there are too many beam releases in the model, they
may allow the model or parts of the model to move without resistance to
some arbitrary load. You must specify beam releases such that the model is
structurally stable.
Constraints and Loads on Compressed

Geometry
You can place a constraint or a load on a surface that will be compressed to a
midsurface edge. Mechanica automatically transfers such a constraint or load from
the original surface to the compressed midsurface edge. This transfer will occur for
the following types of loads and constraints when you compress a solid to a
midsurface:
Original Surface Constrained Compressed Edge Constrained

Components Components
Tx, Ty, Tz, Rx, Ry, Rz Tx, Ty, Tz, Rx, Ry, Rz
Tx, Ty, Tz Tx, Ty, Tz, Rx, Ry, Rz
Original Surface Load Compressed Edge Load
Total Load at Point Total Load at Point
Total Load Total Load
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Note: If your model has an interpolated surface load, Mechanica cannot

automatically transfer the load to an edge. Therefore, if you attempt to
compress a solid containing such a load, the attempt will fail, and Mechanica
will delete the load.
Thermal Boundary Conditions

Guidelines for Thermal Boundary Conditions
When defining thermal boundary conditions, be aware of the following:
• The software considers locations at which you have not created prescribed
temperatures, convection conditions, radiation loads, or heat loads to be
insulated.
• The software determines the temperature at every location of your model for
which you have not prescribed a temperature.
• You do not have to select a boundary condition set to run a transient thermal
analysis. However, if no set is selected, you must select at least one load set
for the analysis to be valid.
Guidelines for Thermal Boundary Conditions

for Geometry
When you define thermal boundary conditions for geometry, keep the following
points in mind:
• Any point, vertex, curve, or surface to which you apply a boundary condition
must be associated with at least one element. To check associations with
geometry that will be meshed, click the appropriate icon on the model or
select the boundary condition in the model tree. Mechanica highlights the icon
and associated geometry.
Note: If you create a convection conditions in FEM mode using a vertex

as the point of application, Mechanica supresses that convection
conditions when you switch from FEM mode to native mode. If you are
working with prescribed temperatures applied to vertices, Mechanica
does not suppress the prescribed temperature for mode switches.
• A thermal boundary condition defined at a point or on a curve can result in

theoretically infinite stresses. See Handling Stress Concentrations for
information on working around this problem.
• Any constrained curve constrains the edges, beams, or 2D shells that lie on
that curve.
• Any constrained surface constrains the shells, solid faces, 2D solids, or 2D
plates that lie on that surface.
• Any constrained edge constrains the beams and 2D shells that lie on that
edge.
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• You should not create two different prescribed temperatures on two different
curves that touch within the same constraint set. Doing so will result in a
conflict between the two temperature constraints.
Boundary Condition Sets

Boundary Condition and Load Sets in Thermal
Analyses
When you are defining thermal analyses, keep in mind the following:
• For both steady and transient thermal analyses, you do not have to select a
load set.
• For a transient thermal analysis, you do not have to select a boundary
condition set. If you do not select a boundary condition set, however, you
must select one or more load sets for the analysis to be valid.
• For steady thermal analyses, you must select one boundary condition set.
• If you delete a boundary condition set or load set after you include it in an
analysis, you are also deleting that set from the analysis.
• Even if you create a new set with the same name as the set you deleted, you
must edit the analysis and reselect the set name. Otherwise, you can
invalidate the analysis and any design studies in which you included the
analysis.
Guidelines for Thermal Boundary Condition

Sets
When defining thermal boundary condition sets, use the following guidelines:
• There is no limit to the number of boundary condition sets you can specify for
your model.
• As you can specify only one boundary condition set for an analysis, make sure
the set contains all the required boundary conditions for that analysis. See
Boundary Condition and Load Sets in Thermal Analyses for more information.
• You are not required to select a boundary condition set to run a transient
thermal analysis. However, if you do not select a boundary condition set, you
must select at least one load set for the analysis to be valid.
• A thermal boundary condition set can include prescribed temperatures and/or
convection conditions.
When you define a boundary condition, you can:
• add the boundary condition to an existing boundary condition set

• create a new boundary condition set and enter a description
If you click Cancel, you exit without creating either the thermal boundary condition
or the boundary condition set.
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If a boundary condition for one or more of the entities you selected already belongs
to the boundary condition set, Mechanica prompts you to do one of the following:
• Click Yes to replace the existing boundary condition with a new one in the
same set.
• Click No to retain the old boundary condition and cancel the new one.
If you click No and want to create the new boundary condition without losing the old
one, define the constraint again and select a different boundary condition set.
Use the convection boundary conditions to define a linear convective heat exchange
condition for one or more geometric entities in Thermal. If you are working in the
FEM mode, see Convection Conditions (FEM Mode).
You can assign convection conditions to points, edges, curves, and surfaces.
When you select Insert>Convection Condition, Mechanica displays the CONV

COND menu. You use this menu to select the type of entity—point, edge/curve, or
surface—you want to apply the convection condition to. After you select the entity
type, the Convection Condition dialog box appears. This dialog box has the
following fields:
• Name — The name of the boundary condition.

• Member of Set — The name of the boundary condition set. You can select an
existing boundary condition set from the drop-down list, or create a new set
by clicking the New button to display the BC Set Definition dialog box.
• Entity — The name of the type of entity you chose. You can select
appropriate geometry using the selector arrow and the normal selection
methods. Once you complete the selection process, the software displays the
name of the entity.
• Spatial Variation — Specifies whether the convection condition will be
applied uniformly over the entity or whether it will vary spatially over the
entity.
• External Data (not available for uniform spatial variation) — Provides
needed information about the FNF file that you want to import.
• Convection Coefficient, h — Provides a value for the convection coefficient.
You can obtain this value from empirical data or you can enter your own data.
This area becomes inactive when you select External Conv Coefficient or
External Conv Coef & Bulk Temp from the Spatial Variation drop-down
menu.
• Bulk Temperature, Tb — Assigns a temperature for the fluid. This area
becomes inactive when you select Ext Bulk Temperature or External Conv
Coef & Bulk Temp from the Spatial Variation drop-down menu.
• Temporal Variation — Applies the convection condition as a function of
time. This option includes a Time Dependent check box and an f(x) button,
which opens either the Functions dialog box or the Function Definition
dialog box. If you specify a temporal variation for the convection condition,
Mechanica multiplies the bulk temperature you enter by the function you
define—creating, in effect, a time-varying bulk temperature.
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If you want to preview the convection coefficient or bulk temperature in an FNF file
selected for import, click the Preview h or Preview Tb button. These buttons
become active only when you are importing external data from an FNF file.
When you accept the dialog box, Mechanica places a convection condition icon at
each location you selected. After you create a convection condition, you can edit or
or Edit>Delete, as appropriate. If you are deleting a convection condition,
Mechanica asks you for confirmation first.
Background
How Mechanica Calculates the Convective
Heat Transfer Rate
Mechanica calculates the convective heat transfer rate as follows:
Q = h (Te – Tb)
where
Q is the convective heat transfer rate.
h is the convection coefficient.
Te is the entity temperature (the temperature of an entity such as a node or

surface).
Tb is the bulk temperature (the temperature of the fluid in contact with the
entity).
Ramping of Heat Loads and Convection

Conditions
In transient thermal analysis, Mechanica turns on any heat load or convection
condition that is not equal to zero at the start of the analysis. Because its algorithm
is adaptive, Mechanica sets the p-order to its maximum possible value to capture the
instantaneous change in heat load or convection condition.
The algorithm is more efficient if all heat loads and convection conditions are ramped
from zero to their final value over some short period of time. You can use the mesh
parameters and the material properties discussed below to estimate the time.
The finite element method is only able to capture time scales of the order of
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where is the density, c is the specific heat, k is the conductivity, L is the largest
length scale of an element, and p is the p-order. Any time scale that is smaller than
this causes errors. For example, if you enter a time-dependent heat load or bulk
temperature that is a sine wave with a period much smaller than this value, the
solution would have a large error. Therefore any ramp function must use a period at
least as large as the local value of computed for the elements adjacent to the heat
load or convection condition.
A convection condition having a large Biot number can create a thin layer with large
temperature gradients that is smaller than Mechanica can represent accurately.
Mechanica defines the Biot number by
where h is the convective heat transfer coefficient (also called film coefficient in
Mechanica), k is the conductivity, and L is the largest length scale of an element. If
the Biot number is much greater than 1, the solution can have a large error. You can
reduce the error in the solution by ramping the bulk temperature from the initial
condition of the model to its final value over a period of time larger than . You can
use the local value of for the elements adjacent to the convection condition and in
many cases get accurate results, as mentioned above.
To model a time-dependent prescribed temperature, you can enter a convection

condition with a large value of h and set the bulk temperature as a function of time
equal to the desired prescribed temperature. A Biot number of 100 should be
sufficient. The bulk temperature should not vary more rapidly than in order to
avoid errors in the solution.
Convection Conditions in Native Mode

Convection Coefficient, h
The convective heat transfer coefficient, h, relates the amount of heat transferred
between a moving bulk fluid—liquid or gas—and a bounding surface. It is the
constant of proportionality and is equal to the heat rate per unit area per
temperature difference. Use only real numbers and be sure the system of units you
are working in is consistent with the rest of the model.
If you do not import an externally computed convection coefficient, you must specify
a convection coefficient for the software to use. Using either empirical data or data of
your own, enter a positive real number for the convection coefficient of the
convection condition you are defining.
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Convection coefficient units depend on the entity you select and the model type, as
noted in the following table:
Model Type/Entity Units
3D:
Point Heat/Time Per Degree
Curve, Edge, Beam Heat/Time Per Degree Per Unit Length
Surface, Face, Shell Heat/Time Per Degree Per Unit Area
2D Axisymmetric:
Point Heat/Time Per Degree Per Unit Length
Curve, Edge, 2D Shell Heat/Time Per Degree Per Unit Area
Surface, 2D Solid Heat/Time Per Degree Per Unit Volume
2D Plane Strain:
Point Heat/Time Per Degree Per Unit Length
Curve, Edge, 2D Shell Heat/Time Per Degree Per Unit Area
Surface, 2D Solid Heat/Time Per Degree Per Unit Volume
2D Plane Stress
Point Heat/Time Per Degree
Curve, Edge Heat/Time Per Degree Per Unit Length
Surface, 2D Plate Heat/Time Per Degree Per Unit Area
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Bulk Temperature, Tb
If you do not import an externally computed bulk temperature, you must specify a
bulk temperature for the software to use. Enter a real number for the bulk
temperature of the convection condition you are defining.
Time-dependent bulk temperatures (and time-dependent heat loads) are only

relevant for transient thermal analysis. For steady-state thermal analysis, be aware
of the following:
• Mechanica ignores time-dependent bulk temperatures.

• If all bulk temperatures are time-dependent and there are no prescribed
temperatures, a steady-state thermal analysis cannot run because the model
has no valid constraints.
Using External Data

External Data for Convection Conditions
Use the External Data area of the Convection Condition dialog box to provide
information about the external FNF file that contains information for import. This
area of the dialog box is available for only the external options in the Spatial
Variation pull-down menu. The External Data area contains the following options:
• Reference Coordinate System — The data in the FNF file is interpreted

with respect to the WCS by default. Use the selector arrow if you need to
change the reference coordinate system from the WCS to a local Cartesian
system so that the data in the FNF file maps correctly to your model. This
reference is valid only for Cartesian coordinate systems.
• File — Use the selection button to browse for and select the name of the FNF
file you want to import.
When you click OK, the software checks for problems with either the file name or the
content of the FNF file.
Guidelines for Importing External

Temperature Fields
• Before you import an external temperature, you must create a FEM Neutral
Format file, which Mechanica uses to import your temperature load. The FEM
Neutral Format file enables you to store an externally created temperature
field and import it into Structure. For more information, see FEM Neutral
Format File and Sample FNF File for External Temperature.
• Mechanica automatically copies the FEM Neutral Format file you create into a
study directory. If you do not want this file in the study directory, you must
set a config.pro option. For more information, see Configuration File Options.
• Mechanica extracts temperature data from the h-mesh Mechanica FEM
Neutral Format file by finding the h-element that encompasses the point
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where the p-element temperature is desired, and performing a linear

interpolation of the temperature at the h-element's corner nodes. If the p-
element point is not inside any of the h-elements—for example, when the
curved boundary of a p-element lies outside the h-mesh—Mechanica projects
the point to an h-element face, edge, or node and performs a three, two, or
one-point interpolation.
When entire elements of the p-mesh lie outside the h-mesh, Mechanica still
projects the points onto the outer faces of the h-mesh. As the distance
increases, Mechanica may not project the point onto the closest face, but
instead onto the first orthogonal projection it finds.
• Your imported temperature load must contain the connectivity of a linear solid
element mesh, node locations, and temperature values at the nodes.
• If the temperature load mesh is not consistent, Mechanica displays an error
message.
• If you defined the temperature load for part of your model, Mechanica
displays an error message indicating that it will calculate temperature through
extrapolation for parts of the model.
• If you performed a design study for your model that included size or shape
changes, you must make sure the temperature field is consistent for all the
design variations included in the study.
When you import an external temperature load, you also import the model's
orientation.
Creating FNF Files for External Loads and

Constraints
FEM Neutral Format (FNF) files, with the extension .fnf, are organized into sections.
When you are creating an FNF file that will be used to import an external load or
constraint, you need only five of these sections.
Each section describes its own class of objects. The order of sections in the FNF file is
critical, since information from the earlier defined sections may be required in
subsequent sections.
Note: FNF files are backward-compatible.
Create the following sections in an FNF file to import an external load or constraint:
• HEADER — general information about the file and the model. This section can
contain the following instructions:
o TITLE — describes the name of your model
o STATISTICS — provides information about the number of element
types, coordinate systems, materials, element properties, nodes, and
elements in your model
• ELEM_TYPES — definition of element types
• MESH — definition of the model's nodes and elements
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• LOADS — description of applied constraint cases, loads, and boundary

conditions
The following table lists instructions required for importing external loads and
constraints, their standard abbreviations, and the sections in which they may
appear:
Instruction Names Abbreviation Section Name
STATISTICS STT HEADER
ELEM_TYPE ETP ELEM_TYPE
NODE ND MESH
ELEM EL MESH
CON_CASE CC LOADS
LOAD_TYPE LTP LOADS
LOAD LD LOADS
Each section must start with the following text string:
%START_SECT : SECTION_NAME
Each section must end with the following text string:
%END_SECT
For more information about FNF files, see FEM Neutral Format File.
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Sample FNF File for External Convection

Conditions
Following is a sample FNF file for external convection conditions.
#PTC_FEM_NEUT 3
#DATE 18-Sep-01 09:58:38
%START_SECT : HEADER
%TITLE : B2
%STATISTICS : 1 0 1 1 26 24
%END_SECT
%START_SECT : ELEM_TYPES
%ELEM_TYPE 1 DEF : SHELL QUAD LINEAR 4 4 2
%ELEM_TYPE 1 EDGE : 1 1 2
%ELEM_TYPE 1 FACE : 1 1 2 3 4
%ELEM_TYPE 1 FACE : 2 1 4 3 2
%END_SECT
%START_SECT : MESH
%NODE 1 DEF : -0.5 0.5 -0.5
%NODE 2 DEF : -0.5 -0.5 -0.5
%NODE 3 DEF : 0.5 0.5 -0.5
%NODE 4 DEF : 0.5 -0.5 -0.5
%NODE 5 DEF : -0.5 0 -0.5
%NODE 6 DEF : 0 -0.5 -0.5
%NODE 7 DEF : 0.5 0 -0.5
%NODE 8 DEF : 0 0.5 -0.5
%NODE 9 DEF : 0 0 -0.5
%NODE 10 DEF : -0.5 0.5 0.5
%NODE 11 DEF : -0.5 -0.5 0.5
%NODE 12 DEF : 0.5 0.5 0.5
%NODE 13 DEF : 0.5 -0.5 0.5
%NODE 14 DEF : -0.5 0 0.5
%NODE 15 DEF : 0 0.5 0.5
%NODE 16 DEF : 0.5 0 0.5
%NODE 17 DEF : 0 -0.5 0.5
%NODE 18 DEF : 0 0 0.5
%NODE 19 DEF : -0.5 0.5 0
%NODE 20 DEF : -0.5 -0.5 0
%NODE 21 DEF : -0.5 0 0
%NODE 22 DEF : 0.5 -0.5 0
%NODE 23 DEF : 0 -0.5 0
%NODE 24 DEF : 0.5 0.5 0
%NODE 25 DEF : 0.5 0 0
%NODE 26 DEF : 0 0.5 0
%ELEM 1 DEF : 1 1 1 9 6 2 5
%ELEM 2 DEF : 1 1 1 7 4 6 9
%ELEM 3 DEF : 1 1 1 8 9 5 1
%ELEM 4 DEF : 1 1 1 3 7 9 8
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%ELEM 5 DEF : 1 1 1 18 16 12 15
%ELEM 6 DEF : 1 1 1 14 18 15 10
%ELEM 7 DEF : 1 1 1 17 13 16 18
%ELEM 8 DEF : 1 1 1 11 17 18 14
%ELEM 9 DEF : 1 1 1 21 14 10 19
%ELEM 10 DEF : 1 1 1 5 21 19 1
%ELEM 11 DEF : 1 1 1 20 11 14 21
%ELEM 12 DEF : 1 1 1 2 20 21 5
%ELEM 13 DEF : 1 1 1 23 17 11 20
%ELEM 14 DEF : 1 1 1 6 23 20 2
%ELEM 15 DEF : 1 1 1 22 13 17 23
%ELEM 16 DEF : 1 1 1 4 22 23 6
%ELEM 17 DEF : 1 1 1 25 16 13 22
%ELEM 18 DEF : 1 1 1 7 25 22 4
%ELEM 19 DEF : 1 1 1 24 12 16 25
%ELEM 20 DEF : 1 1 1 3 24 25 7
%ELEM 21 DEF : 1 1 1 26 15 12 24
%ELEM 22 DEF : 1 1 1 8 26 24 3
%ELEM 23 DEF : 1 1 1 19 10 15 26
%ELEM 24 DEF : 1 1 1 1 19 26 8
%END_SECT
%START_SECT : LOADS
%LOAD_TYPE 1 DEF : CONVECTION NODE VECTOR_2
%CON_CASE 1 DEF : TestData1
%LOAD 1 DEF : 1 1
%LOAD 1 VAL : 1 0.6 0.23
%LOAD 1 VAL : 2 0 0
%LOAD 1 VAL : 3 0.85 0.68
%LOAD 1 VAL : 4 0.25 0.45
%LOAD 1 VAL : 5 0.3 0.115
%LOAD 1 VAL : 6 0.125 0.225
%LOAD 1 VAL : 7 0.55 0.565
%LOAD 1 VAL : 8 0.725 0.455
%LOAD 1 VAL : 9 0.425 0.34
%LOAD 1 VAL : 10 0.75 0.55
%LOAD 1 VAL : 11 0.15 0.32
%LOAD 1 VAL : 12 1 1
%LOAD 1 VAL : 13 0.4 0.77
%LOAD 1 VAL : 14 0.45 0.435
%LOAD 1 VAL : 15 0.875 0.775
%LOAD 1 VAL : 16 0.7 0.885
%LOAD 1 VAL : 17 0.275 0.545
%LOAD 1 VAL : 18 0.575 0.66
%LOAD 1 VAL : 19 0.675 0.39
%LOAD 1 VAL : 20 0.075 0.16
%LOAD 1 VAL : 21 0.375 0.275
%LOAD 1 VAL : 22 0.325 0.61
%LOAD 1 VAL : 23 0.2 0.385
%LOAD 1 VAL : 24 0.925 0.84
%LOAD 1 VAL : 25 0.625 0.725
%LOAD 1 VAL : 26 0.8 0.615
%END_SECT
%START_SECT : ANALYSIS
%SOLUTION 1 DEF : THERMAL
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%SOLUTION 1 CON_CASES : 1
%END_SECT
%END
Spatial Variation for Convection Conditions

The Spatial Variation pull-down menu on the Convection Condition dialog box
allows you to choose whether to apply the convection condition uniformly or as a
condition that varies across the selected geometry. The menu offers you the
following options:
• Uniform — Use this option to apply a convection coefficient and bulk

temperature that are uniform over the entity.
Additionally, the following options are available for shell and solid surfaces in 3D
models:
• External Conv Coefficient — Imports a convection condition FNF file that

contains an externally calculated or measured convection coefficient that can
vary spatially over the selected surface(s).
• External Bulk Temperature — Imports a convection condition FNF file that
contains an externally calculated or measured bulk temperature that can vary
spatially over the selected surface(s).
• External Conv Coef & Bulk Temp — Imports a convection condition FNF file
that contains an externally calculated or measured convection coefficient and
bulk temperature, both of which can vary spatially over the selected single or
multiple surfaces.
For additional information, see the following:
• Creating FNF Files for External Loads and Constraints

• Sample FNF File for External Convection Conditions
To Define Convection Conditions for Points,

Edges, and Curves
You can use the following steps to define convection conditions for points, edges, and
curves. FEM mode supports placement of convection conditions only on 3D surfaces.
1. Select Insert>Convection Condition.

2. Select Point or Edge/Curve from the CONV COND menu.
The Convection Condition dialog box appears.
3. Click under the geometric reference to define the references on your

model.
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o If you select Point as your geometric type, the SIM SELECT menu
appears, enabling you to select single points, vertices, features of
points, or patterns of points.
o If you select Edge/Curve, use Pro/ENGINEER selection methods to
select one or more edges or curves.
4. Type a value for the convection coefficient, h.
Use real numbers only and ensure that the system of units you are working in
is consistent with the rest of the model.
5. Type a value for the bulk temperature, Tb.
If you do not specify a temperature, the software assumes a default of 0.
6. If you want the bulk temperature to be time-dependent, select the Time

Dependent check box under Temporal Variation.
7. If you want to define more convection conditions, repeat applicable preceding
steps until you have defined all convection conditions.
8. Click OK to accept the definition of the convection condition(s).
To Define Convection Conditions for 3D

Surfaces
Use the following steps to define convection conditions for surfaces in Mechanica. If
you are in FEM mode, see To Define Convection Conditions in FEM Mode.

2. Select Surface from the CONV COND menu.
3. Click to select the 3D surfaces to which you will apply the convection
condition.
4. Select one of the following options from the Spatial Variation pull-down
menu:
o Uniform
o External Conv Coefficient
o External Bulk Temperature
o External Conv Coef & Bulk Temp
To Create a Time-Dependent Convection

Condition
1. If you want bulk temperature to be time-dependent, select the Time
This displays the f(x) button and input field.
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2. Click the f(x) button.
This displays the Functions dialog box or the Function Definition dialog
box.
Convection Conditions in FEM Mode

Convection Conditions (FEM Mode)
Use the convection boundary conditions in the Thermal FEM mode to define a linear
convective heat exchange condition for one or more surfaces.
After you select Insert>Convection Condition, the Convection Condition dialog

box appears with the following items:

• References — The single or multiple surfaces that you want to constrain. If
you selected the surfaces before you entered the dialog box, your selections
appear next to the selector arrow. Otherwise, click the selector arrow and use
the normal selection methods to select single or multiple surfaces.
• Convection Coefficient — Specifies whether the convection coefficient will
be applied uniformly over the entity or whether it will vary spatially as a
function of coordinates. Also contains an entry box for a value for the
convection coefficient. You can obtain this value from empirical data or you
can enter your own data.
• Bulk Temperature — Specifies whether the bulk temperature will be applied
uniformly over the entity or whether it will vary spatially as a function of
coordinates. Also contains an entry box for a value for the bulk temperature.
You can obtain this value from empirical data or you can enter your own data.
When you accept the dialog box, Mechanica places a convection condition icon at
each location you selected. After you create a convection condition, you can edit or
or Edit>Delete, as appropriate. If you are deleting a convection condition,
Mechanica asks you for confirmation first.
To Define Convection Conditions in FEM Mode

2. If you did not select geometry before entering the dialog box, click under
References to specify the 3D surface(s) to which you will apply the
convection condition.
3. Choose a variation for the convection coefficient.
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4. If you chose Function Of Coordinates in the preceding step, use the f(x)
button to define how you want the convection coefficient to vary spatially
across the selected surface(s).
5. Type a value for the convection coefficient.
6. Choose a variation for the bulk temperature.

7. If you chose Function Of Coordinates in the preceding step, use the f(x)
button to define how you want the bulk temperature to vary spatially across
the selected surface(s).
8. Type a value for the bulk temperature.
Prescribed Temperatures
Prescribed Temperature Conditions
Use the Insert>Prescribed Temperature command in Thermal and FEM mode
Thermal to define a temperature boundary condition for one or more geometric or
model entities. A prescribed temperature is a thermal boundary condition that limits
the temperature of your model. See Guidelines for Thermal Boundary Conditions and
Guidelines for Thermal Boundary Conditions for Geometry.
When you select Insert>Prescribed Temperature, the Prescribed Temperature

dialog box appears. The dialog box has the following fields:

o Surface(s) — You can select individual surfaces, several surfaces,
quilts, or part boundaries.
o Edge(s)/Curve(s) — You can select edges, curves, or composite
curves.
o Point(s) — You can select single points, vertices, point features, or
patterns of points.
• Temperature — Specify values for a prescribed temperature as follows:
o Value — Enter any real number for the prescribed temperature,
arithmetic expression, or Pro/ENGINEER parameter. For points and
vertices, you can assign only a uniform temperature.
o Advanced — Expands the dialog box to display the Spatial Variation
drop-down list. For edges, curves, surfaces, 2D plates, and 2D solids,
you can assign a spatially varying prescribed temperature.
421
• Preview — Adds a series of arrows to your model showing the location and
distribution of the prescribed temperature condition.
After you accept the values in dialog box, the software places a prescribed
temperature icon at each location you selected.
After you create a prescribed temperature, you can edit or delete it by selecting the
appropriate. If you are deleting a prescribed temperature, the software asks you for
confirmation first.
Spatially Varying Temperatures

You can specify how you want to spatially vary the prescribed temperature you are
creating. See Guidelines for Spatially Varying Temperatures.
You can select one of three options for spatial variation on the Prescribed
Temperature dialog box:
• Uniform — Use this option to apply a uniform prescribed temperature over

the selected entities. The prescribed temperature has no spatial variation. You
can enter any real number for the prescribed temperature for the entities you
selected.
• Interpolated Over Entity — Not available in FEM mode.
• Function of Coordinates — Use the Functions dialog box to define a
mathematical expression for the spatial variation.
Guidelines for Spatially Varying Temperatures

You can apply spatially varying temperatures only in the following cases:
• You are running a steady-state thermal analysis.

• You are running a transient thermal analysis when the initial condition of that
analysis is a steady-state analysis containing the same spatially varying
prescribed temperature.
When you are applying spatially varying temperatures, remember that changes in
temperature throughout an entity must be smooth. Across adjacent entities,
temperatures must be equal and continuous where the entities meet. In addition,
temperature compatibility is needed in the following situations:
• If you have a spatially varying temperature on a curve, the end points of that
curve cannot have independent temperatures.
• If you have a spatially varying temperature on a surface, the curves on the
boundary of that surface cannot have independent temperatures.
• You must define a continuous temperature on the interior of adjacent entities.
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Keep in mind the following points when defining functions:
• For table functions, Mechanica interprets angles as degrees. Domain bounds

for the theta value must be between –180 and 180 degrees. Domain bounds
for the phi value must be between zero and 180 degrees.
• For symbolic functions, Mechanica interprets angles as radians. Make sure
that the domain bounds for these angles are in the following ranges: the
theta value must be between – and and the phi value must be between
zero and .
For more information about functions, see Functions Dialog Box.
Interpolated Over Entity

Use this option to vary a prescribed temperature linearly, quadratically, or cubically
along the entity you selected. You can use this option only if you selected a single
entity for this prescribed temperature.
Note: You cannot define an interpolation for a 3D solid.
When you select Interpolated Over Entity, the Define button appears on the
dialog box. When you select this button, the Interpolation Over Entity dialog box
appears, which enables you to:
• add a new interpolation

• review or remove an existing interpolation
The interpolation you create is associated with the prescribed temperature and the
entity.
Interpolation Over Entity

Use the Interpolation Over Entity dialog box to add, preview, or remove
interpolation points, and to enter and edit a value for each point. You can use from
two to four points to define an interpolation.
The number of points you select depends on whether you are selecting a curve or
edge (usually two points) or a surface or face (usually four points).
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Mechanica selects default interpolation points for some entities as follows:
Entity Default Interpolation

Points
open curves, edges, beams, 2D endpoints

shells
shells, 2D plates, 2D solids, faces corners
surfaces none
If you want interpolation points that are different from the default points, you can
delete the default points and create new ones.
When planning interpolated prescribed temperatures, be aware that:
• Each value is a scale factor. Mechanica multiplies the Temperature value you
specify on the Prescribed Temperature dialog box by the interpolation
value at a given location to determine the prescribed temperature vector at
that location.
• At least one of the points should have a value other than zero.
• If you enter interpolation point values before entering the prescribed
temperature value on the Prescribed Temperature dialog box, Mechanica
enters a default value of 1 for Temperature.
• The number of interpolation points you select determines the functional form
of the interpolation.
Function of Coordinates
Use this option to apply a prescribed temperature that is a function of the current
coordinate system (WCS or UCS). Alternatively, you can create a coordinate system
whose X axis is aligned with the entity over which you are placing the spatially
varying temperature. You can select one or more entities on which to apply this
prescribed temperature.
When you select Function Of Coordinates, the f(x) button and option menu
appear on the dialog box. Click the f(x) button and the Functions dialog box (native
mode) or Functions dialog box (FEM mode) appears. You can use this form to
create, copy, edit, or delete a function.
To Define a Prescribed Temperature
1. Select Insert>Prescribed Temperature or click . The Prescribed

Temperature dialog box appears.
2. Enter a descriptive name, or accept the default name.
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3. Select the desired boundary condition set from the Member of Set drop-
down list.
4. If you want to create a new boundary condition set, click the New button to
display the BC Set Definition dialog box. Enter a name and optional
dialog box, select one of these References from the drop-down list:
• Surface(s)
• Edge(s)/Curve(s)
• Point(s)
6. Click and use the normal methods to select a reference.

7. If you want to define how the temperature varies across the geometry, click
the Advanced button and select one of the options from the Spatial
Variation drop-down list.
8. Enter the prescribed temperature in the Value entry box.
You can enter real numbers, use an expression, or enter a parameter name.
Be sure the system of units you are working in is consistent with the one that
you used to define the current model.
9. Click the Preview button to see a graphical representation of the prescribed

temperature on your mode.
10. Click OK to accept your definition and close the dialog box.
Radiation Conditions (FEM Mode)

Use radiation boundary conditions in Thermal FEM mode to define the emission of
heat from a model. You apply these boundary conditions to surfaces. When you
select Insert>Radiation Condition, the Radiation Condition dialog box appears
with the following items:

• Member Of Set — The name of the boundary condition set. You can select
an existing boundary condition set from the drop-down list, or create a new
set by clicking the New button to display the BC Set Definition dialog box.
• References — You can select one or more surfaces or a part boundary before
you enter the dialog box, or use the selector arrow and the normal selection
• Emissivity — Use this area to specify one of these types of Spatial
Variation for the selected surface:
o Uniform — Enter a real-number value between 0 and 1. The software
applies this value uniformly across the selected surface.
o Function Of Coordinates — Open the Functions dialog box to define
a mathematical expression. You must also enter a real number in the
Value entry box. The software uses the function as a scale factor for
the value.
• Ambient Temperature — Use this area to specify one of these types of
Spatial Variation for the local environment:
o Uniform — Enter a real-number value for the ambient temperature of
the surroundings.
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o Function Of Coordinates — Open the Functions dialog box to define

a mathematical expression. You must also enter a real number in the
Value entry box. The software uses the function as a scale factor for
the value.
The software places a radiation icon at each location you selected.
Note: If you plan to analyze your model using the ANSYS solver, be aware
that the radiation boundary condition will not be included. Mechanica does not
output radiation to ANSYS.
After you create a radiation condition, you can edit or delete it by selecting the
appropriate. If you are deleting a radiation condition, the software asks you for
confirmation first.
To Define a Radiation Condition
1. Select Insert>Radiation Condition, or click .
The Radiation Condition dialog box appears.

3. Select the desired boundary condition set from the Member of Set drop-
down list.
4. If you want to create a new boundary condition set, click the New button to
display the BC Set Definition dialog box. Enter a name and optional
5. If you did not select surfaces before entering the dialog box, click under
References and use the normal selection methods to select one or more
surfaces on your model.
6. Select one of the following to specify the Spatial Variation for the
Emissivity:
• Uniform
• Function of Coordinates — Click f (x) to open the Functions dialog
box.
7. Enter a real number in the Value entry box.

8. Select one of the following to specify the Spatial Variation for the Ambient
Temperature:
• Uniform
• Function of Coordinates — Click f (x) to open the Functions dialog
box.
9. Enter a real number in the Value entry box.

10. Click OK to accept your definition and close the dialog box.
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To Use External Conv Coefficient Spatial

Variation for 3D Models
This procedure assumes that you are in the Convection Condition dialog box, that
you selected Surface as the entity type, and that you selected External Conv
Coefficient for Spatial Variation.
1. If you want your reference coordinate system to be a local Cartesian system

rather than the default WCS of the FNF file, do the following:
o Under Reference Coordinate System, click .

o Select the local Cartesian coordinate system that you want to be the
reference coordinate system for the data in the FNF file. This reference
is valid only for Cartesian coordinate systems.
2. Click . Locate and select the name of the file you want to import.
3. If you want to preview the convection coefficient, click the Preview h button.
If the preview does not produce the expected results, check to make sure
that the reference coordinate system is correct.
6. Click OK to accept the definition of the convection condition.
The software performs a simple test on the FNF file to check that it has a mesh
and the required load.
To Use External Conv Coef & Bulk Temp

Spatial Variation for 3D Models
you selected Surface as the entity type, and that you selected External Conv Coef
& Bulk Temp for Spatial Variation.

rather than the WCS, do the following:

3. If you want to preview the convection coefficient, click the Preview h button.
4. If you want to preview the bulk temperature, click the Preview Tb button. If
either preview does not produce the expected results, check to make sure
that the reference coordinate system is correct.
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To Use Uniform Spatial Variation for 3D

Models
This procedure assumes that you are in the Convection Condition dialog box and
that you selected Uniform for Spatial Variation. If you are working in FEM mode,
see To Define Convection Conditions in FEM Mode.

4. If you want to define more convection conditions, repeat applicable preceding
steps until you have defined all constraints.
5. Click OK to accept the definition of the convection condition(s).
To Use External Bulk Temperature Spatial

Variation for 3D Models
you selected Surface as the entity type, and that you selected External Bulk
Temperature for Spatial Variation.

rather than the WCS, do the following:

3. If you want to preview the bulk temperature, click the Preview Tb button. If
the preview does not produce the expected results, check to make sure that
the reference coordinate system is correct.
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Variations for Convection Conditions in FEM

Mode
The following variations are available for Convection Coefficient and Bulk
Temperature on the Convection Condition dialog box in FEM mode.
• Uniform — Applies a convection coefficient and bulk temperature that are

uniform over the entity.
• Function of Coordinates — Use this option if you want the convection
condition to vary spatially over the selected single or multiple surfaces. When
you choose this option, the f(x) button appears, which opens either the
Functions dialog box or the Function Definition dialog box.
Understanding Thermal Boundary Condition

Sets
When you create a boundary condition in Thermal, the software adds it to a
boundary condition set (BC set). A BC set is a collection of boundary conditions that
act together, and at the same time, on your model. For more information, see
Guidelines for Thermal Boundary Condition Sets.
You can manage your BC sets with the BC Sets dialog box. When you select the
Properties>Boundary Condition Sets command, this dialog box appears with the
following buttons:
• New — Opens the BC Set Definition dialog box. Enter a name and optional
description for the new boundary condition set.
Note: You can also access the BC Set Definition dialog box by clicking
the New button in the Member of Set area on the Prescribed
Temperature, Convection Condition, and Radiation Condition
dialog boxes.
• Copy — Creates a copy of the highlighted boundary condition set and adds it
to the list.
• Edit — Opens the BC Set Definition dialog box with the information you
used to specify the highlighted boundary condition set.
• Delete — Removes the highlighted boundary condition set.
• Description — Displays the optional description you entered when you
created the boundary condition set.
If you want the flexibility of treating each of your boundary conditions separately,
use a unique name and set name for each boundary condition. However, remember
that a thermal analysis can only use one boundary condition set.
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Heat load and BC sets provide a logical means of organizing your modeling entities
so you can define analyses effectively and clearly. A carefully considered approach to
heat load and BC set creation simplifies heat load and boundary condition selection
when defining your analyses. Although the software permits you to create each heat
load and boundary condition as a separate heat load set or BC set, you can reduce
the number of selections you need to make for analysis definition by grouping your
heat loads and boundary conditions into sets.
Structure Loads
About Loads
Constraints and loads define the real-world environment you expect your model to
encounter. Mechanica simulates the behavior of your model under loads you define
when performing standard analyses and sensitivity studies for your model. Your
model's optimal shape and mass can also depend on the loads you define. You can
define loads on your model through the menu structure, the Model Tree, or through
relations functions.
For structural analysis, a load is a force, moment, pressure, acceleration, velocity, or

temperature that you apply to a portion of your model. For thermal analysis, a load
is a heat condition applied to a portion of your model.
About Structure Loads

You can choose from several different distribution and spatial variation methods
when applying the structure loads. You can tailor the load to accurately simulate the
true load conditions. For example, the spatial variation options enable you to specify
linear variations or variations that are a function of an equation you define.
The way you load your model depends on whether you are working in Structure or
Thermal. For Mechanica to perform most types of analysis, you must load at least
one area of your model. You can group the loads into load sets. See Guidelines for
Structure Loads or Guidelines for Load Sets for more information.
Although each Mechanica load type requires a slightly different definition method,
there are several factors that govern all loads.
You can create the following types of Structure loads, depending on your model
type:
• force and moment loads

• bearing loads — not available in FEM mode
• centrifugal loads
• gravity loads
• pressure loads
• temperature loads
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You can apply temperature results from a Thermal analysis as a temperature

load.
If you have a 2D model, and you want to associate loads with a UCS, the UCS must
meet the following criteria:
• The UCS Z axis must be parallel to the WCS Z axis.

• The UCS origin must lie in the WCS XY plane.
If you have run an analysis in Mechanism Design, you can also transfer loads to
Structure.
You can create loads by selecting the appropriate command on the Insert menu, or
by using object action or toolbar buttons. After you create a load, you can edit or
or Edit>Delete, as appropriate. If you are deleting a load, Mechanica asks you for
confirmation first. You can also troubleshoot loads, control load icon visibility, place
loads on layers, and review resultant loads.
Relations Functions for Loads and Constraints

Use the Pro/ENGINEER Relations command to use functions in Mechanica and FEM
mode. You can use either of these functions on the left or right side of a relation:
• sim_load_value() — for access to load and constraint values

• sim_mc_value() — for access to mesh control values
On the left side of a relation, use the function to set a value. On the right side, use it
to get a value.
For example, if you define a point load, Load1, with FX=100, and if you want another
load, Load2, which may have been defined with different values, to have the same
value for X as Load1, you can define a relation as follows:
sim_load_value("Load2","X") = sim_load_value("Load1","X")
If you edit Load2, you can see that X is now defined as 100. Any change to Load1
will affect Load2 equally.
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The sim_load_value function has an optional second argument that defines the load
component for vector or force and moment loads. When this command is used for
constraints, it only works for enforced displacements on both sides of the relation.
This argument can have the following case-insensitive values:
Loads
Cartesian Cylindrical Spherical Magnitude
X R R MAGNITUDE
Y THETA THETA
Z Z PHI
MX MR MR
MY MTHETA MTHETA
MZ MZ MPHI
Constraints
Cartesian Cylindrical Spherical Convection Radiation

Conditions
DX DR DR CONVCOEFF EMISSIVITY
DY DTHETA DTHETA AMBTEMP AMBTEMP
DZ DZ DPHI
RX RR RR
RY RTHETA RTHETA
RZ RZ RPHI
Load Basics
Although each Mechanica load type requires a slightly different definition method,
there are several factors that govern all loads. As you prepare to add loads to your
model, bear the following points in mind:
• When you apply loads, Mechanica associates the loads with part geometry. In
the case of compressed geometry, Mechanica can automatically transfer some
loads from an original surface to a compressed edge. However, it is preferable
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to assign loads directly to curves if you know that you will compress the
geometry.
• Mechanica supports a variety of loads. In terms of how you apply these loads
to your model, there are two basic load categories—entity loads and body
loads.
An entity load is a load that you define for specific geometric entities in your
model, such as curves or surfaces. Forces and moments are examples of entity
loads.
A body load is a load that you apply to your model as a whole. Gravity is an
example of a body load. Typically, you can only use one body load per load set.
For assemblies, you may have several independent bodies in your model.
When applying a body load to an assembly, Mechanica places the load on all
bodies in the model. When loading an assembly, be aware that you must load
all independent bodies in the assembly if the analysis you plan to run requires
loads. If you do not add loads for all bodies in the model, Mechanica is unable
to run the analysis.
• You can apply a load to a single geometric entity or to multiple entities. When
you apply a load to multiple entities, Mechanica does not allow you to mix
entity types. For example, if you specify a point as the first entity, all
remaining entities in the load must also be points.
In the case of multiple entities, Mechanica associates the entities by virtue of

the fact that they share a load. Thus, you cannot modify or delete the load for
each entity individually. Further, deleting any of the entities associated with
the load eliminates the load for the other associated entities.
• In general, you should plan the placement of your loads according to the
model type. For example, if you are working with a solid model, you should
try to place your loads on surfaces or surface regions rather than points or
curves. With shell models, you should try to place your loads on curves,
surfaces, or surface regions, depending on the load type. Although you can
place loads on other entity types, this placement is not always optimal.
• Mechanica assumes the load values you enter are consistent with your
principal system of units.
• Mechanica places many loads using coordinate locations. The way Mechanica
expresses coordinate directions depends on the current coordinate system's
type, whether that coordinate system is the WCS or one you selected during
load definition. The following is a chart that defines the coordinate
nomenclature for each coordinate system type:

X R R
Y T T
Z Z P
• When entering load values in Mechanica, use real numbers. You use the sign
of the value to express directionality relative to the coordinate axis for which
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you are defining a load component. For heat loads, you use the sign to
indicate whether a loaded entity is a heat source or heat sink.
If you do not enter a value for a load component, magnitude, or direction,

Mechanica assumes a default of 0 for that aspect of the load. For example, if
you leave the Force X field blank for a force load, Mechanica assumes the load
has no X component.
You can also use expressions as load values. Your expression can include real
numbers, arithmetic operators, and Pro/ENGINEER parameter names.
• If you apply a load to a surface by selecting the surface with Box Select or
Part Boundary, and Mechanica later creates a new surface due to a
parameter change, the software does not automatically apply the existing
load to the new surface.
Guidelines for Structure Loads

Before you add loads to your model, be sure you have the geometry and references
you need already in place. Pay particular attention to the following items:
• Names — Use names that uniquely and clearly identify the objective,
placement, or other key characteristics of the load. If you use the default
names, you or other users may have trouble distinguishing the loads later.
• Geometry
• Coordinate systems — If you plan to make a structural load relative to any
coordinate system other than the WCS, you need to have that coordinate
system in place or you can create it as you work. You also need to make that
coordinate system current. For more information, see About Coordinate
Systems.
• Datum points
• Regions
• Shell models — If you plan to load a shell model surface, region, curve, or
point that Mechanica may compress during analysis, see Modeling Entities and
Idealizations to learn about how Mechanica processes loads placed on these
geometry types.
• Placing loads on a cylindrical surface — When you apply a load on a
cylindrical surface, such as a hole, the load is placed on both surfaces that
form the cylinder.
Guidelines for Load Sets

Understanding Load Sets
Every load that you add in the software is part of a load set. A load set is a collection
of loads that act together on your model. Load sets cannot contain constraints.
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You can manage your load sets with the Properties>Load Sets command. When
you select this command, the Load Sets dialog box appears with the following
items:
• New — Opens the Load Set Definition dialog box. Enter a name and
optional description for the new load set.
Note: You can also access the Load Set Definition dialog box by
clicking the New button in the Member of Set area of the
Force/Moment Load, Pressure Load, Gravity Load, Centrifugal
Load, Global Temperature Load, or Structural Temperature Load
dialog boxes.
• Copy — Copies the selected load set and adds to the list in the Load Sets
dialog box. The new load set includes copies of the same loads as the original
load set.
• Edit — Opens the Load Set Definition dialog box to enable you to modify
any information you used to specify the highlighted load set.
• Delete — Removes the highlighted load set.
• Description — Displays the optional description that you entered when you
created the load set.
If you want the flexibility of treating each of your loads or constraints separately, use
a unique load and load set name for each load or constraint.
so that you can define analyses effectively and clearly. A carefully-considered
when defining your analyses. Although you are free to create a separate load or
constraint set for each of your modeling entities, you can greatly reduce the number
of selections you need to make when defining your analyses by grouping your loads
For more information, see Guidelines for Load Sets.

If you need more information on what a load set is and why you should group your
loads, see Understanding Load Sets.
When you create structural or heat load sets, use the following guidelines:
• The software will not permit you to use a name already used for another load,
constraint, or property set.
• You can include as many different entities and types of loads as you want
within a single load set, with the exception of loads that affect the entire
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model. You can only include one centrifugal load, gravity load, MEC/T
temperature load, or global temperature load per load set.
• There is no limit to the number of load sets you can create or the number of
loads you can include in a load set.
• If you attempt to delete a point associated with a load or constraint, the
software informs you of the association by pointing out that the geometry is
referenced by a simulation feature. You can delete the point, but the software
also deletes any associated load or constraint.
• You can edit and delete the individual loads or constraints that make up a set.
You can also edit and delete a constraint set or load set. With constraint and
load set editing, the only aspects of the set you can change are the name or
the set description.
• You can remove a given load or constraint from its set by editing the name of
the load set or constraint set.
Force and Moment Loads

Use the Insert>Force/Moment Load command to create loads in Structure and
FEM mode Structure. You can create a load on one or more geometric entities,
depending on your model type. These loads are the most widely used Mechanica
loads. See Guidelines for Force and Moment Loads.
When you select Insert>Force/Moment Load, the Force/Moment Load dialog

box appears. This dialog box contains the following items:
• Name — The name of the load.

• Member of Set — The name of the load set. You can select an existing load
set from the drop-down list, or create a new set by clicking the New button
to display the Load Set Definition dialog box.
o Surface(s) — You can select individual surfaces, several surfaces,
quilts, or part boundaries.
o Edge(s) — You can select edges, curves, or composite curves.
o Point(s) — You can select single points, vertices, point features, or
patterns of points.
If you select multiple entities, Mechanica creates a single load that applies to
the entities, and not one load for each entity.
• Coordinate System — Change the coordinate system. The default is the

WCS. The software calculates the coordinate location of the component or
vector you use to specify force or moment with respect to this coordinate
system.
• Advanced — Expand the dialog box to display these fields:
o Distribution
o Spatial Variation — Does not appear if you selected Total Load At
Point from the load distribution options.
• Force — Specify the magnitude and direction of the force for your load.
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• Moment — Specify the magnitude and direction of the moment for your load.
distribution of the load.
After you accept the dialog box, Mechanica places a load icon at each location you
selected.
Guidelines for Force and Moment Loads

In working with force or moment loads, bear the following in mind:
• For solid models, you can apply force loads to points, vertices, curves, edges,
or surfaces. However, other than TLAP moments, you should not apply
moments to edges on solid models, or to edges or surfaces of 2D plates or 2D
solids. Bear in mind that applying forces or moments to points can also result
in stress concentrations.
• For shell models, you can apply forces and moments to points, vertices,
curves, or surfaces. You should avoid defining a moment that is normal to the
midsurface. Also, bear in mind that applying forces or moments to points can
result in stress concentrations.
• Do not apply a moment load to a point on a solid, 2D solid, or 2D plate.
• You can combine forces and moments in one load.
• You define forces and moments relative to the current coordinate system. If
you do not designate a current coordinate system, the load is relative to the
WCS.
• If the Z axis of a reference cylindrical or spherical coordinate system touches
an entity that you want to load, you may not be able to successfully specify a
force or load value for one or more of the directional components. Mechanica
may display a message informing you of the problem. For FEM mode, you will
see the message at run time.
To work around this problem, you can change the coordinate system to a
Cartesian coordinate system or re-orient the coordinate system so the Z axis
no longer touches the entity you want to load.
• When you apply a force or moment, Mechanica displays a load icon on the
appropriate entities. The icon includes a vector that indicates the direction of
the load. If the vector direction does not agree with what you specified,
review the load.
Specifying Magnitude and Direction for Loads

Select one of these items to specify the magnitude and direction for force, moment,
velocity, or acceleration for a load. Note that, for most loads, you can enter any of
the values discussed below as a real number, an arithmetic expression, or a
parameter name. However, for bearing loads, you can only use real numbers.
• Components — Enter the components of the force or moment for each

coordinate direction. Mechanica determines the direction and magnitude of
the force or moment from the components you enter.
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Note: If you have a 2D plane strain, 2D plane stress, or 2D

axisymmetric model, you can specify only X and Y for a force load.
If you have a 2D plane strain or 2D axisymmetric model, you can specify

only Z for a moment load. Specify Z only for 2D shells, not for 2D solids.
For 2D plane stress models, you cannot specify moment loads.
• Dir Vector & Mag — Define the direction of the force or moment by entering
the values for the unit vectors of the selected coordinate system, and enter
the magnitude of the force in the Mag entry box. If you enter a positive
magnitude, the software applies the force or moment in the same direction as
the vector. If you use a negative value, the direction opposes the vector.
• Dir Points & Mag — Enter the direction of the force or moment by selecting
two points and then entering the magnitude of the force in the Mag entry
box. If you enter a positive magnitude, the software applies the force or
moment in the same direction as the vector. If you use a negative value, the
direction opposes the vector.
Note that, if you select Components or Dir Vector & Mag for centrifugal loads, the
origin of the coordinate system you select determines the location of the angular
velocity axis and angular acceleration axis. If you select Dir Points & Mag for
centrifugal loads, the angular velocity axis and angular acceleration axis pass
through the points you select.
If you are using a UCS for force or moment loads, the references to the WCS X, Y,
and Z axes on the dialog box are replaced as follows:
UCS Type Axes
Cartesian X Y Z
Cylindrical R Theta Z
Spherical R Theta Phi
Distribution for Load

For edges and surfaces, you can select one of the following options on the
Force/Moment Load dialog box for specifying how you want Mechanica to distribute
the load you are creating:
• Total Load
• Force Per Unit Type — Type is either Length, Area, or Volume.
• Total Load At Point
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For points, you can select one of the following options on the Force/Moment Load
dialog box:
• Total Load — Distribute the load across all the points you select. In this
case, Mechanica divides the load you specify by the number of points to
determine the load that each point will bear. For example, if you specify a
load of 100 pounds and select 4 points, each point will bear a 25 pound load.
• Load Per Point — Apply the load you specify to each of the points you
select. In other words, if you specify a load of 100 pounds and select 4 points,
each point will bear a 100 pound load.
Spatial Variation
The spatial variation options supported in Mechanica enable you to simulate both
simple and complex load variations over the entities for which you are defining the
load. These options are useful for models that have localized load concentrations,
such as tapering loads and load reversals.
You can use Mechanica's spatial variation options to define nonuniform loads applied
to the geometry of your model. The complexity of the variation depends on the
option you select. Spatial variation options are available for Thermal heat loads and
all Structure entity loads except for bearing loads.
You can select one of the following options for specifying how you want Mechanica to
spatially vary the load you are creating:
• Uniform — Use this option to apply a uniform load. The values entered are
multiplied by 1 over the selected entities. The load has no spatial variation.
• Interpolated Over Entity
• Function of Coordinates
Preview
When you click Preview, Mechanica checks the load for errors.
• If there are no errors, Mechanica displays the load vectors in magenta. The
load vectors are replaced with yellow load distribution arrows when you click
OK.
• If errors appear, correct the load definition before proceeding.
To Define Force and Moment Loads
1. Select Insert>Force/Moment Load or click .
The Force/Moment Load dialog box appears.
2. Enter a name for the load, or use the default name.
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3. Select an existing load set from the Member Of Set area or use the New
button to display the Load Set dialog box and create a new load set.
dialog box, select one of these References from the drop-down list:
o Surface(s)
o Edge(s)
o Point(s)
5. Click and use the normal methods to select a reference.

6. If you want to change the reference coordinate system, click the selector
arrow and select a UCS. The default is the WCS.
7. If you want to specify the distribution and spatial variation for the load click
the Advanced button to display these fields:
o Distribution
o Spatial Variation
8. Select one of these options from the drop-down list under Force to specify
magnitude and direction, and enter the appropriate values:
o Components
o Dir Vector & Mag
o Dir Points & Mag
In the directional component fields, you can enter a value, mathematical

expression, or parameter name.
9. If desired, repeat step 8 for the Moment area.

10. If you want to display the load you just defined, click the Preview button.
The software displays the load distribution and direction using arrows.
11. Click OK to accept the dialog box.
If the software identifies any problems with the way you defined the load, it
displays a message box informing you of the situation.
If the software does not encounter any definition problems, it applies the
loads that you specified to all the entities you selected. The software also
adds a load icon to the geometry you are loading.
Bearing Loads
Use the Insert>Bearing Load command in Structure to create a bearing load on
the surface or curve of a hole. Bearing loads are special-purpose loads that
approximate the distribution of a force in a particular direction, for example, on a
bolt through a hole. You can expect a tapering effect with this type of load. Bearing
loads approximate the pressure applied to a 3D surface (hole) or a 2D circle (ring) by
a rigid pin or axle passing through the center of a hole or ring.
For more information on bearing loads, see Guidelines for Bearing Loads.
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When you select Insert>Bearing Load , the Bearing Load dialog box appears with
the following items:

• Bearing Hole — Allows you to select the hole surfaces on which you want to
place the bearing load. Use the selector arrow and the regular selection
• Coordinate System — Allows you to select the coordinate system that the
bearing load will reference. You must select a Cartesian coordinate system.
The default is the WCS.
• Force — Allows you to specify the direction and magnitude of the bearing
load vector. The load vector cannot be parallel to the axis of one or more
selected holes. The software ignores any portion of the load vector that is
parallel to the hole axis.
distribution of the bearing load.
Guidelines for Bearing Loads

When working with bearing loads, keep the following guidelines in mind:
• Bearing loads are not available in FEM mode.

• You can apply this type of load to a non-right cylindrical surface with spline or
elliptical surface curves on the surface edge.
• The cylindrical surface must have a straight centerline and a constant radius.
• You can apply this type of load to open surfaces. However, surfaces must be
connected to form a portion of a cylinder. The software displays the bearing
load distribution toward the inside of the surface region.
• The vector you specify must have at least one component that is not parallel
to the axis of any hole you select. If you specify a vector that is fully parallel
to the axis, the software does not accept the load.
• The software defines a bearing load distribution as a cosine distribution that
does not vary down the length of the centerline. This distribution enables you
to quickly apply compression-only bearing loads to cylinders and rings.
Preview
OK.
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To Define Bearing Loads
1. Select Insert>Bearing Load or click .
The Bearing Load dialog box appears.

button to create a new load set.
4. Select the circular curve or surface on which you want to place the bearing
load now. Your selections appear under Bearing Hole.
5. To choose another Cartesian coordinate system, click the selector arrow.
6. Select one of the following to specify the magnitude and direction of the load:
o Components
o Dir Points & Mag
o Dir Vector & Mag
7. If you want to display the load that you just defined, click the Preview
button. The software displays the load distribution and direction as a series of
magenta arrows.
If the software does not encounter any definition problems, it applies the loads
that you specified to all the entities you selected. The software also adds a load
icon to the geometry you are loading.
Centrifugal Loads
Use the Insert>Centrifugal Load command in Structure and FEM mode Structure
to create a centrifugal load on the entire model resulting from rigid body rotation of
the model. You can specify the angular velocity and/or angular acceleration, which
can have different vector directions. See Guidelines for Centrifugal Loads for more
information.
When you define a centrifugal load, you specify to which load set it belongs. Note
that you can have only one centrifugal load per load set.
When you select Insert>Centrifugal Load , the Centrifugal Load dialog box
appears with the following items:

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• Coordinate System — Allows you to select the coordinate system that the
centrifugal load will reference. You must select a Cartesian coordinate system.
• Angular Velocity — Allows you to specify the direction and magnitude of the
vector. The velocity can be positive or negative. For 2D axisymmetric models,
you can only specify the magnitude of the angular velocity.
If you select the Dir Points & Mag option, see From and To Fields for
Centrifugal Loads for more information.
• Angular Acceleration — Allows you to specify the direction and magnitude

of the vector. The angular acceleration vector is the rate of change of the
angular velocity vector.
If you select the Dir Points & Mag option, see From and To Fields for
Centrifugal Loads for more information.
• Preview — Adds arrows to your model showing the vector direction of the
centrifugal load. One of the arrows reflects the angular velocity and the other,
the angular acceleration. If you specify angular velocity as 0, Mechanica only
displays the angular acceleration arrow, and the reverse.
After you complete the Centrifugal Load dialog box, the software places an angular
velocity and/or angular acceleration load icon on the model. The icons represent
vectors.
The angular velocity icon has one arrowhead, and the angular acceleration icon has
two arrowheads, one on top of the other.
Guidelines for Centrifugal Loads

• Centrifugal loads are body loads available in native mode and FEM mode
Structure. These loads simulate rigid body rotation for your model. When you
define a centrifugal load, you can specify angular velocity, angular
acceleration, or both. For each of these load quantities, you need to define
either the components, two directional points and magnitude, or the direction
vector and magnitude.
• For angular velocity, enter the velocity or rotation in radians per second. You
can enter a positive or negative value. You also need to define the magnitude
and direction of the load vector.
• For angular acceleration, enter the acceleration or rotation in radians per
second2. As with angular velocity, you can enter either a positive or negative
value. You also need to define the magnitude and direction of angular
acceleration.
• For 3D models, centrifugal load axis definitions are always relative to the
WCS, regardless of the current coordinate system. For 2D models, the axis
definitions are relative to the reference coordinate system for the 2D model.
• For 2D axisymmetric models, you do not specify the direction for angular
velocity because the axis of rotation is always the Y axis of the referenced
coordinate system of the axisymmetric model. Only the magnitude of angular
velocity is required. Angular acceleration is not available in 2D axisymmetric
models.
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• For 2D plane strain and 2D plane stress models, only the Dir Points & Mag
option is available. You specify From and Magnitude. The axis of rotation
and angular acceleration vector pass through that axis location and are
perpendicular to the WCS XY plane. The software uses the right-hand rule to
determine the direction of rotation about the axis and acceleration direction.
• To determine the direction of rotation, the software applies the right-hand
rule to the velocity's sign.
• You can define only one centrifugal load per load set.
• You cannot review a resultant centrifugal load. (Each load set is calculated
separately.)
• If you are running a prestress modal analysis on a model with a centrifugal
load, Mechanica will compute modified vibrational modes to take into account
the effect of relative circumferential motions, an effect known as spin
softening.
• If you select multiple load sets for an analysis, at least one load set contains a
centrifugal load, and you specify load set scaling when you view the analysis
results, you can scale the load set, but the resulting omega term (such as
rpm or rps) does not have a linear relationship with the centrifugal load. If
you need to scale velocity or acceleration, you can isolate the centrifugal load
and adjust the scale separately.
• For large deformation analyses that use centrifugal loads, the results will
scale the body force, but not the velocity or acceleration. You can see the
effect of this when you compare results of an analysis that uses one
centrifugal load against the results of an analysis that uses a scaled version of
the same load. The results will scale correctly in the linear range but, scaling
may no longer provide accurate results when you enter the nonlinear range.
From and To Fields for Centrifugal Loads

Use these input fields for the Dir Points & Mag option to define the axis of rotation
for angular velocity and the direction of the angular acceleration vector, as follows:
• The direction of the load vector is from the point specified in the From field to
the point specified in the To field.
• You fill in these fields by using the selector arrows to choose datum points. If
you need to create datum points at a particular location, use the
Insert>Model Datum>Point>Point command.
When you use the selector arrow to specify datum points for these fields, the
software translates the datum point location into the WCS coordinates of the
point you picked, even if a UCS was active when you picked the datum point.
In using the datum point as a reference location, the software disassociates

the vector from the defining datum points. This means that if the datum points
move during a sensitivity or optimization study, the vector remains unchanged.
• For 2D axisymmetric models, you do not fill in these fields, because the axis
of rotation is always the WCS Y axis and the angular acceleration vector is
always parallel to the WCS Y axis.
• For 2D plane strain and 2D plane stress models, you only use the To field.
The axis of rotation and angular acceleration vector pass through that axis
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location and are perpendicular to the WCS XY plane. The software uses the
right-hand rule to determine the direction of rotation about the axis and
acceleration direction.
Preview
OK.
To Define Centrifugal Loads
1. Select Insert>Centrifugal Load or click .
The Centrifugal Load dialog box appears.

4. If you want to change the reference coordinate system, click the selector
arrow.
5. Select one of the following from the Angular Velocity and Angular
Acceleration drop-down lists to specify magnitude and direction:
• Components
• Dir Points & Mag
• Dir Vector & Mag
6. Specify the directional values. You can enter a value, mathematical
expression, or parameter name in these fields.
button. The software displays the angular velocity and angular acceleration
direction using arrows.
If the software does not encounter any definition problems, it applies the loads
that you specified. The software also adds a load icon to the geometry you are
loading.
Gravity Loads
Use the Insert>Gravity Load command in Structure or FEM mode Structure to
create an accelerational load on your entire model. See Guidelines for Gravity Loads
for more information.
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When you define a gravity load, you specify to which load set it belongs. Note that
you can have only one gravity load per load set.
When you select Insert>Gravity Load, the Gravity Load dialog box appears with
the following items:

• Properties — Change the coordinate system. Use the selector arrow if you
want to select a Cartesian coordinate system to reference the acceleration
vector. The default is the WCS.
• Acceleration — Specify the magnitude and direction of the gravitational
acceleration. The units of the value you enter should be length/time2.
• Preview — Adds an arrow to your model showing the direction of the gravity
load.
After you complete the dialog box, Mechanica places a gravity load icon at the origin
of the WCS, with a vector pointing in the direction of the load and the letter G at the
endpoint of the vector. The gravity load acts at the center of gravity of the part or
assembly.
Guidelines for Gravity Loads

• You can define only one gravity load per load set.
• You cannot review a resultant gravity load. (Each load set is calculated
separately.)
• Gravity loads are body loads available only in Structure. These loads simulate
the force of gravity as it affects your model. When you define a gravity load,
you specify the gravitational components of the load in each coordinate
direction.
• In specifying gravity, you enter values that define gravitational acceleration,
expressed as distance/time2. You can enter a positive or negative value. The
sign you enter defines the direction of gravity relative to the WCS or to
another Cartesian coordinate system.
• When choosing a sign, understand that a negative value opposes the
coordinate direction. For example, if you want to simulate a downward
gravitational force of 1G (386.4 in/sec2) in the Y direction, and you are
working in in/sec2, you enter –386.4 in the Y entry box. If you simply enter
386.4, the gravitational force would be upward.
• For 3D models, gravity is relative to the WCS or to another Cartesian
coordinate system you choose as the reference. For 2D models, gravity is
relative to the reference coordinate system for the 2D model or to another
Cartesian coordinate system you choose as the reference.
• When you apply a gravity load, the software displays a gravity icon at the
origin of the WCS. The icon includes a vector that indicates the direction of
the load. If the vector direction does not agree with what you thought you
specified, review the load.
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Preview
OK.
To Define Gravity Loads
1. Select Insert>Gravity Load or click .
The Gravity Load dialog box appears.

4. If you do not want to use the WCS as the reference coordinate system, click
the selector arrow to select a different Cartesian coordinate system as the
reference.
5. Select one of the following from the drop-down list to specify the magnitude
and direction for the Acceleration:
o Components
o Dir Vector & Mag
o Dir Points & Mag
6. Specify the directional values. You can enter a value, mathematical
expression, or parameter name in these fields.
7. To display the load, click Preview. The software displays an arrow
representing the gravity direction on your model.
8. Click OK to accept the dialog box and save the load.
If the software does not encounter any definition problems, it applies the load
that you specified. The software also adds an icon at the origin of the WCS.
Pressure Loads
You can use the Insert>Pressure Load command in a Structure or FEM mode
Structure model to create a pressure load on 3D model surfaces or 2D model curves.
For 2D models, you can only select a curve that bounds one and only one surface.
You cannot pick datum curves, free-floating curves, or curves shared by more than
one surface.
A positive pressure load always acts in opposition to the normal direction of an entity
at every location, even if the entity is curved. Mechanica sets the normal direction
automatically for entities as you create them.
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When you select Insert>Pressure Load , the Pressure Load dialog box appears
with the following items:

• References — Select geometric entities—edges or curves for 2D models, and
surfaces for 3D models. If you selected the geometric entity before entering
the dialog box, your selections appear next to the selector arrow when you
open the dialog box. Otherwise, use the selector arrow and the regular
selection methods to choose the entities you want to load.
If you select a quilt surface, Mechanica displays the surface normal using a
purple arrow at the time you select the surface, and gives you the option of
flipping the normal direction. If you selected the surface before entering the
dialog box, you can use the selector arrow to reselect the surface and
determine the normal direction.
• Advanced — Expand the dialog box to define the spatial variation by

indicating how you want Mechanica to vary the load across the geometric
entity. You can choose a uniform load—one that remains the same across the
selected geometry. As an alternative, you can vary the load either through
interpolation or as a function of coordinates.
• Value — Enter a real number, an arithmetic expression, or a parameter name
for the magnitude of the pressure load. If you enter a negative magnitude,
the pressure direction is coincident with the normal direction.
distribution of the pressure load.
The software determines the pressure load direction by the sign that you use to
specify the magnitude. Be aware of the following behaviors when determining the
sign of a pressure load:
• Solid Faces — If the pressure value is positive, the load pushes toward the
surface because the normal for solids is always outward from the solid face. If
the pressure value is negative, the load pulls away from the surface.
• Quilts — If the pressure value is positive, the load pulls in the direction
opposite of the normal direction that Mechanica displayed when you selected
the pressure load surface. If the pressure value is negative, it pulls in the
same direction as the normal direction.
Be aware that, if you switch to Pro/ENGINEER and change the surface normal
of a quilt to which you have applied a pressure load, the load direction in
Mechanica changes.
See Guidelines for Pressure Loads for more information. See Example: Pressure Load
for an example of pressure load distribution.
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Guidelines for Pressure Loads

• In 3D models, you can apply pressure loads only to surfaces.
• In 2D models, you can apply pressure loads to an edge or to a curve that is
the boundary of one and only one surface.
• You cannot apply pressure loads to points.
• Pressure loads are independent of a coordinate system, so you do not need to
select a coordinate system.
• When you apply a pressure load, Mechanica displays a load icon on the
appropriate entities. The icon includes a vector that indicates the direction of
the load. If the vector direction does not agree with what you thought you
specified, review the dialog box and check the sign of the load value.
Pressure Load Direction

The following table shows the pressure load direction for each entity type:
Entity Type Pressure Load Direction
Quilt Surface A positive pressure load acts opposite the direction of the
surface's normal. The normals for adjacent surfaces may
be in opposite directions, although Mechanica attempts
to align them where possible.
When you create a pressure load, use the Preview
button on the Pressure Load dialog box to check the
application direction. To reverse the direction, change the
sign of the pressure load.
Solid Face A positive pressure load always points into the solid,
unless there is a shell on the face.
2D Solid Edge, 2D A positive pressure load points into the 2D solid or 2D

Plate Edge, 2D shell plate.
Preview
OK.
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To Define Pressure Loads
1. Select Insert>Pressure Load or click .
The Pressure Load dialog box appears.

4. If you did not select a geometric reference before you opened the dialog box,
select the entity to which you want to apply your pressure load now.
5. If you selected a quilt surface, check the normal direction of the surface by
noting the direction of the purple arrow. If necessary, use the Flip Normals
command to change the normal direction.
6. If you want to specify how the load is distributed across the selected
geometry, click the Advanced button and select one of the following from the
Spatial Variation drop-down list:
o Uniform
o Function Of Coordinates
o Interpolated Over Entity (not supported in FEM mode)
7. Enter a real number, arithmetic expression, or parameter name for the
pressure in the Value entry box.
button. The software displays a series of arrows representing the load
distribution and direction.
If the software does not encounter any definition problems, it applies the
loads that you specified to all the entities you selected. The software also
adds a load icon to the geometry you are loading.
Temperature Loads
Temperature loads enable you to simulate a temperature change over your model.
Temperature loads provide valuable information on how the structure of your model
deforms due to a particular temperature change.
Depending on how you specify the load, the temperature change is either uniform
across the model or variable according to a temperature distribution from a
Mechanica Thermal analysis. In FEM mode, function of coordinates is also a
temperature distribution option. See Guidelines for Temperature Loads.
Use the Insert>Temperature Load in Structure to:
• create global and MEC/T temperature loads that result from temperature
changes over the model
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You can include only one global or MEC/T temperature load in a load set.
MEC/T temperature loads are not available in FEM mode.
• create structural temperature loads that result from temperature changes on

a specified entity (FEM mode)
You can include more than one structural load in a load set, but each load
must be on a different entity. If you have a global temperature load and a
structural temperature load, the global load applies everywhere except on the
entities with the structural load.
• import external temperature loads into Structure. This option is not available
in FEM mode.
When you create a temperature load, Mechanica places a load icon near the origin of
the WCS.
After you create a temperature load, you can edit or delete it by selecting the
appropriate. If you are deleting a temperature load, Mechanica asks you for
confirmation first.
Guidelines for Temperature Loads

For all temperature loads, keep the following guidelines in mind:
• Temperature loads are body loads available in Structure only. Use these loads
to simulate a temperature applied to the body of the model.
• In Mechanica, you can define only one temperature load per load set. In other
words, you cannot place both a global and a MEC/T temperature load in the
same load set.
In Mechanica FEM mode, you can define multiple temperature loads per load
set. You can define a load set that has a global temperature load and a
structural temperature load. If you have a global temperature load and a
structural temperature load, the global load applies everywhere except on the
entities with the structural load. You can include more than one structural
load in a load set, but each load must be on a different entity.
• For global temperature loads, Mechanica assumes a default of 0 if you do not

enter a value.
Global Temperatures
Global Temperature Loads
Use the Insert>Temperature Load>Global command in Structure or FEM mode
Structure to create a thermal load resulting from a temperature change over the
entire model.
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When you select Insert>Temperature Load>Global ,the Global Temperature

(or Global Temperature Load in FEM mode) dialog box appears with the following
fields:

• Model Temperature — The temperature to which you wish to bring your
model. The model temperature is the temperature you want to apply to the
model.
In FEM mode, you can also define how you want Mechanica to distribute the
temperature load. To do so, select Uniform or Function Of Coordinates
from the Spatial Variation drop-down list. If you select Uniform, the
software applies the thermal load equally over the model. If you select
Function Of Coordinates, Mechanica displays the f(x) button, enabling you
to enter an existing function or create a new function.
• Reference Temperature — The zero stress temperature of your model. The

reference temperature is the stress-free temperature of the model—whether
that temperature is room temperature or some other temperature that is
normal for the model.
The difference between the model temperature and the reference temperature is the
amount of temperature change over the model.
After you complete the dialog box, the software places a temperature load icon on
your model.
To Define Global Temperature Loads
1. Select Insert>Temperature Load>Global or click .
The Global Temperature dialog box (or Global Temperature Load in FEM
mode) appears.

4. Use the Model Temperature entry box to enter the temperature you want
the software to apply to the model during analysis.
In FEM mode, you also select Uniform or Function of Coordinates from the
Spatial Variation area to tell the software how to distribute the temperature
load.
5. Use the Reference Temperature entry box to enter the stress-free

temperature of the model.
6. Click OK.
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If Mechanica identifies any problems with the way you defined the load, it
If Mechanica does not encounter any definition problems, it applies the load
that you specified. Mechanica also adds a temperature load icon to the
geometry you are loading.
MEC/T Temperatures
MEC/T Temperature Loads
Use the Insert>Temperature Load>MEC/T command in Structure to apply a
thermal load across the entire model based on a temperature field developed from
the results of a steady-state or transient thermal analysis. The thermal load is based
on a temperature field from a load set in either a steady-state thermal analysis or a
transient thermal analysis. This option enables you to use the temperatures from a
previously defined thermal analysis as a thermal load in Structure. MEC/T
temperature loads prove valuable if you want to apply a non-uniform temperature
change to your model. This option is not available in FEM mode.
For more information, see Guidelines for MEC/T Temperature Loads.
When you select Insert>Temperature Load>MEC/T , the MEC/T Temperature

dialog box appears with the following items:

• Member of Set — The name of the Structure load set. You can select an
existing load set from the drop-down list, or create a new set by clicking the
New button to display the Load Set Definition dialog box.
• Use Previous Design Study — Appears and is selected if you previously
defined a standard design study that includes a thermal analysis.
• Design Study — Appears only if the Use Previous Design Study check box
is selected. If multiple standard design studies exist that include thermal
analyses, you can select a design study other than the first standard design
study for the model with a thermal analysis.
• Analysis — If multiple thermal analyses exist, you can select a thermal
analysis other than the first one defined for the design study (if you selected
a design study) or the first one defined for the model.
• Load Set — Appears only if the MEC/T temperature load is coming from a
steady-state thermal analysis. If multiple load sets exist in the analysis you
selected, you can select a load set other than the default (the first one
defined for the thermal analysis). If the thermal analysis contains no load sets
(for instance, prescribed temperatures only), this option does not appear.
• Step — Appears only if the MEC/T temperature load is coming from a
transient thermal analysis.
• Reference Temperature — Enter the nominal zero strain temperature for
the model. The temperature change for the thermal load at a given location
on the model is the difference between the Thermal temperature result at the
location and the reference temperature.
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Guidelines for MEC/T Temperature Loads

For MEC/T temperature loads, keep the following guidelines in mind:
• You must have defined at least one steady-state thermal or transient thermal
analysis to apply a MEC/T temperature load.
• If you are importing a thermal load from a transient thermal analysis, the
transient thermal analysis must have at least one master interval with Temp
Load selected. Use the Output tab of the Transient Thermal Analysis
Definition dialog box to make this selection.
• A MEC/T temperature load enables you to use the temperatures from a
previously-defined thermal analysis as a thermal load in a structural analysis.
You can run the thermal analysis in the same design study as the structural
analysis or you can run the thermal analysis before you run the structural
analysis. However, if you choose the latter approach and you have defined
dimension parameters for your model, the parameter settings you use in the
Structure design study must match those of the Thermal study.
• As with the global option, you supply a reference temperature for MEC/T
temperature loads. Mechanica calculates the temperature change at a given
model location as the difference between that location's temperature as
determined in the thermal analysis and the reference temperature.
• The mesh must be identical for the thermal and structural models. Thermal
ignores springs and masses.
Use Previous Design Study

If you select this check box on the MEC/T Temperature dialog box, Mechanica
takes the temperatures for the load you are creating from a thermal analysis that
has been or will be run as part of a standard design study you previously defined.
If you deselect this item, Mechanica automatically runs the thermal analysis before
running any structural analysis that includes the load.
If you include the structural analysis that uses the MEC/T temperature load in a
sensitivity or optimization design study, Mechanica ignores this item, as well as any
design study specified. In this case, Mechanica automatically runs the thermal
analysis for whatever parameter settings are required in the sensitivity or
optimization design study.
Step
Mechanica sums all load sets for transient thermal analyses, but computes separate
solutions corresponding to different times.
Use the Step drop-down list on the MEC/T Temperature dialog box to display the
time steps that are defined for the transient thermal analysis associated with the
MEC/T temperature load.
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To Define MEC/T Temperature Loads

This procedure assumes that you are in Structure, and have defined a steady-state
or transient thermal analysis in Thermal.
1. Select Insert>Temperature Load>MEC/T.
The MEC/T Temperature dialog box appears.
2. Enter a name for the load or use the default name.

4. If you have defined a standard design study that includes a thermal analysis
the Use Previous Design Study check box is available and checked. Clear
this check box if you do not want to use the design study for the MEC/T load.
5. If you checked the Use Previous Design Study check box select a Design
Study from the drop-down list.
6. Select a thermal analysis from the Analysis drop-down list.
7. If you selected a steady-state thermal analysis, select a Load Set from the
drop-down list.
8. If you selected a transient thermal analysis, select a Step from the drop-
down list.
9. Enter a real number or expression for the Reference Temperature.
If the software does not encounter any definition problems, it applies the load
that you specified. The software also adds a MEC/T load icon to the geometry
you are loading.
External Temperatures
External Temperature Loads
Use the Insert>Temperature Load>External command in Structure to import an
externally calculated or measured temperature field as a temperature load. The
external temperature field must contain connectivity of a linear solid element mesh,
node locations, and temperature values at the nodes. This command is not available
in FEM mode.
Before using this command, be sure to read Guidelines for Importing External
Temperature Fields.
When you select Insert>Temperature Load>External the External

Temperature dialog box appears with the following fields:
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from the drop-down list, or create a new set by clicking the New button to
display the Load Set Definition dialog box.
• Reference — Use this area to select the reference coordinate system that will
serve as the basis for the load. You can select a Cartesian, cylindrical, or
spherical coordinate system. Mechanica uses the WCS as the default.
• File — Use this area to enter the name of your external temperature file.
Alternatively, click the selection button and Mechanica displays a dialog box
where you can select an external temperature file through the FEM Neutral
Format file. Mechanica adds a .fnf extension to your external temperature
field file.
• Reference Temperature — Enter the nominal zero strain temperature for
the model. The temperature change for the thermal load at a given location
on the model is the difference between the Thermal temperature result at the
location and the reference temperature.
Guidelines for Importing External

Temperature Fields
• Before you import an external temperature, you must create a FEM Neutral
Format file, which Mechanica uses to import your temperature load. The FEM
Neutral Format file enables you to store an externally created temperature
field and import it into Structure. For more information, see FEM Neutral
Format File and Sample FNF File for External Temperature.
• Mechanica automatically copies the FEM Neutral Format file you create into a
study directory. If you do not want this file in the study directory, you must
set a config.pro option. For more information, see Configuration File Options.
• Mechanica extracts temperature data from the h-mesh Mechanica FEM
Neutral Format file by finding the h-element that encompasses the point
where the p-element temperature is desired, and performing a linear
interpolation of the temperature at the h-element's corner nodes. If the p-
element point is not inside any of the h-elements—for example, when the
curved boundary of a p-element lies outside the h-mesh—Mechanica projects
the point to an h-element face, edge, or node and performs a three, two, or
one-point interpolation.
When entire elements of the p-mesh lie outside the h-mesh, Mechanica still
projects the points onto the outer faces of the h-mesh. As the distance
increases, Mechanica may not project the point onto the closest face, but
instead onto the first orthogonal projection it finds.
• Your imported temperature load must contain the connectivity of a linear solid
element mesh, node locations, and temperature values at the nodes.
• If the temperature load mesh is not consistent, Mechanica displays an error
message.
• If you defined the temperature load for part of your model, Mechanica
displays an error message indicating that it will calculate temperature through
extrapolation for parts of the model.
• If you performed a design study for your model that included size or shape
changes, you must make sure the temperature field is consistent for all the
design variations included in the study.
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When you import an external temperature load, you also import the model's
orientation.
To Define External Temperature Loads

1. Select Insert>Temperature Load>External.
The External Temperature dialog box appears.

4. If you do not want to use the WCS as the reference coordinate system, click
the selector arrow in the Reference area to select a different reference
coordinate system.
5. In the File area, enter an external temperature field file name or click to
display an additional dialog box. Use this dialog box to select a .fnf file. The
default is your current directory. Select a file name from the current directory
or from another directory.
6. Enter the reference temperature you want Mechanica to apply during the
analysis. You can enter a real number or an expression.
7. Click OK.
If Mechanica does not encounter any definition problems, it applies the loads
that you specified to all the entities you selected. Mechanica also adds a
temperature load icon to the geometry you are loading.
Mechanism Loads
Use the Insert>Mechanism Load command to import a load set from Mechanism
Design Extension into Structure. Before using this command, you must use the Use
In Structure command in Mechanism Design to create the load set based on the
results of a dynamic analysis. This option is not available in FEM mode. For more
information on the Use in Structure command, see About Load Transfer to
Structure in the Mechanism Design module in the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center
(Simulation functional area).
The load set that you create in Mechanism Design includes inertial and reaction
forces and gravity, as well as any applied external forces and torques. When you
create the load set, you associate the load set with a part, subassembly, or top-level
assembly file. To import the Mechanism Design load set and use the loads in
Structure, you must complete two steps:
• Open the component file in Structure and import the load set.
• Associate the loads that you want to use with geometric references.
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It is important that you carry out both steps. If you do not associate the loads before
you exit Structure, Mechanica will not save them with the model. To associate a load,
highlight the load icon on your model, select Edit>Definition to open the
appropriate dialog box, and select a geometric reference for the load.
When you select Insert>Mechanism Load , the Mechanism Load Import dialog
box appears. Use this dialog box to specify which Mechanism Design loads you want
to include in a Structure load set. For information on the various types of imported
loads, see How Structure Imports Loads from Mechanism Design.
Note: You can import the same Mechanism Design load set several times in a
given Structure session by making sure the Clear Load Info After Import
check box on the Mechanism Load Import dialog box is not selected. This
gives you the option of associating the loads from the Mechanism Design load
set with different entities in the same model.
To Import Mechanism Loads

This procedure assumes that you are working in Structure. You must have run an
analysis in Mechanism Design and created a Mechanism Design load set.
1. Select File>Open and open the component file that contains the Mechanism
Design load set.
2. Select Insert>Mechanism Load or click .
The Mechanism Load Import dialog box appears with a list of the loads you
exported from Mechanism Design for the component.
3. Accept the default load set from the Member Of Set area, select another
existing load set, or use the New button to display the Load Set dialog box
and create a new load set.
4. Clear the check box beside any load that you do not want to include in the
load set.
5. Check the Clear Load Info After Import box if you do not want to import
the load set more than once in the current session.
6. Click OK to create the load set.
7. Highlight each imported load icon and select Edit>Definition to associate the
load with a geometric entity, or to change the referenced coordinate system.
The various load types take you to different dialog boxes.
• For reaction loads on connections, servo motors, force motors,
springs, dampers, or external forces or torques, see Force and Moment
Loads.
• For centrifugal loads, see Centrifugal Loads.
• For gravity loads, see Gravity Loads.
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Troubleshooting Your Loads

Troubleshooting Loads
To help ensure a successful run, you may want to verify your loads, and, if you are
working with an assembly, perform a pre-run error detection pass. To learn about
load verification and other technical tips, read the following:
• Verifying a Load
• Reviewing Resultant Loads
• Reviewing Total Heat Loads
• Performing a Body Check for Assemblies
• Handling Stress Concentrations
• Check Model
Verifying a Load
You can review the load for entry errors by highlighting the load icon on your model
and selecting Edit>Definition. The software will display the load definition dialog
box for that load. To change any of the values you entered, simply type in new
information.
Reviewing Resultant Loads

Use the Info>Review Total Load command in Structure to review the resultant
load at predefined points on your model. Before running an analysis on your model,
you may want to perform a check to see if the load values at particular model
locations are what you expect them to be.
Note: For information on reviewing heat loads in Thermal, see Reviewing Total
Heat Loads.
You can review resultant loads for the following load types:
• force loads
• moment loads
• bearing loads (native mode only)
• pressure loads
If you want to review a resultant load at a particular location, you first need to add
datum points. These datum points act as references from which the software
evaluates the resultant load for the model, so place the points at locations that will
provide significant data. In considering resultant loads, be aware of the following
points:
• The software calculates the resultant force. It also calculates the resultant
moments about the selected datum point. The software displays the
components of the resultant force and moment with respect to the unit
vectors of the current coordinate system.
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• You can view the resultant force and moments with respect to the WCS, or
you may select another Cartesian coordinate system in the model.
• You can examine the effect of one or more loads. Selecting a single load is
helpful when you are trying to troubleshoot the values for a particular load.
Looking at a combination of loads can be helpful if you are concerned about
the actual load that a particular portion of the model will see during a
multiload analysis.
To Review Resultant Loads

1. Select Info>Review Total Load.
The Load Resultant dialog box appears.
2. Click in the Select Loads area and select the load icon for each load that
you want to review. If you want to review the resultant load for several loads,
use the normal selection methods to select all the desired load icons.
3. Click in the Select Coordinate System area and select a Cartesian

coordinate system, or accept the default, the WCS.
4. Click in the Select Evaluation Point area and select a datum point.
5. Click the Compute Load Resultant button to review the forces and
moments for the total load about the selected datum point.
6. If you want to save the review as a text file, select File>Save As and enter a
filename and directory, or accept the defaults.
7. Click OK to exit the dialog box.
Performing a Body Check for Assemblies

If you are working with an assembly, you can check the number of bodies in your
assembly by requesting error detection when you start your Mechanica analysis.
During the error detection cycle, Mechanica informs you of how many bodies it finds
in your assembly. If this count does not agree with the number you expect, review
the assembly in Pro/ENGINEER and correct any mating problems. Then, return to
Mechanica and add loads or constraints to any bodies that require them. For more
information, see Assembly Considerations.
• These problems can lead to poor accuracy for analysis results.

• Curve loads can introduce theoretically infinite stresses or fluxes in solid
models.
You may want to define a small surface region and apply the load to the region
instead of to a point. This approach distributes the stresses and fluxes over a slightly
wider portion of the model, avoiding concentration problems.
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To Define Structural Temperature Loads

1. Select Insert>Temperature Load>Structural and select Point, Curve, or
Surface from the STRUCT TEMP menu.
The Structural Temperature Load dialog box appears.

dialog box, select one or more geometrical entities now to receive the load.
5. Use the Entity Temperature area to select a variation and enter the
temperature that you want the software to apply to the model during
analysis.
6. Use the Reference Temperature area to enter the stress-free temperature
of the model.
7. Click OK.
If it identifies any problems with the way you defined the load, Mechanica
If it does not encounter any definition problems, Mechanica applies the loads
that you specified to all the entities you selected. Mechanica also adds a
temperature load icon to the geometry you are loading.
Function of Coordinates
Use this option to apply a structure constraint (FEM mode), thermal boundary
condition, or load that is a function of the current coordinate system. You can select
one or more entities on which to apply the constraint or load.
You define this variation by specifying a function that Mechanica uses as a scale
factor. If you are using Function of Coordinates for loads or thermal boundary
conditions, Mechanica typically multiplies the load value by the scale factor to
approximate the load behavior. For force/moment loads and heat loads, Mechanica
makes an exception if you defined the load distribution as Total Load. In this case,
Mechanica applies the function, respecting its shape, but does not multiply the
function by the load value. Thus, the software maintains the original total load value.
When you select this option, the f(x) button and entry box appear on the dialog box.
Click the button and the Functions dialog box (native mode) or Functions dialog
box (FEM mode) appears under one of the following conditions:
• If a user-defined function has not been defined for your model

• If an internal function has been defined for your model
You can use this dialog box to create, copy, review, or delete a function.
For an example, see Example: Function of Coordinates.
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Example: Function of Coordinates

Function loads provide a means of simulating loads that have a complex magnitude
distribution. For example, you can use the function of coordinates method to define
sinusoidal loads, as shown below:
In working with function loads, be aware that the resultant load depends on a
number of factors, such as the orientation of the coordinate system, the
dimensioning scheme you used for your part, and so forth. As a result of these
dependencies, you may need to work through the function dialog box more than
once to achieve the exact load conditions you want.
Because function loads are complex, you may find it particularly useful to verify the
load by clicking the Preview button on the Load Definition dialog box. The preview
function shows the relative load magnitude at different points on the entity. You
might also find it useful to verify the load. To review loads, select Info>Review
Total Load after you define the load. The method you use varies depending on
whether you are performing the review for a force, moment, bearing, or pressure
load in Structure or a heat load in Thermal.
Functional Form of Interpolation

The number of interpolation points you select determines the functional form of
interpolation, as shown below:
Number of Points Functional Form of Interpolation
1D Entities:
2 points linear variation in 1D parameter space
3 points quadratic variation in 1D parameter space
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4 points cubic variation in 1D parameter space
2D Entities:
2 points linear variation in 2D parameter space, with no

variation perpendicular to the line that connects
the two points in parameter space
3 points linear variation in 2D parameter space
4 non-colinear points bilinear variation in 2D parameter space
4 collinear points cubic variation in 2D parameter space, with no

variation perpendicular to the line that connects
the four points in parameter space
4 points, with 3 collinear quadratic variation in 2D parameter space and

linear variation perpendicular to the line that
passes through the three collinear points
Mechanica uses representative space to calculate interpolation and may not apply
the interpolated load, heat load, or prescribed temperature in exactly the way you
expect. Click the Preview button on the Interpolation Over Entity dialog box to
see a display of vector arrows that show the relative magnitude of the load, heat
load, or prescribed temperature at different points on the entity.
Structural Temperature Loads

Use the Insert>Temperature Load>Structural command in FEM mode to create a
thermal load resulting from a temperature change over a geometric entity or set of
geometric entities. You can apply the load uniformly across the selection geometry or
use a function of coordinates to define the spatial variation. The load can be applied
to points, vertices, datum curves, or surfaces. If your model is an assembly, you also
have the option of applying the structural load to specific assembly components.
Note: To apply the temperature load to an entire assembly, use global

temperature loads.
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When you select Insert>Temperature Load>Structural, and choose Point,

Curve, or Surface from the STRUCT TEMP menu, the Structural Temperature
Load dialog box appears with the following fields:

• References — In this area appears the name of the type of entity—point,
curve, or surface—you chose. If you already selected valid geometric
references before entering the dialog box, your selections appear next to the
arrow and the regular selection methods to choose the desired geometry.
• Entity Temperature — Use this area to enter the temperature to which you
wish to bring the geometric entity as well as the spatial variation you want
Mechanica to use.
o Spatial Variation — Define how you want Mechanica to distribute the
load by selecting Uniform or Function Of Coordinates from the
option menu. If you select Function Of Coordinates, Mechanica
displays the f(x) button, enabling you to enter an existing function or
create a new function.
o Value — Enter the temperature you want to apply to the entity. You
can enter a real number or an expression incorporating Pro/ENGINEER
parameters.
• Reference Temperature — Enter the zero stress temperature of your
model. The reference temperature is the stress-free temperature of the
model—whether that temperature is room temperature or some other
temperature that is normal for the model.
The difference between the entity temperature value and the reference temperature
is the amount of temperature change over the model.
Structure Loads on Regions

If you plan to load a specific surface region, your model needs to include the contour
that defines the region.
For assemblies, you cannot load geometry that Mechanica merges during a run, such
as mated surfaces. You also cannot load geometry associated with merged
geometry, such as points associated with mated surfaces. If you cannot avoid
placing loads on these geometric entities, you need to work with regions.
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Example: Bearing Load

In a bearing load, the load will be greatest along the vector that defines load
direction and will taper toward the edges, as shown below:
Example: Bearing Load on an Open Curve

In the following illustration, Mechanica distributes the load on an open curve:
Sample FNF File for External Temperature

The following is a sample FNF file for external temperature.
#PTC_FEM_NEUT 3
#DATE 18-Sep-01 10:10:09
%START_SECT : HEADER
%TITLE : B2
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%STATISTICS : 1 0 1 0 8 6
%END_SECT
%START_SECT : ELEM_TYPES
%ELEM_TYPE 1 DEF : SOLID TETRA LINEAR 4 6 4
%ELEM_TYPE 1 FACE : 1 2 6 5
%END_SECT
%START_SECT : MESH
%NODE 1 DEF : -0.5 -0.5 -0.5
%NODE 2 DEF : -0.5 -0.5 0.5
%NODE 3 DEF : -0.5 0.5 0.5
%NODE 4 DEF : 0.5 -0.5 0.5
%NODE 5 DEF : 0.5 0.5 0.5
%NODE 6 DEF : -0.5 0.5 -0.5
%NODE 7 DEF : 0.5 0.5 -0.5
%NODE 8 DEF : 0.5 -0.5 -0.5
%ELEM 1 DEF : 1 1 * 1 4 7 5
%ELEM 2 DEF : 1 1 * 2 5 6 3
%ELEM 3 DEF : 1 1 * 2 5 1 6
%ELEM 4 DEF : 1 1 * 6 1 7 5
%ELEM 5 DEF : 1 1 * 2 4 1 5
%ELEM 6 DEF : 1 1 * 1 8 7 4
%END_SECT
%START_SECT : LOADS
%LOAD_TYPE 1 DEF : TEMPERATURE NODE SCALAR
%CON_CASE 1 DEF : TestData1
%LOAD 1 DEF : 1 1
%LOAD 1 VAL : 1 0
%LOAD 1 VAL : 2 0.15
%LOAD 1 VAL : 3 0.75
%LOAD 1 VAL : 4 0.4
%LOAD 1 VAL : 5 1
%LOAD 1 VAL : 6 0.6
%LOAD 1 VAL : 7 0.85
%LOAD 1 VAL : 8 0.25
%END_SECT
%START_SECT : ANALYSIS
%SOLUTION 1 DEF : THERMAL
%SOLUTION 1 CON_CASES : 1
%END_SECT
%END
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Example: Bearing Load on a Surface

In the following illustration, Mechanica distributes the load on a surface:
Strategy: Scaling Results for Centrifugal

Loads in a Combined Load Set
The omega term in the force calculation that Mechanica uses for centrifugal loads is
not linear, due to the following relationship:
F(centrifugal) = mass radius omega2
You can correct for this by creating a load set that contains only the centrifugal load
and rerunning the analysis with this load set. Then, determine the total load resulting
from the centrifugal load set. Using this information, you can determine the true
scale factor you need to enter to achieve the desired load scaling. To determine the
scale factor, apply the following formula:
scale value = (WN/WE)2
Where WN is the acceleration or velocity specified in the load definition and WE is the
acceleration or velocity you want to achieve through scaling.
Add for Interpolation

Use this button to add a new interpolation point.
As you select each point, Mechanica:
• allows you to select up to four points
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• marks each location you select with an X

• sequentially numbers the interpolation points
• displays an entry box on the dialog box in which you can enter a value for the
point
Structure Loads on Points

If you plan to define certain types of loads, you may need to add datum points to
your model. Keep the following in mind when applying loads to points:
• Forces and moments applied to points — You can select single points,
vertices, point features, or patterns of points. Be aware that force and
moment loads applied to points can introduce high stress concentrations in
your model.
• Interpolated loads — If you want to apply an interpolated load, you may
need to add datum points for the software to use when calculating load
variations.
Interpolated surface loads require between two and four datum points. You do
not need to add datum points for interpolated curve loads because the
software uses the end points of the curve as default interpolation points. If
you do not want to use the end points, you can add up to four datum points
to the curve.
• Total load at point (TLAP) — If you want to apply a total load to a single
point, use this option. This creates a distributed load that is statically
equivalent to a resultant load at a point.
• Vector-based or axis-based loads — If you want to apply a load that
requires a vector, such as a bearing load, you can define the vector using
coordinates or by picking datum points. If you choose the datum point
method, you must define two datum points to indicate vector direction.
Axis-based loads, such as centrifugal loads, also require two datum points if
you want to define the axis using datum points instead of coordinates.
• Resultant loads — If you want to review a resultant load, you need to add
datum points at the locations for which you want the software to calculate a
resultant load.
For most loads, you can add datum points within Mechanica as you define the load.
These datum points will be available for your Mechanica sessions only. They are not
visible on your part or assembly while you are working at the Pro/ENGINEER level.
entering Mechanica. In the latter case, the datum points will be available for all your
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Force Per Unit Type

Use this option to apply a load to each unit that makes up the entity you selected,
where type is either length, area, or volume depending on the model type and type
of entity selected for the load. See Force Per Unit Type Guidelines for more
information.
The units used for force loads are as follows:
Model Type/Entity Units
3D:
Curve, Edge, Beam Force Per Unit Length
Surface, Face, Shell Force Per Unit Area
2D Axisymmetric:
Curve, Edge, 2D Shell Force Per Unit Area
Surface, 2D Solid Force Per Unit Volume
2D Plane Strain:
Curve, Edge, 2D Shell Force Per Unit Area
Surface, 2D Solid Force Per Unit Volume
2D Plane Stress:
Curve, Edge Force Per Unit Length
Surface, 2D Plate Force Per Unit Area
The units for moment loads are the units for the force loads multiplied by length.
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Load Interpolation
Use the Load Interpolation dialog box to add, preview, or remove interpolation
points, and to enter or edit a value for each point. You can use from two to four
interpolation points on the geometry and assign a scale factor to each point.
Mechanica selects default interpolation points for some entities, as follows:
Entity Default Interpolation Points
open curves, edges, beams, 2D shells endpoints
shells, 2D plates, 2D solids, faces corners
surfaces none
If you want different interpolation points than the defaults, you can delete the
defaults and create new ones.
When planning interpolated loads, be aware of the following:
• At least one of the points should have a value other than zero. For
interpolated loads, you normally use scale factors that lie between 0 and 1.
However, you can use larger values if you want to increase the value or
vector of the original load through multiplication.
• Each value is a scale factor. Mechanica multiplies the force and moment
values (for structural loads) or the heat transfer rate value (for heat loads) by
the interpolation value at a given location to determine the load vector at that
location.
• You can define the scale factor as either a positive or negative value. If you
use a negative value, you reverse the load direction. Additionally, if you
express the load value as a negative number and you use a negative scale
value, the signs cancel each other and the load value becomes positive.
• If you enter interpolation points and add scale factors before entering load
values, Mechanica enters a default value of 1 for FY.
• The number of interpolation points you select determines the functional form
of the interpolation.
Total Load
Use this option to distribute a load along the length or area of the entity such that
the integral of the load over the selected entity equals the total prescribed value. For
curves (and edges in FEM mode), Mechanica distributes the load as load per arc
length. For surfaces, Mechanica distributes the load as load per surface area.
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Follow these guidelines:
• If you select more than one entity, Mechanica distributes the load equally
across all selected entities.
• For 3D models, Mechanica distributes the total load you enter on the selected
entities in the following ways:
Entity Total Load Distributed As
edges, beams load/entity's arc length
curves load/sum of the lengths of the edges

that lie on the curve
shells, faces, 2D plates load/area of entity
surfaces load/sum of the areas of the shells,

faces, or 2D plates on the surface
Note: You cannot select the Total Load option for a 3D solid.
• Because all modeling data for 2D plane strain models is in terms of per unit
depth, you enter the total load on a curve, edge, or 2D shell in terms of the
total load applied per unit depth.
• For 2D axisymmetric models, a load on a curve, edge, or 2D shell defines
what is physically an area load. You enter the amount of such a load on the
surface that the curve, edge, or 2D shell represents.
• A load on a 2D solid defines what is physically a volume load. You enter this
type of load on the body that the 2D solid represents.
• The total load remains the same even if the length or area changes, either
through changes you make to the model or through changes that Mechanica
makes during a sensitivity or optimization design study.
For example, if you define a load of 100 pounds for a 25x25 inch surface, each
1x1 inch area of the surface sees 0.16 pounds of the load. Should Mechanica
optimize the surface such that it shrinks to a 1x1 inch area, the remaining area
would see the entire 100 pounds. Thus, although the overall 100-pound load
remains steady for the model, a much smaller surface area bears the load.
Total Load At Point

Use this option on the Force/Moment Load dialog box to apply a total load to a
single point. This creates a distributed load that is statically equivalent to a resultant
load at a point. The point can either be a predefined datum point on the model or a
vertex.
Note: You cannot select this option for a 2D axisymmetric model.
Use the selector arrow to select a location where you want the total load applied.
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Remove for Interpolation

Use this button to remove interpolation points.
When you select one or more interpolation points to remove, Mechanica:
• removes the interpolation points you selected

• on the interpolation dialog box, removes the entry boxes that contain the
values for the deleted interpolation points
• renumbers any remaining interpolation points in sequential order
How Loads Transfer to Structure

This table describes the forms taken by the various loads available in Mechanism
Design when you use the Load Export dialog box to create a load set for export to
Structure.
Exported Mechanism Load Imported Structure Load
Joint Connections
Joint reaction force Unassociated TLAPa force at joint point

location
Joint reaction moment Unassociated TLAP moment at joint

point location
Springs and Dampers
Point-to-point spring or damper Unassociated TLAP force at attachment

reaction force point
Spring or damper reaction force on Unassociated TLAP force at center of

translational joint axis joint axis
Spring or damper reaction force on Unassociated TLAP moment at center

rotational joint axis of joint axis
Damper on Slot-follower Connection
Combined normal and tangential Unassociated TLAP force at slot point

reaction forces on slot damper location
Servo Motors and Force Motors
Servo or force motor reaction force and Unassociated TLAP force at intersection
moment on translational joint axis of zero reference plane and translation
axis
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Servo or force motor reaction moment Unassociated TLAP moment at center

on rotational joint axis of joint axis
Cam-follower Connections
Combined normal and tangential Unassociated TLAP force at cam

reaction forces at cam contact point contact point
Slot-follower Connections
Reaction force on slot connection Unassociated TLAP force at center of

slot
Gear Pairs
Reaction moment for standard gear Unassociated TLAP moment at center

pair on rotational joint axis of joint axis
Reaction force for rack and pinion gear Unassociated TLAP force at center of
pair on translational joint axis joint axis
Force/Torque
Forces applied to points Unassociated TLAP force at point
Point-to-point forces Unassociated TLAP force at starting

point
Torques applied to bodies Unassociated TLAP moment at body

center of gravity
Gravity
Combined gravitational force and Gravity acceleration at body center of

translational component of inertial gravity and the translational
acceleration component of inertial acceleration
Inertial Forces
Angular velocity (as Centrifugal1_Vel) Single combined centrifugal load with

velocity and acceleration components
and
Angular acceleration (as

Centrifugal1_Acc)
a. TLAP = Total Load at Point
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Force Per Unit Type Guidelines

• If the entity's length or area changes, either through changes you make to
the model or through changes Mechanica makes during a sensitivity or
optimization design study, the total load on the entity changes accordingly.
For example, if you wanted to apply a load of 100 pounds to a 25x25 inch
surface using the force per unit method, you would define a load with each 1x1
inch area of the surface seeing 0.16 pound. The cumulative effect of the load is
100 pounds.
In this case, if the surface shrank to 1x1 inch during optimization, the
remaining area would still see 0.16 pounds. Thus, although the load on the
individual unit of area does not change, the original 100-pound surface load
drops to 0.16 pounds.
• Because all modeling data for 2D plane strain models is in terms of per unit
depth, you enter the total load on a curve, edge, or 2D shell in terms of the
total applied per unit depth.
• For 2D axisymmetric models, a load on a curve, edge, or 2D shell defines
what is physically an area load. You enter the amount of such a load as a
force per unit area on the surface that the curve, edge, or 2D shell
represents.
• A load on a 2D solid defines what is physically a volume load. You enter this
type of load as a force per unit volume on the body that the 2D solid
represents.
• You can apply a force-per-unit load to multiple surfaces. In this case,
Mechanica places the same load on each surface unit regardless of the area of
the surface.
From and To Fields for Dir Points & Mag

Use these input fields for the Dir Points & Mag option to define the direction of the
angular acceleration vector as follows:
• The direction of the load vector is from the point specified in the From field to
the point specified in the To field.
• You fill in these fields by using the selector arrows to choose points or
vertices.
When you use the selector arrow to specify points for these fields, the software
translates the point location into the WCS coordinates of the point you picked,
even if a UCS was active when you picked the point.
In using the point as a reference location, the software disassociates the vector
from the defining points. This means that if the points move during a
sensitivity or optimization study, the vector remains unchanged.
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• For 2D axisymmetric models, you do not fill in these fields because the
angular acceleration vector is always parallel to the WCS Y axis.
• For 2D plane strain and 2D plane stress models, you use only the To field.
The angular acceleration vector passes through that axis location and is
perpendicular to the WCS XY plane. The software uses the right-hand rule to
determine acceleration direction.
Structure Loads on Geometry

When you apply loads to geometry, keep the following points in mind:
• If you place a load on a curve, the load applies to any edges associated with
that curve.
• If you place a load on a surface, the load applies to any elements associated
with that surface.
• A point load can create theoretically infinite stresses (for structural loads) or
fluxes (for heat loads) on a shell, solid, 2D solid, or 2D plate. A curve or edge
load on a solid element can create theoretically infinite stresses (for structural
loads) or fluxes (for heat loads).
• For a 2D plane strain model a point represents a line. You can apply a load to
a point as either a total load or as a load per unit length using the Total Load
or Load Per Unit Length options, respectively. Because the depth of the
model is considered to be unity, these two options are equivalent.
• For a 2D axisymmetric model, a point represents a circle. You can apply a
load to a point as either a total load or as a load per unit length using the
Total Load or Load Per Unit Length options, respectively. For example, if
you specify a load of 100 pounds per unit length, the total load on the entire
circle will be 100 r pounds, where r is the radius of the circle. But if you
specify a load of 100 pounds as the total load, then the total load remains
100 pounds.
How Structure Imports Loads from

Mechanism Design
The loads listed in the Mechanism Load Import dialog box in Structure have the
same names as in Mechanism Design unless the Mechanism Design name contains
too many characters or characters that are invalid in Structure. There are a few
points you should keep in mind when using these loads in Structure.
• Structure imports the loads, with the exception of the gravity and centrifugal
loads, as unassociated Total Load At Point (TLAP) loads. You must associate
each load with a geometric reference in order for it to be retained with the
model when you complete your session of Structure.
• When Structure imports loads from Mechanism Design, it creates a datum
point for the unassociated TLAP, unless one exists. In the case of loads based
on reaction forces on translational joint axes in Mechanism Design, the
location of the datum point is at the intersection of the zero reference plane
for the selected body and the translational axis. You can change the location
of this zero reference plane by using the Joint Axis Settings dialog box in
Mechanism Design.
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For reaction forces on rotational joint axes, the location of the datum point is
at the center of the rotational joint axis. This location is determined by
Mechanism Design and not easily modified.
• Mechanism Design defines loads with respect to the body's LCS. When you
import these loads into Structure, the loads are defined with respect to the
model's WCS.
• When you display the direction for a gravity load by highlighting the name in
the Mechanism Load Import dialog box, the shaded arrow appears at the
center of gravity of the component, but its icon is shown at the model's WCS.
• Structure combines the angular inertial velocity and acceleration components,
called Centrifugal1_Vel and Centrifugal1_Acc, respectively, that are
imported from Mechanism Design into a single centrifugal load. When you edit
the centrifugal load in Structure, the Centrifugal Load dialog box includes
the magnitudes of the velocity and acceleration components.
For information on how specific forces and moments transfer from Mechanism Design
to Structure loads, see How Loads Transfer to Structure.
Interpolated Over Entity

Use this option to vary a load linearly, quadratically, or cubically along the entity you
selected. You can use this option only if you selected a single entity—edge, curve, or
surface—for this load. You cannot define an interpolation in FEM mode.
When you select Interpolated Over Entity, the Define button appears on the
dialog box. When you click this button, a Load Interpolation dialog box appears,
which enables you to:
• add a new interpolation point

• remove interpolation points
• preview an interpolation
The interpolation you create is associated with the load and the entity.
Load Resultant Dialog Box for Structure Loads

Use the Load Resultant dialog box to review the total load for your model. This
dialog box appears when you select the Info>Review Total Load command. The
dialog box includes the following items:
• File — This menu contains the following commands:

o Save As — Use this command to save the data on the Load
Resultant dialog box in a text file. The information includes the loads
list, coordinate system, evaluation point, and resultant forces and
moments. The Save As dialog box appears, allowing you to select a
filename and directory. The default filename is total_load.inf, and the
default directory is the current working directory.
o Close — Use this command to exit the dialog box.
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• Select Loads — Use the normal selection methods to select one or more
loads that you want to evaluate. You cannot select gravity, centrifugal, or
structural temperature loads. After you select the loads, the software displays
a list of the load names.
• Select Coordinate System — Use the normal selection methods to select a
Cartesian coordinate system. The software expresses the resultant load in the
selected coordinate system. The default is the WCS.
• Select Evaluation Point — Use the normal selection methods to select a
datum point. The software displays the name of the point. The software
evaluates the resultant of the selected loads about that datum point. The
default is the origin of the selected coordinate system.
• Compute Load Resultant — When you click this button, the software
evaluates the resultant load derived from the selected loads about the
selected datum point.
• Reference Point Location — Displays the X, Y, and Z coordinates of the
evaluation point in the selected coordinate system.
• Load Resultant — Displays the X, Y and Z components of the force (FX, FY,
and FZ) and moment (MX, MY, and MZ) of the resultant load.
The software does not retain any information on the dialog box when you click OK to
exit the dialog box.
Mechanism Load Import Dialog Box

Use the Insert>Mechanism Loads command to open the Mechanism Load
Import dialog box. Use the items on this dialog box to specify which of the loads
you imported from Mechanism Design you will include in a load set, and to choose
the load set name. When you open the dialog box, force/load and gravity icons
corresponding to the imported loads appear on your model. Use the Simulation
Display dialog box to control the visibility of these icons.
The dialog box includes these items:
• Member of Set—The name of the load set. The default name for load sets
imported from Mechanism Design is MechanismLoadSetx, where x is a
number incremented with each succeeding load set. Place the pointer over
the load set name to view the name of the Mechanism Design result set used
to generate the loads.
You can select an existing load set from the drop-down list, or create a new set
by clicking the New button to display the Load Set Definition dialog box.
• Load Info—List of all loads available for import, with the magnitude for each
load under Value. Select the check boxes for those loads that you want to
include in the selected load set. The units are given in the current unit
system. To review the direction of the load, highlight the load name. The
software displays a shaded magenta arrow showing the direction of action.
For information on how the software imports loads, see How Structure
Imports Loads from Mechanism Design.
• Clear Load Info After Import—Controls whether the imported load
information remains in the current session. If you check this box, you can
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only carry out one load import in a given session. If you do not check this
box, you can import the same load set several times.
• — Selects all the loads in the list.
• — Deselects all the loads in the list.
Guidelines for Spatially Varying Loads

• You can select only one geometric entity when applying an interpolated load.
• You need a minimum of two datum points to define an interpolated surface
load. For interpolated curve loads, Mechanica also requires a minimum of two
points, but it uses the curve end points as a default. If you do not want to use
the end points, you need to add two datum points to the curve.
• When calculating function-based loads, Mechanica uses radians as the system
of units. To calculate load application, you may need to convert the entity
dimensions to radians.
• For interpolated loads, you normally use scale factors that lie between 0 and
1. However, you can use larger values if you want to increase the value or
vector of the original load through multiplication.
• You can define the scale factor as either a positive or negative value. If you
use a negative value, you reverse the load direction. Additionally, if you
express the load value as a negative number and you use a negative scale
value, the signs cancel each other and the load value becomes positive.
• For curves, Mechanica assumes the end points of the curve as the first two
interpolation points. If you do not want to use these points, you can select
other points on the curve. For surfaces, Mechanica does not assume any
interpolation points and you need to select each of the points you want to
use.
• If you define interpolation points and add scale factors before you specify a
load value, Mechanica assumes a default value of 1. In the case of forces and
moments, the software defines this default as an FY = 1 force.
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Example: Pressure Load

Mechanica distributes pressure over the entire surface, adjusting the direction of the
load to maintain perpendicularity despite orientation changes in the surface, as
shown below:
Example: Spatially Varying Loads

Mechanica distributes the load by multiplying the scale factor by the load magnitude
to obtain the load value, or vector, for that point. The software tapers the load from
point to point according to the difference between the calculated load value at each
interpolation point.
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For example, the bounding edge of the following model includes an interpolated force
load of 100 pounds in the negative Y direction:
In this case, the scale values are staggered such that point 3 sees 100% of the load
and point 0 sees no load. The points in between see a load that is proportional with
their specific scale factors, as calculated in relation to the interpolation point scale
factors.
The load above has a Force Per Unit Length spatial distribution. If you apply a
total load instead, Mechanica normalizes the load throughout the curve such that the
total load applied to the curve equals the load value on the dialog box.
When applying interpolated loads, Mechanica works in parameter space. Parameter

space is representative space, internal to Mechanica's code, in which Mechanica
represents model geometry. Mechanica calculates the interpolation in parameter
space and then maps the interpolation back to the entity over which the interpolation
is defined.
This means that Mechanica may not apply the interpolated load in exactly the way
you expect. Thus, with interpolated loads, be sure to use the Review button on the
Load Interpolation dialog box to verify that Mechanica applied the load as desired.
The review function shows the relative load magnitude at different points on the
entity.
The above example is one of the simplest forms of an interpolated load. Depending
on how you use the scale factor in relation to interpolation point location, you can
shape interpolated loads in a more complex manner.
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Preview for Interpolation

Use this button on the Interpolation Over Entity dialog box to review an existing
interpolation.
Mechanica displays an array of vector arrows over the entity showing the relative
magnitude of the interpolated load, heat load, or prescribed temperature at different
points on the entity.
Thermal Loads
About Loads
Constraints and loads define the real-world environment you expect your model to
encounter. Mechanica simulates the behavior of your model under loads you define
when performing standard analyses and sensitivity studies for your model. Your
model's optimal shape and mass can also depend on the loads you define. You can
define loads on your model through the menu structure, the Model Tree, or through
relations functions.
For structural analysis, a load is a force, moment, pressure, acceleration, velocity, or

temperature that you apply to a portion of your model. For thermal analysis, a load
is a heat condition applied to a portion of your model.
About Heat Loads

Heat loads are entity loads available in Thermal only. Use the Insert>Heat Load
command to place heat loads on one or more points, edges/curves, surfaces or
components and group these loads into sets. Heat loads provide local heat sources
and sinks for your model. You can use heat loads to model internal heat generation
or flux. If you are working in FEM mode, see Defining Heat Loads (FEM mode) for
information.
For information on using heat loads with various model types and geometry, see
Guidelines for Heat Loads.
After you select Insert>Heat Load and select an entity type, the Heat Load dialog
box appears. The dialog box contains the following fields:

• References — Use the selector arrow and the regular selection methods to
select the geometric entity to which Mechanica will apply the load. If you
selected the geometric entity before entering the dialog box, your selections
appear next to the selector arrow when you open the dialog box.
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You can apply heat loads to the following entities:
o Point — You can apply a heat load to a single point, or a feature or

pattern of points.
o Edge/Curve
o Surface — If you want to apply a heat load to an internal surface, see
Heat Loads on Internal Surfaces.
o Component
• Distribution — Select Total Load or Heat/Time Per Unit Type to specify
how Mechanica distributes the heat load across the geometric entity. Total
Load is not available if you chose Point.
• Spatial Variation — Select the spatial variation you want Mechanica to use
to distribute the load. This option menu is not available if you chose Point(s).
• Q — Enter any real number for the total or distributed heat transfer rate.
• Time Dependent — Select this check box to make your load a function of
time.
• Preview — Use this button to check the load for errors before you leave the
dialog box. After you complete the heat load definition by accepting the dialog
box, Mechanica places a heat load icon at each location you selected for the
heat load.
After you create a heat load, you can edit or delete it by selecting the associated icon
are deleting a heat load, Mechanica asks you for confirmation first.
Guidelines for Heat Loads

If you define a heat load on a point, keep the following points in mind:
• A point heat load can create theoretically infinite fluxes on a shell, solid, 2D
solid, or 2D plate. A curve or edge load on a solid element can create
theoretically infinite fluxes.
• For a 2D plane strain model, a point represents a line, so a point heat load is
actually heat/time per unit length along that line.
• For a 2D axisymmetric model, a point represents a circle, so a point heat load
is heat/time per unit length along that circle.

Understanding Load Sets
Every load that you add in the software is part of a load set. A load set is a collection
of loads that act together on your model. Load sets cannot contain constraints.
You can manage your load sets with the Properties>Load Sets command. When
you select this command, the Load Sets dialog box appears with the following
items:
• New — Opens the Load Set Definition dialog box. Enter a name and
optional description for the new load set.
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Note: You can also access the Load Set Definition dialog box by
clicking the New button in the Member of Set area of the
Force/Moment Load, Pressure Load, Gravity Load, Centrifugal
Load, Global Temperature Load, or Structural Temperature Load
dialog boxes.
• Copy — Copies the selected load set and adds to the list in the Load Sets
dialog box. The new load set includes copies of the same loads as the original
load set.
• Edit — Opens the Load Set Definition dialog box to enable you to modify
any information you used to specify the highlighted load set.
• Delete — Removes the highlighted load set.
• Description — Displays the optional description that you entered when you
created the load set.
If you want the flexibility of treating each of your loads or constraints separately, use
a unique load and load set name for each load or constraint.
so that you can define analyses effectively and clearly. A carefully-considered
when defining your analyses. Although you are free to create a separate load or
constraint set for each of your modeling entities, you can greatly reduce the number
of selections you need to make when defining your analyses by grouping your loads

If you need more information on what a load set is and why you should group your
loads, see Understanding Load Sets.
When you create structural or heat load sets, use the following guidelines:
• The software will not permit you to use a name already used for another load,
constraint, or property set.
• You can include as many different entities and types of loads as you want
within a single load set, with the exception of loads that affect the entire
model. You can only include one centrifugal load, gravity load, MEC/T
temperature load, or global temperature load per load set.
• There is no limit to the number of load sets you can create or the number of
loads you can include in a load set.
• If you attempt to delete a point associated with a load or constraint, the
software informs you of the association by pointing out that the geometry is
referenced by a simulation feature. You can delete the point, but the software
also deletes any associated load or constraint.
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• You can edit and delete the individual loads or constraints that make up a set.
You can also edit and delete a constraint set or load set. With constraint and
load set editing, the only aspects of the set you can change are the name or
the set description.
• You can remove a given load or constraint from its set by editing the name of
the load set or constraint set.
Example: Load Set

Your goal in creating a given load set or constraint set is to simulate a particular
real-world condition. For example, if you were modeling a screw, you might want to
create a load set that simulates turning the screw with a screwdriver. In this case,
the load set includes the following two loads:
To facilitate the application of the load, you add regions on either side of the screw
slot. These regions simulate contact sites for the screwdriver as it presses against
the slot when you apply torque. You then define two 25-pound loads in opposite
directions relative to the Y axis of the coordinate system shown above. The
opposition of these loads simulates torque applied to the screw as you twist it. You
ensure that both loads are part of a load set called torque by giving them the
Member Of Set name torque.
Defining Heat Loads

Heat/Time Per Unit Type
Select this option on the Heat Load dialog box to have Mechanica apply the heat
load to each unit of type, where type is either length, area, or volume, depending on
model type and type of entity selected for the load.
The table lists the units for the heat load by model type and type of entity selected
for the load.
With this distribution method, the total heat load changes with any change in the
entity's length or area. The geometric change may result from changes you make to
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the model or changes Mechanica makes during a sensitivity or optimization design

study.
For 2D plane strain and 2D axisymmetric models, a heat load on a curve, edge, or
2D shell defines what is physically an area load. You enter the amount of such a heat
load as heat/time per unit area on the surface that the curve, edge, or 2D shell
represents.
Similarly, a heat load on a 2D solid defines what is physically a volume load. You
enter this type of load as heat/time per unit volume on the body that the 2D solid
represents.
Total Load
Use this option on the Heat Load dialog box to distribute a load along the length or
area of the entity such that the integral of the load over the selected entity equals
the total prescribed value. For curves (and edges in FEM mode), Mechanica
distributes the load as load per arc length. For surfaces, Mechanica distributes the
load as load per surface area.
Follow these guidelines:
• With this distribution method, the total heat load remains the same even if
the entity's length or area changes. The geometric change may result from
changes you make to the model or changes Mechanica makes during a
sensitivity or optimization design study. If you select more than one entity,
Mechanica places the load you create on each entity.
• You can apply a heat load to multiple surfaces. In this case, Mechanica
distributes the load in such a way that all surfaces carry the heat load
proportional to the surface area.
Note: You cannot select the Total Load option for a 3D solid.
• Mechanica calculates the total load on different entities in the following ways
(where Q = heat transfer rate):
Entity Total Load Calculation
edges, beams Q/arc length of entity
curves Q/sum of the lengths of the edges that lie on

the curve
shells, faces, 2D plates Q/area of entity
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Entity Total Load Calculation
surfaces Q/sum of the areas of the shells, faces, or 2D

plates on the surface
For 2D plane strain and 2D axisymmetric models, a load on a curve, edge, or

2D shell defines what is physically an area load. You enter the amount of such
a load on the surface that the curve, edge, or 2D shell represents.
Similarly, a load on a 2D solid defines what is physically internal heat

generation. You enter this type of load on the body that the 2D solid
represents.
Heat Transfer Rate (Q)

Keep the following points in mind when you specify the heat transfer rate on the
Heat Load dialog box. For a curve, surface, beam, shell, solid, 2D plate, 2D shell,
2D solid, edge, or face:
• The heat transfer rate is a total or distributed heat transfer rate, depending
on the distribution option you selected. You can enter any real number.
load value, Mechanica assumes a default value of 1.
The number of interpolation points you select determines the functional form of the
interpolation.
For all entities, when you are specifying the heat transfer rate:
• To make the loaded entity a heat source for the model, enter a positive value
for Q, which adds heat to the model.
• To make the loaded entity a heat sink for the model, enter a negative Q
value, which removes heat from the model.
The sign on the heat load icon indicates whether the load is a heat source (+) or
heat sink (–).
Time Dependent
Select the Time Dependent check box on the Heat Load dialog box if your applied
load is a function of time. You must then specify that function over the time range
that the analysis will run.
When you select the Time Dependent check box, the Heat Load dialog box
expands to display the f(x) button and entry box in the Temporal Variation area.
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The dialog box that appears for selecting functions differs depending on the entity
you chose:
• If you chose Point, Edge/Curve, or Surface, the Function Definition

dialog box appears when you select the f(x) button. On this dialog box, you
name and define the time function for your heat load.
• If you chose Component, the Functions dialog box appears when you select
the f(x) button.
Note: The functions you access if you select Component are the same
as the FEM mode functions.
Time dependence functions for heat load (Q) values are multipliers. When you make
a heat load time dependent, its computed value is Q times the time dependence
function.
If you have also specified a spatial interpolation, the heat load's computed value is Q
times the time dependence function times the spatial interpolation.
There is no default value for the time dependence function.
To Define Heat Loads

This procedure is for defining heat loads for points, edges/curves, or surfaces. If you
want to define a heat load for a component, see To Define Heat Loads for
Components.
1. Select Insert>Heat Load or click .

2. Select Point, Edge/Curve, Surface, or Component, as appropriate.
After you select the type of entity you want to load, the Heat Load dialog
box appears.

5. Click and use the normal selection methods to select the particular entity
that this load will be associated with. If the desired entity is an internal
surface, see Heat Loads on Internal Surfaces.
6. Depending on the type of entity you selected, you will provide information for
one or both of the following:
o Distribution
o Spatial Variation
7. Enter the heat transfer rate in the Q entry box.
8. To specify a time-dependent heat load, select the Time Dependent check
box. Then click the f(x) button.
Mechanica displays the Functions dialog box.
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9. Select an existing function or click New or Edit to display the Function

Definition dialog box on which you can define or edit the time function for
your heat load. Click OK.
10. If you want to display the load you just defined, click the Preview button.
Mechanica displays the load distribution and direction using arrows.
you specified to all the entities you selected. Mechanica also adds a heat load
Defining Component Heat Loads

Defining Heat Loads for Components
Use the Heat Loads menu to place heat loads on one or more components of a 3D
model and group these loads into sets. Heat loads provide local heat sources and
sinks for your model. You can use heat loads to model internal heat generation or
flux. If you are working in FEM mode, see Defining Heat Loads (FEM mode) for
information. Mechanica does not support component heat loads for 2D models.
When you choose Component on the Heat Loads menu, the Volume Heat Load
dialog box appears. The dialog box includes the following:

• Member of Set — The name of the load set.
• References — Use this area to select the component to which Mechanica will
apply the load. This area is available only if your model is an assembly. If
your model is not an assembly and you chose component, Mechanica applies
the load to the entire component. If you selected the component before
entering the dialog box, the component name appears next to the selector
arrow when you open the dialog box.
• Heat (Q) — Use this area to specify the value of the heat load. Enter any real
number for the total or distributed heat transfer rate.
• Time Dependent — Select this check box to make your load a function of
time.
are deleting a heat load, the software asks you for confirmation first. You can also
review the total heat load.
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Heat Transfer Rate (Q)

Keep the following points in mind when you specify the heat transfer rate on the
Heat Load dialog box. For a curve, surface, beam, shell, solid, 2D plate, 2D shell,
2D solid, edge, or face:
• The heat transfer rate is a total or distributed heat transfer rate, depending
on the distribution option you selected. You can enter any real number.
load value, Mechanica assumes a default value of 1.
The number of interpolation points you select determines the functional form of the
interpolation.
For all entities, when you are specifying the heat transfer rate:
• To make the loaded entity a heat source for the model, enter a positive value
for Q, which adds heat to the model.
• To make the loaded entity a heat sink for the model, enter a negative Q
value, which removes heat from the model.
The sign on the heat load icon indicates whether the load is a heat source (+) or
heat sink (–).
Time Dependent
Select the Time Dependent check box on the Heat Load dialog box if your applied
load is a function of time. You must then specify that function over the time range
that the analysis will run.
When you select the Time Dependent check box, the Heat Load dialog box
expands to display the f(x) button and entry box in the Temporal Variation area.
The dialog box that appears for selecting functions differs depending on the entity
you chose:
• If you chose Point, Edge/Curve, or Surface, the Function Definition

dialog box appears when you select the f(x) button. On this dialog box, you
name and define the time function for your heat load.
• If you chose Component, the Functions dialog box appears when you select
the f(x) button.
Note: The functions you access if you select Component are the same
as the FEM mode functions.
Time dependence functions for heat load (Q) values are multipliers. When you make
a heat load time dependent, its computed value is Q times the time dependence
function.
If you have also specified a spatial interpolation, the heat load's computed value is Q
times the time dependence function times the spatial interpolation.
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There is no default value for the time dependence function.
To Define Heat Loads for Components

This procedure is for applying a heat load to a component in native mode Thermal.
For the FEM mode procedure, see To Define Heat Loads (FEM mode).
1. Select Insert>Heat Load or click .

2. Select Component.
After you select Component, the Volume Heat Load dialog box appears.
3. Enter a name for the heat load, or use the default name.
4. Select an existing load set from the Member Of Load Set area or use the
New button to create a new load set.
5. Click and select the component on which you want to place the load.
6. Enter a value.
7. To specify a time-dependent heat load, select the Time Dependent check
box, and then click the f(x) button. Select or modify an existing function or
create a new function using the Functions dialog box. Click Close when you
are finished with functions.
8. When you have finished defining the heat load, click OK to accept the dialog
box.
If Mechanica identifies any problems with the way you define the load, it
If Mechanica does not encounter any definition problems, it applies the load
you specified. Mechanica also adds a heat load icon to the component.
FEM Heat Loads

Defining Heat Loads (FEM mode)
Heat loads are entity loads available in Thermal only. Use the Insert>Heat Load
command to place heat loads on one or more points, edges/curves, surfaces, or
components and group these loads into sets. Heat loads provide local heat sources
and sinks for your model. You can use heat loads to model internal heat generation
or flux.
After you select Insert>Heat Load and select an entity type in FEM mode Thermal,
the Heat Load dialog box appears with the following items:

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• References — Use this area to select the entities to which Mechanica will
apply the load. You can also select the entities before you open the dialog
box. This area is not available if you select Component and your model is a
part. Use the selector arrow and the normal selection methods to select one
or more of these entities:
o Point(s) — You can select single points, feature of points, or point
patterns.
o Edge(s)/Curve(s)
o Surface(s)
o Component
• Heat (Q) — Use this area to specify the following:
o Distribution — Select Total Load or Heat/Time Per Unit Type to
specify how Mechanica distributes the heat load across the geometric
entity. You cannot select a distribution if you chose Point or
Component.
o Spatial Variation — Select the spatial variation you want Mechanica
to use to distribute the load. This area is not available if you chose
Edge/Curve.
o Value — Enter any real number for the total or distributed heat
transfer rate.
are deleting a heat load, the software asks you for confirmation first. You also review
the total heat load.
To Define Heat Loads (FEM mode)
1. Select Insert>Heat Load. or click .

2. Select Point, Edge/Curve, Surface, or Component as appropriate.
After you select the entity you want to load, the Heat Loads dialog box
appears.

dialog box, click in the References area and use the normal selection
methods to select the particular entity that this load is to be associated with.
6. Depending on the selected type of entity, provide information for some or all
of the following:
o Distribution
o Spatial Variation
o Value
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you specified to all the entities you selected. Mechanica also adds a heat load
Reviewing Total Heat Loads

Use the Info>Review Total Load command in Thermal to verify that the
combination of heat loads is what you expect it to be. It may be helpful to look at a
combination of loads before analyzing your model if you are concerned about the
actual load the model will see during a multiload analysis.
The total heat load review function is available for Thermal heat loads only. You
cannot use this function to review a global or MEC/T temperature load in Structure.
Note: For information on reviewing load resultants in Structure, see Reviewing

Resultant Loads.
To Review Total Heat Loads

1. Select Info>Review Total Load. The Load Resultant dialog box appears.
2. Click in the Select Loads area and select the load icon for each load you
want to review. If you want to review the total heat load that results from
several loads, use the normal selection methods to select all desired load
icons.
3. Click the Compute Load Resultant button. The software displays the
resultant value in the Load Resultant area.
4. If you want to save the review as a text file, select File>Save As and enter a
filename and directory, or accept the defaults.
5. Click OK to close the dialog box.
Load Resultant Dialog Box for Heat Loads

Use the Load Resultant dialog box in Thermal to review the total combined heat
loads for your model. This dialog box appears when you select the Info>Review
Total Load command. The dialog box includes the following items:
• File — This menu includes the following items:

o Save As — Use this command to save the data on the Load
Resultant dialog box in a text file. The information includes the load
list and total value of the combined heat loads. The Save As dialog
box appears, allowing you to select a filename and directory. The
default filename is total_load.inf, and the default directory is the
current working directory.
o Close — Use this command to exit the dialog box.
• Select Loads — Use the normal selection methods to select the heat loads
that you want to evaluate. After you select the loads, the software displays a
list of the load names.
• Compute Load Resultant — When you click this button, the software
calculates the total of the selected heat loads.
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• Load Resultant — Displays the value of the combined heat loads.
The software does not retain any information on the dialog box when you click OK to
exit the dialog box.
Heat Loads on Internal Surfaces

In Mechanica you can apply heat loads to internal as well as external surfaces. The
following illustration shows two kinds of internal surfaces to which you can apply
heat loads:
• A surface that is mated to another surface—surface region bc or the internal

portion of mated surface ab.
• An internal surface of a volume region—the bottom surface of volume region
d.
To define a heat load for surface a, which would also include the mated portion of the
surface, you would select surface a as the reference.
To define a heat load for mated surface bc, you would first create a surface region
for the portion of surface c that is mated to surface b.
To define a heat load for the bottom surface of volume region d, you would first
create the volume region.
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Units According to Model Type and Entity
Model Type and Entity Units
3D:
Curve, Edge, Beam Heat/Time Per Unit Length
Surface, Face, Shell Heat/Time Per Unit Area
Solid Heat/Time Per Unit Volume
2D Axisymmetric:
Curve, Edge, 2D Shell Heat/Time Per Unit Area
Surface, 2D Solid Heat/Time Per Unit Volume
2D Plane Strain:
Curve, Edge, 2D Shell Heat/Time Per Unit Area
Surface, 2D Solid Heat/Time Per Unit Volume
2D Plane Stress:
Curve, Edge Heat/Time Per Unit Length
Surface, 2D Plate Heat/Time Per Unit Area
Measures
About Simulation Measures
Use the Insert>Simulation Measure command to create and assign native mode
measures. Used properly, measures serve as a powerful tool for analyzing your
model's behavior. A measure is a scalar quantity of interest that Mechanica
calculates during analyses and design studies.
During analysis, you can use measures to monitor your model's performance in
terms of particular engineering criteria. For example, if you were interested in
studying the ability of an aluminum connector to withstand pull, you might use
maximum von Mises stress as a measure. This measure would provide information
on whether the aluminum yielded under the conditions simulated during the analysis.
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See Uses of Measures for more information on the wide range of functions for which
you can use measures.
See these topics for information on creating measures:
• Measure Basics — fundamentals you should know before you start

• Measures Dialog Box — the dialog box that appears when you select
Insert>Simulation Measure. You use it to create, edit, delete, and copy
measures. This dialog box also appears when you are defining analyses,
design studies, or a result window. Use it to review and select measures.
For additional information on measures, see the topic:
Results Available for Measures — the types of measure results you can
access for different types of design studies
Uses of Measures
With measures, you can perform specific evaluations of aspects such as tensile,
compressive, and shear strength, rotational flexibility, mass changes, refractive
behavior, and so forth.
You can use measures to do the following:
• Set up measures to monitor specific aspects of your model's performance. For

instance, you might want to know the stress tangent to a fillet's radius for the
later calculation of fatigue.
• Use measures as convergence criteria for an analysis, or as a goal or a limit in
a design study. You also use measures to measure sensitivity to parameter
changes in a local or global sensitivity design study.
• Use measures to determine how much a shape change affects a particular
quantity in your model. As an example, you can see how much changing the
radius of a fillet increases or decreases von Mises stress at the fillet.
• You can also use measures to monitor your model's performance in dynamic
situations. For instance, you can set up a measure at a particular point on the
model to act as an accelerometer, gauging the rate of acceleration at that
point during a dynamic analysis. You can also use dynamic measures to
determine model velocity or position.
Measure Basics
As analysis packages, Structure and Thermal have different goals. Understanding the
implications of this difference will help you understand the types of measures you
can apply as well as how to use those measures to obtain the information you are
interested in.
• Structure — Mechanica focuses on structural stresses. Although you can

apply temperature loads to your model, you can only obtain information on
how the structure of the model behaves at a particular temperature—not on
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how heat flows through your model. Therefore, while you can measure
structural stresses in your model, you cannot measure model temperature.
• Thermal — Mechanica focuses on thermal behavior. Even though you can
obtain information on how your model reacts to temperature, you cannot use
Thermal to examine structural stresses resulting from the thermal conditions
you applied to your model. In other words, you can measure thermal data,
but not structural data.
Regardless of the Mechanica product you are working with, there are several aspects
of measures you should be aware of when deciding which measures to use or define
for your model. To learn about these aspects, see the following:
• Guidelines for Measures

• Predefined, User-Defined, and Automatically-Defined Measures
• Global and Local Measures
• Parameter-Based Measures
• Coordinate Systems and Measures
• Measures and Output
Guidelines for Measures

• You cannot use the same name for both a measure and a parameter.
• You cannot create a new measure that is identical to a predefined measure,
unless you associate the measure with a UCS.
• If you delete any entity associated with a local measure, Mechanica
automatically deletes the measure even if other entities are still associated.
• You cannot delete a predefined measure or use the name of a predefined
measure for a custom measure.
Predefined, User-Defined, and Automatically-

Defined Measures
Mechanica uses three types of measures—predefined, user-defined, and
automatically-defined:
• Predefined — For each product, Mechanica provides a set of predefined

measures appropriate for the goal of the product. For example, among its
various predefined measures:
o Structure — provides von Mises stress, maximum principal stress,
and maximum displacement magnitude measures
o Thermal — provides such measures as maximum heat flux
magnitude, maximum and minimum temperatures, and so forth
Predefined measures cover a wide variety of the quantities you might want to
evaluate or use as criteria for your model. All predefined measures apply to
the entire model and, thus, are not location-specific. When it analyzes your
model, Mechanica automatically calculates any predefined measure
appropriate for the analysis type.
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• User-Defined — You can also create user-defined measures for your model.
These measures are often called custom measures. User-defined measures
look at many of the same quantities as the predefined measures, but provide
additional flexibility and functionality. For instance, user-defined measures
provide a means of observing a location-specific, time-specific, or frequency-
specific quantity. As with predefined measures, Mechanica automatically
calculates all relevant user-defined measures during analysis.
For information on when to create user-defined measures, see Reasons to

Create User-Defined Measures.
• Automatically Defined — In addition, Mechanica automatically defines a

limited set of measures that are specific to particular modeling entities.
Mechanica creates automatically-defined measures only when you add a
modeling entity—such as contact regions or fasteners—that requires the
measure. If you delete the modeling entity, Mechanica removes the
automatically-defined measure from the model.
Although Mechanica creates these entity-dependent measures automatically, it

treats some of these measures—those for contact regions—as a form of user-
defined measure, placing these measures in the User-Defined area of any
measure selection lists. Other automatically defined measures, such as those
for fasteners, appear in the Predefined area instead.
Predefined Measures
When using predefined measures, note that:
• Each model contains a set of predefined measures associated with the WCS.
• All predefined measures apply to the entire model.
• Mechanica automatically calculates predefined measures of the appropriate
type for each analysis and design study.
• You cannot delete a predefined measure.
For lists of predefined measures, see:
• Predefined Measures in Structure

• Predefined Measures in Thermal
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Predefined Measures in Structure

This table lists predefined measures used in Structure.
Name Description
buck_load_factor load factor for buckling mode
com_x WCS X coordinate of center of mass
com_y WCS Y coordinate of center of mass
com_z WCS Z coordinate of center of mass
contact_area total contact area over all contact regions in the

model
contact_max_pres maximum pressure over all contact regions in the

model
inertia_xx WCS XX component of moment of inertia
inertia_xy WCS XY component of moment of inertia
inertia_xz WCS XZ component of moment of inertia
inertia_yy WCS YY component of moment of inertia
inertia_yz WCS YZ component of moment of inertia
inertia_zz WCS ZZ component of moment of inertia
max_beam_bending maximum beam bending stress over model
max_beam_tensile maximum beam tensile stress over model
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Name Description
max_beam_torsiona maximum beam torsion stress over model
max_beam_totala maximum beam tensile plus bending stress over

model
max_disp_magb maximum displacement over model
max_disp_x maximum WCS X displacement over model
max_disp_y maximum WCS Y displacement over model
max_disp_z maximum WCS Z displacement over model
max_prin_magb maximum magnitude principal stress over model
max_rot_magb maximum rotation magnitude over model
max_rot_x maximum over model of rotations about WCS X

axis
max_rot_y maximum over model of rotations about WCS Y

axis
max_rot_z maximum over model of rotations about WCS Z

axis
max_stress_prinb most positive principal stress over model
max_stress_vmb maximum von Mises stress over model
max_stress_xx maximum WCS XX stress component over model
max_stress_xy maximum WCS XY stress component over model
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Name Description
max_stress_xz maximum WCS XZ stress component over model
max_stress_yy maximum WCS YY stress component over model
max_stress_yz maximum WCS YZ stress component over model
max_stress_zz maximum WCS ZZ stress component over model
min_stress_prinb least positive principal stress over model
modal_frequency frequency of vibration mode
strain_energy total strain energy of model
total_cost total model cost
total_mass total model mass
a. Mechanica does not calculate these measures for any dynamic analyses.
b. Mechanica does not calculate these measures for dynamic random analyses.
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Predefined Measures in Thermal

This table lists the predefined measures used in Thermal.
Name Description
energy_norm
max_dyn_flux_mag maximum heat flux magnitude over model at each

time step
max_dyn_temperature maximum temperature over model at each time

step
min_dyn_temperature minimum temperature over model at each time

step
max_flux_mag maximum heat flux magnitude over model
max_flux_x maximum heat flux over model in WCS X direction
max_flux_y maximum heat flux over model in WCS Y direction
max_flux_z maximum heat flux over model in WCS Z direction
max_grad_mag maximum temperature gradient magnitude over

model
max_grad_x maximum temperature gradient over model in WCS

X direction
max_grad_y maximum temperature gradient over model in WCS

Y direction
max_grad_z maximum temperature gradient over model in WCS

Z direction
max_temperature maximum temperature over model
min_temperature minimum temperature over model
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Name Description
total_cost total model cost
total_mass total model mass
User-Defined Measures
To define measures that are a function of time, frequency, local measures, or
measures relative to a coordinate system other than the WCS, you need to create a
user-defined measure. You cannot use the name of a predefined measure for a new
measure, or create a new measure that is identical to a predefined measure, unless
you associate the measure with a UCS.
Measures you define may apply to the entire model, to an entity or entities you
select (the type and number of entities you can select depend on how you define the
measure), or to an area near a point.
Keep in mind the following, when you begin working with the user-defined
measures:
• If you plan to make a measure relative to a coordinate system other than the
WCS, you need to have that coordinate system in place.
• If you plan to place a measure at a specific point on an exterior surface, your
part needs to include a datum point at that location unless the location is a
vertex.
• If you plan to place a point measure on a shell model surface that Mechanica
may compress during analysis, see Model Entities and Idealizations to learn
about how Mechanica processes loads placed on compressed surfaces.
For more information about creating user-defined measures for different types of
analyses, read the following:
• User-Defined Measures for Basic Analyses

• User-Defined Measures for Dynamic Analyses
• User-Defined Measures for Thermal Analyses.
For information on how to create measures, see Measures Dialog Box.
Reasons to Create User-Defined Measures

For most purposes, predefined measures are sufficient. In the following cases,
however, you should consider creating a user-defined measure:
• When you cannot achieve convergence using predefined measures

• When you cannot get any results for certain types of analyses, such as
dynamic analyses
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• When you want to make global and local sensitivity graphs

• When you would like to monitor a model quantity over time or as a function of
frequency. For more information, see Quantity — Dynamic Analyses.
• When you plan to perform transient thermal analyses and would like to
monitor a model quantity over time. For more information, see Quantity —
Thermal Analyses.
• When you want to define a Pro/ENGINEER parameter as a measure. For more
information, see Parameter-Based Measures.
• When you want to measure a quantity at a location of interest, such as a
point that may experience high stress. For more information, see Global and
Local Measures.
• When you want to define the components of a measure quantity, such as
stress, relative to a coordinate system other than the WCS. For more
information, see Coordinate Systems and Measures.
If you plan to add user-defined measures to your model rather than use Mechanica's
predefined measures, refer to User-Defined Measures.
Note that you cannot use the name of a predefined measure for a user-defined
measure.
Automatically-Defined Measures
This table lists automatically-defined measures. Items in italics are variables—
typically an entity name or internal identifier. Automatically-defined measures are
currently available for Structure only.
Name Description
cntRgn_xxxcntArea contact area for contact region xxx
cntRgn_xxxmaxPres max pressure for contact region xxx
a
fastener_tensile_force tensile force for the named fastener
a
fastener_tensile_stress tensile stress for the named fastener
a
fastener_shear_force shear force for the named fastener
a
fastener_shear_stress shear stress for the named fastener
a
fastener_separation_stress separation stress for the named fastener
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a. This table shows the static form of these measures. Mechanica computes the
static form of these measures for static, prestress static, contact, and dynamic
shock analyses. If "_d" appears as a measure name suffix, the measure is the
dynamic form. Mechanica computes the dynamic form of these measures for
dynamic random, dynamic frequency, and dynamic time analyses.
Mechanica tracks three of the fastener measures—fastener_tensile_force,

fastener_tensile_stress, and fastener_separation_stress—only for advanced fasteners
that include a preload. The fastener_separation_stress measure tracks normal
stresses on the inside surfaces of the fastened components. This measure
determines whether the model maintains component separation properly as the
preloaded fastener compresses the components. For proper separation, the normal
stresses must remain less than zero during analysis. Values of zero or greater mean
that there is no compression between the components and the components are
separating. To learn more about how Mechanica creates this measure, see Fastener
Preloads.
Note: Mechanica does not calculate the fastener_separation_stress measure

for dynamic random or dynamic shock analyses.
Global and Local Measures

Mechanica treats all predefined measures as though they apply to the entire model.
You can think of this type of measure as a global measure. If you add datum points
to your model's surface, you can create user-defined measures at any of those
points. Think of this type of measure as a local measure. Mechanica provides the
following types of local measures that you can apply at or near selected points:
• Point measures
• Near Point measures
You can also create other types of local measures that reference your model's
idealizations, layers, or geometry. With any type of local measures, Mechanica
evaluates the measure quantity relative to a particular location on the model.
Point Measures
Mechanica evaluates the measure quantity at the application point only. Thus, the
quantity that Mechanica reports for the measure is specific to the point and contains
no direct information on the area immediately surrounding the point.
However, you can make inferences about the surrounding area by looking at a fringe
plot for the desired measure quantity and performing a dynamic query. For
information about fringe plots, see Fringe Display Type.
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Near Point Measures

Mechanica evaluates the measure quantity at sampling points within a user-specified
radius of the application point. In this case, the quantity that Mechanica reports for
the measure yields information on the area surrounding the point.
For Near Point measures, Mechanica develops the radius you specify as a three-
dimensional sphere. Thus, the portion of the model this measure considers depends
on the type, as well as the contour, of your model.
For solid models, a Near Point measure samples the interior of your model as well
as its surfaces. For shell and beam models, sampling is one- or two-dimensional, as
determined by model geometry.
If you specify a large radius that intersects more than one portion of the model,
Mechanica samples only the portion of the model that contains the application point.
Mechanica determines the sampling points from the plotting grid you specify for your
analysis. The higher the number you specify for your plotting grid, the greater the
number of sampling points and the greater the refinement of the analysis results. For
more information on plotting grids, see Output Options for Structural Analyses.
The Near Point option is available for stress, strain, heat flux, and temperature
gradient measure quantities. You can only use Near Point if you select a
Maximum, Minimum, or Maximum Abs spatial evaluation method for one of these
quantities. For more information on spatial evaluation methods, see User-Defined
Measures for Basic Analyses.
Mechanica reports a single value for the quantity you select. This value reflects the
maximum, minimum, or absolute maximum found among the sampled points.
Mechanica does not provide the location of the point where the value occurred.
Parameter-Based Measures
To enhance product versatility, Mechanica enables you to use dependent
Pro/ENGINEER parameters as measures. Parameter-based measures provide you
with a greater degree of flexibility in how you define measures and the types of
measure quantities you can ask Mechanica to evaluate.
You can use parameter-based measures for the following functions:
• Obtaining analysis and study results specific to a Pro/ENGINEER parameter

• Obtaining analysis and study results for a specialized Pro/ENGINEER quantity
• Setting up optimization goals
• Setting up optimization limits
• Setting up parameters for use with regeneration analyses
For information you should know before defining parameter-based measures, see
Parameter-Based Measure Basics.
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Parameter-Based Measure Basics

When defining parameter-based measures, keep the following points in mind:
• Parameter-based measures can only reference dependent Pro/ENGINEER

parameters. Thus, when defining this type of measure, be sure to select only
those Pro/ENGINEER parameters that you created as relations. Selecting any
other type of Pro/ENGINEER parameter will result in problems during your
design studies.
• Parameter-based measures do not provide any time or frequency evaluation
capabilities.
• Mechanica calculates parameter-based measures for all analysis types.
• As with other Mechanica measures, parameter-based measures are scalar—
they do not provide explicit vector data.
• Mechanica limits measure names to 16 characters. You can use alphanumeric
characters and underbars only. Names must always start with alphabetic
characters.
Because Mechanica uses the Pro/ENGINEER parameter name as the measure

name, always observe these naming conventions when creating
Pro/ENGINEER parameters that you plan to use as measures. If your
Pro/ENGINEER parameter name is too long, Mechanica will truncate it.
Results Specific to a Pro/ENGINEER-Based

Parameter
You can use a parameter-based measure to obtain analysis and study results specific
to a Pro/ENGINEER parameter.
For example, if you want to examine how a change in Young's modulus affects model
displacement, you can define Young's modulus as a Pro/ENGINEER parameter and
also create a measure for that parameter. You can then run a global sensitivity
study.
When the study is complete, you can ask Mechanica to graph von Mises stress
against Young's modulus. If you had not defined the Young's modulus parameter as
a measure, you would not have been able to obtain any specific results for Young's
modulus. Any conclusions that you reached concerning the effect of a Young's
modulus change would have been through inference rather than direct knowledge.
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Results for a Specialized Pro/ENGINEER

Quantity
You can use a parameter-based measure to obtain analysis and study results for a
specialized Pro/ENGINEER quantity. Pro/ENGINEER computes certain values that fall
outside the realm of Mechanica. For example, Pro/ENGINEER can measure the
following quantities:
• curve length
• area
• angle
• distance
• diameter
If you are interested in evaluating one of these quantities, you can define the
quantity as a Pro/ENGINEER parameter, create an associated Mechanica measure,
and run an analysis or study on your model. You can then study how the quantity
behaved during the analysis, or how it changed during the study.
Setting Up Optimization Goals

You can use a parameter-based measure as the goal of an optimization study. This
functionality proves handy if you want to run an optimization study based on a
regeneration analysis or define a goal not normally available through Mechanica.
For example, although you cannot directly define geometry as a measure in

Mechanica, you can define certain types of geometry—such as curve length, surface
area, and distance measures—as measures in Pro/ENGINEER.
Thus, if you want to set up an optimization study that maximizes the length of a rod
while maintaining certain frequency limits, you can start by defining a Pro/ENGINEER
parameter to control the curve length of the rod. You can then create a Mechanica
measure based on this parameter.
After you create the curve length measure, you can define an optimization study that
uses the curve length measure as a goal and the frequency range as a limit. For
more information on defining goals for optimization studies, see Goal.
Setting Up Optimization Limits

You can use a parameter-based measure as the limit for an optimization study. You
use this functionality when you want to run an optimization based on a regeneration
analysis or want to define a limit not normally available through Mechanica, such as
a dimensional limit.
For example, if you want to reduce the mass of a part while ensuring that one of the
model's dimensions does not become too small, you can create a Pro/ENGINEER
parameter for the dimension. You can then create a Mechanica measure based on
this parameter.
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After you create the dimension measure, you can define an optimization study that
uses the dimension measure as a limit, and prevents the measure from dropping
below the value you specify. For more information on defining limits for optimization
studies, see Limits on Measures.
Setting Up Parameters for Regeneration

Analyses
You can set up parameter-based measures for use with regeneration analyses. A
regeneration analysis is a predefined analysis that regenerates your Pro/ENGINEER
part. Regeneration analyses do not utilize several of Mechanica's more resource-
intensive functions, so this type of analysis provides very rapid results.
You can select regeneration analyses as the basis for the following design studies:
• local sensitivity studies

• global sensitivity studies
• optimization studies
If you plan to run a design study that relies on a regeneration analysis, note that the
only result quantities available are measures and, for optimization studies, shape
histories. In other words, the results you will view most typically are graphs of
measures relative to design parameters.
Further, regeneration analysis does not engage the engine to calculate typical
Mechanica measures such as von Mises stress. The only measures it calculates are
parameter-based measures.
Thus, you should be sure to define parameter-based measures for the model. If you
do not, you will be unable to review the results of the study. In addition, if you want
to run an optimization study based on a regeneration analysis, you must define your
goals and limits as parameter-based measures.
If you choose to run a regeneration analysis in your current Pro/ENGINEER session

and not in a separate session, the shape change is performed directly on the model
in Pro/ENGINEER's memory. Using this method enables you to complete a study
faster than running regeneration in a separate session.
When defining parameter-based measures, you should be familiar with basic points.
Example: Using Parameter-Based Measures

To give you a better idea of how you might use parameter-based measures in a
design study, assume you are designing a fan and want to quickly find a blade
design that uses the minimum amount of material without altering blade thickness or
reducing the blade's top surface area below the 25 square inches you need to ensure
the proper air flow rate.
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The fan is as follows:
In this case, you might define an optimization design study using the following:
• Goal — Use a parameter-based measure for part mass.

• Limit — Use a parameter-based measure for surface area.
• Parameters — Create three Pro/ENGINEER parameters for the model—one
each for d0, d1, and d2.
Parameter-Based Measures — Parameters

Create three Pro/ENGINEER parameters for the model—one each for d0, d1, and d2.
You name these parameters radius, width, and length. Notice that you do not create
a parameter for the thickness of the blade, d3.
After you define these parameters, you create design parameters in Mechanica for
each of the three Pro/ENGINEER parameters. For more information on creating
design parameters, see Types of Design Parameters and Pro/ENGINEER Parameters.
Now, you create an optimization study whose goal is to minimize the mass measure
while observing a limit on the bladesurf measure to keep it above 25 square inches.
During the study, you allow Mechanica to vary the radius, width, and length design
parameters in an effort to reduce the blade mass, and therefore, material cost.
Because this study relies exclusively on parameter-based measures, Mechanica runs

a regeneration analysis for the optimization. As a result, your study will run very
quickly and give you a good idea of your best initial design from a geometric
perspective. You can then work with other types of measures, analyses, and studies
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to determine how your model behaves under the loads, constraints, and other
conditions you define.
Parameter-Based Measures — Goal

Use a parameter-based measure for part mass. To set up this parameter, you define
the Pro/ENGINEER parameter as the following relation:
mass=mp_mass("")
Here, you define the mass parameter as equal to the mp_mass Pro/ENGINEER
system parameter. You use the ("") portion of the equation to indicate that you want
Mechanica to measure the mass for the current part.
After you define the Pro/ENGINEER parameter, you create a measure in Mechanica
that calls the Pro/ENGINEER parameter mass.
Parameter-Based Measures — Limit

Use a parameter-based measure for surface area. To set up this parameter, you
create a Pro/ENGINEER driven parameter that measures the area of the top surface
of your fan blade. Do this by creating a feature from an analysis measure that
evaluates the surface area, and then create a relation based on the feature. The
relation can be accessed in Mechanica as a Pro/ENGINEER driven parameter.
To create a feature, select the Pro/ENGINEER command Analysis>Measure. On the

Measure dialog box select Area under Type and Surface under Definition, and
select a surface on your model. Pro/ENGINEER displays the value of the area. Define
the measure as a feature by clicking the Add Feature button, and name this feature
topsurf. For more information on analysis measures, search the Fundamentals
functional area in the Pro/ENGINEER Help system.
To create a relation, select the Tools>Relations command. On the Relations

dialog box, select Feature from the Look in pull-down list and select topsurf from
the Model Tree. Select the Insert>From Screen command and, from the resulting
dialog box, select Feature from the Look in pull-down menu. Choose topsurf and
click the Insert Selected button. Pro/ENGINEER adds the parameter to the text
entry area of the Relations dialog box.
Add the name bladesurf to yield the following relation:
bladesurf=AREA:FID_TOPSURF
After you define this relation, you create a measure in Mechanica that references the
Pro/ENGINEER parameter bladesurf. By default, Mechanica names this measure
bladesurf.
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Coordinate Systems and Measures

In Mechanica, most measures bear an implicit or explicit relationship to a coordinate
system, whether that coordinate system is the WCS or a coordinate system you
defined as current. When considering measures and their relationship to coordinate
systems, be aware that all predefined measures that involve component directions
use the WCS as their reference.
If you want a measure relative to a coordinate system other than the WCS, you must
define a custom measure. Before defining the measure, you need to define the
desired coordinate system.
If you are using a cylindrical or spherical coordinate system to define a custom

measure, Mechanica expresses measure components differently, depending on the
coordinate system's type. The following is a chart that defines the component
nomenclature for all coordinate system types:
X R R
Y T T
Z Z P
Mechanica expresses displacement measures associated with the following

directions:
• cylindrical coordinates in the T direction

• spherical coordinates in the T or P direction
Note that Mechanica expresses displacement measures in units of length, not angle.
To simplify discussion, Mechanica help refers to a Cartesian coordinate system. If

you are working with a cylindrical or spherical coordinate system instead, make the
appropriate substitutions.
Measures and Output

Typically, measure data is available in the summary file. However, the summary file
does not include values for measures that Mechanica calculates at each step of a
dynamic analysis.
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In addition, Mechanica provides specialized forms of measure output for the various
design study types. The following table summarizes the various outputs available for
each study type:
Design Study Type Output for Measures
standard design study that runs an convergence graph of a measure's value

analysis using the multi-pass at each polynomial pass for a static,
convergence method buckling, prestress, modal, or steady-
state thermal analysis
standard design study that runs one of graph of a measure's value at each time
the Vibration analyses or a transient or frequency interval for dynamic time,
thermal analysis frequency, transient thermal, and
random analyses
standard design study that runs a large graph of each measure's value at each
deformation analysis or a contact load interval
analysis
optimization design study graph of a measure's value at each step
local or global sensitivity study graph of a measure's value at different

settings of a parameter
standard or optimization design study a value for each valid measure for each
analysis
The types of results listed above are not available for result quantities other than
measures. For other result quantities, you can query values at specific locations or
view fringe, contour, and vector displays.
Measures Dialog Box

This dialog box appears when you select Insert>Simulation Measure.
The Measures dialog box displays the following information:
• All measures you have defined for the current model

• Predefined measures if you select the Show Predefined Measures check
box
• Any description you may have entered when you defined the measure
Use these buttons to work with measures:
• New — Create a new measure.

• Edit — Review and edit an existing measure.
• Copy — Copy an existing measure. Copying measures proves handy if you
want to apply the same type of measure to several different datum points. In
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this case, be sure to edit each copy of the measure to select the appropriate
point. You can copy more than one measure at a time. To do so, simply select
more than one measure from the User-Defined list and click Copy.
• Delete — Delete an existing measure. You can delete more than one
measure at a time. To do so, simply select more than one measure from the
User-Defined list and click Delete.
Note that if you delete a measure that you have selected as a convergence
quantity for an analysis, or as a goal or limit in an optimization design study,
you should redefine the analysis or design study to ensure that it is still valid.
Additionally, if you delete a measure upon which another measure depends,

Mechanica deletes the dependent measure as well. For example, if you delete a
measure referenced by a computed measure, Mechanica deletes both the
measure you select and the computed measure.
To Define Measures for Structural Analyses

You define measures as a means of tracking particular Mechanica results associated
with your structure model.
1. Select Insert>Simulation Measure. The Measures dialog box appears.

2. Select New. The Measure Definition dialog box appears.
3. Enter a name (optional). Do not use the same name for a measure and a
design parameter.
4. Enter a description (optional).
5. Select a quantity. Depending on which quantity you select, other items
appear.
Click each quantity type below for other items to select to complete measure
definition.
For Basic and For Basic Analyses For Dynamic

Dynamic Analyses Only Analyses Only
Stress, Strain Fatigue Velocity
Failure Index Contact Acceleration
Displacement Center of Mass Rot Velocity
Rotation Moment of Inertia Rot Acceleration
Force Driven Pro Parameter Phase
Moment Time
Computed Measure
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To Define Measures for Thermal Analyses

You define measures as a means of tracking particular Mechanica results associated
with your thermal model.
1. Select Insert>Simulation Measure. The Measures dialog box appears.

2. Select New. The Measure Definition dialog box appears.
3. Enter a name. Do not use the same name for a measure and a design
parameter. The description is optional.
4. Select a quantity. Depending on which quantity you select, other items
appear.
Click on each measure type below for a description and for other items to
select to complete measure definition.
• Temperature
• Heat Flux
• Temp Gradient
• Driven Pro Parameter
• Time
Measures Definition Dialog Box

The Measure Definition dialog box appears when you click the New or Edit
buttons on the Measures dialog box. Use the Measure Definition dialog box to
create or edit measures.
The Measure Definition dialog box provides a top-down approach to defining your
measure. Depending on whether you are running Structure or Thermal, different
quantities are available for your selection at the top of the dialog box. Selecting a
quantity type and making other selections at the top determines what additional
options and areas become active or inactive. The dialog box lets you select only valid
combinations.
The Measure Definition dialog box contains the following main areas:
• Name — Enter a name for the measure.

• Details — Click this button to display the Description and allowables entry
boxes. In the Description box, you can enter any valid information about
your measure. Use the allowables boxes to specify the minimum and
maximum allowables for your measure. When running an analysis or study,
Mechanica outputs the allowables to the .rpt file.
• Quantity — Select the quantity for which you define your measure. This
option menu displays only the quantities that are valid for the specific mode
you are using. The quantity you select determines what other items appear
on the dialog box.
• Valid for Analysis Types — This non editable field lists analyses for which
Mechanica calculates the measure you define.
• Visible at Higher Level — Select this check box if you are working on the
part level and want Mechanica to display and calculate the measure you are
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creating during any work you do on the assembly level. If you do not select
this check box, Mechanica ignores this part level measure when you switch to
the assembly.
Define Measures in Structure

Measures for Basic Analyses
User-Defined Measures for Basic Analyses
Structure provides the following basic analyses:
• static
• modal
• prestress static
• prestress modal
• buckling
• contact
The method you use to add user-defined measures for these analyses differs slightly
from the one you use for most of the dynamic analyses.
The single exception is the dynamic shock analysis. You define measures for dynamic
shock just as you would if you were defining a stress, strain, displacement, or
rotation measure for a basic analysis.
When you create user-defined measures for basic analyses, you specify a measure
that does not require a time- or frequency-based calculation. In defining this type of
measure, you indicate the quantity, component, and spatial evaluation method, with
some exceptions. Mechanica provides several options for each of these aspects of the
measure. The basic options are as follows:
• Quantity
• Component
• Spatial Evaluation Method
Depending on the quantity you select, other options may be available.
For a graphical overview of measures used in basic analyses, see Basic Analyses
Measure Selections.
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Basic Analysis Measure Selections

This illustration shows the measure selections for static, modal, prestress, buckling,
and contact analysis, and how they relate to each other.
1
Availability of the global spatial evaluation methods depends on the component you
choose. For stress and strain quantities, Mechanica provides an additional option
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menu that enables you to specify whether the measure will be calculated over the
model or at a particular model location.
2
Available only for contact forces and center of mass.
Measures for Dynamic Analyses

For dynamic analyses, you want to study the model's behavior over time, at a point
in time, or as a function of frequency. User-defined measures are the only measures
that apply to dynamic random analyses.
With dynamic time analysis, you use user-defined measures to define the quantities
you want to look at through a series of time intervals, or time steps. For dynamic
frequency and dynamic random analyses, you use user-defined measures to define a
quantity you want to study at given frequency intervals, or frequency steps.
The fourth kind of dynamic analysis, dynamic shock, is time- and frequency-
independent. The methods you use to define measures for a dynamic shock analysis
are the same as those you use to define a stress, displacement, or rotation measure
for a basic analysis.
For more information on dynamic analyses, see:
• Dynamic Analysis Measure Selections

• Global Spatial Evaluation Methods
• Time/Frequency Evaluation Options
• Measures Not Calculated for Dynamic Random
User-Defined Measures for Dynamic Analyses

Structure provides the following dynamic analyses:
• dynamic time response

• dynamic frequency response
• dynamic random response
• dynamic shock
User-defined measures are especially important for dynamic analyses, where you
want to study the model's behavior over a time range, at a point in time, or as a
function of frequency. In fact, user-defined measures are the only measures that
apply to dynamic random analyses. With dynamic time analysis, you use user-
defined measures to define the quantities you want to look at through a series of
time intervals (or time steps), over a range of time, or at a point in time. For
dynamic frequency and dynamic random analyses, you use user-defined measures to
define a quantity you want to study at given frequency intervals, or frequency steps.
The method you use to add user-defined measures for dynamic analyses differs
slightly from the one you use for the basic analyses. The main difference is that the
measures for most dynamic analyses require you to define the measure in terms of
time or frequency.
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The exception is the measures for dynamic shock analyses, which are time- and
frequency-independent. The methods you use to define measures for a dynamic
shock analysis are the same as those you use to define a stress, displacement, or
rotation measure for a basic analysis. Thus, to learn about dynamic shock, see
Dynamic Shock Analysis.
When you define a user-defined measure for dynamic analyses, you specify a
measure that involves a time- or frequency-based calculation. In defining this type of
measure, you indicate the quantity, component, spatial evaluation method, and time
or frequency evaluation method. Mechanica provides several options for each of
these aspects of the measure, as follows:
• Quantity
• Component
• Time or Frequency Evaluation Method
• Time Stamp
For a graphical overview of measures used in dynamic analyses, see Dynamic

Analyses Measure Selections.
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Dynamic Analysis Measure Selections

This illustration shows the dynamic measure selections and how they relate to each
other.
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1
choose. For stress and strain quantities, Mechanica provides an additional option
menu that enables you to specify whether the measure will be calculated over the
model or at a particular location.
2
To determine the time at which a maximum, minimum, or maximum absolute value
occurs, select the Time Stamp check box.
3
Availability of each time/frequency evaluation method depends on the component
and spatial evaluation method you choose. At Each Step is always available.
4
Available only for the spring force or moment.
Measure Quantities
Stress, Strain
Use stress and strain measures to measure stress and strain types in your model.
Specify information for the following items that appear on the Measure Definition
dialog box after you select Stress or Strain as the quantity:
• Component
• Spatial Evaluation
• Time/Frequency Eval
Failure Index
Use a failure index measure to determine whether a material has failed because of
excessive stress levels, which might be caused by an applied load or an enforced
displacement constraint.
dialog box after you select Failure Index as the quantity:
• Spatial Evaluation — Select a spatial evaluation method for your quantity

from this option menu.
• Time/Frequency Eval — Activate the optional Dynamic Evaluation menu,
which you use to select a time or frequency evaluation method.
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Displacement
Use a displacement measure to measure displacement for your model in terms of
either magnitude or component direction.
dialog box after you select Displacement as the quantity:
• Component — Select one of the following:

o Magnitude
o X
o Y
o Z
For the options X, Y, or Z, select a coordinate system relative to which you

define the measure. The default coordinate system is the WCS. You can use
the arrow button to select an LCS or UCS.

Rotation
Use a rotation measure to measure model rotations in terms of magnitude or
component direction. Use this quantity for shell and beam elements only. Rotation
measures are not relevant for solid elements.
dialog box after you select Rotation as the quantity:

o Magnitude
o X
o Y
o Z

the arrow button to select a UCS.

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Force
Use a force measure to measure the spring force or the force acting on the structure
through the constraints.
When you select Force, the Quantity area of the Measure Definition dialog box
expands displaying the following options:
• Reaction At Constraint
• Spring
The following items also appear on the dialog box:

o Magnitude
o X
o Y
o Z

define the measure. If you are defining the force measure as Reaction At
Constraint and you select a cylindrical or spherical coordinate system, you
will also need to select a reference point.
• Spatial Evaluation:
o Constraint — This option appears if you selected Reaction At
Constraint as a quantity. Click the arrow button to select a constraint.
o Spring — This option appears if you selected Spring as a quantity.
Click the arrow button to select a spring. You can only select a point-
point or to ground spring.
• Time/Frequency Eval — This check box appears only if you selected Spring
as a quantity. Select the check box if you want to define a dynamic evaluation
method for your measure. The only available method is At Each Time Step,
which directs Mechanica to calculate the value of the measure at each time or
frequency step.
Moment
Use a moment measure to measure the spring moment or the moment acting on the
structure through the constraints.
When you select Moment, the Quantity area of the Measure Definition dialog box
expands displaying the following options:
• Reaction At Constraint
• Spring
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o Magnitude
o X
o Y
o Z

define the measure. If you are defining the moment measure as Reaction At
Constraint and you select a cylindrical or spherical coordinate system, you
will also need to select a reference point.
• Spatial Evaluation:
o Constraint — This option appears if you selected Reaction At
Constraint as a quantity. Click the arrow button to select a constraint.
You also need to select point(s) for this quantity.
o Spring — This option appears if you selected Spring as a quantity.
Click the arrow button to select a spring. You can only select a point-
point or to ground spring.
• Time/Frequency Eval — This check box appears only if you select Spring.
Select the check box if you want to define a dynamic evaluation method for
your measure. The only available method is At Each Time Step, which
directs Mechanica to calculate the value of the measure at each time or
frequency step.
Computed Measure
Use a computed measure to measure values that cannot be calculated through other
user-defined measures. You can define this measure as a function that references
any other user-defined, noncomputed measure or measures already present in the
model.
After you select Computed Measure, you can enter an algebraic expression directly
in the Expression entry box on the Measure Definition dialog box. You can also
click the Available Function Components button to access the Symbolic Options
dialog box, which you use to build your expression. The Symbolic Options dialog
box contains the following:
• Variables — Display all previously defined measures. Use these measures as

independent variables for the function you are defining.
Note that any independent variable measures you select for the expression
should be of the same evaluation type. For example, if one measure is At
Each Step, all other measures you select should also be At Each Step
measures. Additionally, if you later delete a measure that you are using as a
variable, Mechanica will also delete the computed measure without warning
you.
• Constants, Operators, Functions — Display various types of symbols you

can use in the expression. If you are creating a computed measure for use in
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a dynamic analysis, you should be sure that you combine the functions in a
linear fashion.
If you click the independent variable in the Variables box and any symbols in their
respective boxes, Mechanica places them in the Expression entry box.
When creating computed measures, always be sure that the expression you create
makes sense from a functional point of view. Mechanica does not check the validity
of the expression you create if you, therefore, create an expression that does not
make sense—von Mises stress + displacement magnitude, for example—your results
for the computed measure will be meaningless.
Velocity
Use a velocity measure to measure velocity in terms of magnitude or component
direction.
dialog box after you select Velocity as the quantity:

o Magnitude
o X
o Y
o Z


• Dynamic Evaluation — Select a time or frequency evaluation method.
Acceleration
Use an acceleration measure to measure acceleration in terms of magnitude or
component direction.
dialog box after you select Acceleration as the quantity:

o Magnitude
o X
o Y
o Z
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Rotational Velocity
Use a rotational velocity measure to measure rotational velocity in terms of
magnitude or component direction.
dialog box after you select Rotational Velocity as the quantity:

o Magnitude
o X
o Y
o Z


Rotational Acceleration
Use a rotational acceleration measure to measure rotational acceleration in terms of
magnitude or component direction.
dialog box after you select Rotational Acceleration as the quantity:

o Magnitude
o X
o Y
o Z


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Phase
Use a phase measure to measure the phase for several quantities. Phase measures
can be used in dynamic frequency analyses only.
When you select Phase, a second option menu appears in the Quantity area of the
Measure Definition dialog box.
The following items also appear if you select Phase:

o Magnitude
o X
o Y
o Z


Time
Use time measures to determine the time of first or last occurrence of a measure's
value being greater or less than a specified value during an analysis.
dialog box after you select Time as the quantity:
• Measure Name — Use the arrow button to choose a measure from the
Measures dialog box.
• First Occurrence or Last Occurrence
• Greater Than or Less Than
• Measure Value
This measure applies to transient thermal or dynamic time analyses only. If the
condition is never true, Mechanica returns a value of zero and also provides a
warning in the .rpt file.
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Fatigue Measures
Use fatigue measures to specify the types of values Mechanica calculates in
determining the life of your model and the level of damage. You can use fatigue
measures, for example, to calculate fatigue damage at a specific point on your
model.
When you define fatigue measures, you must specify the following on the Measures
• Component — Select one of these options:

o Fatigue Life
o Fatigue Damage
o Safety Factor
• Spatial Evaluation — Select a spatial evaluation method for the quantity
you are measuring.
Contact
Use contact measures to measure various aspects and behaviors of contact regions
during a contact analysis. This option appears only for models that contain contact
regions.
When you select Contact, a second option menu appears in the Quantity area of
the Measure Definition dialog box. Select an option from this menu to determine
the type of contact measure:
• Force — calculates the stress over a single contact region

• Area — calculates the total area of all the selected contact regions
• Maximum Pressure — reports the maximum pressure over the selected
contact regions
• Average Pressure — reports the average pressure over the selected contact
regions
• Load — reports the contact pressure integrated over one or more contact
regions
• Component — This item appears if you select Force. Select a component for
Force from this option menu:
o Magnitude
o X
o Y
o Z

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• Contact Regions — Use the arrow to select one or more contact regions. If
you are defining a force contact measure, you can only select one contact
region. For all other contact measure types, you can select multiple contact
regions.
• Surface(s) — This option appears if you selected Force. Use the arrow to
select a surface for the contact force measure.
Center of Mass
Use Center Of Mass to measure the location of the model's center of mass in
relation to the current coordinate system.
When you select Center Of Mass, the Component option menu appears on the
Measure Definition Dialog Box. Use the Component option menu to select a
component of your quantity from this option menu:
• Magnitude
• X
• Y
• Z
Note that Mechanica does not report Magnitude in the summary file for analysis.
For the options X, Y, or Z, select a coordinate system relative to which you define
the measure. The default coordinate system is the WCS. You can use the arrow
button to select a UCS.
Moment of Inertia
Use Moment Of Inertia to measure the moment of inertia relative to either the
current coordinate system or the principal inertial axes of the model.
When you select Moment Of Inertia, the Quantity area of the Measure
Definition dialog box expands displaying the following options:
• Center of Mass
• Origin
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The Component option menu also appears when you select Moment Of Inertia.
Use the Component option menu to select a component of your quantity from this
option menu:
• Max Principal • ZZ
• Mid Principal • XY
• Min Principal • XZ
• XX • YZ
• YY
Note that Mechanica does not report Max Principal, Mid Principal, and Min
Principal in the summary file for analysis. For the options XX, YY, ZZ, XY, XZ, or
YZ, select a coordinate system relative to which you define the measure. The default
coordinate system is the WCS. You can use the arrow button to select a UCS.
Driven Pro Parameter

Use Driven Pro Parameter to tie a measure to a Pro/ENGINEER parameter. The
parameters you use for Mechanica measures must be dependent parameters.
Defining parameter-based measures enables you to use Pro/ENGINEER parameters
as goals or limits for optimization studies and to obtain study results for a
parameter.
You can use parameter-based measures to:
• Obtain analysis and study results specific to a Pro/ENGINEER

parameter — You can use parameter-based measures to obtain analysis and
study results specific to a given parameter.
• Obtain analysis and study results for a specialized Pro/ENGINEER
quantity — Pro/ENGINEER computes certain values that fall outside the
realm of Mechanica.
• Set up optimization limits — You can use a parameter-based measure as
the limit for an optimization study. You use this functionality when you want
to run an optimization based on a regeneration analysis or want to define a
limit not normally available through Mechanica, such as a dimensional limit.
• Set up parameters for use with regeneration analyses — A regeneration
analysis is a predefined analysis that regenerates your Pro/ENGINEER part.
Regeneration analyses do not utilize several of Mechanica's more resource-
intensive functions. This type of analysis, therefore provides very rapid
results.
For more information on parameter-based measures, see Example: Using Parameter-

Based Measures.
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Define Measures in Thermal

User-Defined Measures for Thermal Analyses
When you create user-defined measures for thermal analyses, you indicate the
quantity, component, spatial evaluation method, and time evaluation method for the
measure. Mechanica provides several options for each of these aspects of the
measure. The options are as follows:
• Quantity
• Component
• Time Evaluation Method
• Time Stamp
For a graphical overview of measures used in dynamic analyses, see Thermal

Analyses Measure Selections.
530
Thermal Analysis Measure Selections

This illustration shows the thermal measure selections and how they relate to each
other.
1
choose. For temperature gradient and heat flux quantities, Mechanica provides an
additional option menu that enables you to specify whether the measure will be
calculated over the model or at a particular model location.
2
To determine the time at which a maximum, minimum, or maximum absolute value
occurs, select the Time Stamp check box.
3
Availability of each time evaluation method depends on the component and spatial
evaluation method you choose. At Each Step is always available.
531
Temperature
Use a temperature measure to measure temperature in your model.
dialog box after you select Temperature as the quantity:
• Spatial Evalulation — Select a spatial evaluation method for your quantity

from this option menu. Your selection determines the type of value Mechanica
calculates for your quantity.
• Time Eval — Activate the optional Dynamic Evaluation menu, which you
use to specify a time evaluation method.
If you select the Time Eval check box, Mechanica calculates the measure for
transient thermal analyses. If you do not select Time Eval, Mechanica
calculates the measure for steady-state thermal analyses.
Heat Flux, Temperature Gradient

Use heat flux or temperature gradient measures to measure heat flux or temperature
gradient in terms of magnitude or component direction.
dialog box after you select Heat Flux or Temperature Gradient as the quantity:
• Component — Select a component from this option menu. This menu

o Magnitude
o X
o Y
o Z


from this option menu. Your selection determines the type of value Mechanica
calculates for your quantity.
• Time Eval — Activate the optional Dynamic Evaluation menu, which you
use to specify the time evaluation method.
If you select Time Eval, Mechanica calculates the measure for transient
thermal analyses. If you do not select Time Eval, Mechanica calculates the
measure for steady-state thermal analyses.
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Results Available for Measures

Mechanica calculates results for a particular measure for certain analysis types only,
and gives you the output for the following design study types:
Design Study Type Output for Measures
standard design study that runs convergence graph of a measure's value at

an analysis using the multi-pass each polynomial pass of a static, buckling,
convergence method contact, prestress, modal, or steady-state
thermal analysis
standard design study that runs graph of a measure's value at each time or
on of the vibration analyses or a frequency interval for dynamic time,
transient thermal analysis frequency, transient thermal, and random
analyses
standard design study that runs a graph of each measure's value at each load
large deformation analysis or a interval
contact analysis
optimization design study graph of a measure's value at each step
local or global sensitivity study graph of a measure's value at different

settings of a parameter
standard or optimization design a value for each valid measure for each
study analysis
This data is available in the summary file, which you can view online through the
Run command or print through your operating system. The summary file does not
include values for measures that Mechanica calculates at each step of a dynamic
analysis.
The types of results listed above are not available for results quantities other than
measures. For other results quantities, you can query values at specific locations,
view fringe, contour, and vector displays, and graph the value along element edges.
Selecting One or More Measures

Use the Measures dialog box to select measures for your analysis, design study, or
a results window. You can also review measures from the same dialog box, but you
cannot edit them.
533
The Measures dialog box appears when you are defining the following:
• Analyses — This dialog box appears if you select Measures for convergence
in an analysis and then use the Measure button on the Analysis Definition
dialog box. See Convergence Quantity for Static, Prestress Static, Large
Deformation, and Contact Analyses for more information.
• Design Studies — This dialog box appears when you select a goal and limits
for an optimization study.
• Results Window — This dialog box appears when you select Measure as
the quantity when defining a result window. See Measure Results Quantity for
more information.
The two columns of the dialog box list the predefined measures relevant for the
current analysis type and all user-defined measures valid for the current product.
Select one or more measures or, if you are defining a result window, select one
measure. Click the Review button if you want to evaluate the selected measure.
After you select measures from either or both columns, click OK to close the dialog
box.
To Define a Failure Index Measure

This procedure assumes you selected the Failure Index quantity on the Measure
1. Select a spatial evaluation.

2. With the arrow button, select a point and appropriate reference entities as
required by your selection for spatial evaluation.
3. If you selected Near Point for step 1, enter a radius value.
4. If you want to define a dynamic analysis, select a time or frequency
evaluation.
5. Review the list box at the bottom of the dialog box to determine which types
of analyses are valid for the measure.
6. Click OK. Each of the custom measures shows up on the Measures dialog
box.
To Define a Center of Mass Measure

This procedure assumes you selected the Center of Mass quantity on the Measure
1. Select one of the following components: Magnitude, X, Y, Z.

2. For the components X, Y, and Z, select a coordinate system.
box.
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To Define a Displacement Measure

This procedure assumes you selected the Displacement quantity on the Measure

evaluation.
box.
To Define a Velocity Measure

This procedure assumes you selected the Velocity quantity on the Measure

4. With the arrow button, select a point or appropriate reference entities as
5. Select a dynamic evaluation method.
6. If you want to know the time at which a minimum, maximum, or maximum
absolute condition occurs, select the Time Stamp checkbox.
box.
To Define a Fatigue Measure

This procedure assumes you selected the Fatigue quantity on the Measure
1. Select a component option: Fatigue Life, Fatigue Damage, or Safety

Factor.
2. Select a spatial evaluation method.
4. If you selected Near Point for the location, enter a value for Radius.
box.
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To Define a Force Measure

This procedure assumes you selected the Force quantity on the Measure
1. Select Reaction At Constraint or Spring.

3. For the components X, Y, or Z, select a coordinate system.
Note: For Reaction At Constraint force measures that reference a

cylindrical or spherical coordinate system, you must also select a reference
point.
4. If Reaction At Constraint is the quantity, select constraints.

5. If Spring is the quantity, select a spring.
6. If you want to define a dynamic analysis, check the Time/Frequency Eval
check box.
box.
To Define a Moment of Inertia Measure

This procedure assumes you selected the Moment Of Inertia quantity on the
1. Select Center of Mass or Origin.

2. Select one of the following component values:
o Max Principal
o Mid Principal
o Min Principal
o XX
o YY
o ZZ
o XY
o XZ
o YZ
3. For the components XX, YY, ZZ, XY, YZ, and XZ, select a coordinate system.
box.
536
To Define a Moment Measure

This procedure assumes you selected the Moment quantity on the Measure
1. Select Reaction At Constraint or Spring.

3. For the components X, Y, or Z, select a coordinate system.
4. If Reaction At Constraint is the quantity, select constraints.
5. If Spring is the quantity, select a spring.
6. Select a reference point.
7. If you want to define a dynamic analysis, check the Time/Frequency Eval
check box.
box.
To Define a Rotation Measure

This procedure assumes you selected the Rotation quantity on the Measure

evaluation.
box.
To Define a Contact Measure

This procedure assumes you selected the Contact quantity on the Measure
1. Select a contact measure type from the second option menu.

2. If you selected Force in step 1, select one of the following components:
Magnitude, X, Y, Z.
4. Select one or more contact regions.
box.
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To Define a Driven Pro Parameter Measure

This procedure assumes you selected the Driven Pro Parameter quantity on the
Measure Definition dialog box and have already created a Pro/ENGINEER
parameter. Perform these steps to tie a measure to a dependent pro parameter.
1. Click the arrow button.
The Select Pro/ENGINEER Parameter dialog box appears.
2. Select a parameter from the list.
Be sure the parameter meets the following criteria:
o The parameter value can vary.

o The parameter is not currently being used as a Mechanica design
parameter.
Mechanica does not check Pro/ENGINEER parameters to determine which

ones are dependent. Rather, the software displays all Pro/ENGINEER
parameters defined as relations or defined with Real Number as the Type.
3. Click Accept to close the Select Pro/ENGINEER Parameter dialog box.
Mechanica returns you to the Measure Definition dialog box. Mechanica

changes the measure name so that it is identical to the Pro/ENGINEER
parameter name.
box.
To Define a Heat Flux or Temperature

Gradient Measure
This procedure assumes you selected the Temperature Gradient or Heat Flux
quantity on the Measure Definition dialog box.

5. Enter a radius value if you selected Near Point in step 3.
6. If you want to define a transient thermal analysis, select the Time Eval check
box and specify a time evaluation method.
7. If you want to know the time at which a minimum, maximum, or max abs
condition occurs, select the Time Stamp checkbox.
538
8. Review the list box at the bottom of the dialog box to determine which type of
analysis is valid for the measure.
9. Click OK. Each custom measure shows up on the Measures dialog box.
To Define a Phase Measure

This procedure assumes you selected the Phase quantity on the Measure
1. Select an item from the second option menu to complete the phase type.
box.
To Define a Rotational Acceleration Measure

This procedure assumes you selected the Rotational Acceleration quantity on the

box.
To Define a Rotational Velocity Measure

This procedure assumes you selected the Rotational Velocity quantity on the

539

box.
To Define a Temperature Measure

This procedure assumes you selected the Temperature quantity on the Measure

3. If you want to define a transient thermal analysis, select the Time Eval check
box and specify a time evaluation method.
5. Review the list box at the bottom of the dialog box to determine which type of
analysis is valid for the measure.
6. Click OK. Each custom measure shows up on the Measures dialog box.
To Define a Time Measure

This procedure assumes you selected the Time quantity on the Measure Definition
dialog box.
1. Click the arrow button to select a measure from the Measures dialog box.
2. Select First Occurrence or Last Occurrence.
3. Select Greater Than or Less Than.
4. Enter a value for the measure in the text box.
box.
To Define a Stress or Strain Measure

This procedure assumes you selected the Stress or Strain quantity on the Measure
1. Select a component.
2. For the components XX, YY, ZZ, XY, YZ, and XZ, select a coordinate system.
4. With the arrow button, select points and appropriate reference entities as
5. If you selected Near Point for spatial evaluation, enter a radius value.
540

evaluation.
box.
To Define an Acceleration Measure

This procedure assumes you selected the Acceleration quantity on the Measure

box.
Time/Frequency Eval
Activate the optional Dynamic Evaluation menu, which you use to select a time or
frequency evaluation method.
If you select the Time/Frequency Eval check box, Mechanica calculates the
measure for dynamic time and dynamic frequency analyses. Mechanica also
calculates the measure for dynamic random analyses provided you base the measure
on a directional component and take the measure at a point. Note that if you select
Failure Index as the quantity, Mechanica calculates the measure for dynamic time
analyses only.
For most quantities, if you do not select Time/Frequency Eval, Mechanica

calculates the measure for dynamic shock, static, prestress static, and contact
analyses.
RMS
Mechanica calculates the RMS (root mean square) value of the measure over the
frequency range.
This option is available for certain quantities if you selected At Point for Spatial
Evaluation and base the measure on one of the directional components. Mechanica
541
only calculates measures that use the RMS dynamic evaluation method for dynamic
random analyses.
Maximum
For a dynamic time, frequency, or random response analysis, Mechanica calculates
the maximum value over:
• all the time steps of the analysis

• all the frequency steps of the analysis
• a specified time range
If you select the Time Stamp check box, Mechanica creates a time stamp measure
that saves the time at which a maximum condition occurs.
Mechanica reports this value in the summary file.
This option is not available if the Spatial Evaluation method is Minimum or Max
Abs.
Max Absolute
the maximum magnitude value over:

that saves the time at which a maximum absolute condition occurs.
This option is not available if the Spatial Evaluation method is Maximum or

Minimum, or if the Component is Magnitude, von Mises, Max Principal, or Min
Principal.
Minimum
the minimum value over:

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that saves the time at which a minimum condition occurs.
This option is not available if the Spatial Evaluation method is Maximum or Max
Abs.
Example: Near Point Measures and Model

Types
For near point measures, Mechanica creates a three-dimensional sphere about the
application point you select. Depending on the type of model you are working with
and its contours near the application point, Mechanica develops an application area
that may be one-, two-, or three-dimensional, as shown below:
Component — Dynamic Analyses

In defining a measure component, you specify the nature of or references for the
quantity you want to measure. The components that you can select depend on the
quantity you choose, as follows:
• For stress and strain quantities — If you choose Stress or Strain as the
measure quantity, you can select from a variety of components. These
components fall into three categories—derived, normal/shear, and beam.
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Mechanica provides the following derived stresses and strains: von Mises,
Tresca, maximum principal, minimum principal, and maximum absolute
principal.
Note that for dynamic random response analyses, Mechanica does not calculate
stress or strain measures with von Mises, Max Shear (Tresca), Max
Principal, Min Principal, or Max Abs Principal as components.
For normal/shear stresses and strains, Mechanica provides the three normal
stress/ strain directions as well as the three shear stress/strain directions.
These directions are relative to the current coordinate system.
Mechanica provides the following beam measures: beam bending, beam

tensile, beam torsion, and beam total. Beam total is a combined measure that
reports both beam bending and beam tensile stress/strain.
• For all other valid quantities — If you choose any of the other quantities
valid for dynamic analyses—except for Time—you can select either a
magnitude component or one of the X, Y, Z component directions. For
magnitude, Mechanica calculates the measure using all three component
directions. For component directions, calculations are axis-specific relative to
the current coordinate system.
For dynamic random response analyses, Mechanica does not calculate

measures with a Magnitude component.
Component — Thermal Analyses

In defining a measure component, you specify the nature of or references for the
quantity you want to measure. For heat flux and temperature gradient quantities,
you can select either magnitude or one of the X, Y, Z component directions.
For magnitude, Mechanica calculates the measure using all three component
directions. For component directions, calculations are axis-specific relative to the
current coordinate system.
If you select temperature as a quantity, Mechanica does not provide any component
options.
At Each Step — Time or Frequency Evaluation

Method
Mechanica calculates the value of the measure at each time step or frequency step.
The software does not report the measure values in the summary file, but you can
plot these measures as a function of time or frequency when you create your
analysis results.
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Minimum — Time or Frequency Evaluation

Method
Mechanica calculates the measure using one of several methods, depending on
whether you selected At Point or Minimum as the spatial evaluation method and
which time span you selected from the Dynamic Evaluation option menu.
If you selected At Point as the spatial evaluation method, Mechanica calculates the
quantity minimum at a selected point over all the time or frequency steps.
Depending on which time span you select from the Dynamic Evaluation option
menu, Mechanica calculates the quantity minimum over the entire analysis or over a
specified time range.
If you selected Minimum as the spatial evaluation method, Mechanica calculates the
quantity minimum over the model at each step. The software then compares these
values and reports the lowest value it finds among the steps. Depending on which
time span you select, Mechanica calculates the minimum over the entire analysis or
over a specified time range.
You can find the measure value in the summary file. If you select a spatial evaluation
of Maximum or Max Abs, this option is not available.
Quantity — Basic Analyses

In defining the quantity of the measure, you indicate the type of information you
want Mechanica to measure. Although Mechanica provides a substantial number of
quantities for you to choose from, you should limit your selection to the following
quantities for basic analysis:
• Stress — enables you to measure a variety of stress types in your model.

• Strain — enables you to measure a variety of strain types in your model.
• Failure Index — enables you to determine whether a material has failed
because of an applied load.
• Displacement — enables you to measure displacement for your model in
terms of either magnitude or component direction.
• Rotation — enables you to measure model rotation either in terms of
magnitude or component direction. Use this quantity for shell and beam
models only. Rotation measures are not relevant for solid models.
• Force — enables you to measure the spring force or force reactions at a
constrained surface or curve.
• Moment — enables you to measure the spring moment or moment reactions
at a constrained surface or curve.
• Contact — enables you to measure various aspects of the contact regions
during a contact analysis, such as contact area, maximum pressure, average
pressure, contact load, and contact force.
• Center of Mass — enables you to measure the location of the model's center
of mass in relation to the current coordinate system.
• Moment of Inertia — enables you to measure the moment of inertia relative
to either the current coordinate system or the principal inertial axes of the
model.
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• Driven Pro Parameter — enables you to tie a measure to a dependent

Pro/ENGINEER parameter. For information on this quantity, see Parameter-
Based Measures.
• Computed Measure — enables you to define your own algebraic expression
for the measure.
For basic analyses, do not select velocity, acceleration, rotational velocity, rotational
acceleration, phase, or time. These quantities apply to dynamic analyses only.
At Each Step
Mechanica calculates the value of the measure at each time step for a dynamic time
response analysis or at each frequency step for a dynamic frequency or random
response analysis.
If you selected At Each Step as the time or frequency evaluation method, you can
obtain a cumulative measure value for all steps by selecting the Cumulative check
box.
Mechanica does not report the measure values in the summary file, but you can plot
these values as a function of time or frequency through the Results command.
Example: Near Point Measures and Geometric

Intersection
For near point measures, be aware that Mechanica samples only the geometric area
immediately surrounding the application point. If there is geometry that intersects
the near point measure radius but is separated from the application point by air
space, Mechanica does not sample the separated geometry, as shown below:
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Maximum — Time or Frequency Evaluation

Method
whether you selected At Point or Maximum as the spatial evaluation method and
quantity maximum at a selected point over all the time or frequency steps.
menu, Mechanica calculates the quantity maximum over the entire analysis or over a
specified time range.
If you selected Maximum as the spatial evaluation method, Mechanica calculates

the quantity maximum over the model at each step. The software then compares
these values and reports the highest value it finds among the steps. Depending on
which time span you select, Mechanica calculates the quantity maximum over the
entire analysis or over a specified time range.
of Minimum or Max Abs, this option is not available.
Component — Stress and Strain Quantities

If you choose Stress or Strain as the measure quantity, you can select from a
variety of components. These components fall into three categories—derived,
normal/shear, and beam.
Mechanica provides the following derived stresses and strains: von Mises, max shear
(Tresca), maximum principal, minimum principal, and maximum absolute principal.
For normal/shear stresses and strains, Mechanica provides the three normal stress /
strain directions as well as the three shear stress or strain directions. These
directions are relative to the current coordinate system.
Mechanica provides the following beam measures: beam bending, beam tensile,
beam torsion, and beam total. Beam total is a combined measure that reports both
beam bending and beam tensile stress or strain.
Component — Basic Analyses

In defining a measure component, you specify the nature of, or references for, the
quantity you want to measure. The components you can select depend on the
quantity you choose, as follows:
• stress and strain quantities

• displacement, rotation, and reaction quantities
• the contact force quantity
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• center of mass quantities

• moment of inertia quantities
Global Spatial Evaluation Methods

In working with the global spatial evaluation methods, consider the following points:
• Because Mechanica must recover data for each plotting grid point at every
time step or frequency step, choosing any of the global spatial evaluation
methods may result in a time-consuming dynamic analysis run.
For example, if you select Maximum for a displacement measure in a dynamic

time analysis, Mechanica calculates the maximum displacement at every
plotting grid point. The software repeats this process for each time step.
However, bear in mind that once you define a global measure using one type
of spatial evaluation, Mechanica requires an insignificant amount of additional
time to calculate a different measure that uses the same type of spatial
evaluation.
In other words, if you specified Maximum as a spatial evaluation method for a

von Mises stress measure as well as a maximum principal stress measure,
there would be no appreciable time difference between running a dynamic
analysis that used only one of the measures and running an analysis that used
both measures.
• If you select stress or strain as the quantity, Mechanica provides you with an
additional option menu that enables you to determine whether the software
considers the entire model or samples various points within a specified radius
of a model location. The latter type of measure is called a Near Point
measure. For more information on Near Point measures, see Global and
Local Measures.
Measures Not Calculated for Dynamic Random

For dynamic random response analyses, Mechanica does not calculate the following
types of measures:
• Failure index
• Stress measures with the components von Mises, Tresca, Max Principal,
Min Principal, or Max Abs Principal
• Other measures with the component Magnitude
Datum Points for User-Defined Measures

If you plan to place a measure at a specific point on an exterior surface, your part
needs to include a datum point at that location unless the location is a vertex.
Provided you are working with an assembly, you can place measures on the interior
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of your model by adding a datum point to a part surface that will merge with a
mated part during a run.
Note that for reaction measures, you can use datum points that do not lie on the
part geometry. These points can lie buried within the part or lie outside the part.
You can add datum points within Mechanica as you define your measures. These
datum points are:
• only available for your Mechanica sessions unless you promote them
• not visible on your part or assembly while you are working at the
Pro/ENGINEER level unless you promote them
entering Mechanica. In this case, the datum points are available for all your
Time/Frequency Eval Options

When you click the Time/Frequency Eval button, you can specify the time or
frequency for your measure from the following choices:
At Each Step Provides the value of the measure at

each time or frequency step of the
analysis. You can create a graph for
this type of measure against time or
frequency.
Maximum, Minimum, Provides the maximum, minimum, or

Maximum Abs maximum magnitude value over all
time or frequency steps, or over a
specified time range for a dynamic time
analysis. Also, Mechanica can create a
measure that saves the time at which a
maximum, minimum, or maximum
absolute condition occurs. You can find
this value in the summary report.
RMS, Apparent Provides the RMS value or apparent

Frequency frequency of a quantity. You can find
this value in the summary report.
At Time Provides the value of a measure at a

time you specify.
The selection you make on the Time/Frequency Eval option menu determines in
what type of analysis you can use the measure.
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Analysis Type Time/Freq Eval Option
dynamic time response At Each Step
Maximum, Minimum
At Time
dynamic frequency response At Each Step
Maximum, Minimum
dynamic random response At Each Step
RMS
Apparent Frequency
Component — Center of Mass Quantities

If you choose Center Of Mass as the measure quantity, your selections are the
same as those for rotations and displacements. However, the software calculates the
measure in terms of overall distance or distance in a particular coordinate direction.
For magnitude, Mechanica calculates the distance from the current coordinate
system to the center of mass.
If you select one of the coordinate directions instead, Mechanica calculates the
distance from the origin of the current coordinate system to the center of mass for
the selected direction only. For example, if you select X as the component, the
software calculates the distance between the coordinate system and center of mass
in the X direction.
Component — Stress, Strain

When you select Stress or Strain from the Quantity option menu, the Component
option menu displays the components specific to these quantities. Select a
component of stress or strain from the options on this menu.
• von Mises • XY*
• Max Shear • XZ*
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• Max Principal • YZ*
• Min Principal • Beam Bending
• Max Abs Principal • Beam Tensile
• XX* • Beam Total
• YY* • Beam Torsional
• ZZ*
*If you select any of these options, use the arrow button to select a coordinate
system relative to which you define the measure. The default coordinate system is
the WCS. You can also select a UCS.
Note: Mechanica derives von Mises strain in the same way as von Mises stress,
and maximum shear strain in the same way as maximum shear stress. For
more information, see option information for Strain Results Quantity or Stress
Results Quantity.
Structure expresses stress values and directions somewhat differently than they are
sometimes described in textbooks. To learn more about how Structure stresses
relate to textbook examples, see How Stress Components Relate to Textbook
Examples.
Quantity — Dynamic Analyses

want Mechanica to measure. Although Mechanica provides a full list of quantities for
you to choose from, you should limit your selection to the following quantities for
dynamic analyses:
• Stress — enables you to measure a variety of stress types in your model.

• Strain — enables you to measure a variety of strain types in your model.
• Displacement — enables you to measure displacement for your model in
terms of magnitude or component direction.
• Failure Index — enables you to determine whether a material has failed
because of an applied load.
• Force — enables you to measure the spring force.
• Moment — enables you to measure the spring moment.
• Velocity — enables you to measure velocity in terms of magnitude or
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• Acceleration — enables you to measure acceleration in terms of magnitude

or component direction.
• Rotation — enables you to measure model rotation in terms of magnitude or
• Rotational Velocity — enables you to measure rotational velocity in terms
of magnitude or component direction.
• Rotational Acceleration — enables you to measure rotational acceleration
in terms of magnitude or component direction.
• Phase — enables you to measure the phase for any of the following
quantities: displacement, velocity, acceleration, rotation, rotational velocity,
or rotational acceleration. Only dynamic frequency analyses calculate phase
measures.
Pro/ENGINEER parameter. For information on this quantity, see Parameter-
Based Measures.
• Time — enables you to determine the time of first or last occurrence of a
measure's value being greater or less than a specified value during a dynamic
time analysis.
for the measure.
For dynamic analyses, do not select Reaction, Center of Mass, or Moment of

Inertia. These quantities apply to basic analyses only. For information on how to
use these quantities in basic analyses, see Quantity — Basic Analyses.
Quantity — Thermal Analyses

want Mechanica to measure, as follows:
• Temperature — enables you to measure the temperature of your model.

• Heat Flux — enables you to measure the transfer of heat for your model in
terms of either magnitude or component direction.
• Temperature Gradient — enables you to measure the change in
temperature over your model in terms of either magnitude or component
direction.
Pro/ENGINEER parameter. For information on this quantity,see Parameter-
Based Measures.
• Time — enables you to determine the time of first or last occurrence of a
measure's value being greater or less than a specified value during a dynamic
time analysis.
for the measure.
Spatial Evaluation Method — Basic and

Dynamic Analyses
In defining a spatial evaluation method, you specify the type of value you want
Mechanica to calculate for the measure, and indicate whether you want a global or a
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local measure. For most quantities you select, Mechanica provides two option menus
for spatial evaluation. The first menu enables you to select a spatial evaluation
method. The second determines whether the software considers the entire model or
selected areas of the model, or samples various points within a specified radius.
You can select from the following spatial evaluation methods, depending on which
measure component you choose:
• At Point — Mechanica treats the measure as a local measure, calculating the

value at a datum point or points you select. If you click the Advanced button
and select an option from the second menu, Mechanica calculates the value
over a selected group of entities touching the point.
• Maximum — Depending on your selection in the second menu, Mechanica
can treat the measure as a global or as a local measure, searching the entire
model or its selected area for the quantity's maximum value. This value is the
most positive value, regardless of the magnitude of the value. For example, if
the model stress ranged from –10 to –25 ksi, the maximum would be –10 ksi.
This option is inactive if you select Min Principal or Max Abs Principal for a
Stress or Strain quantity.
• Minimum — Depending on your selection in the second menu, Mechanica can

treat the measure as a global or local measure, searching the entire model or
its selected area for the quantity's minimum value. This value is the least
positive value, regardless of the magnitude of the value.
This option is inactive if you select Max Principal or Max Abs Principal for
a Stress or Strain quantity.
• Maximum Abs — Depending on your selection in the second menu,

Mechanica can treat the measure as a global or local measure, searching the
entire model or its selected area for the quantity's maximum absolute value.
This value is the largest value, regardless of the sign of the value. For
example, if the model stress ranged from –10 to –25 ksi, the value would be
–25 ksi.
This option is inactive if you select Max Principal or Min Principal as the
component for a Stress or Strain quantity. This option is also inactive if you
select Magnitude as the component for one of the other quantities.
Spatial Evaluation Method — Thermal

Analyses
In defining a spatial evaluation method, you specify the type of value you want
Mechanica to calculate for the measure, and indicate whether you want a global or a
local measure. If you select Temperature, Temperature Gradient, or Heat Flux
quantities, Mechanica provides you with two option menus for spatial evaluation. The
first menu enables you to select a spatial evaluation method. The second,
determines whether the software considers the entire model or selected areas of the
model, or samples various points within a specified radius.
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You can select from the following spatial evaluation methods, depending on which
measure component you choose:
• At Point — Mechanica treats the measure as a local measure, calculating the

value at a datum point or points you select. If you click the Advanced button
and select an option from the second menu, Mechanica calculates the value
over a selected group of entities touching the point.
If you use this spatial evaluation method for heat flux or temperature
gradient, you may want to define a measure for more than one point so that
you can get a better idea of overall heat transfer and temperature change.
• Maximum — Mechanica searches the entire model or the specified area of

the model for the quantity's maximum value. This value is the most positive
value, regardless of the magnitude of the value. For example, if the model
temperature ranged from –10 to –25 , the maximum would be –10 .
• Minimum — Mechanica searches the entire model or the specified area of the
model for the quantity's minimum value. This value is the least positive value,
regardless of the magnitude of the value.
• Maximum Abs — Mechanica searches the entire model or the specified area
of the model for the quantity's maximum absolute value. This value is the
largest value, regardless of the sign of the value. For example, if the model
temperature ranged from –10 to –25 , the maximum absolute value would
be –25 . This option appears only if you select Temperature as the quantity.
• Range — Mechanica calculates the difference between the maximum and the
minimum temperatures in the model or the specified area of the model. This
option appears only if you select Temperature as the quantity.
Time or Frequency Evaluation Method —

Dynamic Analyses
In defining the time or frequency evaluation method, you indicate the way you want
Mechanica to treat the measure as calculated at various time steps or frequency
steps.
For example, you can use one of the time or frequency evaluation methods to
instruct Mechanica to report the maximum value encountered among the steps as a
whole. If, instead, you wanted to review the maximum value for each step
individually, you could select a different time or frequency evaluation method.
You can select from the following time or frequency evaluation methods, depending
on which measure component and spatial evaluation method you choose:
• At Each Step
• Maximum
• Minimum
• Maximum Absolute
• RMS — Mechanica calculates the RMS (root mean square) value of the
measure over the frequency range and reports this value in the summary file.
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This option is only available if you selected At Point as the spatial evaluation
method.
• Apparent Frequency — Mechanica determines the effective frequency of a
PSD output by integrating over the frequency range and reports this value in
the summary file.
Mechanica calculates apparent frequency by averaging the number of zero-

crossings for the PSD output. The apparent frequency is equivalent to the
frequency of a sine wave that crosses zero the same number of times.
This option is only available if you select At Point as the spatial evaluation
method.
• At Time — Mechanica calculates the value of a measure at a time you

specify. The measure is calculated for dynamic time analyses.
Component — Moment of Inertia Quantities

If you choose Moment Of Inertia as the measure quantity, you can select from a
variety of components. These components fall into two categories—part-based
component directions and coordinate-system-based component directions.
Mechanica provides the following part-based component directions: maximum

principal, mid principal, and minimum principal. These component directions are
relative to the principal inertial axes of the model. Specify Max Principal to define
the measure relative to the direction with the greatest inertia. Use Min Principal to
define the measure relative to the axis of least inertia.
The orientation of the principal inertial axes of your part lies where all products of
inertia are zero simultaneously.
If you select one of the component directions instead, Mechanica determines the
moment of inertia relative to the current coordinate system in the direction you
selected.
Component — Displacement, Rotation, and

Reaction Quantities
If you choose Displacement, Rotation, or Reaction as the measure quantity, you
can select either the magnitude or one of the X, Y, Z component directions.
For magnitude, Mechanica calculates the measure using all three component
directions. For component directions, calculations are axis-specific relative to the
current coordinate system.
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Apparent Frequency
Mechanica calculates the effective frequency of a PSD output by integrating over the
frequency range.
This option is available for certain quantities if you selected At Point for Spatial
Evaluation and base the measure on one of the directional components. Mechanica
only calculates measures that use the Apparent Frequency dynamic evaluation
method for dynamic random analyses.
Component — Contact Force Quantity

If you choose Contact Force as the measure quantity, you can select either the
magnitude or one of the X, Y, Z component directions.
To create a contact force measure, select a contact region, then select one of the
two surfaces (or curves in 2D). The contact forces on the two surfaces (or curves in
2D) of a contact region are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction to each
other. This measure can be associated with only one contact region.
For pre-Release 2000i models, a contact load measure will be converted into a
contact force magnitude measure if it is associated with a single contact region. If a
pre-Release 2000i contact load measure is associated with multiple contact regions,
the measure will be deleted after a warning message appears.
Time Evaluation Method — Thermal Analyses

In defining the time evaluation method, you indicate the way you want Mechanica to
treat the measure as calculated at various time steps.
For example, you can use one of the time evaluation methods to instruct Mechanica
to report the maximum value encountered among the steps as a whole. If, instead,
you wanted to review the maximum value for each step individually, you could select
a different time evaluation method.
You can select from the following time evaluation methods, depending on which
measure component and spatial evaluation method you choose:
• At Each Step
• Maximum
• Minimum
• Maximum Absolute
specify. The measure is calculated for transient thermal analyses.
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Maximum Absolute — Time Evaluation

(Thermal Analysis)
whether you selected At Point or Maximum Abs as the spatial evaluation method.
maximum absolute value at the selected point over all the time steps. Depending on
which time span you select from the ancillary menu, Mechanica calculates the
maximum quantity absolute value over the entire analysis or over a specified time
range.
If you selected Maximum Abs as the spatial evaluation method, Mechanica

calculates the quantity maximum absolute value over the model at each step. The
software then compares these values and reports the largest magnitude it finds
among the steps. Depending on which time span you select from the ancillary menu,
Mechanica calculates the quantity maximum absolute value over the entire analysis
or over a specified time range.
of Maximum or Minimum, this option is not available. Also, this option is not
available if you select Magnitude as a measure component.
Minimum — Time Evaluation (Thermal

Analysis)
whether you selected At Point or Minimum as the spatial evaluation method.
quantity minimum at the selected point over all the time steps. Depending on which
time span you select from the ancillary menu, Mechanica calculates the quantity
minimum over the entire analysis or over a specified time range.
If you selected Minimum as the spatial evaluation method, Mechanica calculates the
quantity minimum over the model at each step. The software then compares these
values and reports the lowest value it finds among the steps. Depending on which
time span you select from the ancillary menu, Mechanica calculates the quantity
minimum over the entire analysis or over a specified time range.
of Maximum or Maximum Abs, this option is not available.
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Maximum Absolute — Time or Frequency

Evaluation Method
whether you select At Point or Maximum Abs as the spatial evaluation method and
maximum absolute value at a selected point over all the time or frequency steps.
menu, Mechanica calculates the maximum absolute value over the entire analysis or
over a specified time range.
If you selected Maximum Abs as the spatial evaluation method, Mechanica

calculates the maximum absolute value over the model at each step. The software
then compares these values and reports the largest magnitude it finds among the
steps. Depending on which time span you select, Mechanica calculates the largest
magnitude over the entire analysis or over a specified time range.
of Maximum or Minimum, this option is not available. Also, this option is not
available if you select Magnitude or Von Mises as a measure component.
Maximum — Time Evaluation (Thermal

Analysis)
whether you selected At Point or Maximum as the spatial evaluation method.
quantity maximum at the selected point over all the time steps. Depending on which
time span you select from the ancillary menu, Mechanica calculates the maximum
over the entire analysis or over a specified time range.
If you selected Maximum as the spatial evaluation method, Mechanica calculates

the quantity maximum over the model at each step. The software then compares
these values and reports the highest value it finds among the steps. Depending on
which time span you select from the ancillary menu, Mechanica calculates the
maximum over the entire analysis or over a specified time range.
of Minimum or Maximum Abs, this option is not available.
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At Each Step — Time Evaluation (Thermal

Analysis)
Mechanica calculates the value of the measure at each time step.
The time step may vary by many orders of magnitude during the course of an
analysis, depending on the loads and constraints. At the beginning of an analysis,
the time step can be especially small. As the energy norm in the model is zero at the
start of an analysis, the errors in energy norm are normalized by a small value.
The software does not report the measure values in the summary file, but you can
plot these measures as a function of time when you create your analysis results.
Radius
When you choose Near Point, Mechanica displays an entry box showing a default
value of 5% of the model size. Use this entry box to type in another radius value if
desired. The radius you specify is three-dimensional rather than planar. Thus, the
portion of the model considered depends on the model's contours. For more
information, see Near Point Measures.
You use the Point(s) selector arrow to select the application area for the measure.
Spatial Evaluation — Thermal

Select a spatial evaluation method from this option menu on the Measure
Definition dialog box. The menu displays only those options that are valid for the
quantity and component combination you selected and does not appear for all
combinations. After you select the spatial evaluation type from the first option menu,
you may see additional option menus or buttons. Some of the spatial evaluation
options require that you select a point or several points and appropriate reference
entities. You can select them using the arrow button.
Your selection from the following menu determines the type of value Mechanica
calculates:
• At Point — Mechanica calculates the value at the point or points you select.
• Maximum — Mechanica calculates the maximum value.
• Minimum — Mechanica calculates the minimum value.
• Maximum Abs — Mechanica calculates the value with the greatest absolute
value. This option is not available if you selected Magnitude as the
component for your quantity.
• Range — Mechanica calculates the temperature range. This option is only
available if you selected Temperature as the quantity.
For the options Maximum, Minimum, and Maximum Abs, a second option menu
appears. For the At Point option, this menu appears as an advanced option only if
you selected Temperature Gradient or Heat Flux as your quantity.
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The menu contains the following items:
• Over Model — Specifies that Mechanica evaluates the quantity's maximum,

minimum, or maximum absolute value over the entire model.
• Near Point — Specifies that Mechanica evaluates the quantity's maximum,
minimum, or maximum absolute value over the plotting grid points you select
within the specified radius. This option is not available if you selected At
Point.
• Over Selected Idealizations — Specifies that Mechanica evaluates the
quantity's maximum, minimum, maximum absolute, or at point value over
the idealizations you select.
• Over Selected Components — Specifies that Mechanica evaluates the
the assembly's component you select.
• Over Selected Layers — Specifies that Mechanica evaluates the quantity's
maximum, minimum, maximum absolute, or at point value over the layers
you select.
• Over Selected Geometry — Specifies that Mechanica evaluates the
the geometric entities you select.
Dynamic Evaluation in Thermal

This drop-down menu appears when you click the Time Eval check box on the
Measure Definition dialog box. Use this menu to select a time evaluation method.
The menu contains all or some of the following items:
• At Each Step — Mechanica calculates the value of the measure at each time
step for a transient thermal analysis. Mechanica does not report the measure
values in the summary file, but you can plot these measures as a function of
time through the Results command.
• Maximum — Mechanica calculates the maximum value for a transient
thermal analysis. This option is not active if the Spatial Evaluation method
is Minimum or Maximum Abs. Mechanica reports this value in the summary
file.
• Minimum — Mechanica calculates the minimum value for a transient thermal
analysis. This option is not active if the Spatial Evaluation method is
Maximum or Maximum Abs. Mechanica reports this value in the summary
file.
• Maximum Abs — Mechanica calculates the maximum absolute value for a
transient thermal analysis. This option is not active if the Spatial Evaluation
method is Maximum or Minimum, or if the Component is Magnitude.
specify. The measure is calculated only for a transient thermal analysis.
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If you select Maximum, Minimum, or Maximum Abs as an evaluation method, the

second drop-down menu appears:
• Over Analysis — Mechanica calculates the value over all the time steps of
the transient thermal analysis.
• Over Time Range — Mechanica calculates the value over a specified time
range of the transient thermal analysis.
If you select the Time Stamp check box, Mechanica creates a time stamp
measure that saves the time at which a maximum, minimum, or max abs
condition occurs.
Phase Type
The following options appear on the second option menu if you select the Phase
quantity:
• of Displacement
• of Velocity
• of Acceleration
• of Rotation
• of Rotational Velocity
• of Rotational Acceleration
Quantity for Measure Definition

Use the Quantity option menu on the Measure Definition dialog box to select the
quantity for which you define your measure.
The list of available quantities varies depending on whether you are running
Structure or Thermal.
These are the possible choices for your selection:
Structure Thermal
• Stress • Fatigue • Temperature
• Strain • Force • Temperature
• Displacement • Moment Gradient
• Rotation • Moment of • Heat Flux
• Velocity Inertia • Time
• Acceleration • Center of Mass • Driven Pro
• Rotational • Time Parameter
Velocity • Driven Pro • Computed Measure
• Rotational Parameter
Acceleration • Contact
• Phase • Computed
• Failure Index Measure
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UCS-Based Measures
If you want to use a UCS in creating a measure, you must define the UCS before you
define the measure. If you are using a UCS, the references to the WCS X, Y, and Z
axes on the dialog boxes are replaced as follows:

UCS UCS UCS
X R R
Y T T
Z Z P
Note that displacement measures associated with cylindrical coordinates in the T

direction, or spherical coordinates in the T or P directions, are in units of length, not
angle.
If you select any of the options on the Measure Definition dialog box that require a
coordinate system selection, use the arrow button to select a coordinate system
relative to which you define the measure. The default coordinate system is the WCS.
You can also select a UCS.
For more information, see About Coordinate Systems.
Spatial Evaluation — Structure

Select a spatial evaluation method from this option menu on the Measure
Definition dialog box. The menu displays only those options that are valid for the
quantity and component combination you selected and does not appear for all
combinations. After you select the spatial evaluation type from the first option menu,
you may see additional option menus or buttons. Some of the spatial evaluation
options require that you select a point or several points and appropriate reference
entities. You can select them using the arrow button.
Your selection from the following menu determines the type of value Mechanica
calculates:
• At Point — Mechanica calculates the value at the point or points you select.
• Maximum — Mechanica calculates the maximum value. This option is not
available for Min Principal or Max Abs Principal components.
• Minimum — Mechanica calculates the minimum value. This option is not
available for Max Principal or Max Abs Principal components.
• Maximum Abs — Mechanica calculates the value with the greatest absolute
value. This option is not available if you selected Max Principal, Min
Principal, or any of the components for the Fatigue quantity, or if you
selected Magnitude as the component for another quantity.
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For the options Maximum, Minimum, and Maximum Abs, a second option menu
appears. For the At Point option, this menu appears as an advanced option only if
you selected Stress, Strain, Failure Index, or Fatigue as your quantity. The menu
• Over Model — Specifies that Mechanica evaluates the quantity's maximum,

minimum, or maximum absolute value over the entire model. This option is
not available if you selected At Point.
• Near Point — Specifies that Mechanica evaluates the quantity's maximum,
minimum, or maximum absolute value over the plotting grid points you select
within the specified radius. This option is not available if you selected At
Point.
• Over Selected Idealizations — Specifies that Mechanica evaluates the
the idealizations you select.
• Over Selected Components — Specifies that Mechanica evaluates the
the assembly components you select.
• Over Selected Layers — Specifies that Mechanica evaluates the quantity's
maximum, minimum, maximum absolute, or at point value over the entities
in the selected layers.
• Over Selected Geometry — Specifies that Mechanica evaluates the
the geometric entities you select.
Time Stamp
This item is available only if you select Maximum, Minimum, or Maximum
Absolute as a time evaluation option. If you select Time Stamp, Mechanica
automatically creates a measure that saves the time at which a minimum,
maximum, or maximum absolute condition occurs.
For dynamic analyses, if you do not create any time- or frequency-based measures,
be sure not to select Automatic Intervals within Range for the results output
when you define your analysis. Otherwise, some dynamic analyses will not produce
any results.
Dynamic Evaluation in Structure

This drop-down menu appears when you select a dynamic quantity on the Measure
Definition dialog box. The quantities include Velocity, Acceleration, Rotational
Acceleration, and so forth. For most other quantities, such as Stress, Displacement,
Failure Index, and so forth, the Dynamic Evaluation menu is optional and does not
appear unless you select the Time/Frequency Eval check box.
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The menu may contain all or some of the following items:
• At Each Step — Mechanica calculates the value of the measure at each time
or frequency step.
• Maximum — Mechanica calculates the maximum value over all time or
frequency steps, or over a specified time range.
• Minimum — Mechanica calculates the minimum value over all time or
frequency steps, or over a specified time range.
• Max Absolute — Mechanica calculates the maximum magnitude value over
all time or frequency steps, or over a specified time range.
• RMS — Mechanica calculates the root mean square value of the measure over
the frequency range.
• Apparent Frequency — Mechanica calculates the effective frequency of a
PSD output by integrating over the frequency range.
• At Time — Mechanica calculates the value of a measure at a specified time.
The measure is calculated only for dynamic time analyses.
The Dynamic Evaluation area also includes a Time Stamp check box that you can
use to obtain information on the time at which Mechanica satisfies your measure
quantity and component.
Meshes
Native Mode Meshes
About AutoGEM
Use commands on the AutoGEM menu to create and work with AutoGEM meshes in
native mode. AutoGEM is the Mechanica Automatic Geometric Element Mesher.
Because the finite elements that Mechanica's AutoGEM mesher creates are very
accurate to underlying model geometry, these elements are sometimes called
geometric elements.
The commands on the AutoGEM menu help you verify whether Mechanica can
successfully mesh your model prior to analysis and enable you to indicate how you
want your model treated during meshing. Reviewing the mesh prior to analysis can
help you determine whether the mesh will be successful and, if not, which geometry
problems caused AutoGEM to fail. You can then use several techniques to fix mesh
problems and ensure that the engine uses the corrected mesh.
The AutoGEM menu includes the following commands:
• Control — Create AutoGEM mesh controls for your model. When you select
the Control command, the AutoGEM Control dialog box appears. Use the
dialog box to impose mesh controls on your model, thus improving the mesh
in problem areas.
• Create — Create an AutoGEM mesh for your model. When you select the
Create command, the AutoGEM dialog box appears. Use the dialog box to
create, review, and save the mesh. If a mesh file is already present, the
Create command automatically loads the mesh elements.
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• Settings — Review and alter AutoGEM's basic settings and limits. When you
select the Settings command, the AutoGEM Settings dialog box appears.
Use the dialog box to control the types of activities AutoGEM performs when
generating elements and to modify element shape parameters such as aspect
ratio and maximum edge turn. Adjustments to the AutoGEM Settings dialog
box are a possible method of correcting mesh problems.
• Geometry Tolerance — Refine geometry tolerance settings for your model
to improve the geometry prior to meshing. When you select the Geometry
Tolerance command, the Geometry Tolerance Settings dialog box
appears. Use the dialog box to ensure that Mechanica resolve slivers, cusps,
and other geometry problems in your model.
• Mesh treatment options — There are three model treatment options—
Solid, Midsurface, and Solid/Midsurface. You use these options for
models that include midsurfaces. These options enable you to specify whether
Mechanica will treat your model as a solid, midsurface shell, or a mixture of
both during meshing and analysis.
• Datum usage options — There are two datum usage options—Use Datum
Curves and Use Datum Surfaces. These options let you refine your mesh,
place certain idealizations on datum geometry, mesh datum geometry without
having to add properties, and control transfer of datum geometry to
independent mode.
While meshing your model using commands on the AutoGEM menu, AutoGEM
creates mesh elements that you can later use when calculating displacements,
reactions, stresses, thermal fluxes, and temperatures. If you want Mechanica to use
these elements when running an analysis or design study, you need to select the
Use Elements From Existing Mesh File option on the Run Settings dialog box. If
you do not want to use the AutoGEM elements, you can direct Mechanica to create
new elements by selecting the Create Elements During Run option on the Run
Settings dialog box.
When it meshes your model, AutoGEM uses the default element type for the model
type unless you specify otherwise. For example, in 3D models, solid tetrahedra are
the default element type. However, before you create the AutoGEM mesh, you can
manually create idealizations or connections—for example, shells, springs, masses,
welds, and so forth—to alter or enhance the default AutoGEM mesh by incorporating
additional element types that better reflect aspects or behaviors of your model.
Controlling an AutoGEM Mesh

Use the AutoGEM>Control command to control mesh distribution in your model.
With the Control command you can:
• Control the size and refinement of elements in a mesh by specifying the

number of nodes that you want Mechanica to create along the selected edges
and by indicating the node placement interval. During mesh creation,
Mechanica creates elements that comply with the number and interval you
specify.
• Insert more nodes on specified edges than AutoGEM might normally create.
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• Control creation of elements in a mesh by ignoring edges or datum curves

with lengths smaller than or equal to the length you specify. You can also
choose to retain such edges or curves during mesh creation.
When you select the AutoGEM>Control command, Mechanica opens the AutoGEM
Control dialog box. The AutoGEM Control dialog box includes these fields:
• Name — Specify the name for the AutoGEM control.

• Type — Select one of these control types for mesh creation:
• Edge Distribution — Select the surface edges or curves and specify
the number of nodes associated with these edges.
• Minimum Edge Length — Specify the edge length. Normally,
AutoGEM meshes all edges in your model. However, if you apply this
mesh control, AutoGEM ignores edges with lengths smaller than or
equal to the length you have specified. You can also choose to retain
such edges or curves during mesh creation.
Depending on the mesh control type you specify in the Type field, the active fields in
the lower area of the dialog box change. For information on this area, use the links in
the list above to learn more about the dialog box version for each mesh control type.
After you have created AutoGEM mesh controls for your model, you can edit or
or Edit>Delete, as appropriate. If you are deleting a mesh control, Mechanica asks
Edge Distribution
Use Edge Distribution on the AutoGEM Control dialog box to specify the number
of nodes and their placement intervals along curves or surface edges. Mechanica
uses the specified number of nodes when creating elements in a mesh. By specifying
the number of nodes on curves or surface edges, you control the number of nodes
for a beam, shell, and solid element.
Note: The edge distribution you define at the part or assembly component
level remains active and visible at the assembly level.
If you select Edge Distribution, you specify the following:
• References — Select one or more curves or edges for AutoGEM control.

Mechanica displays an arrow on the specified edge to indicate the direction of
node distribution. To reverse the direction of node distribution, select the
same edge or curve again.
• Number of Nodes — Specify the number of nodes along the selected edge
or curve. If you specify an insufficient number of nodes, Mechanica may
increase the number of nodes based on the requirement and complexity of
the model geometry.
The value that you specify in the Number of Nodes field overrides the Insert
Points setting on the AutoGEM Settings dialog box's Settings Tab.
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• First/Last Nodal Interval Ratio — Select this option to specify the ratio of
the first interval on the edge or curve to the last interval on the edge or
curve. For example, if you enter 3 as the ratio, the last interval is 3 times the
length of the first interval. Mechanica places the intermediate nodes at
graduating intervals proportional to the ratio. If you enter a ratio of 1, all the
intervals are equidistant.
• Prevent Additional Nodes — Ensure that the number of nodes that
AutoGEM creates is exactly the same as specified in AutoGEM control. If you
have not specified a sufficient number of nodes, Mechanica displays a warning
and may insert additional nodes based on meshing requirements.
Note: Selecting this option can cause AutoGEM to fail, thus you should
select this option only if it is absolutely necessary.
To Control Edge Distribution in an AutoGEM

Mesh
1. Select AutoGEM>Control or click . The AutoGEM Control dialog box

appears.
2. Enter a name for the AutoGEM control.

3. Select Edge Distribution as the type of control.
4. Select the edges or datum curves to which you want to apply the edge
distribution control.
5. Enter the number of nodes along the selected edge or curve.
6. Enter the ratio of the first interval on the edge or curve to the last interval on
the edge or curve.
7. If you want to ensure that the number of nodes that AutoGEM creates is
exactly the same as you specified in the Number of Nodes field, select
Prevent Additional Nodes.
8. Click OK.
Minimum Edge Length

Use the Minimum Edge Length option on the AutoGEM Control dialog box to
ensure that AutoGEM ignores the edges and datum curves with lengths smaller than
or equal to the length you specify. If you are working with an assembly, you must
define the minimum edge length control at the top assembly level. The edge length
you specify is globally valid for the model. When it meshes your assembly,
Mechanica disregards any Minimum Edge Length controls that you assigned at the
part or component level.
If you select Minimum Edge Length, you specify the following:
• Edge Length — Specify the edge length. AutoGEM ignores edges and datum
curves with lengths smaller than or equal to the length you specify. You can
specify the value for Edge Length as an absolute value by entering a number
and making sure the % check box is off. Alternatively, you can use the %
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check box to specify the minimum edge length as a percent of the longest
edge of a bounding box that surrounds the model. For example, if you specify
10% as the minimum edge length and the longest edge in the model
bounding box is 5, Mechanica ignores all the edges with length less than 0.5.
Note: Mechanica does not ignore the edges or curves with lengths less
than the specified Minimum Edge Length if the edges or curves are
referenced by a load, constraint, or a beam.
• Select Edges/Curves to Keep — Retain selected edges or curves in the

model even if edges orcurves are shorter than the edge length you have
specified.
After you define the Minimum Edge Length control, you can use the Preview
button to verify that you have correctly selected the edges/curves you want
AutoGEM to retain and to see which edges or curves it will ignore during meshing.
Mechanica indicates this by highlighting the edges or curves you have chosen to
retain and marking the edges or curves that are less than or equal to the Edge
Length value with purple circles.
To Control Minimum Edge Length in an

AutoGEM Mesh
1. Select AutoGEM>Control or click . The AutoGEM Control dialog box

appears.
2. Enter a name for the AutoGEM control.

3. Select Minimum Edge Length as the type of control.
4. Enter the minimum length of the edges or datum curves that you want
AutoGEM to retain when it meshes the model. AutoGEM ignores all edges
equal to or less than this length.
5. Optionally, select the % checkbox to specify the Edge Length field as a
percentage.
6. Click Preview to display a preview of the edges or datum curves that
AutoGEM will ignore.
7. If you want to retain some of the ignored edges or datum curves regardless
of length, click Select Edges/Curves to Keep and use the selector arrow to
select the edges.
8. If you want to verify that you have selected the correct edges, click Preview
again to highlight the edges selected to be retained regardless of length.
9. Click OK.
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Creating and AutoGEM Mesh

Preparing Your Model
Before using AutoGEM, you should take the following steps to ensure that AutoGEM
creates the best set of elements for your model:
• If you know in advance that you want more solid or shell elements near a
specific location, add geometry or simulation features that AutoGEM can use
to refine the mesh, such as datum points, curves, surfaces, or regions.
• Before using AutoGEM on a curve for 3D models, you need to assign a beam
idealization. AutoGEM automatically creates beam end points, as required, so
you do not need to add datum points.
Note: When you select a curve for AutoGEM and the curve does not
have a beam idealization, AutoGEM will mesh the curve, but you will
encounter problems at analysis time if you have not fully defined the
beam. To prevent problems of this sort, we recommend always adding
the beam idealization before you run AutoGEM.
• Before using AutoGEM on a curve for 2D models, you need to assign a simple
or advanced shell idealization.
• Before using AutoGEM on a surface for 2D plane stress models, you need to
assign a simple or advanced shell idealization.
• When you use AutoGEM on a surface or volume, make sure that the Insert
Points and Move Or Delete Existing Points options on the Settings tab of
the AutoGEM Settings dialog box are selected. For most cases, these
options enable AutoGEM to generate the best set of elements.
• When you use AutoGEM on a surface, make sure all the options under
Isolate Features are active. These options direct AutoGEM to isolate:
o reentrant corners on individual surfaces
o points with loads or constraints in Structure or with heat loads,
prescribed temperatures, or convection conditions in Thermal
AutoGEM Dialog Box

When you select the AutoGEM>Create command, the AutoGEM dialog box
appears. The options and menus on the dialog box enable you to perform the
following functions:
• Create solid, shell, and beam element meshes on geometry that you specify
using the AutoGEM References area. After you create the mesh elements,
you can remove them from any selected geometric entity.
• Review and evaluate information about geometry and elements in your model
using the Info menu. You can identify any missing elements in your model or
determine whether geometry problems exist.
• Manage your mesh files through the File menu. After completing an AutoGEM
session, you can save your mesh. To avoid re-meshing your model later, you
can retrieve and display a previously created mesh.
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Creating AutoGEM Mesh Elements

Use the AutoGEM References area of the AutoGEM dialog box to add mesh
elements to your model. The type of elements AutoGEM creates depends on the
geometry you select. Use the following option menu to specify geometry that you
want to mesh:
• All With Properties — Instructs AutoGEM to automatically mesh all curves,

surfaces, and volumes that have properties assigned to them. As AutoGEM
automatically chooses the geometry for you, you cannot select specific
geometry with this option. If there are no properties in the model, the Create
button is inactive.
• Component Volumes — Enables you to select component volumes, for
which you want AutoGEM to create solid elements. This option is only
available when you work with assemblies.
• Volume — Enables you to select specific volumes, for which you want
AutoGEM to create solid elements.
• Surface — Enables you to select surfaces, for which you want AutoGEM to
create shell elements for 3D models, 2D plate elements for 2D plane stress
models, and 2D solids for all other 2D models.
• Curves — Enables you to select curves, for which you want AutoGEM to
create beams or, for 2D models, 2D shells.
After you make your selection, use one of these buttons:
• Create — Click this button when you are ready to mesh the selected
geometry. AutoGEM begins the meshing process, regularly displaying
messages that indicate its progress. You can interrupt the meshing process at
any time by clicking the Pro/ENGINEER Stop sign in the lower right corner of
the screen. For more information, see Interrupting AutoGEM.
Usually AutoGEM completes its session successfully and opens the AutoGEM
Summary dialog box at the end. Occasionally, your model may fail to mesh,
especially if you are working with complicated geometry, such as irregular
surfaces or volumes, or you are working with assemblies where the accuracy
values for the components are not close enough. For a more detailed
overview of AutoGEM meshing for these geometry types, and the strategies
you can use to remedy AutoGEM failure, see Volume or Surface.
• Delete — Click this button if you want to remove a created mesh from the
selected geometry.
You can use the Mesh tab on the Simulation Display dialog box to control the
appearance of meshes that AutoGEM generates.
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AutoGEM File Menu

The File menu on the AutoGEM dialog box contains these commands:
• Load Mesh — Load the elements. This command is accessible when your
model's mesh file is present in the current directory.
• Copy Mesh from Study — Copy a mesh from an existing design study
directory. When you select this option, a Design Study Selection dialog box
opens, from which you can select a study that you want to use.
• Save Mesh — Save your mesh. Mechanica assigns a name of model.mmp to
a mesh file of a part and model.mma to an assembly mesh file. The files
reside in the current directory. If you are working with family tables or have
simplified representations of your model, see the guidelines that Mechanica
follows when naming your mesh files.
• Close — Close the dialog box. If you have not saved the mesh with the Save
Mesh command, the software asks whether you want to save your mesh
now.
AutoGEM Info Menu

Use this menu on the AutoGEM dialog box to review information about geometry
and elements in your model. The menu contains these items:
• Model Summary — Display a report of all elements present in your model.

This report appears in the Model Summary dialog box.
• Boundary Edges — Highlight all boundary edges. A boundary edge is an
edge associated with only one shell and not associated with any solids. You
can use this information to identify missing elements. If there are no
boundary edges in your model, Mechanica informs you of this.
• Boundary Faces — Highlight all boundary faces—faces that belong to only
one solid and are not associated with a surface. You can use this information
to identify missing elements. If there are no boundary faces in your model,
Mechanica informs you of this.
• Approximated Elements — Highlight the elements with approximated linear
edges that AutoGEM has created to complete the mesh in the areas of your
model where geometry problems exist. Because these elements can affect the
accuracy of your analysis, you should review the areas of your model that
contain approximated elements.
• AutoGEM Log — Open an AutoGEM log file, which contains information about
the most recent AutoGEM session.
• Validate Mesh — Verify that all elements in the model meet the element
creation limits.
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Element Types
Solid Elements
A solid element is a three-dimensional element that:
• you use to subdivide a volume

• has a cross-section and thickness that can vary
A solid contains triangular faces, quadrilateral faces, or a combination of both. There

are three types of solid elements:
• Brick — an element with two opposite quadrilateral faces and four faces
between the two opposite faces. Bricks are useful in models that include
volumes with two opposing faces with a similar shape—whether the volumes
are curved or planar. To connect a brick to a tetrahedron, AutoGEM must
create links so that triangular faces of two tetrahedrons can interface with a
single quadrilateral brick face.
• Wedge — an element with two opposite triangular faces and three
quadrilateral faces between the two opposite faces. Wedges are useful in
models that include volumes with two opposing faces with a similar shape—
whether the volumes are curved or planar. They are more versatile than
bricks because AutoGEM can connect wedges to both tetrahedrons and bricks
without needing to create links.
• Tetrahedron — an element with one triangular face and an opposite point.
The element has three triangular faces between the triangular face and the
opposing point. Tetrahedrons are the most widely used of the solid element
types. Tetrahedrons function dependably for models with regular geometry,
but also provide an excellent solution for models with irregular shapes and
features.
Shell Elements
A shell element is a two-dimensional element that:
• you use to subdivide a structure that is relatively thin compared to its length
and width
• has a constant cross-section and thickness
When creating shell elements, AutoGEM subdivides the shell surface into the
following element shapes, depending on what you specify on the Settings tab:
• Quadrilaterals — AutoGEM creates four-sided elements.

• Triangles — AutoGEM creates three-sided elements.
For most model types, AutoGEM adds shells to your model if you have defined shell
idealizations. In assigning thickness for a simple or advanced shell idealization, be
aware that the thickness of resulting shell elements should be significantly smaller
than the length of any of the body's other dimensions and radii of curvature.
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Note: If the shell element is too thin, Mechanica may have difficulty analyzing
it.
As a guideline, the ratio of the shell element's thickness to its other dimensions
should be no greater than 1 to 10 and no less than 1 to 1000.
Beam Elements
A beam is a one-dimensional element that:
• represents a structure whose length is much greater than its other two
dimensions. The cross-sectional dimensions of geometry you model with one
or more beams should be small compared to the overall length and radii of
curvature. As a guideline, the ratio of the length to the other dimensions
should be no less than 10 to 1.
• has a constant cross-section and thickness in native mode
Beams are only available for 3D models. AutoGEM adds beams to your model if you
have defined beam idealizations either on a curve or between a set of points, as
follows:
• If you define a beam idealization on a curve, AutoGEM adds beams over the
length of the curve to reflect the curve's geometry. For example, if the curve
is linear, AutoGEM adds one beam. However, if the curve is a spline, AutoGEM
adds as many individual beams as needed to follow the profile of the curve.
• If you define a beam idealization from a point or vertex to another entity type
(point, surface, curve, and so forth), AutoGEM projects a single linear beam
from the point or vertex to the entity.
AutoGEM also adds beams if you have defined spot weld connections.
Mass and Spring Elements

In Structure, you can add two special-purpose elements to your model—masses and
springs. These elements provide you with the ability to idealize the behavior of your
model more exactly. Here is a brief discussion of these two element types:
• Mass — A mass element is a one-point element that you use to represent a

concentrated mass without a specified shape. The mass of an object
determines how that object resists translation and rotation. Mass elements:
o have no effect on a static analysis unless the analysis includes a
gravity load or a centrifugal load
o do have an effect on a modal or dynamic analysis
You indicate that you want Mechanica to add masses to your model by
creating mass idealizations.
• Spring — A spring element represents a linear elastic spring connection that

you can define from one point to another or from a point to ground. Springs:
o provide stiffness at the locations where you place them
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o act as constraints in your model and, in some instances, may be all

the constraint that you need. However, while a spring can remove
degrees of freedom in one direction, it can allow freedom of movement
in other directions. If you are using a point-to-ground spring, your
model is fully constrained at the point where the spring connects to
ground.
You indicate that you want Mechanica to add springs to your model by
creating spring idealizations.
2D Elements
Mechanica creates three types of 2D elements. Of these three types, Mechanica uses
only those that are applicable to the type of 2D model you are working with. For
example, Mechanica uses 2D solid elements and 2D shell elements for 2D
axisymmetric models, but does not use 2D plate elements for this model type. The
three element types are:
• 2D shell — A 2D shell is a one-dimensional element that has constant

thickness and represents a shell in one of the following models:
o 2D plane strain
o 2D axisymmetric
2D shell elements are linear but can be curved or straight, much as a beam
element would be in a 3D model.
• 2D solid — A 2D solid is a two-dimensional element that represents a slice of

a solid in one of the following models:
o 2D plane strain
o 2D axisymmetric
Because 2D solid elements represent a slice, they have no actual thickness. 2D

solid elements are quadrilateral or triangular, much as a shell element would
be in a 3D model.
• 2D plate — A 2D plate is a two-dimensional element that represents a solid

in a 2D plane stress model. It is very thin in the Z direction, but does have an
associated thickness. 2D plate elements are quadrilateral or triangular, much
as a shell element would be in a 3D model.
All 2D elements must lie in:
• the XY plane of a Cartesian coordinate system for all 2D models

• the positive X half of the XY plane for 2D axisymmetric models
As mentioned, 2D shell and 2D plate elements have a constant thickness. You

determine this thickness when you create the simple or advanced shell idealization
upon which the 2D shell or 2D plate element will be based. In assigning thickness for
the shell idealization, be aware that the thickness of 2D shell and 2D plate elements
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should be significantly smaller than the length of any of the body's other dimensions
and radii of curvature.
Note: If the 2D shell or 2D plate element is too thin, Mechanica may have
difficulty analyzing it.
As a guideline, the ratio of the 2D shell or 2D plate element's thickness to its other
dimensions should be no greater than 1 to 10 and no less than 1 to 1000.
Element Type and Geometric Entity

The type of elements AutoGEM generates depends on the geometry you select and
the model type:
Geometric Element Type Element Type for 2D Element Type

Entity for Solid Plane Strain and 2D for 2D Plane
Models Axisymmetric Models Stress
points beams springs (S) springs (S)

springs (S) masses (S) masses (S)
masses (S)
curves beams 2D shells
surfaces shells 2D solids 2D plates
volumes solids
Note: In the above table, S indicates that the element is available for
Structure only.
AutoGEM generates a full set of elements on the geometry you select in most cases.
The amount of time AutoGEM needs to create elements varies with:
• the type of geometry that you are using

• the number of geometric entities that you select
• the number of complex features in the selected geometry
Although there is no limit to the number of elements it can create, you should strive
for AutoGEM to use the minimum possible number of elements to take full advantage
of geometric element analysis, and reduce analysis time.
Tip: You may want to add mesh controls, create points, or use other
techniques to subdivide any element for which you need especially detailed
data.
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For 3D model types, remember that the more complex the element you use, the
more computation time Mechanica requires. Here are the 3D element types listed
from least computation time to most:
1. Beams
2. Flat shells
3. Curved shells
4. Solids
If you can build the model using one of the 2D model types, the solution takes much
less time. Where appropriate, you can also create symmetry constraints that will
further reduce element counts. For example, you can greatly simplify some
axisymmetric models by using cyclic symmetry.
Types of Elements in Structure

The types of elements that Mechanica creates vary according to the model type you
selected. The elements Mechanica creates for each Structure model type are:
3D 2D Plane Strain and 2D Plane Stress

2D Axisymmetric
mass mass mass
spring spring spring
beam 2D shell 2D plate
shell (quadrilateral or 2D solid

triangular)
solid (tetrahedra, bricks,

and wedges)
Types of Elements in Thermal

The types of elements that Mechanica creates vary according to the model type you
selected. The elements Mechanica creates for each Thermal model type are:

2D Axisymmetric
beam 2D shell 2D plate
shell (quadrilateral or 2D solid
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2D Axisymmetric
triangular)
solid (tetrahedra, bricks,

and wedges)
How AutoGEM Uses Existing Geometry

AutoGEM uses existing geometry as follows:
• For 3D models,the Curve option creates beam endpoints on all points

associated with curves.
• The Surface option creates element edges on:
o surface boundary curves

o interior curves associated with surfaces
• The Surface option creates element endpoints on:
o points associated with those curves

o points directly associated with surfaces
• The Volume option creates element edges on all curves associated with
boundary surfaces. Boundary surfaces are surfaces along the outer or inner
boundary of a volume. The Volume option creates element endpoints on:
o all points associated with curves on boundary surfaces

o all points directly associated with boundary surfaces
AutoGEM creates, moves, deletes, or ignores geometry as follows:
• AutoGEM creates multiple edges on a single curve if needed to make the

element valid. For example, if a curve spans an arc angle of more than 95 ,
AutoGEM creates more than one edge on that curve.
• AutoGEM adds extra points to surface interior and boundary curves if needed
to generate a complete set of elements.
• AutoGEM moves points or deletes unnecessary points created during meshing
unless you deselect the Move or Delete Existing Points option on the
Settings tab. It does not, however, move or delete user-created datum
points.
• AutoGEM ignores points and curves that are not associated with the curves,
surfaces, or volumes you select.
• AutoGEM ignores geometry fully encased inside volumes. It does not,
however, ignore volume regions or geometry that is associated with the
volume boundary.
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How AutoGEM Uses Existing Elements

You can use AutoGEM commands on curves and surfaces that are already partially
covered with elements. AutoGEM recognizes the existing elements and incorporates
them as part of the final set of elements it creates.
However, existing elements can overconstrain AutoGEM, resulting in an incomplete

set of elements. If you select Modify or Delete Existing Elements on the Settings
tab, AutoGEM deletes existing tetrahedral solid and shell elements as required to
complete the set of elements.
You can also use AutoGEM on volumes with existing elements. With a volume,
AutoGEM recognizes solid elements whose faces are directly or indirectly associated
with boundary surfaces. A solid is indirectly associated with a boundary surface when
a series of adjacent solids extends from the interior of a volume to its boundary. It is
sometimes useful to know the number of solid elements in a volume so that you can
compare this number with the number AutoGEM reports.
By default, AutoGEM links the tetrahedral solid faces it creates to existing brick and
wedge quad faces.
Note: If you do not want AutoGEM to use existing elements, you must delete
the elements before carrying out an AutoGEM command.
Surface
Select the Surface option in the AutoGEM References area of the AutoGEM dialog
box to create shell elements, 2D plate elements, or 2D shell elements on one or
more surfaces that you select. AutoGEM creates the type of element appropriate for
your model type.
The description of the Surface command is divided into the following sections:
• Using Surface
• Strategies for Using the Surface Option
Using Surface
When you select the Surface option, Mechanica asks you to select one or more
surfaces. It then begins to preprocess your model. Preprocessing evaluates your
model to determine if the surfaces and topology of your model are meshable, and
prepares your model to be meshed. AutoGEM displays messages if it determines,
during this phase, that it will not be able to mesh the model given the element limits
or other conditions.
After preprocessing is complete, AutoGEM creates a set of shell elements for the
model. AutoGEM attempts to optimize elements by trying different element
combinations until it finds a set that best meets its criteria.
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Note: Element optimization for shells is typically very fast. If you think that it
is taking too long, you can interrupt the process.
Provided you selected the Quad and Tri option on the Settings tab of the
AutoGEM Settings dialog box, AutoGEM tries to reduce the number of elements
where possible after it creates a complete set of elements. It reduces elements by
combining triangular elements into quadrilateral elements. While you can interrupt
AutoGEM, allowing it to complete this stage can result in a noticeable reduction in
elements, often by 50% or so.
If your model includes idealizations such as beams, springs, or masses, AutoGEM

first meshes the surfaces, adding shell elements. It then adds the beams, springs,
and so forth.
If AutoGEM completes successfully, the AutoGEM Summary dialog box appears. If

AutoGEM does not complete successfully, it displays messages or message boxes
explaining the problem and adds this information to the log file.
Strategies for Using the Surface Option

If AutoGEM has not created a full set of elements on the surfaces you selected, or if
you want a different set of elements than what AutoGEM created, you can try one or
more of the following steps:
• Use the Boundary Edges option on the AutoGEM Info menu to find and
examine unfinished areas of the model.
• Inspect the geometry, for problems.
• If you deselect the Insert Points and Move Or Delete Existing Points
options, AutoGEM creates the best set of elements possible without inserting
or moving points. Deselecting these options gives you more control over the
elements AutoGEM creates.
• In rare cases, reduce the minimum edge angle, increase the maximum edge
angle, or increase the aspect ratio on the Limits tab.
• If you are working with an assembly that fails to mesh, use Info>Tolerance
Report to check the component tolerances to make sure that they are close
enough. If not, return to Pro/ENGINEER and use Edit>Setup>Accuracy to
change the accuracy values of any component whose tolerance appears to be
too high.
lume
Select the Volume option in the AutoGEM References area of the AutoGEM dialog
box to create solid elements in one or more volumes that you select.
The description of Volume is divided into the following sections:
• Using Volume
• Strategies for Using the Volume Option
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Using Volume
When you select the Volume option, Mechanica asks you to select one or more
volumes. It then begins to preprocess your model. Preprocessing searches your
model for existing elements, evaluates your model to determine if the surfaces and
topology of your model are meshable, and prepares your model to be meshed. If any
preprocessing step requires more than 30 seconds, AutoGEM displays messages in
the command area indicating its progress. AutoGEM also displays messages if it
determines, during this phase, that it will not be able to mesh the model given the
element limits or other conditions.
After preprocessing is complete, AutoGEM searches for existing elements, and

creates a mesh as follows:
• If it finds existing elements, AutoGEM retains these elements and begins to

build a mesh using the existing elements as a starting point.
• If it does not find existing elements, AutoGEM creates an entirely new set of
elements.
In either case, AutoGEM attempts to optimize elements by trying different element

combinations until it finds a set that best meets its criteria. Mechanica regularly
updates the status messages concerning how many elements AutoGEM has created.
This gives you a general idea of how AutoGEM is progressing. If you think that it is
taking too long, you can interrupt the process. See Interrupting AutoGEM for
information on using completion status to determine if you should interrupt
AutoGEM.
After AutoGEM creates a complete set of elements, it tries to reduce the number of
elements where possible. While you can interrupt AutoGEM, allowing it to complete
this stage usually results in a 30–70% reduction in elements.
If your model includes idealizations such as shells, beams, springs, or masses,

AutoGEM first meshes any volumes, adding solid elements. It then creates the shell
mesh and, finally, adds the beams, springs, and so forth. If necessary, AutoGEM
shifts between solid and shell meshing to meet the mesh quality criteria.
If AutoGEM completes successfully or you interrupt it, the AutoGEM Summary

dialog box appears. If AutoGEM does not complete successfully, it displays messages
or message boxes explaining the problem and adds this information to the log file.
Strategies for Using the Volume Option

The following are some strategies you can follow to use Volume more effectively:
• If the boundary processing stage takes too long, interrupt AutoGEM.

• If AutoGEM has not created a full set of elements on the volumes you
selected, you can try one or more methods listed in Create a Full Set of
Elements.
• Volume can be very sensitive to increasing the minimum face and edge
angles above 5 on the dialog box, especially for complex parts. Sometimes,
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increasing the minimum face angle a couple of degrees can result in many
more tetrahedral elements and take much longer to complete.
• AutoGEM can handle multiple volumes that share common surface regions.
When you use Volume, select all volumes at the same time.
• If you want to create elements for a thin region, for example, sheet metal,
use the Settings tab on the AutoGEM Settings dialog box to select wedges,
bricks, and tetrahedrons as the elements for AutoGEM to use. For parts that
have both thick and thin regions, AutoGEM uses wedges, bricks, and
tetrahedrons and automatically creates links where required.
• If you are working with an assembly that fails to mesh, use Info>Tolerance
Report to check the component tolerances to make sure that they are close
enough. If not, return to Pro/ENGINEER and use Edit>Setup>Accuracy to
change the accuracy values of any component whose tolerance appears to be
too high.
Status Messages
While meshing your model, Mechanica displays and regularly updates status
messages that give you a general idea of how AutoGEM is progressing. The following
are some tips on how to interpret these messages:
• The completion percentage is based on a simple estimate of how many total

elements Mechanica will need for the selected volume. The actual number of
elements Mechanica creates may vary significantly from these interim
estimates.
• The completion percentage estimate can increase even as the number of
elements created decreases. This only indicates that AutoGEM is changing its
estimate of how many elements will be needed to complete the selected
volumes as it tries different combinations of elements.
• The completion percentage sometimes decreases at least a few times during
element creation. Even if AutoGEM appears to stall at a particular completion
percentage, it will usually complete successfully.
If AutoGEM Completes Successfully

If AutoGEM completes successfully, the AutoGEM Summary dialog box appears,
displaying:
• Entity Count — number of elements, edges, faces, and links created

• Criteria Satisfied — minimum and maximum edge angles used
• Max Aspect Ratio — aspect ratio of a solid face's length to its width and a
shell's length to its width. You can control the maximum allowable aspect
ratio through the Limits tab on the AutoGEM Settings dialog box.
• Elapsed Time — elapsed time that the command used
• CPU Time — CPU time that the command used
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Interrupting AutoGEM
You can interrupt AutoGEM at any time by clicking the Pro/ENGINEER stop sign in
the lower right corner of the screen. You may want to interrupt for one of the
following reasons:
• AutoGEM has been running for an unexpectedly long time.

• The command line messages indicate that AutoGEM is not making progress in
creating new elements.
Consult the guidelines for deciding when to interrupt AutoGEM to learn more about
the factors you should weigh.
If you interrupt the meshing session:
• before you see the Creating element type elements status message,
AutoGEM will not create any elements
• after you see the status message, AutoGEM will usually create only a partial
set of elements
AutoGEM usually responds to your interrupt request rapidly. If AutoGEM has already
begun to create elements, it displays a message box indicating the current element
completion percentage, how many elements AutoGEM has created, or what meshing
process AutoGEM is currently performing. The message box prompts you to decide
whether you really want to stop the mesh. If you click Yes, the software opens the
AutoGEM Summary dialog box. If you click No, AutoGEM resumes creating the
mesh.
When you interrupt AutoGEM during element creation, Mechanica displays the mesh
in its current, incomplete state. You can study the mesh and determine where the
problems might lie. After you correct any problems by adding datum geometry to
refine the mesh in the problem areas, relaxing the element limits, or a variety of
other methods, you can run AutoGEM against the existing mesh to complete the
element creation process.
Diagnosing AutoGEM Problems

Mechanica writes AutoGEM status and error messages to the log file. The file also
contains a summary of the AutoGEM portion of the run, including the number of
elements AutoGEM created. If AutoGEM is unable to create a complete set of
elements for your model, Mechanica writes an error message to the log file. You can
inspect the mesh and the log file to determine where the problem might lie and
which areas of the geometry might be suspect. Pay particular attention if your model
demonstrates an unexpectedly high element count given the geometry, shows
unusual element concentrations often indicated by dense point clouds.
You can also determine modeling errors after performing an analysis by selecting the
Info>Diagnose menu option on the Analyses and Design Studies dialog box.
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After you identify the problem, the best way to fix the geometry may be to modify
the part dimensions. For example, if a hole that you intended to go through your
part does not extend far enough, the part may have an extremely thin region that is
not practical to mesh. Another example of geometry that can cause meshing
problems is a cosmetic round with a very small radius. You can suppress these
features before you analyze the part.
See Strategies for Using the Surface Option and Strategies for Using the Volume
Option for more information on actions you can take to fix AutoGEM problems.
Using the AutoGEM Log File

Log
You can access the AutoGEM log file by selecting Info>AutoGEM Log on the
AutoGEM dialog box. The AutoGEM log file provides information about the most
recent AutoGEM operation you executed for the current model.
You can access the AutoGEM log file regardless of whether AutoGEM completed
successfully or unsuccessfully, or whether you interrupted it.
Mechanica saves:
• the AutoGEM log file as model_name.agm (where model_name is the name of

your model)
• the previous AutoGEM log file, if one exists, as model_name.agb
These files are overwritten with each successive AutoGEM session. If you want to
save a particular AutoGEM log file, you can rename it through the operating system.
AutoGEM Log File Information

The log file provides the following information:
• A brief introduction about the AutoGEM session

• A summary of the AutoGEM settings you specified for your model
• A history of the command line messages, status messages, error messages,
and informational messages AutoGEM issued during the session. This includes
feedback normally issued through message boxes as well as command and
status area messages.
• A summary of the elements, edges, faces, and links created during the run
and the criteria, such as aspect ratio and edge and face angles, satisfied by
the run
You can access the AutoGEM log file regardless of whether AutoGEM completed
successfully or unsuccessfully, or whether you interrupted it.
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Example: Reducing the Element Count

If you run an analysis or design study and find out that your model has too many
elements, you can change certain values on the Limits tab—typically the value in
the Allowable Angles field. Even slight changes in this field can result in a
substantial lowering of the element count.
For example, if you determine that AutoGEM created 10,000 elements for a fairly
simple model, you can consider changing the Allowable Angles value. In this case,
you might reduce the minimum edge and face angles from 5 to 2. You might also
increase the maximum edge and face angles from 175 to 178. Although these
appear to be minor changes, they can reduce the number of elements by 20-30%.
Note that you do not increase the allowable edge turn. Although increasing the edge
turn reduces the number of elements, the reduction is not appreciable.
Consequently, setting a value higher than the default generally does not produce
dramatic changes in element count.
Reduce the Number of Solid Elements

If AutoGEM creates more solid elements than you can successfully analyze on your
machine, you may need to modify your model in one or more of the following ways:
• Suppress part features that you know have little or no effect on your results.
• If your model has an extremely high number of local measures, consider
deleting some of these measures.
• Relax the element quality criteria on the Limits tab.
For example, you can use this dialog box to change the minimum and
maximum edge and face angles. Changing these angles can significantly lower
the number of elements for some parts. However, because the resulting
elements are less robust, your model may experience slower analysis
convergence.
Applying AutoGEM Settings

AutoGEM Settings Dialog Box
When you select the AutoGEM>Settings command, the AutoGEM Settings dialog
box appears. The default settings that Mechanica displays when you first open the
AutoGEM Settings dialog box, are optimized to give a superior mesh in most cases.
However, AutoGEM may not be able to mesh all models using these defaults. If your
model fails to mesh, one approach to remedying the problem is to change the
AutoGEM settings or simply alter the values on the Limits tab. For more information
about diagnosing element problems, see Diagnose AutoGEM Problems.
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The dialog box displays these areas and tabs:
• Feature Isolation — Determines the list of entities that AutoGEM can detect
and isolate using mesh refinement.
• Settings tab — Enables you to control various characteristics of element
creation, such as element type and aspect ratio.
• Limits tab — Enables you to set limits on AutoGEM when it is creating and
editing elements.
When you save your model, Mechanica saves the AutoGEM settings with the model.
These settings then become the current settings when you reopen the model.
Feature Isolation
This area appears in both Structure and Thermal, and enables you to refine the mesh
near certain geometric features or modeling entities. You use this area if your model
includes geometry, loads, constraints, or boundary conditions that would result in
mathematical singularities. Singularities are areas of theoretically infinite stress or
temperature flux and are undesirable because they can skew analysis results. For
example, point loads in shell or solid models create singularities, or stress
concentrations. In this case, your analysis solution may primarily reflect these stress
concentrations, hampering your ability to focus on overall stress behaviors that you
may be more interested in.
You use feature isolation to surround certain types of singularities in your model with
a more refined mesh. When feature isolation is active, Mechanica populates the area
around each singularity with small elements. Working outward from the singularity,
the element size increases so that it blends compatibly with the overall model mesh.
This meshing approach partially compensates for the impact of singularities on the
solution by spreading the behavior over a greater number of elements—in effect,
isolating the singularities.
For the Feature Isolation area, you can select one of two menu options—
Structural or Thermal. Below this menu, the dialog box displays a list of entities
that commonly cause singularities, and that AutoGEM can detect and isolate when it
generates elements. The list is different depending on whether you select Structural
or Thermal:
Structural Thermal
Reentrant Corners Reentrant Corners
Point Loads Point Heat Loads
Point Constraints Point Prescribed Temperatures
Point Convection Conditions
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AutoGEM detects both structural and thermal entities regardless of whether you are
working in either Structure or Thermal. Your model uses the same elements for the
structural and thermal versions, so you should check your settings for both the
modes before you use AutoGEM.
For example, if you are currently in Structure, but the thermal version of your model
contains a point heat load, AutoGEM detects only the point heat load if you select
that item on the thermal version of this dialog box. If Point Heat Loads is not
selected, AutoGEM creates elements that may work well only for the structural
version of your model.
Settings Tab
The tab displays these options:
• Insert Points — Add extra points when needed to complete a valid mesh.
• Move or Delete Existing Points — Move or delete existing points when
needed to optimize the element configuration for your model.
• Modify or Delete Existing Elements — Modify or delete existing elements
to improve or complete element creation.
• Automatic Interrupt — Stop AutoGEM automatically after it creates a
specified percentage of elements.
• Create Links Where Needed — Create links when needed to connect shell
elements to solid elements or solid quadrilateral faces to solid triangular
faces.
• Detailed Fillet Modeling — Create a greater number of elements near fillets
to produce smoother fringe plots.
• Display AutoGEM Messages — Display the messages and message boxes
that AutoGEM generates during its session. Even if you deselect this option,
the software writes the messages to the AutoGEM log file.
• Delete Mesh Points When Deleting Elements — When deleting mesh
elements, remove points inserted during an AutoGEM session.
• Element Types — Create different types of elements:
o Shells
o Solids
Limits Tab
The options on this tab enable you to set limits on AutoGEM when it is creating and
editing elements.
In general, you should use the defaults on the tab. They provide acceptable elements
for the greatest number of models. If AutoGEM encounters any problems when
generating elements, you can then change some of the settings on the tab to fine-
tune the elements that AutoGEM creates.
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The tab contains the following items:
• Limits For — Enables you to specify what kind of limits you are setting.
Select one of the following items from this list:
o Creating — AutoGEM limits the angles on elements that it creates
either during initial modeling or as the result of a geometry change.
o Editing — Editing limits are for element validity after smoothing or
editing. A geometry shape change caused by a design parameter
change may cause an element to violate the creation limit. If an
element violates the editing limit, you must delete the element and
allow AutoGEM to create new elements.
The limits on angles during AutoGEM element creation are set so that the
elements converge well during the analysis. To retain the same element set
during editing, the default editing limits are relaxed to reduce the element
regeneration that is required.
These relaxed editing limits enable AutoGEM to move points, which makes it
easier to maintain the original set of elements. When AutoGEM can edit
elements by repositioning points, elements are less likely to become invalid
and the model is less likely to require element regeneration.
• Allowable Angles (Degrees) — Enables you to set minimum and maximum

edge and face angles. By widening the spread of the default values, you can
reduce the number of elements AutoGEM creates. For an example, see
Reducing the Element Count.
• Max Edge Turn (Degrees) — Enables you to set the maximum subtended
edge angle. The lower the number you use in this entry box, the greater the
number of elements AutoGEM creates.
• Max Aspect Ratio — Enables you to set the maximum aspect ratio.
• Validate — Enables AutoGEM to highlight elements that do not meet the
limits.
• Default — Resets all the displayed values to the default values.
Specifying Mesh Treatment for Models with

Midsurfaces
The Solid, Midsurface, and Solid/Midsurface options on the AutoGEM menu let
you specify whether Mechanica will treat models that include midsurfaces as solid
models, midsurface shell models, or a mixture of both during meshing and analysis.
These toggle keys are only available in the native mode. In the FEM mode, you
indicate model treatment at the time you create the FEM mesh.
In models that have no midsurfaces, the Solid option is turned on and the
Midsurface and Solid/Midsurface options are deactivated. However, when you
define shell pairs for your model, the software automatically activates these two
options and turns on the Midsurface option. Provided that you keep the option on,
Mechanica meshes and analyzes the model as a shell model. If any potion of the
model is a solid, Mechanica omits that portion from the mesh and, consequently the
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analysis. If you want to include the solid portions of the model, turn on the
Solid/Midsurface option instead.
For models with midsurfaces, the Midsurface option stays on by default unless you
select one of the other two options and then save your model in that state. If you
delete all the shell pairs in your model, Mechanica automatically turns off and
deactivates the Midsurface and Solid/Midsurface options, reverting to the Solid
option.
Using the Datum Options

The Use Datum Curves and Use Datum Surfaces options on the AutoGEM menu
give you the ability to refine your mesh, include idealizations with references on
datum geometry, mesh datum geometry without having to add properties, and
control whether datum geometry will be available in the independent mode. Here is
an overview of how you can use these options:
• Use Datum Curves — This option enables you to use datum curves as a
form of mesh control. For example, you can seed your mesh by closely
surrounding a problem area with datum curves to force a more granular mesh
in that area.
Note: As an alternative to seeding the mesh with datum curves, you can
surround a problem area with a surface region. AutoGEM respects
surface regions regardless of whether you set the Use Datum Curves
option.
• Use Datum Surfaces — This option enables you to mesh datum surfaces
that have no associated properties—for example, quilts that have no shell
idealizations.
Additionally, if you want datum curves and surfaces that have no associated
modeling entities to transfer to independent mode, you need to be sure these toggle
keys are on before you use the File>Independent Mechanica command.
Working with Geometry Tolerances

About Geometry Tolerance
If your model fails to mesh when you run AutoGEM or an analysis, you may be able
to fix the problem by working with the geometry tolerance settings for your model.
Adjusting the geometry tolerance settings can help you eliminate such problems as
small geometry, sharp angles, and negative angles that can hamper the creation of a
precise mesh. Working with geometry tolerances is particularly useful for simplifying
the geometry of models with large differences in scale. In addition, geometry
tolerances determine whether Mechanica merges overlapping parts in a midsurface
assembly or uses automatic midsurface connections.
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Use the AutoGEM>Geometry Tolerance command to specify the geometry

tolerances that you want Mechanica to apply to your model. When you select this
command, the Geometry Tolerance Settings dialog box appears, enabling you to
specify several tolerance values such as Minimum Edge Length, Minimum
Surface Dimension, Minimum cusp Angle, and Merge tolerance.
Mechanica merges or removes geometry based on the tolerance values you specify,
but the definition of the surrounding geometric entities remains unchanged.
In deciding new tolerance values, you should consider the effect you want to
achieve. For example, if you find that a mesh fails because some of the edges in the
model are too small for AutoGEM to correctly resolve, you might increase the
minimum edge length tolerance value to ensure that AutoGEM could resolve the
problem edges. However, if you find that AutoGEM merges away a surface sliver that
you want to see results for, you might instead reduce the minimum surface
dimension, forcing AutoGEM to acknowledge the surface. When adjusting tolerance
values, bear the following in mind:
• You should not enter extremely large values that may prevent the model from
meshing or running an analysis.
• Any changes you make to the tolerance values should not diverge
significantly from the defaults in place when you open the Geometry
Tolerance Settings dialog box. As a general rule, you should keep such
changes within 10% of the defaults displayed in the dialog box.
• If you enter erroneous values in any of the fields, you can reset the dialog
box to the default values.
Geometry Tolerance Settings Dialog Box

When you select AutoGEM>Geometry Tolerance, the Geometry Tolerance
Settings dialog box appears.
This dialog box includes the following items:
• Minimum Edge Length — Specify the minimum length for the edges in your
model. Mechanica retains all the edges whose length exceeds the minimum
and merges the end points of any edge whose length is less than the
minimum into a single node. The size of the node corresponds to the length of
the original edge. You can specify the minimum length of an edge as an
absolute or relative value.
• Minimum Surface Dimension — Specify the dimensions of the surfaces in
your model. Mechanica retains all the surfaces whose dimensions exceed the
minimum and merges each of the surfaces whose dimensions are less than
the minimum into an edge whose length represents the original surface. If the
resulting edge is shorter than the value that appears in the Minimum Edge
Length field, Mechanica merges the surface into a vertex instead. You can
specify the minimum surface dimension as an absolute or relative value.
• Minimum Cusp Angle — Specify the minimum angle of the cusp formed
where two arcs meet or an arc meets an edge or surface. Mechanica
eliminates any angle less than this value by moving the node at the end of
the surfaces or edges to the nearest location that forms an acceptable angle.
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In effect, Mechanica shortens the surfaces or edges. You specify the minimum
angle value in degrees. While Mechanica accepts negative values in this field,
negative values typically result in poor geometry and meshing failures. You
can eliminate the negative angles by specifying a value of zero in the
Minimum Cusp Angle field.
• Merge Tolerance — Specify the distance below which Mechanica will merge
mated or overlapping surfaces in midsurface assemblies. When determining
how to treat mated or overlapping surfaces in a midsurface assembly,
Mechanica uses this value as a guideline. If the mated or overlapping surface
is closer than the specified distance, Mechanica merges the surfaces. If the
surfaces are further apart, Mechanica creates automatic midsurface
connections instead. You can specify the merge tolerance as an absolute or
relative value.
• Default
Absolute and Relative Tolerance Settings

When specifying geometry tolerance settings on the Geometry Tolerance Settings
dialog box, you can specify absolute values or values relative to the model, part or
feature using the following options:
• Relative to model — Specify the tolerance as a ratio of the geometric entity

in question—edge, surface, or merge distance—to the size of the model.
Mechanica determines the size of the model by measuring the diagonal length
of a bounding box that surrounds the model in Cartesian space. The software
measures the diagonal from the smallest XY bounding box vertex to the
largest, using the WCS as the basis for the coordinate directions. In using
Relative to model, take special note of how your model is oriented relative
to the WCS.
While you can use Relative to model for part models, this option is primarily
useful for capturing an entire assembly.
• Relative to part — Specify the tolerance as a ratio of the geometric entity in

question—edge, surface, or merge distance—to the size of the part. As with
Relative to model, Mechanica determines the size of the part by measuring
the diagonal length of a bounding box, and you need to pay special attention
to how the part is oriented relative to the WCS.
If you use Relative to part for an assembly, Mechanica calculates the

bounding box and diagonal for each part whose geometry does not meet the
tolerance you specify. The software adjusts the geometry for each part relative
to the diagonal for that part. In the case of Merge Tolerance, Mechanica places
a single bounding box around both members of part pairs that have mated or
overlapping surfaces.
• Absolute — Specify the tolerance setting as an absolute value.
Note: To ensure that Mechanica will produce usable geometry with the tolerance
settings you specify, you should keep all tolerance settings within 10% of the default
values for the dialog box.
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FEM Meshes
About FEM Meshes
After you define a model in the FEM mode, you can generate a finite element mesh
for it. You can mesh solids, midsurfaces, and shells separately or in any combination.
You can also mesh bars and mass idealizations.
Depending on how you configure your session, Mechanica treats the mesh as either a
transient or retained modeling object. There are special modeling implications for
both approaches, particularly if you are working with assemblies.
To control, generate, and check a FEM mesh, use the Mesh menu. Before you create
a mesh, this menu contains three commands:
• Controls — Opens the Mesh Control dialog box. Use this dialog box to
create mesh controls. Mesh controls determine the size of the elements,
numbering of nodes and elements, and so on. For submodels in an assembly,
you can suppress a particular mesh control type, or all mesh control types.
• Create — Opens the Create FEM Mesh dialog box. Use this dialog box to
specify the element type and generate the mesh.
• Operations — Opens the MESH OPER menu if the config.pro option
fem_mesh_operations is set to yes. Use this menu to import NASTRAN files.
See the configuration file documentation for more information.
After Mechanica successfully generates a mesh, the following commands also

become active:
• Improve — Attempts to improve the mesh. When you select Improve, the
software asks you to enter the number of additional passes you want for
mesh shape improvement. After you enter the number of passes, the
software tries to improve the shape of solid and shell elements and redraws
the model.
• Erase — Erases an existing mesh from memory. You can erase an individual
mesh or remove all meshes in the current assembly. This command is
particularly helpful if you are working with hierarchical assembly meshing, but
can sometimes prove useful for other meshes as well.
Note: This command only erases the mesh from memory. The Erase
command does not erase saved mesh files from disk.
• Review — Opens the REVIEW MESH menu so you can review meshes,
nodes, or elements.
• Check Elements — Opens the Element Quality Checks dialog box so you
can check element quality.
You can save the mesh data to a database file for later retrieval.
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Transient and Retained FEM Meshes

Transient and Retained Meshes
Transient meshes are meshes that are present during certain modeling phases but
not others. Retained meshes, once created, are present for all steps of the modeling
process unless you define a modeling entity that invalidates the mesh.
Transient meshes are convenient in situations where you want to experiment freely
with meshing or where you plan to define all modeling entities and analyses before
creating a mesh. However, if you want to re-use existing meshes or expect to work
with modeling entities and analyses after you mesh, you should consider setting your
session to use retained meshes.
By default, Mechanica uses transient meshes for FEM mode. If you want to use
retained meshing, you need to set the fem_mesh_preserve configuration option in
your config.pro file before you start your session. Be aware that this also affects
whether Mechanica automatically saves and retrieves your mesh.
Your decision on whether to set your session for transient or retained meshing
affects the simulation modeling process, determines the assembly meshing methods
you can use, and involves distinct usage guidelines. You may find that you want to
work with transient meshes for certain model types or during certain modeling
phases, but switch to retained meshes for other model types or modeling phases.
Switching between the two forms of meshing can make modeling more efficient in
some situations, particularly if you determine how you want to handle your model
meshes in advance.
To learn more about these mesh types, their workflow, and the guidelines you should
observe, see If You Use Transient Meshes and If You Use Retained Meshes.
If You Use Transient Meshes

If you configure your session for transient meshing, be aware that:
• Mechanica assumes that, even if you stored a mesh for the model in the past,
you do not necessarily want to reuse that mesh in the current session.
Therefore, the software does not automatically import any existing meshes
when it brings your model into FEM mode. If you decide you want to use an
existing mesh, you can manually retrieve it.
• Mechanica only retains the mesh while you are in the Mesh menu or the Run
FEM Analysis dialog box. If you leave this menu to perform modeling or
analysis definition tasks before you run your analysis, the software deletes
the mesh. In other words, for transient meshes, the software expects you to
start a run immediately after creating a satisfactory mesh. Thus, you should
define your model using the following sequence:
1. Create all modeling entities, idealizations, and properties.
2. Define all analyses.
3. Mesh the model.
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4. Run the analysis.

• For assembly models, you can only perform flat meshing. Because transient
mesh sessions do not call existing meshes, you cannot create a hierarchy of
existing meshes within the assembly model.
• If you want to save a mesh in transient mesh sessions, you must use the
File>Save FEM Mesh command.
If you decide to configure your session for transient meshes, be sure to observe the
guidelines for working with transient meshes.
If You Use Retained Meshes

If you configure your session for retained meshing, be aware that:
• Mechanica assumes that, if you created a mesh for the model during past
sessions, you want to reuse it in the current session. Therefore, the software
automatically imports the mesh from the associated .fmp(a) file when it
brings your model into FEM mode.
• Mechanica retains the model mesh throughout your session provided that you
do not add modeling entities that invalidate the mesh. Thus, you are free to
perform most activities in the order you please. This flexibility is handy in
situations where you know you may need to update your modeling entities at
various intervals.
• After you create the mesh, Mechanica displays the mesh model with the
geometry model even if you leave the Mesh menu to perform such activities
as defining modeling entities, properties, and idealizations, defining analyses,
and so forth. You can control how Mechanica displays the mesh model
through the View>Simulation Display command.
• For assembly models, you can create both flat meshes and hierarchical
meshes.
• Mechanica saves your mesh automatically to an .fmp(a) file.
If you decide to configure your session for retained meshes, be sure to observe the
guidelines for working with retained meshes.
Meshing Guidelines
Guidelines for Transient Meshes
If you configured your session for transient meshing, make sure that you have
completed the following tasks prior to meshing a part or an assembly:
• Simplified the part or assembly to remove features unnecessary for finite

element analysis
• Suppressed any geometry whose only purpose is to serve as a vehicle for
meshing a particular element type—for example, a solid used for placement of
bar elements
• Assigned a material to the part or assembly
• Added all required loads and boundary conditions to the part or assembly
• Defined any idealizations
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• For shell-meshed features:

o created the appropriate shell model by defining all surface pairs
o assigned material to shell pairs and solid portions of the model
o defined idealizations to represent bars, connections, weld elements,
and gaps
• For assembly components that need to transmit loads, established
connections between surfaces or edges that do not overlap or touch
• Defined analyses
• Applied the appropriate mesh controls to control the characteristics of the
mesh
• Optionally set up any predefined criteria in the configuration file (config.pro)
against which to evaluate the quality of the mesh
See Troubleshooting FEM Mesh Generation for help with mesh-generation problems.
Guidelines for Retained Meshes

If you configured your session to use retained meshing, make sure that you have
completed the following tasks prior to meshing a part or an assembly:
• Simplified the part or assembly to remove features unnecessary for finite

element analysis
• Suppressed any geometry whose only purpose is to serve as a vehicle for
meshing a particular element type—for example, a solid used for placement of
bar elements
• Added surface and volume regions
• Added any loads and boundary conditions that reference datum points
• Added any idealizations that could affect the mesh
• For shell-meshed features:
o created the appropriate shell model by defining all surface pairs
o defined idealizations to represent bars, weld elements, and gaps
• Suppressed all geometry features modeled as bar elements—for example, a
bar element that serves as a strut
• Established connections between any load-transmitting surfaces or edges that
do not touch or overlap
• For hierarchical meshing:
o created all hard points required to properly connect pre-meshed
assembly components
o established connections between all load-transmitting surfaces or
edges on pre-meshed components, whether or not the surfaces or
edges touch
o applied mesh controls to resolve any node and element numbering
conflicts
• Applied the appropriate mesh controls to control the characteristics of the
mesh
• Optionally set up any predefined criteria in the configuration file (config.pro)
against which to evaluate the quality of the mesh
See Troubleshooting FEM Mesh Generation for help with mesh-generation problems.
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Invalidating a Mesh
If you set your session to use retained meshes, Mechanica attempts to preserve the
model mesh throughout the session, enabling you to define modeling entities and
analyses without perturbing the mesh. However, adding or modifying certain types of
modeling entities can invalidate the mesh.
For example, Mechanica treats any point that has an applied load or boundary
condition as a mesh node. Therefore, if you add a point load to a datum point in your
model, the original mesh is no longer valid because it does not account for the newly
added node.
While a variety of actions can invalidate a mesh, here is a list of the main causes of
mesh invalidation:
• In Pro/ENGINEER:
o changing model geometry
o changing the way assembly components connect
o removing assembly components
• Modifying or deleting datum features
• Creating, modifying, or deleting surface regions or volume regions
• Creating or modifying a load, boundary condition, beam, spring, gap, mass,
rigid link, or weighted link such that it references a datum point or vertex that
you have not already declared as a hard point mesh control. You can,
however, change characteristics such as the value of a load, degrees of
freedom for a constraint, and so forth without invalidating the mesh.
• Creating, modifying, or deleting connections—for example, end welds,
perimeter welds, interfaces, and so forth
• Creating or deleting idealizations that affect the way the mesh generator
meshes the part or assembly. You encounter cases such as this when:
o creating a beam idealization on a curve or deleting one from a curve
o creating or deleting a shell idealization on a quilt or surface
Mechanica only includes bars and quilts in the mesh if you define them as
idealizations. Therefore, adding or deleting these idealizations changes the
way the mesh generator would treat the part or assembly, thus invalidating
the mesh.
• Adding, modifying, or deleting a mesh control other than Mesh ID Offset
If you invalidate a mesh, Mechanica informs you of the problem during modeling or
meshing. If you introduce the invalidating factor at modeling time, Mechanica takes
one of two actions, depending on whether the factor affects the top-level mesh or a
lower-level component mesh:
• Top-level Mesh — Mechanica warns you of the problem and gives you the
option of correcting the invalidating factor. If you do not correct the factor,
the software immediately removes the mesh.
• Lower-level Component Mesh — Mechanica warns you of the problem, but
leaves the mesh intact until you next mesh the component. At that time,
Mechanica respects the mesh, but silently ignores the invalidating factor.
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Troubleshooting FEM Mesh Generation

The following may prevent mesh generation in part mode:
• Imperfections in model geometry — Use

Analysis>ModelCHECK>GeomIntegrityCHECK to investigate the features
flagged by the software. Resolve any errors or warnings before meshing the
model.
• Insufficient data — When the software is unable to mesh, the mesh
generator may prompt you to apply more mesh controls to specified
geometry. If the error message appears again after applying the appropriate
mesh controls, you should evaluate the model for the presence of invalid
geometry.
• Inappropriate mesh controls — If the software is unable to generate a
mesh, your model may include mesh controls that are inappropriate to the
geometry. You can experiment with adding, changing, or removing mesh
controls to determine which mesh control causes the problem. You may also
be able to isolate problem geometry by suppressing some features.
When you attempt to generate a mesh in assembly mode and the system gives you
an error message, also consider the following:
• Interference — The mesh generator cannot mesh assemblies that have

interference. Use the Analysis>Model Analysis command and resulting
Model Analysis dialog box to check for global interference in your model.
• Minimum element size — A Minimum Element Size mesh control set for
one part may not be appropriate for the entire assembly. If this is the case,
remove all Minimum Element Size mesh controls assigned to the parts and
try to mesh the assembly again. If you are still unsuccessful, remove all
Maximum Element Size mesh controls as well.
Note: If you are working at the assembly level, you can often use
Ignored Mesh Control on the Mesh Control dialog box instead of
actually removing the mesh controls from lower-level components.
• Design flaws — Design flaws in model geometry—such as misalignment,

overlapping geometry, and other imperfections in part geometry—can often
prevent the mesh generator from meshing assemblies even if it could
successfully mesh constituent parts in part mode. You may need to
temporarily suppress some components and attempt to mesh the assembly so
you can determine which parts cause the problem. After you find the problem
parts, try to eliminate imperfections.
• Curved surfaces — Some assemblies contain curved surfaces on the
components that are close but not touching—for example, two concentric
cylinders of similar but not equal diameters. In this case, place a local
maximum, equal to the clearance, on the two opposing curved surfaces.
• Accuracy values — Accuracy values of the parts in the assembly must be
compatible. It is better for large models to have accuracy values comparable
to smaller models. If you have problems generating a mesh for an assembly,
you can run a report to check the accuracy values of each assembly
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component. This report shows you which components have tolerance values
that are too high so you can adjust them.
When the software fails to generate a solid mesh, check the available memory. If
you receive a memory error message, you can increase the amount of memory that
Pro/ENGINEER uses by modifying the sim_max_memory_usage configuration file
preference.
Assembly Meshing
Assembly Meshing Methods
To ensure that the meshing paradigm most closely meets your engineering needs
and design process, Mechanica provides two methods for meshing assemblies—flat
meshing and hierarchical meshing. These methods have distinct modeling
assumptions, have different implications for the overall modeling flow, and address
different product development requirements.
Here is an overview of the two methods:
• Flat Meshing — In flat meshing, Mechanica approaches an assembly as

though its components have no individual mesh history. The mesh generator
creates a single, cohesive mesh model for the entire assembly, developing
consistent meshes across all mated surfaces, all mated edges, and all
subcomponents that you explicitly connected.
Due to its relative ease of use, flat meshing is the preferred meshing method
for most assemblies. Consider flat meshing when:
o individual component meshes created in the past are unimportant to

the current assembly mesh
o you want to minimize the number of explicit component connections in
the assembly
For details on flat meshing and its implications for your model, see Flat
Meshing.
• Hierarchical Meshing — In hierarchical meshing, Mechanica assumes that

some or all of the assembly components have meshes important to the model
as a whole. The mesh generator creates a top-level mesh model for the
assembly that uses component meshes wherever possible. It does this by:
o preserving all complete and valid pre-existing component meshes
o adding its own consistent top-level mesh to any unmeshed
components, partially meshed components, and load path connections
Hierarchical meshing is a specialized form of meshing primarily suited for

large, complex assemblies. Consider hierarchical meshing if:
o you want to leverage the meshes already completed for individual

components
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o your design process uses separate teams to mesh individual assembly

components and the teams update these meshes at different times. In
this case, hierarchical meshing gives you the ability to choose which
mesh updates you want to incorporate, and which ones you want to
ignore.
o you want to maintain one mesh type for some components while
establishing a different mesh type for the rest of the assembly—for
example, if you want a triangular shell mesh for a set of aircraft flaps
and a quadrilateral shell mesh for the wing
For details on hierarchical meshing, guidelines for its use, and implications for
your model, see Hierarchical Meshing.
After you decide which type of meshing you want to use, you are likely to develop a
workflow that matches the steps required for the mesh. However, even if you begin
your work using one type of meshing, you can switch to the other type freely. You
simply need to make sure that you have fulfilled any mesh prerequisites.
Be aware that, while you can create flat meshes regardless of whether you use
retained or transient meshes, you can create hierarchical meshes only if you
configure your session to use retained meshes.
Flat Meshing
For flat meshing, Mechanica assumes your design goal is a one-level, unified mesh
for your model. This means that the session model should include no individual
component meshes. The easiest way to assure this is to work with transient meshes.
However, if you configured your session to use retained meshes instead, you can still
create a flat mesh by erasing component meshes on your screen before you create
your top-level assembly mesh.
How realistically you define your model determines the nature of your mesh and,
consequently, your solution quality. For example, if you do not establish which
components of an assembly transmit a load, your solution will not mirror the
behavior of the assembly. Therefore, you should be sure your assembly includes
connections for any load paths occurring between components that do not have
mated surfaces or overlapping edges.
Note: If your default connection type is not Bonded, you must usually
establish explicit connections for all mated components in the load path.
When you mesh your model, the mesh generator approaches your model as a single
unit, creating coincident meshes across mated surfaces and overlapping edges. The
mesh includes any nodes established by hard points, loads, boundary conditions,
idealizations, connections, or mesh controls. The mesh generator also observes the
mesh type you select.
After you create a flat mesh, you can perform analyses using any supported solver.
You can run the analysis online or offline. You can also view the results of your
analysis within Mechanica.
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Hierarchical Meshing
For hierarchical meshing, Mechanica assumes your design goal is a mesh model that
contains both the top-level assembly mesh and pre-existing component meshes for
one or more individual components. For convenience, this discussion refers to
components with pre-existing meshes as pre-meshed components. A pre-meshed
component can be an individual part or a subassembly.
Development of a hierarchical mesh may involve gathering meshes from multiple

designers, deciding which meshes to use or omit, and so forth. To ensure that you
complete all the required modeling phases, you may want to use a specific workflow
when developing a hierarchical mesh.
Because you can only use hierarchical meshing if you configure your session to use
retained meshes, be sure to set the fem_mesh_preserve config.pro option before
starting Pro/ENGINEER. With this option set, Mechanica checks the current directory
when you open your model in FEM mode. If it finds any existing component meshes,
it brings those meshes into the session. Thus, as your model opens, you see meshes
on pre-meshed components. Components that have no pre-existing meshes display
geometry only.
As with flat meshing, you should add connections to ensure that loads transmit
between unmeshed components that have no mated surfaces or overlapping edges.
You must also explicitly connect any pre-meshed component to the rest of the
assembly. As a prerequisite for this, the component must have hard points where
you want the connections before you generate the component-level mesh. If you do
not use hard points, Mechanica disregards the connection when you create the top-
level assembly mesh.
The way the mesh generator combines individual meshes to form a hierarchical mesh
can be complex. To learn how Mechanica builds hierarchical meshes and handles pre-
meshed components, see Understanding Hierarchical Meshes.
After you create a hierarchical mesh, you can run your model online or output your
model for analysis with your solver. If you choose the latter method, the output is
such that it will allow the solver to handle the assembly mesh hierarchically.
However, the exact arrangement of the output file is slightly different for NASTRAN
than it is for the other solvers. After your run is complete, you can view the results
of your analysis within Mechanica.
Hierarchical Meshing Workflow

There are several ways to approach working with hierarchical meshes, some more
efficient than others. The workflow you develop depends on the design process used
by your company, the nature of the assembly, and other factors beyond the scope of
this discussion.
However, to give you a general idea of one method, here is a sample workflow
appropriate for large assemblies. As you review this, bear in mind that you do not
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necessarily need to perform the steps in this order. You can get the same results
using a different sequence, and some steps may not be required for all situations.
For example, in this workflow, the designers complete all work on the individual
components before the system integrator starts working on the top-level assembly.
However, you could easily use a workflow where the system integrator sets up all
connections for the top-level assembly before the designers work on the component
meshes. The latter workflow is especially efficient for complex component-level
meshes because the hard point locations are identified very early in the process.
• Determine which components in the

top-level assembly will be pre-
meshed at the part or subassembly
level.
• At the part or subassembly level,
place hard points on these
components so you can create load-
Prepare the individual transmitting connections in the top-
components level assembly.
• Use the Mesh Numbering mesh
controls to allocate node, element,
and local mesh ID ranges to each
component so you can avoid
potential conflicts when you later
bring the components into the top-
level assembly.
• At the part or subassembly level,

Mesh the individual create meshes for any component
components that will appear as pre-meshed in the
top-level assembly.
• Add connections to the top-level

assembly:
o Connect pre-meshed
components to the rest of the
assembly using beams,
springs, gaps, rigid links, or
Prepare the top-level weighted links.
assembly o Where necessary, connect
unmeshed top-level assembly
components with beams,
springs, or connections.
• Turn off any component-level mesh
controls that you do not want the
mesh generator to use.
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• Add assembly-level mesh controls

where needed. Use the Mesh
Numbering and Mesh ID Offset
mesh controls to resolve any ID
conflicts in the top-level assembly.
• Generate the assembly mesh. The

resulting mesh includes both the top-
level mesh and the individual meshes
Mesh the top-level
of any pre-meshed components.
assembly
• If the mesh generator notifies you of
any problems, correct them and
remesh the assembly.
Understanding Hierarchical Meshes

A hierarchical mesh is a composite of the top-level mesh (the mesh of the current
assembly) and any component-level meshes (the pre-existing component meshes in
that assembly). When it creates a hierarchical mesh, Mechanica traverses the
assembly hierarchy from top to bottom looking for pre-meshed components. Each
time it finds one, it evaluates the component-level mesh and determines whether the
mesh is:
• Complete — A component has its own mesh in which all subcomponents

have a mesh.
• Partial — A subassembly has its own mesh, but not all its subcomponents
have meshes. This can occur if you mesh a subassembly, add a new
unmeshed component to that subassembly, and then do not remesh the
subassembly as a whole.
• Inherited — A component mesh is part of a larger component mesh. For
example, assume that pre-meshed part a is included in pre-meshed
subassembly b, which, in turn, is part of top-level assembly c. In this case,
subassembly b and part a both contribute inherited meshes to assembly c.
Part a also contributes an inherited mesh to subassembly b.
Here is how the mesh generator treats each situation:
Component Mesh State Action
Unmeshed Includes the component in the list of components

to be meshed.
Complete mesh Excludes the component from the list of

components to be meshed.
Partial mesh Displays a message asking if you want to remove

the current mesh. If so, the mesh generator adds
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Component Mesh State Action
the component to the list of components to be

meshed.
Inherited mesh Excludes the component from the list of

components to be meshed.
After it has prepared the list of components that it needs to mesh, the mesh
generator creates the top-level mesh. The resulting mesh model contains the top-
level mesh, which includes meshes for all connections and unmeshed components.
The mesh model also contains any complete or inherited component-level meshes.
In creating the mesh, the software respects all properly established connections
between subcomponents, ensuring that the solver will be able to correctly recognize
the assembly load paths. Here is how the mesh generator treats connections:
• Creates consistent meshes for connected components. These components can

transmit loads.
• Does not create consistent meshes for components that it considers
disconnected. These components remain in place and are part of the overall
mesh, but cannot participate in the load path.
As it proceeds, the mesh generator checks for any situations that invalidate the
mesh or cause unacceptable mesh inconsistencies. The mesh generator either
ignores the factor causing the problem or removes the mesh. The mesh generator
also checks for any node, element, or local mesh entity ID conflicts. If it finds any, it
warns you of the situation, providing a list of nodes, elements, and local mesh
entities that have numbering conflicts. To resolve this conflict, use the Mesh
Numbering or Mesh ID Offset mesh control, as appropriate.
When you output the model for use with the NASTRAN solver, Mechanica creates a
single file for the assembly. This file lists all the meshes in the model, starting with
the lowest level and working upward. It places the properties, materials, and
coordinate system records in the lower mesh structures, enabling you to separate
individual meshes from the whole and run these separately.
For other solvers, the file lists all model meshes, but does not arrange them
hierarchically. In this case, Mechanica arranges the file so that all nodes in the
assembly are in one section of the file, all elements are in another, all materials in
another, and so on. When it works with the file, the solver recreates the hierarchy
using information from each of these sections.
To see an example of how the mesh generator processes a hierarchical mesh, see
Example: Hierarchical Mesh Generation.
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Example: Hierarchical Mesh Generation

Here is an example of a top-level assembly containing three pre-meshed
subassemblies and a pre-meshed part.
In this example, different colors represent different individual component meshes.

Here, part f is a pre-meshed part, subassembly a has a complete mesh, and
subassembly d has a partial mesh. Subassembly b has a complete mesh that
contains an inherited mesh—the second instance of part f. Subassembly b and
subassembly c both include parts d and e. These parts have no part-level mesh, but
subassembly b's mesh incorporates both parts.
When it meshes the top-level assembly, the mesh generator preserves the existing
meshes for part f, subassembly a, and subassembly b. However, as subassembly d
has a partial mesh, the mesh generator asks whether you want to remove
subassembly d's mesh.
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If you do, the mesh generator creates the top-level mesh. Here is the result:
Connections in Assembly Meshing

Creating Load Paths for FEM Meshing
Before generating an assembly mesh model, you need to define where loads and
displacements transmit through the various assembly components. You accomplish
this by setting up load paths—assembly-level idealizations that establish a load-
transmitting connection between two components.
When the mesh generator encounters these idealizations, it creates nodes where the
idealizations contact each of the components. Thus, at the location of the load paths,
the component meshes are said to be consistent about the nodes. This consistency,
along with the idealizations themselves, enables loads to pass through the assembly.
The way you establish load paths varies depending on whether you are working with
flat meshes or hierarchical meshes. However, the underlying issue in both cases is
whether Mechanica recognizes a mesh connection between components. In some
cases, the mesh generator recognizes the connection automatically and, in others,
you must establish the connection yourself.
To learn about establishing load paths for the two mesh types, see Load Paths for
Flat Meshes and Load Paths for Hierarchical Meshes.
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Load Paths for Flat Meshes

Mechanica establishes or recognizes a load path for flat meshes under two
conditions:
• Components with Mated Surfaces or Edges — In this case, the software

recognizes that the geometries are fully connected at the surfaces or edges.
When the mesh generator finds this type of geometric connection, it
determines the default connection type for the assembly. It then
automatically assigns that connection type to the geometrically connected
area.
Note: Use the Properties>Default Interface Type command to

define the default connection type. The default type is normally
Bonded, but you can reset it to Free.
As the mesh generator meshes the assembly, it creates matching nodes on

the contacting geometries. For Bonded default connections, these actions
automatically establish load paths at each of the nodes.
• Unmated Geometry — In this case, the software does not recognize any
geometric connection and you must establish the load paths manually by
creating assembly-level beam, spring, or connection idealizations to link the
opposing surfaces, edges, or points of the components. When you create a
connection of this kind, the mesh generator treats the datum points
associated with the idealizations as nodes that enable it to generate a
consistent mesh. Because these connections serve as load paths, you should
determine the connection type and distribution based on the nature of the
load and its distribution.
Load Paths for Hierarchical Meshes

The way that you establish load paths in hierarchical meshes depends on whether
you are working with unmeshed components or pre-meshed components:
• Unmeshed Components — Between a group of unmeshed components,

Mechanica recognizes load paths just as it would for a flat mesh.
• Pre-meshed Components — Between a group of components where at
least one component has a pre-existing mesh, Mechanica recognizes load
paths only if you create assembly-level beam, spring, or gap idealizations or
place rigid or weighted links to connect the components.
As a prerequisite for placing the beam, spring, gap, rigid link, or weighted
link, the pre-meshed component must contain hard points on any meshed
pieces of model geometry you want to connect. You can create the assembly-
level beam, spring, rigid link, or weighted link at any time using datum points
on your model. But, before you generate the component-level mesh, you
must assign a hard point mesh control to the datum point. Otherwise,
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Mechanica does not respect the beam or spring when you mesh the top-level
assembly.
To understand how you create this type of connection more fully, you can
review an example.
Controlling a FEM Mesh

Use the Mesh>Control command to define the characteristics of a mesh. When you
select the Control command, the Mesh Control dialog box appears.
This dialog box enables you to define mesh characteristics by setting mesh controls.
Mesh controls specify the minimum or maximum size of the elements, the
distribution of nodes along edges, hard points and hard curves, mesh ID numbering,
mesh ID offsets, and the displacement coordinate system.
For assembly models, you can suppress a single mesh control type, or all types, on
selected parts or subassemblies by selecting Ignored Mesh Control on the Mesh
Control dialog box. This gives you the flexibility to use the same part or
subassembly in different assemblies using different mesh control settings.
If two parts or subassemblies in an assembly have conflicting numbering of nodes,

elements, local mesh entities, or hard points, you can correct the problem by
assigning the Mesh ID Offset mesh control.
These items appear on the Mesh Control dialog box:
• Type — You can specify one of the following mesh control types:
o Maximum Element Size
o Minimum Element Size
o Edge Distribution
o Hard Point
o Hard Curve
o Mesh Numbering
o Displacement Coordinate System
o Ignored Mesh Control (available only for assemblies)
o Mesh ID Offset (available only for assemblies)
o Shell Element Direction
• References area — Depending on the mesh control type you specify in the
Type field, the active fields in the References area change. For information
on this area, use the links in the list above to learn about the References
area for each mesh control type.
When you create a mesh control, the software adds the appropriate icon(s) to your
model. For more information, see Mesh Control Icons.
After a mesh control exists on your model, you can redefine or delete it by right-
clicking the mesh control icon in the Model Tree. You can also redefine a mesh
control by double-clicking the icon on your model.
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Maximum and Minimum Element Size (FEM

mode)
Use the Maximum Element Size and Minimum Element Size options on the
Mesh Control dialog box to control the size of the elements that the mesh generator
creates.
If you select Maximum Element Size or Minimum Element Size, specify the
following information:
• References — Specify the reference type and select the appropriate

geometry. If you already selected the valid geometric references before
when the dialog box opens. Otherwise, use the selector arrow and the regular
selection methods to choose one of the following:
o points (maximum only)
o edges (maximum only)/curves
o surfaces
o components
• Maximum Element Size or Minimum Element Size — Specify the
maximum or minimum element size.
If you enter an unusually small value for the maximum element size, the software
might create an extremely large number of elements. To warn you of this situation,
the mesh generator compares the specified size of the element with the volume of
the meshed part. If the specified element size is very small, the software displays a
message. If it cannot generate a mesh with elements that small, the software
overrides the value specified in the mesh control with the smallest value it considers
acceptable and displays a warning message.
The mesh generator only respects the Maximum Element Size and Minimum
Element Size mesh controls if you apply them to unmeshed components. If a
component has a mesh, the mesh generator silently ignores these mesh controls.
Hard Points and Curves (FEM mode)

Use the Hard Point or Hard Curve option on the Mesh Control dialog box to
define a datum point or curve as a hard point or curve. If you define a point or curve
this way, the mesh generator treats it as part of the mesh, creating nodes and
defining elements accordingly.
If you select either of these options, specify the following information:
• References — Use the selector arrow to specify the datum point or curve for
the mesh generator to use to place an element node or nodes. If you already
selected the valid geometry before entering the dialog box, your selections
appear next to the selector arrow when the dialog box appears.
• Node ID — Specify the node ID (Hard Point only). This option is available
only when you select a single point. When the mesh is complete, the number
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replaces the node ID for the selected hard point. You can define a hard point
without specifying a node ID.
For hierarchical meshes, make sure your model includes part-level hard points
wherever you want to create connections for pre-meshed assembly components.
The mesh generator only respects the Hard Point and Hard Curve mesh controls if
you apply them to unmeshed components. If a component has a mesh, the mesh
generator silently ignores these mesh controls.
You can create notes associated with specific hard points. The notes you create
transfer to the NASTRAN or ANSYS output deck as comments.
Edge Distribution (FEM mode)

Use the Edge Distribution option on the Mesh Control dialog box to specify the
number of nodes you want the mesh generator to create on one or more edges or
curves in your model. This type of mesh control affects shells, bars, and solid
meshes.
If you select Edge Distribution, you can specify the following:
• References — Use the selector arrow to specify the appropriate curve or

edge. If you already selected the valid geometry before entering the dialog
appears.
To flip the direction of node distribution on the specified edge or curve, select
the edge or curve again. The arrow on the specified edge displays the
direction. Mechanica indicates that the distribution direction is flipped by
adding the word reversed to the References field.
• Number of Nodes — Specify the minimum number of nodes you want

distributed along the selected edge or curve. Mechanica may create additional
nodes if the nearby geometry is complex.
• First/Last Nodal Interval Ratio — Specify the ratio of the first interval on
the edge or curve to the last interval on the edge or curve. For example, if
you enter 3 as the ratio, the last interval will be 3 times the length of the first
interval. The intermediate nodes will be spaced in graduating intervals
proportionate to the ratio. If you enter a ratio of 1, all intervals will be equal.
• Prevent Additional Nodes — Check this option if you want the number in
the Number Of Nodes text box to be a precise number. Mechanica will stop
the mesh creation if it requires more nodes than the number you set. When
the meshing fails, Mechanica highlights the edges requiring additional nodes.
The mesh generator only respects the Edge Distribution mesh control if you apply
it to unmeshed components. If a component has a mesh, the mesh generator silently
ignores the mesh control.
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Displacement Coordinate System (FEM mode)

Use the Displacement Coordinate System option on the Mesh Control dialog box
to specify the coordinate system that the software uses when displaying results for
nodes associated with points, edges, curves, or surfaces. When Mechanica displays
analysis results, the results for the nodes that have this type of mesh control are
relative to the coordinate system you specify.
If you select Displacement Coordinate System, specify the following:
• References — Specify the reference type and select the appropriate

geometry. If you already selected the valid geometric references before
when the dialog box opens. Otherwise, use the selector arrow and the regular
selection methods to choose one of the following:
o points
o edges/curves
o surfaces
• Coordinate System — Select a coordinate system. If you want to apply
loads and constraints to these nodes, make sure that you associate the loads
and constraints with the same coordinate system.
The geometric reference that you select for a displacement coordinate system may
also be part of the definition for other Mechanica entities, such as constraints, rigid
links, and weighted links. If you defined the constraint, rigid link, or weighted link
with a coordinate system that is not identical to the displacement coordinate system,
a conflict may arise.
In most cases where there are conflicting coordinate systems, the software uses the
most recent coordinate system. However, if you output to the NASTRAN solver, the
software tries to resolve the conflict using geometric and modeling precedence rules.
If the software cannot resolve the conflicts, a message box appears when you run
the analysis with an error message about the coordinate system conflict, and the
output process stops.
The mesh generator only respects the Displacement Coordinate System mesh
control if you apply it to unmeshed components. If a component has a mesh, the
mesh generator silently ignores the mesh control.
Mesh Numbering (FEM mode)

Use the Mesh Numbering options on the Mesh Control dialog box to set a
different node and element ID range for a component. In addition, this mesh control
sets a different ID range for entities local to the mesh. Examples of such entities
include shell properties, beam properties, gap properties, loads, constraints,
coordinate systems, materials, and so forth.
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These mesh controls are useful in two situations:
• To resolve conflicts between top-level assembly mesh IDs and component

mesh IDs. When Mechanica numbers nodes, elements, and local mesh
entities for top-level assembly components, it always starts with 1 regardless
of the numbering of any pre-meshed components. You can use Mesh
Numbering mesh controls to set the top-level assembly mesh ID range to a
number higher than that of any of the pre-meshed components.
• To resolve conflicts that occur if two pre-meshed components have node,
element, and local mesh entity IDs that partially or wholly overlap. However,
you cannot use this technique to resolve ID conflicts between two instances of
a pre-meshed component within the same assembly. In this case, you need
to use the Mesh ID Offset mesh control applied from the top-level assembly.
If you select Mesh Numbering, specify the following:
• First ID — Specify the first ID for the nodes, elements, and local mesh
entities.
• Increment — Specify the ID increment for the nodes, elements, and local
mesh entities.
• Last ID — Specify the last ID for the nodes, elements, and local mesh
entities. You can leave this item blank.
If meshing generates a mesh ID that is higher than the value you specify for
Last ID, the software displays a message warning that there are conflicts in
the mesh and stops the mesh. You can resolve this problem by increasing the
Last ID value.
For assemblies, the software defines these IDs for the top-level model only. If you
switch to part mode to resolve an ID conflict within the assembly, be sure the new
range for the part does not conflict with the range of another assembly component
not previously in conflict.
The mesh generator only respects Mesh Number mesh controls if you apply them
to unmeshed components. If a component has a mesh, the mesh generator silently
ignores these mesh controls.
Mesh ID Offset (FEM mode)

Use the Mesh ID Offset option on the Mesh Control dialog box to add an offset to
the node IDs and element IDs for a component. In addition, this mesh control adds
an offset to the IDs of entities local to the mesh. Examples of such entities include
shell properties, beam properties, gap properties, loads, constraints, coordinate
systems, materials, and so forth.
By adding an offset, you can avoid ID conflicts between two instances of the same
component in an assembly. This mesh control is available only if you are working in
assembly mode, and you should apply Mesh ID Offset only to pre-meshed
components.
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As mentioned, this mesh control is primarily useful if you use a component more
than once in a hierarchical mesh. In this case, both instances of the component
would normally have the same node IDs, element IDs, and local mesh entity IDs,
which would cause a conflict when you mesh the top-level assembly. Applying an
offset to the mesh IDs when you work in the top-level assembly eliminates this
problem.
You can also use this technique when two individual component-level meshes have
mesh IDs that partially or wholly overlap, but you may find the Mesh Numbering
mesh controls easier to use in this situation.
If you select Mesh ID Offset, specify the following:
• References — Use the selector arrow and the regular selection methods to
specify the appropriate geometry. If you already selected the valid geometric
references before entering the dialog box, your selections appear next to the
selector arrow when the dialog box appears.
• ID Offset Value — Specify a positive integer value to be added to the IDs of
each node, element, and local mesh entity.
Before choosing offset values, be sure to check that the offset does not move the
new mesh ID range into the range of a component not previously in conflict.
Shell Element Direction (FEM mode)

Use the Shell Element Direction option on the Mesh Control dialog box to specify
a coordinate system and directional component that you want the mesh generator to
use when determining the node order for shell elements. This type of mesh control
affects only shell meshes, not solid meshes.
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Without this mesh control, the mesh generator determines the coordinate direction
of each element based on how it distributes the node numbers for each element. If
you create a Shell Element Direction mesh control, the mesh generator arranges
the node numbers in the order that makes the shell elements X direction align as
closely as possible with the coordinate system direction you select. The result is a
consistent node numbering scheme and a shell mesh whose elements share a
common direction, as shown in the following example using quadrilateral elements:
If you select the Shell Element Direction option, you can specify the following:
• Surfaces — Use the selector arrow to specify the appropriate surface. If you
select a surface that, at mesh time, does not have a shell idealization or is not
part of a shell pair, Mechanica will ignore the Shell Element Direction mesh
control.
• Coordinate System Direction area — Use the selector arrow to specify the
reference coordinate system. After you select the coordinate system that you
want Mechanica to use as the basis for node numbering, you can select the
axis that you want the software to use to determine shell element direction.
For Cartesian coordinate systems, you can select X, Y, or Z. For cylindrical
coordinate systems, you can select R, , or Z, while you can select R, , or
for spherical coordinate systems.
If you select a coordinate direction that is perpendicular to any shell elements

or within approximately 5 of perpendicular, Mechanica warns you at mesh
time, highlights the problem elements, and does not reorder these element
nodes.
In most cases, you should apply the Shell Element Direction mesh control before
meshing the model. For hierarchical meshes, the mesh generator only respects this
mesh control if you apply it to unmeshed components. If a component has a mesh,
the mesh generator silently ignores any Shell Element Direction mesh control you
place on a previously meshed component.
Note that you can also create a shell mesh with aligned element directions by
assigning material orientations as part of defining an advanced shell idealization.
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Ignored Mesh Control (FEM mode)

Use the Ignored Mesh Control option on the Mesh Control dialog box to indicate
a component-level mesh control that you want the mesh generator to ignore when
you mesh the top-level assembly. This control is particularly handy for parts and
subassemblies shared by multiple higher-level assemblies that use different meshing
paradigms.
Ignored Mesh Control is available only if you are working in assembly mode. You
can apply this mesh control to assemblies even if you have not defined any mesh
controls at the component level. This ensures that mesh controls added later to
individual assembly components will not affect how the mesh generator handles the
top-level assembly.
However, for hierarchical meshes, if you apply Ignored Mesh Control to a pre-
meshed component, you should ensure that the component mesh control you want
to ignore is not one that governs the component mesh as it currently exists. If you
apply Ignored Mesh Control to a mesh control that governs the component mesh,
the mesh generator respects the original component mesh, including the mesh
control you want it to ignore.
If you select Ignored Mesh Control, specify the following:
• References — Use the selector arrow to specify the appropriate part or

subassembly. You cannot select the top-level assembly.
• Type of Mesh Control to Ignore — Select one of the following mesh control
types to ignore:
o Maximum Element Size
o Minimum Element Size
o Edge Distribution
o Hard Point
o Hard Curve
o Displacement Coordinate System
o All Types of Mesh Control
o Shell Element Direction
o Minimum Edge Length
You cannot ignore Mesh Numbering or Mesh ID Offset.
Mesh Control Icons (FEM mode)

When you create a mesh control constraint, the software places the appropriate
icons on your model and displays a short description. You can control the visibility of
these icons on the Settings tab on the Simulation Display dialog box.
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The following table summarizes these icons and descriptions:
Constraint Icon Text Description
Maximum Element A circle MaxSize:n.n

Size
where n.n is the size of the element
Minimum Element A circle MinSize:n.n

Size
where n.n is the size of the element
Edge Distribution Filled-in circles to nnn N; rrr R

represent node
locations where nnn is the number of nodes and
rrr is the L1/L2 ratio
Hard Point x Hard Pt
Hard Curve xxx Hard Curve
Mesh Numbering No icon Mesh IDs: n1 n2 n3
where n1 is the first ID, n2 is the

increment, and n3 is the last ID
Displacement No icon DisplCS coordinate system name

Coordinate System
Ignored Mesh No icon None

Control
Mesh ID Offset No icon ID Off: n
where n is the mesh ID offset
Shell Element A two-axis ShellCSnnn

Direction coordinate system
to represent X and Y where nnn is the coordinate system
directions you selected when you created the
mesh control
If you do not see the text description for the mesh control, select View>Simulation
Display and make sure that Display Names is selected on the Settings tab.
Creating a FEM Mesh

Use the Mesh>Create command to generate a mesh for your model. When you
select this command, the Create FEM Mesh dialog box appears. This dialog box
enables you to indicate the element types Mechanica will use to generate the mesh.
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The Create FEM Mesh dialog box includes two areas—the Mesh Type area and the
Shell Element Type area. The Shell Element Type area is present depending on
the mesh type you select and the idealizations present in the model.
The Mesh Type area provides a option list with the following items:
• Solid — Generates a solid mesh for your model. The meshing process creates
an optimal model of the solid volume of the meshed model with a network of
three-dimensional tetrahedral elements. The resulting mesh includes:
o tetrahedral solid elements for all solid chunks in your model
o shell elements for any simple or advanced shell idealizations that you
created for quilt surfaces
o elements for any beam, spring, gap, mass, rigid link, or weighted link
idealizations
When you select the Solid option, the Shell Element Type area is
unavailable unless your model contains appropriately defined shell
idealizations.
• Midsurface — Generates a shell mesh of triangular or quadrilateral elements

for shell idealizations defined through shell pairs. The resulting mesh
includes:
o shell elements at the midsurface of your model
idealizations
• Solid/Midsurface — Generates a mixed mesh of solid and shell elements on
your model. The resulting mesh includes:
o tetrahedral solid elements for all solid chunks in your model
o shell elements at the midsurface of your model
idealizations
• Shell — Generates a shell mesh of triangular or quadrilateral elements on a
model's quilt surfaces if you defined simple or advanced shell idealizations on
those surfaces. The resulting mesh includes:
idealizations
• Boundary — Generates a shell mesh of triangular or quadrilateral elements
on your model's exterior surfaces. The resulting mesh includes:
idealizations
• Bar — Generates a mesh on one-dimensional idealizations such as beams,
springs, gaps, masses, rigid links, or weighted links.
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If the mesh type you select provides for shell elements, the Create FEM Mesh
dialog box includes the Shell Element Type area that you use to specify how
Mechanica constructs the shell mesh portion of your model. The Shell Element
Type area provides a option list with the following items:
• Triangles — Specifies that the shell mesh consists of triangular elements.

• Quads — Specifies that the shell mesh consists of quadrilateral elements. If
you select this method, Mechanica applies quadrilateral elements to as much
of the model as it can. In areas where it cannot use quadrilateral elements
due to the model geometry, Mechanica uses triangular elements as fillers.
After selecting any of these options, click Start. The mesh generator then creates
and optimizes the mesh. To terminate mesh generation, click the stop sign displayed
in the lower right corner of the Pro/ENGINEER window.
When the mesh is complete, Mechanica displays the meshed model and the Element
Quality Checks dialog box. What the model looks like depends on the display style.
The mesh generator automatically produces a mesh that satisfies all applied mesh
controls and ensures that each constrained or loaded datum point becomes a node in
the resulting mesh.
To Create a FEM Mesh

Before starting this procedure, you may want to set various mesh controls for your
model to more closely define the characteristics of your mesh.
1. Select Mesh>Create or click .
The Create FEM Mesh dialog box appears.
2. Select one of the following from the Mesh Type option list, as available for
your model:
o Solid
o Midsurface
o Solid/Midsurface
o Shell
o Boundary
o Bar
3. If you selected Midsurface, Mixed, Shell, or Boundary as the mesh type,
select one of these element types from the Shell Element Type option list:
o Triangles
o Quads
Note that you can also select these element types if you choose Solid as the
mesh type for a model that contains both solid portions and simple or
advanced shell idealizations.
4. Click Start.
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Mechanica meshes your model, displays the mesh, and opens the Element
Quality Checks dialog box. You can use this dialog box to check the quality
of your mesh.
If Mechanica displays any error messages before it meshes your model, see
Troubleshooting FEM Mesh Generation.
5. When you finish your initial review of your model, click Close.
6. If you do not have the fem_mesh_preserve config.pro option set and want to
save your mesh, click File>Save FEM Mesh and enter the name of the file in
which you want the software to store the meshed model.
Shell Mesh
Shell Mesh (FEM mode)
The software can mesh shell or quilt surfaces by using two-dimensional triangular or
quadrilateral elements. There are three methods of shell meshing:
• Midsurface — Sandwiches features between previously defined surface pairs.

The software then creates a shell model by compressing the surfaces to a
specified surface, and applies the shell mesh to this compressed surface.
• Shell — Applies a triangular or quadrilateral shell mesh to quilt surfaces
previously defined as simple or advanced shell idealizations. You can use this
method on its own or with solid models to form a mixed mesh, provided the
solid model has quilts defined as shell idealizations.
• Boundary — Applies the shell mesh directly to the part surfaces. The interior
of the part has no mesh.
The Shell Element Type option list includes two element types you can use to shell-
mesh models—triangles and quadrilaterals.
• Triangles — Meshes the surfaces with triangles.

• Quads — Meshes the surfaces with quadrilaterals. In this case, triangles
appear only in areas where the mesh generator could not use quadrilaterals.
Note that, for models that contain simple or advanced shell idealizations as well as
midsurface or boundary shells, you can define only one element type. Mechanica
applies this element type throughout the model.
An example of shell meshing shows the results of meshing the model with different
types of elements.
You can also create a partial shell mesh, where the software meshes all paired
surfaces, but ignores the unpaired ones.
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Example: Shell Mesh Using Triangles and

Quadrilaterals
Creating a Partial Shell Mesh

You can partially shell-mesh a FEM model. This enables you to generate the mesh on
the portion of the model where surface pairs are properly defined, ignoring unpaired
surfaces. See Strategy: Working with Partial Shell Meshes.
The software distinguishes two types of problem surfaces:
• Unpaired surfaces — Surfaces omitted in the process of defining shell pairs.

• Unopposed surfaces — Surfaces that can occur when geometries of paired
surfaces are not exactly the same. As a result, leftover surfaces may appear
in the shell model.
When you create a partial shell mesh, you can either use the unopposed surfaces in
the shell model or ignore them, depending on how you set the UseUnopposed
option.
To eliminate unopposed surfaces to generate a full mesh, use one of the methods
recommended for pairing unopposed surfaces.
When you attempt to compress the model and the system detects unpaired surfaces,
the following events occur:
• The system highlights the unpaired surfaces and asks you if you want to
mesh only paired surfaces.
o To halt the process, click the stop sign displayed in the lower right
corner of the Pro/ENGINEER window.
o To continue, proceed to the next step.
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• You can visually investigate the shell model using options in the COMPRES
MDL Menu.
• To mesh only the paired surfaces, select Midsurface from the Mesh Type
option list on the Create FEM Mesh dialog box, click Start and, when the
CONT MESH menu appears, select the Paired Only command.
Strategy: Working with Partial Shell Meshes

Use these strategies to help you create a partial shell mesh.
• To select the Paired Only option automatically, set the fem_ignore_unpaired

config.pro option to yes.
• To have the system remove the unopposed surfaces by default, set the
fem_remove_unopposed config.pro option to yes. If you set this configuration
option, the software turns off the UseUnopposed option and removes the
unopposed surfaces during shell mesh creation.
• When Mechanica shell-meshes the model, it places the mesh on the
midsurface, using the shape of the red side to determine the shape of the
midsurface. When you work with a partially compressed model, flipping pairs
might produce a different shell mesh if geometries of paired surfaces are not
equivalent.
Mixed Mesh (FEM mode)

Use mixed meshing with parts or assemblies that have both solid and thin portions.
If you selected mixed meshing, Mechanica meshes the solid portion of the model
with tetrahedral elements. In addition, it meshes the thin portions of the model with
triangular or quadrilateral elements, provided you have defined shell pairs for those
areas. Mixed meshing helps avoid the creation of many small tetrahedral elements in
thin part features.
Where shell and solid meshed components are in contact along an edge, the
software matches up nodes and assigns the default contact type, Bonded. If you
want a different contact type, you need to select this before you mesh.
When the mesh generation is complete, shell element nodes align with tetrahedral
element nodes at any point on the model where a thin feature attaches to a solid
feature.
When Mechanica generates a mixed meshed model for a structural analysis and the
fem_solid_shell_auto_constraint configuration option is set to YES, Mechanica
automatically assigns a no-rotation condition to the nodes of solid elements that are
connected to adjacent shell elements. Each node has only three degrees of freedom.
Note: Mechanica does not set the no-rotation condition for solid element
nodes by default, you can use the fem_solid_shell_auto_constraint
configuration option to turn this function on or to have the software prompt
you.
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Quilts
A quilt represents a patchwork of connected nonsolid surfaces, and can consist of a
single surface or a collection of surfaces. A quilt contains information describing the
geometries of all the surfaces that compose a quilt, and information on how quilt
surfaces join or intersect. A part or assembly can contain several quilts.
In Pro/ENGINEER, you can assign a name to an entire quilt or to an individual

surface by selecting Edit>Set Up>Name>Other.
For more information about quilts, search the Surface functional area of the
Performing FEM Mode Mesh Operations

Performing FEM Mesh Operations
Use the Mesh>Operations command to import NASTRAN files and to create
specialized mesh attributes for models processed in NASTRAN. When you select this
command, the MESH OPER menu appears. Use this menu to perform any of the
following operations:
• Import — Opens the MESH IMPORT menu.

• HPs on Nodes — Creates datum points on selected nodes and declares them
as hard points.
Importing NASTRAN Files

Use the Import command on the MESH OPER menu to import NASTRAN files for
use with FEM meshes. When you select this command, Mechanica displays the MESH
IMPORT menu. The MESH IMPORT menu includes the following:
• NASTRAN Deck — You can select a NASTRAN bulk data deck file to import.
Node and element information is included as read-only in the bulk data deck
file. The bulk data deck is the part of the .nas file between the lines BEGIN
BULK and ENDDATA.
Mechanica imports the mesh with respect to the current model WCS. After the
deck is imported, you can define and apply hard point mesh controls to
current geometry. You cannot use a mesh imported from a NASTRAN data
deck later in an FEA solver or store the mesh in a file.
See Guidelines for NASTRAN Deck Import for information on limitations for
the file to be imported.
• NASTRAN xdb — You can select a NASTRAN results file (.xdb) to import.
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Selecting either of these two commands displays the Pro/ENGINEER Open dialog
box, which you can use to select the desired files.
Improving a FEM Mesh

After the mesh generator creates a mesh, it attempts to improve the quality of the
elements by performing two element optimization passes. During these passes,
Mechanica examines the aspect ratio of each element to determine whether the
element is well shaped so that it can be easily handled by the solver. The software
also checks the elements to ensure that they comply with all element quality
measures.
If Mechanica determines that some of the elements are poorly shaped, it attempts to
improve the elements by:
• Smoothing — Mechanica adjusts the position of the nodes to improve

element shape. During this process, the software does not introduce new
nodes or elements, move nodes at hard points or vertices, or move nodes on
edges, surfaces, or hard curves away from the edge, surface, or hard curve.
• Reconfiguring edges — For triangular elements, Mechanica reconfigures
element edges shared by a pair of elements if it determines that a different
edge configuration produces a better shape for the two elements. This form of
optimization primarily improves triangular shell meshes. However, it can also
improve solid tetrahedral meshes because Mechanica develops these meshes
by first applying a triangular shell mesh to the model boundary surfaces and
then working inward from this initial triangular mesh to create the tetrahedra.
The greatest improvement to the mesh occurs during these two element optimization
passes, and, in most cases, you will not need to refine the mesh further. However, if
you examine a mesh and think that the mesh still requires adjustment, you can use
the Mesh>Improve command to perform additional optimization passes. As an
alternative, you may want to add mesh controls to your model in areas that concern
you, and then remesh the model.
When you select the Mesh>Improve command, Mechanica performs the number of
passes that you indicate, and displays a message in the message area indicating the
number of passes it has completed. The pass count is cumulative. In other words, if
you specify four additional passes, Mechanica will report six passes altogether—two
passes that occurred as part of mesh creation plus the four passes you specified. The
pass count persists from session to session—incrementing for each optimization
pass—until you erase the mesh or create a new mesh.
Be aware that the higher the pass count, the longer the mesher will need to perform
the optimization. With each pass, the amount of improvement is also less.
Reviewing a FEM Mesh

Use the Mesh>Review command to review aspects of your mesh. You can also
review a mesh if you select Display Only from the Solver option menu on the Run
FEM Analysis dialog box or use Output to File to output a solver deck.
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When you select the Review command or use one of the Run FEM Analysis dialog
box methods, the REVIEW MESH menu appears. This menu allows you to review
the mesh after it is created or after an analysis is run. The menu includes:
• Meshes — Review a mesh after you create it. You can review a list of
components by path within the top-level assembly hierarchy, the number of
elements and nodes, and the range of element and node ID numbers. You
can also review the range of element, node, and local mesh entity IDs with
the Mesh ID Offset mesh control applied. This type of review can help you
identify and resolve any numbering conflicts.
• Nodes — Review nodes by selecting:
o Coord Systems — Select this option to display a coordinate system
icon at each selected node that will be oriented for nodal displacement.
If the coordinate system is not Cartesian, then Mechanica calculates
and displays the R, , and Z or direction instead.
o All — Highlight all element nodes and display their node IDs.
o Boundary — Highlight only boundary nodes and display their node
IDs. This option only appears if the mesh includes solid elements.
o Node ID — Highlight an individual node and display its ID. If you
select this option, you enter the integer ID for the node you are
interested in.
o Select — Highlight an individual node and display its ID. In this case,
you use your mouse to select the node on your model.
o List Unused — Generate a list of unused node IDs. You use this
option to help detect node ID conflicts in hierarchical meshes. You can
correct these conflicts by applying mesh ID offset mesh controls to the
conflicting nodes.
• Elements — Review elements by selecting:
o Coord Systems — Display the coordinate system for the elements
that you review.
o Shell Normals — Display the shell normals for the elements that you
review. This check box only appears if the mesh includes shell
elements.
o All — Highlight all elements and display their element IDs.
o Boundary — Highlight only boundary elements and display their
element IDs. This option only appears if the mesh includes solid
elements.
o Element ID — Highlight an individual element and display its ID as
well as its node IDs. If you select this option, you enter the integer ID
for the element you are interested in.
o Select — Highlight an individual element and display its ID as well as
its node IDs. In this case, you use your mouse to select the element
on your model.
o List Unused — Generate a list of unused element IDs. You use this
option to help detect element ID conflicts in hierarchical meshes. You
can correct these conflicts by applying mesh ID offset mesh controls to
the conflicting elements.
• Connectivity — Highlight edges that are only included in one shell surface.
You can also use this command to highlight a free node on a one-dimensional
element such as a beam or spring.
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If you review the mesh at run time, Mechanica adds these options to the REVIEW
MESH menu:
• Materials — Highlight elements made of selected materials by selecting:

o All — Highlight all elements with specified materials
o Material ID — Highlight elements by specific material.
• Analyses — Highlight nodes or elements from a selected analysis and
examine how the loads and constraints defined for the analysis apply to the
mesh.
• Hard Points — Display an information window listing nodes that were
created at hard points on the model.
Checking Elements
Checking a FEM Mesh
Use the Mesh>Check Elements command to check the element quality of your
mesh. When you select Check Elements, the Element Quality Checks dialog box
appears.
Note: The Element Quality Checks dialog box also appears immediately
after you create a mesh, enabling you to check your mesh at that time.
Use the Quality Measures part of the dialog box to indicate which element
characteristics you want Mechanica to check. To streamline your selection process,
this area of the dialog box provides a Select All Checks button and an Unselect All
Checks button that you can use to quickly select and deselect the entire list of
quality measures.
Each Quality Measures check box represents one of seven tests performed on all
elements in the mesh:
• Aspect Ratio — Performed on all shell and solid elements.

• Warp Angle — Performed on shell quadrilaterals only.
• Skew — Performed on shell quadrilaterals only.
• Taper — Performed on shell quadrilaterals only.
• Edge Angle — Performed on shell quadrilaterals only.
• Distortion — Performed on parabolic tetrahedrons only.
• Mid Ratio — Performed on all solid and shell elements.
The value initially displayed in each check box represents a basic setting for a well-
formed element. If you want your mesh to meet looser or more stringent element
limits, you can increase or decrease the individual values to customize your mesh
check.
Use the Check button to perform the mesh check. When the check is complete,
Mechanica highlights any elements that do not meet the criteria in the Quality
Measures area.
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If you want a more exact or permanent record of measurements for elements that
fail the check, use the Screen and File options in the Output Element Statistics
area of the dialog box. These options let you show the mesh check output in a text
file displayed on your screen, write the output to a file so you can review it later, or
both.
The mesh check record lists failed element IDs, sorted by element types, along with
their quality measures. You can use the Mesh>Review command to determine the
location of the element associated with each element ID.
If you find that you consistently reset one or more of the values on the Element
Quality Checks dialog box, you can use config.pro options to set the defaults for
this dialog box to values appropriate for your designs.
Aspect Ratio (FEM mode)

Aspect ratio is the measure of a mesh element's deviation from having all sides of
equal length. A high aspect ratio occurs with long, thin elements. Entering an overly
large value for the Minimum Element Size mesh control may cause the mesh
generator to create solid elements with high aspect ratios.
Mechanica calculates aspect ratio, R, according to this formula:
R = E/h
where E is the longest edge and h is the shortest height—the distance between a
vertex and the opposite surface or edge.
Warp Angle (FEM mode)

Warp angle occurs when a quadrilateral shell element is so distorted that it turns
back on itself. When you check your mesh, Mechanica uses the Warp Angle quality
measures to highlight elements exceeding the maximum warp angle.
Mechanica calculates warp angle, W, according to the following formula:
W = arc sin (h/e)
where h is the distance between the nodes and the reference plane, and e is the
shortest edge.
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Skew (FEM mode)

Skew occurs when the angular distortion of a quadrilateral shell element approaches
0 . When you check your mesh, Mechanica uses the Skew quality measures to
highlight elements having angles between included edges that exceed the maximum
skew angle.
Mechanica defines skew, S, as the difference between a right angle and the angle at
the intersection of the mid-lines.
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Taper (FEM mode)

Taper occurs when the angular distortion of a quadrilateral shell element approaches
180 . When you check your mesh, Mechanica uses the Taper quality measures to
highlight elements having angles between included edges that exceed the minimum
taper angle.
Mechanica divides the quadrilateral element into four triangles by connecting the
origin—the intersection of the mid-lines—with the corner nodes. The resulting
triangles have areas A1, A2, A3, and A4.
Mechanica calculates taper, T, according to this formula:
T = 4a/A
where a = min (Ai) is the smallest triangle area and A = sum (Ai) is the quadrilateral
area.
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Edge Angle (FEM mode)

Edge angle is the measure of the acuteness of the angle formed by two edges of a
quadrilateral element. A small edge angle typically occurs with long, thin elements.
When the edge angle becomes too acute, the quality of the element is lower and the
solver you use may have difficulty.
Mechanica considers an ideal edge angle to be 90 . However, because this ideal is

too stringent for most models, the software uses an edge angle of 30 as a default
for this quality measure.
Distortion (FEM mode)

Distortion occurs when 10-node tetrahedral elements have too much curvature. The
software uses a Jacobian distortion index as a measure of how distorted an element
is. Distortion highlights elements which, if output as 10-node tetrahedrons, have a
Jacobian distortion index less than the preset bound.
Mechanica calculates the distortion as the ratio between the maximal Jacobian and
the minimal Jacobian derived at the four Gaussian integration points. The software
performs this test on solid elements only.
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Mid Ratio (FEM mode)

Mid ratio is the relationship between the height and length of parabolic elements. A
large mid ratio indicates that an element may have too much curvature.
When you check your mesh, Mechanica uses the Mid Ratio quality measures to
highlight element edges which, if output as parabolic elements, have mid ratios
higher than the preset bound. The Mid Ratio quality measure is used primarily by the
ANSYS FEA solver. Most other solvers disregard this mid ratio value.
Mechanica calculates the mid ratio, M, according to this formula:
M = h/L
where h is the distance between the midnode and the connecting line of the corner
nodes, and L is the distance between two adjacent corner nodes. The software
performs this test on parabolic mesh only.
Saving a FEM Mesh

There are two ways to save a FEM mesh:
• You can configure Mechanica to automatically save a mesh immediately after

you create it. To implement this function, set the fem_mesh_preserve
configuration option in your config.pro file. Note that, for automatic saves, the
software always assigns a name of model.fmp for the mesh file of a part and
a name of model.fma for the mesh file of an assembly. Be aware that setting
the fem_mesh_preserve option means that your session will use retained
meshes.
• You can manually save the mesh by clicking Save FEM Mesh on the File
menu. Mechanica automatically assigns the default name of model.fmp(a) to
the mesh file.
If you want to assign a file name other than the default, set the
fem_allow_named_mesh_files config.pro option in the config.pro file. The
saving command on the File menu changes to Save Named FEM Mesh, and
Mechanica prompts you to enter the file name each time you click the
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command. You can assign any file name that fits the established guidelines.
With the fem_allow_named_mesh_files option set, Mechanica does not
automatically retrieve the mesh when it opens the FEM model, but prompts
you to select the named mesh file you want to load.
Regardless of which approach you use, be aware that the .fmp(a) file stores the
mesh model only. It does not store model properties such as loads, boundary
conditions, or idealizations. Mechanica considers these properties to be part of the
geometry model and stores them whenever you use File>Save to save your model.
See these rules for naming your mesh files if you are working with family tables or
have simplified representations of your model.
Retrieving a FEM Mesh

After you have saved a FEM mesh, you may want to retrieve it. While retrieving a
mesh, Mechanica first checks for an .fmp(a) file saved for a current model in session.
If the file exists, Mechanica imports a mesh from it.
There are two ways to retrieve a mesh:
• If you set the fem_mesh_preserve config.pro option in your config.pro file,

Mechanica automatically retrieves the saved mesh when you open the model
in FEM mode.
• You can click Open FEM Mesh on the File menu, and Mechanica
automatically retrieves a mesh saved under the default model.fmp(a) name.
If you have set the fem_allow_named_mesh_files config.pro option in your
config.pro file and assigned a different name to your mesh file, the File menu
displays the Open Named FEM Mesh command. When you click this
command, Mechanica opens a dialog box that enables you to select a named
mesh file to load.
You can retrieve the mesh only if you have not made changes to the
geometry. The Open FEM Mesh command is not available if you are
currently displaying a compressed model or results.
Be aware that meshes created in one product are not usable in other products. For
example, if you create a mesh in Structure, you cannot retrieve it in Thermal.
Conflicting Coordinate Systems

You can specify displacement coordinate systems for mesh controls on points, edges,
curves, and surfaces in FEM mode. Because these geometric entities are part of the
definition for modeling entities such as constraints, rigid links, and weighted links, a
conflict may arise between the various coordinate systems when you output to the
NASTRAN solver. There are several situations that may cause conflicts:
• A conflict may occur if you use the same or adjacent geometry to define two
modeling entities. For example, if you define constraint a using a surface, and
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constraint b using an edge of that surface, a conflict could occur. In this case,
the geometric precedence rules would respect constraint b over constraint a.
• A conflict may occur when coordinate systems are associated with two parts
in an assembly. In this case, the assembly hierarchy of the part determines
the precedence. You can view the assembly hierarchy in the Model Tree.
• A conflict may occur when coordinate systems are associated with a part or
subassembly as well as a top-level assembly. In this case, you can suppress
the part or subassembly coordinate system by using the Ignored Mesh
Control option on the Mesh Control dialog box.
• A conflict may occur when coordinate systems associated with different
entities, such as constraints and mesh controls, share a geometric entity or a
node.
For example, suppose you define a constraint on a surface with a Cartesian

coordinate system (coordinate system A), and you also define a displacement
coordinate system (coordinate system B) for a mesh control on the same surface. If
the axes for both coordinate systems are parallel, but coordinate system B is rotated
with respect to coordinate system A so that the X and Y axes are interchanged, a
conflict will occur. Of course, non-parallel axes will also cause a conflict.
Mechanica checks your displacement coordinate systems and attempts to resolve

conflicts by using geometric and model-hierarchy precedence rules. If the software
cannot resolve the conflicts, an error message appears and the output stops. You
must resolve the conflict before the run can continue. When the software sets the
displacement coordinate system for each node, it checks for conflicts in this order:
• Mesh controls — The software checks for conflicts between displacement

coordinate systems used to define mesh controls and tries to resolve them
using geometric and assembly precedence rules. An example of a non-
resolvable conflict is a different displacement coordinate system assigned to
surfaces that belong to the red and yellow sides of a shell pair. The geometric
precedence rules are:
o A mesh control applied to a point overrides a mesh control applied to
an edge or surface that contains that point.
o A mesh control applied to an edge overrides a mesh control applied to
a surface that contains that edge.
• Rigid or weighted links — The software checks for conflicts between the
coordinate systems associated with rigid or weighted links and tries to resolve
them using geometric and assembly precedence rules.
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• Mesh controls and rigid or weighted links — The software checks for
conflicts between coordinate systems associated with links and displacement
coordinate systems for mesh controls.
• Constraints — The software checks for conflicts between the coordinate
systems associated with constraints and tries to resolve them using geometric
and assembly precedence rules. If you apply a free and a fixed degree of
freedom to the same node, the fixed constraint takes precedence over the
free constraint. The presence of a fixed constraint also overrides the
geometric precedence rules, so that a fixed constraint on a surface takes
precedence over a free constraint on a point. A non-resolvable conflict may
occur between partially fixed or partially free constraints on adjacent objects.
• Mesh controls, rigid or weighted links, and constraints — The software
checks for conflicts between constraints and mesh controls, and between
constraints and links.
Reviewing Analyses
When you select Analyses from the REVIEW MESH menu, Mechanica displays a
sequence of menus that let you specify the analysis, load and constraint names, and
load and constraint locations for the mesh information you want to see.
The first menu Mechanica displays is the SEL ANALYSN menu. This menu includes a
list of the analyses that you defined for the mesh.
After you select an analysis, Mechanica displays the LOADS BC menu. This menu
lists all of the load and constraint types you defined for the load sets and constraint
sets in the analysis you selected. You use this menu to select a single load or
constraint type or select all of them. Be aware that a given load type may include
multiple loads of a similar category, and the same holds true for constraint types.
After you select a load or constraint type, Mechanica displays the CONS PLACE
menu, which enables you to select the entity you want to examine. The selections on
this menu vary depending on whether you applied the load or constraint to elements
or nodes. Here is a list of the possible selections:
• All — Display all nodes and elements associated with the loads and
constraints. This item only appears if you select Display All on the LOADS
BC menu.
• All Elements — Display all elements associated with the load or constraint
type. This item only appears if you select a load or constraint type applied to
surfaces.
• Element Id — Display the associated load and constraint on the specified
element Id.
• All Nodes — Display all elements associated with the load or constraint. This
item only appears if you select a load or constraint applied to points or
curves.
• Node Id — Display the associated load and constraint on the specified node
Id.
• Select — Display the associated load or constraint on the selected elements
or nodes.
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Reviewing Connectivity
Use the Review>Connectivity command to find:
• places where shell surfaces that should attach to one another are not
connected.
• places where one or more nodes on a one-dimensional element do not
correctly connect with the mesh. This type of review proves very useful for
complex models with numerous connections. For example, if you were
working with a beam model with a large number of interconnected beams or
multiple beams connecting at a single point, a connectivity review would show
you beams that are not fully connected to adjoining beams.
When you select the Connectivity command, Mechanica displays the

CONNECTIVITY menu, from which you select:
• Boundary Edges — Highlight edges that are only associated with one shell
surface.
• Boundary Nodes — Highlight nodes at the boundary ends of beams, springs,
gaps, and other one-dimensional elements. A boundary end of a one-
dimensional element is a node associated only with the one-dimensional
element, itself, and not with any other mesh component.
Guidelines for NASTRAN Deck Import

The following are content guidelines for the NASTRAN file to be imported into
Mechanica:
• CORD1* commands should come after referenced grid point (node)

commands.
• A GRID command for a point not in the default coordinate system should
follow the command for the referenced coordinate system.
• Two grid points (nodes) that have the same ID but different coordinates are
not allowed in the same file or included files.
• Two elements with the same ID are allowed only if they reference exactly the
same grid points (nodes). This guideline also applies to different files read
with an INCLUDE statement.
• Elements referencing scalar points—points without coordinates—cannot be
created.
• Mechanica does not display the center node for CQUAD elements.
• The continuation of a command should follow on the next line.
• Mechanica does not import the Replication command.
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Example: Creating Load Paths for Pre-meshed

Components
The easiest way to learn about creating load-transmitting connections for pre-
meshed components within a hierarchical mesh is by reviewing the steps involved.
The following sample outlines this process.
While you do not need to follow the exact order of these steps when you work with
your own assemblies, be sure you understand the impact of each one and can
reproduce its effect within your own process. For example you can create top-level
assembly connections before or after you create hard points on pre-meshed
components. You just need to make sure that the hard points are in place before you
mesh the individual component.
This sample process begins in part mode if the pre-meshed component is a part or is
in assembly mode if the pre-meshed component is a subassembly.
1. Open the part or subassembly. At this point the part or subassembly should
not yet have a mesh. If it does, erase the mesh.
2. Create datum points wherever you want to form connections with the top-
level assembly. As Mechanica uses these datum points to determine the load
path, consider the distribution and placement carefully.
3. Define each datum point as a hard point mesh control, and then mesh the
model. The resulting mesh establishes a node at every hard point.
4. In assembly mode, open the top-level assembly. The component meshed in
step 3 should appear with its mesh.
5. Connect all pre-meshed components in the load path to the top-level
assembly by creating a beam, spring, gap, rigid link, or weighted link.
For the pre-meshed components, be sure to use one of the hard points
established in step 3. For the top-level components, use any applicable
geometry as the end of the idealization or link, as shown in this example:
Here, there is a spring idealization that connects hard point 3 on the meshed
part to datum point 10 on the unmeshed part.
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6. Mesh the top-level assembly. When the mesh generator encounters

connections with pre-existing meshes, it uses the hard points as element
nodes and routes the beam, spring, gap, or rigid or weighted link to the
meshed nodes, as shown below:
Note that the mesh of the left part has nodes at all the hard points along the
edge, but the elements of the left and right parts only have a coincident node
where the spring is. These two nodes are where the load transmits.
The mesh on the left is an inherited mesh—a pre-existing mesh that the top-
level assembly mesh inherits—while the mesh on the right and the spring
element are both part of the top-level assembly mesh.
This process varies slightly if you are connecting two pre-meshed components
together. In this case, you need to create the connection hard points for both
components before generating the respective component meshes. After both
components have meshes that account for the hard points, you mesh the
connections in the top-level assembly. In this case, the assembly mesh consists of
only those elements that represent connection idealizations.
Once you understand the steps just described and their implications, you may want
to review some techniques that will help you create desired effects and handle
special situations.
Strategy: Establishing Geometrically-

Consistent Node Locations
You can use this approach to establish geometrically-consistent node locations for
pre-meshed components in hierarchical meshes.
1. In assembly mode, create a datum point on a surface that opposes the two
surfaces that will be in full contact. If there is no opposing surface, create a
datum surface.
2. Project the datum point onto the two contacting surfaces. This should yield
two datum points that are geometrically aligned.
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3. For the pre-meshed component, enter part mode and create a part-level
datum point at the same location as the assembly-level datum point. You can
position the part-level datum point by using the assembly level datum point
as a reference and entering an offset of 0, 0, 0.
4. Define the part-level datum point as a hard point and mesh the component.
Note: The zero-length spring must be an advanced spring, and you

must define its orientation using a coordinate system. If both
components are pre-meshed, you create the zero-length spring using
the geometrically-aligned hard points on each component.
When you mesh the top-level assembly, Mechanica creates matching nodes
wherever you placed the geometrically-aligned points. However, be aware that, while
this process assures that the surfaces will have geometrically-consistent nodes, the
surfaces may have different overall meshes.
Techniques for Establishing Consistent

Hierarchical Meshes
You may find these techniques and guidelines useful if you are working with pre-
meshed components in a hierarchical mesh:
• Create hard point mesh controls for all pre-meshed components as soon as is
practical. If you create hard points early in the design process, you may be
able to avoid remeshing individual components solely to make the mesh
account for the hard points.
• Create beam, spring, and gap idealizations, as well as rigid and weighted links
for the top-level assembly before meshing the component. If you create the
idealizations first, you may find placement of the hard points easier because
you have already established where the connections will lie.
• If you want to connect two pre-meshed components to each other, be sure
you have hard points on both components.
• If you want to establish geometrically-consistent node locations for two
touching components, you can create exactly matched points on the pre-
meshed component and the component you want to connect it to. You then
use zero-length advanced springs to connect the points. This technique works
best if you follow a specific process.
• Be sure that the connections you create do not conflict with the physical
design of the assembly. For example, if you have two pre-meshed
components that share a surface region, you should make sure the
connections line up properly for the shared region.
Pairing Unopposed Surfaces

If you want to create shell elements but have a surface with no opposing surface,
you have three options. The option you choose depends on your particular modeling
needs.
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Use one of the following methods to resolve unopposed surfaces:
• Suppress the feature — Suppress the feature that causes the problem. This
saves both modeling and calculation time, but also sacrifices the most in
model accuracy.
• Create an opposing surface — Create a small feature to give the
unopposed surface a pairing mate. Note, however, that this method has a
dimensional impact on the finished mesh.
• Split the surface — Split the surface and distribute it among its neighboring
surface pairs. This procedure, while sometimes difficult, does the best job of
retaining model accuracy.
FEM Mesh File Names

When you are working with family tables, or have simplified representations of your
model, Mechanica uses the following names for your FEM mesh files:
• Part
o model.fmp — master representation, or generic instance of a part
o model#rep1.fmp — simplified representation of a part
o model#inst1.fmp — family table instance of a part
o model#inst1#rep1.fmp — simplified representation of a family table
instance
• Assembly
o model.fma — any representation of assembly
For more information on simplified representations and family tables, search the
Fundamentals functional area and the Assembly and Welding functional area of the
Elements with Approximated Linear Edges

While adding elements to your model, AutoGEM keeps track of elements that are
invalid because of geometry problems. After adding all the good elements, AutoGEM
attempts to complete the mesh by creating elements with approximated linear edges
in areas where invalid elements occur. Mechanica adds the approximated elements
to a new group named approx_elements. This group is only visible if you transfer the
model to independent mode.
Because approximated elements can affect the accuracy of your analysis, you should
review the areas of your model that require approximated elements.
In some cases, AutoGEM might not generate a full set of elements on surfaces and
volumes. See Strategies for Using the Surface Option and Strategies for Using the
Volume Option for information on actions you can take to enable AutoGEM to create
additional elements.
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Example: Orientation and Tolerance Settings

Your model's orientation relative to the WCS can make a substantial difference in the
size of the bounding box and resulting diagonal that Mechanica uses for relative
tolerance settings, as shown below:
Here, the extruded length of the model is substantially greater than its circular
profile. Note that the diagonal measurement taken when the extruded length lies in
the WCS XY plane is about 2.5 times longer than the diagonal measurement taken
when the circular profile lies in the XY plane. Further, Mechanica determines the
bounding box based on the nodal placement. If the model had included nodes only at
the top and bottom, the bounding box and the resulting diagonal for the circular
profile version would both have been a vertical line.
Thus, when you develop a ratio for Relative to Model and Relative to Part, you
need to be sure you have a reasonable estimate of what the bounding box will look
like and how long the diagonal will be. If you do not keep this in mind, you may
enter a ratio value too large with respect to the diagonal, and Mechanica will be
unable to apply the tolerance.
AutoGEM File Names

When you are working with family tables, or have simplified representations of your
model, Mechanica uses the following names for your AutoGEM mesh files:
• Part
o model.mmp — master representation, or generic instance of a part
o model#rep1.mmp — simplified representation of a part
o model#inst1.mmp — family table instance of a part
o model#inst1#rep1.mmp — simplified representation of a family table
instance
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• Assembly
o model.mma — any representation of an assembly
For more information on simplified representations and family tables, search the
Assembly and Welding functional area and the Fundamentals functional area of the
Design Controls
About Design Controls
Use the Analysis>Mechanica Design Controls command to add design
parameters to your model in order to define the way you want your model to change
during sensitivity and optimization studies. Design parameters enable Mechanica to
modify the model shape to achieve a design that meets your goals.
For information about the process of adding and verifying design parameters, see:
• Overview of Design Parameters

• Types of Design Parameters
When you select Analysis>Mechanica Design Controls, Mechanica displays the

DSGN CONTROLS menu, which includes these commands:
• Design Params — Use to add design parameters to your model.

• Switch Dim — Use to review the dimension names or values for a feature
before defining a design parameter. Select Switch Dim and then a feature to
display the feature's dimension names. Select Switch Dim again to switch to
a dimension value display.
• Shape Review — Show how design parameters change your model's shape
at a specific value.
• Shape Animate — Show how design parameters change your model's shape
in steps.
• Optimize Hist — Use to review the shape change history of your model
during an optimization study and to overwrite your Pro/ENGINEER part with
the optimized shape that Mechanica developed.
Design Parameters
Overview of Design Parameters
Based on the stresses or thermal conditions revealed during analysis, you can add
design parameters to your model. Design parameters are entities that can change
the shape of the model within a specified range during a sensitivity or optimization
design study. The design parameters you create affect only the shape of the model.
For example, you can add a design parameter to a radius, setting a range within
which Mechanica translates the radius until it finds a new location that minimizes the
stress of the model. See Example: Design Parameter.
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Here is an overview of the steps you should follow to assign and verify design
parameters in Mechanica. You should complete all the steps before creating and
running a design study.
1. Prepare your model for design parameters by renaming dimensions, defining

Pro/ENGINEER parameters, adding relationships, and examining the effect of
dynamic feature suppression. This step is optional.
2. Define design parameters using any independent Pro/ENGINEER dimension or
parameter. You can also create a new Pro/ENGINEER design parameter;
however, these new design parameters reference the quantities of existing
Pro/ENGINEER design parameters.
3. Review or animate the shape change.
4. Troubleshoot any shape change problems.
5. Modify or delete design parameters if necessary.
Example: Design Parameter

In the following example, you can place a design parameter on the outer radius of
the end fin, as shown in the first view of the model. You define a range within which
Mechanica can change the radius to find the location where the stress on the model
is minimized. The second and third views show the model with the radius changed to
the minimum and maximum range values.
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Prepare Your Model for Design Parameters

Before you add design parameters to your model, you may want to perform the
following preliminary procedures:
• Assign more meaningful names to any dimensions for which you plan
to create design parameters. You can assign dimension names either when
you create design parameters or when you work with your part in
Pro/ENGINEER. For information on naming dimensions, see Strategy:
Changing Dimension Names.
• Create Pro/ENGINEER relations that tie dimensions together to
produce the desired dimension relationship. In Mechanica, you use
relations to make several dimensions move together. See Example: Relations
and Guidelines for Using Relations.
• If you plan to create a design parameter using a Pro/ENGINEER
parameter, be sure the Pro/ENGINEER parameter is independent.
Although you can create a design parameter based on any numeric

Pro/ENGINEER parameter, this type of application will not result in a model
change unless the Pro/ENGINEER parameter is fully independent. If the
Pro/ENGINEER parameter ever appears on the left—or dependent—side of any
relation, Mechanica will be unable to alter the parameter value.
For more information on independent Pro/ENGINEER parameters and how to

create them, see Pro/ENGINEER Parameters.
• Observe Mechanica conventions when naming Pro/ENGINEER

parameters that you plan to use as design parameters.
Mechanica limits design parameter names to 16 characters. You can use

alphanumeric characters and underbars only. Names must always start with
alphabetic characters.
Because Mechanica uses the Pro/ENGINEER parameter name as the design

parameter name, always observe these naming conventions when creating the
Pro/ENGINEER parameters you plan to use as design parameters. If your
Pro/ENGINEER parameter name is too long, the software will truncate it.
• Check the Pro/PROGRAM file for dynamically suppressed or added

features.
You can add conditional statements to the Pro/PROGRAM file that dynamically
suppress or add features. If your Pro/PROGRAM file contains conditional
statements that affect features associated with design parameters, the
Structure engine may be unable to optimize your part effectively due to large
stress discontinuities inherent in adding or suppressing features on the fly. For
more information on Pro/PROGRAM, see the Part Modeling area of the
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If you are simply running a regeneration analysis, dynamically adding or

suppressing features should not cause a problem. For more information on
using regeneration analyses, see Regeneration Analysis.
If you want to keep the conditional statements in place and still use Mechanica
to determine the effects of the design parameter, you can run a global
sensitivity study. As you look at the resulting graphs, you typically will see a
sudden change in the curve at the point where the feature was added or
suppressed.
Therefore, be sure to review the file before creating design parameters to

determine whether you should remove any conditional statements.
Types of Design Parameters

You can create design parameters for any of the following entities:
• Independent dimensions — You can create design parameters using any

Pro/ENGINEER dimension, provided that dimension is not defined as the
dependent member of a relation.
• Independent, numeric Pro/ENGINEER parameters — You can create
design parameters using any independent, numeric Pro/ENGINEER
parameter. For information on the methods you should use to create
Pro/ENGINEER parameters for use as design parameters, see Pro/ENGINEER
Parameters.
You can create a new Pro/ENGINEER design parameter or select from a list of
valid parameters. The contents of the list depends on whether you are working
in part or assembly mode.
For part mode, Mechanica displays only the Pro/ENGINEER parameters created
in part mode. For assembly mode, Mechanica displays only the parameters
created in assembly mode. In other words, if you are working in assembly
mode, you cannot access the part-level Pro/ENGINEER parameters.
• Beam sections — You can create design parameters using any sketched
solid or thin beam section.
Design Parameters
Use the Analysis>Mechanica Design Controls>Design Params command to
create, edit, review, or delete design parameters in your model. A design parameter
is a model feature on which you can instruct Mechanica to perform one of the
following actions:
• vary within a specified range in a sensitivity or optimization design study

• change to a specified setting in a standard design study
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You can create design parameters for:
• dimensions
• Pro/ENGINEER parameters
• beam sections
• material properties
• laminate layup shell properties for shell models
When you select the Design Params command, the Design Parameters dialog box
appears. The dialog box lists all design parameters you have defined for the current
model and displays a description of the selected design parameter.
The following buttons are available on the dialog box:
• Create — Click to create a new design parameter.

• Review — Click to review or edit the current values of the selected design
parameter.
• Delete — Click to delete the selected design parameter.
For more information on using design parameters when creating laminate layup shell
properties for shell models, see Design Parameters with Laminate Layup.
Create Design Parameters

When you click Create on the Design Parameters dialog box, the Design
Parameters Definition dialog box appears. Use this dialog box to create or edit a
design parameter.
You can specify the range across which you want Mechanica to vary the value of the
design parameter when analyzing your model.
The Design Parameters Definition dialog box contains the following items:
• Name — Enter or edit the design parameter name.

• Description — Enter or edit the description of the design parameter. This
item is optional.
• Type — Select the type of design parameter you want to create—
Dimension, Pro/ENGINEER Parameter, or Section Dimension.
• Select — Click to select the dimension or parameter for which you want to
create a design parameter. If you select one of the listed parameters, be sure
it is an independent parameter, the parameter value is constant, and the
parameter is not currently being used as a measure.
• Minimum — Enter the minimum desired value for the design parameter.
• Current — Enter the value you want Mechanica to use as the current value
for the design parameter.
• Maximum — Enter the maximum desired value for the design parameter.
Note: Although you can specify negative values, be sure that a

negative value is valid for the dimension type in Pro/ENGINEER. For
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example, you would not specify a length as a negative number, but

you could specify an angle as a negative number.
If you specify a negative value where you should not, the software will
be unable to regenerate the part during design studies, shape
animation, or shape review.
To Define a Design Parameter

You have to define design parameters before running a design study.
1. Select Analysis>Mechanica Design Controls.

2. If you want to review the dimension names or values for a feature before
defining a design parameter, select Switch Dim.
3. Select Design Params.
The Design Parameters dialog box appears with a list of previously defined
parameters.
4. Click Create.
The Design Parameter Definition dialog box appears.
5. Select the type of design parameter you want to define.
Continue with the procedure for defining each type of design parameter by
clicking one of the following:
o Dimension
o Pro/ENGINEER Parameter
o Section Dimension
To Define a Dimension Design Parameter

This procedure assumes that you are in the Design Parameter Definition dialog
box and that you selected Dimension for Type.
1. Click Select.
Mechanica closes the dialog box.
2. Select a feature on your model for which you want to create design
parameters.
Mechanica displays the feature dimensions.
3. Select a dimension.
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The Design Parameter Definition dialog box appears with the name and
current value of the design parameter. Mechanica also inserts reasonable
minimum and maximum values.
4. Enter a name for the dimension design parameter in the Name entry box.
Choose a name that has not been assigned to another design parameter.
5. Review the minimum and maximum values and change them if necessary.
Be sure that the values are physically appropriate. For example, a negative
value is valid for an angle but not for a length.
6. Click Accept.
The Design Parameters dialog box appears and displays the design
parameter you just created.
To Define a Pro/ENGINEER Design Parameter

This procedure assumes that you have selected type Pro/ENGINEER on the Design
Parameter Definition dialog box. You can base the design parameter on a
Pro/ENGINEER parameter, or create a new parameter.
1. Click Select.
The Select Pro/ENGINEER Parameter dialog box appears with previously

defined parameters in the list box.
2. If you want to use one of the listed parameters, select the parameter name.
3. If you want to create a new Pro/ENGINEER parameter, see To Create a

Pro/ENGINEER Parameter.
value is valid for an angle but not for a length.
5. Click Accept.
The Design Parameters dialog box appears. The dialog box now shows the
design parameter you just created.
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To Define a Section Dimension Design

Parameter
This procedure assumes that you have selected type Section Dimension on the
Design Parameter Definition dialog box.
1. Click Select.
The Select Pro/ENGINEER Beam Section dialog box appears.
2. Select one of the beam sections listed.
Mechanica closes the dialog box and displays the beam section dimensions on
your model.
3. Select a dimension.
4. Enter a name for the dimension design parameter in the Name entry box.
Choose a name that has not been assigned to another design parameter.
value is legal for an angle but not for a length.
6. Click Accept.
The Design Parameters dialog box appears. The dialog box now shows the
design parameter you just created.
Shape Review
Use the Analysis>Mechanica Design Controls>Shape Review command to show
a model's shape changes in response to one or more design parameters set at values
you specify. This review shows you shape changes similar to those that will occur
during a design study and helps you spot potential problems before executing a
time-consuming study. For example, you may find conflicts between design
parameters.
The Shape Review dialog box contains the following items:
• Parameters — Select the design parameters to include in the shape review.

• Settings — Enter a value for each parameter in the Settings box.
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When you click the Review button to start the shape review, Mechanica displays the
model with the dimensions set to the specified values. After displaying the shape
change, Mechanica gives you the option to restore the model to its original state
before the shape review or to replace your original model with the new shape.
To see how a shape review changes a model's shape, see Example: Shape Review.
For information on problems that may occur when design parameters change your
model's shape, see:
• Design Parameter Errors

• Troubleshoot Shape Change Problems
Example: Shape Review

In this example, a design parameter applied to the end fin's outer radius has a range
of 0.8 to 1.5. The current value of the design parameter is 1.125, as shown in the
first view of the model. If you perform a shape review and specify the new value as
0.8, you would see the shape change illustrated in the second view of the model:
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To Perform a Shape Review

1. Select Analysis>Mechanica Design Controls>Shape Review.
The Shape Review dialog box appears with a parameter list of all design
parameters you created for the part or assembly.
2. Select each design parameter you want to include in the shape review.
3. Enter or select a number in the Settings entry box.
You can define values that lie outside the minimum and maximum range you
defined when you created the parameter.
4. Click Review to start the shape review.
Design Parameter Errors

When a model's shape changes during a design study, shape review, or shape
animation, Mechanica may encounter topological changes or other changes that it
cannot process. If this occurs, Mechanica places an error message in the engine log
file.
The following changes can produce error messages:
• Dimensioning Conflicts — When a design parameter changes, it can create

dimensioning conflicts that prevent Pro/ENGINEER from regenerating the
model. In this case, the software displays a warning indicating that it cannot
regenerate the model.
• Topology Changes — As a design parameter changes, it can alter your
model's topology. Topology is the association and connectivity between the
model's geometric entities. Topological changes can create new surfaces and
curves or delete existing surfaces and curves. Keep in mind the following
when determining whether to accept a design parameter that changes
topology:
o If your model undergoes a topology change, the optimizer may

encounter discontinuities that cause it to stop prematurely due to a
stress peak when new geometry appears or old geometry disappears.
o If the design parameter change deletes a surface, curve, point, or
region associated with a load, constraint, or measure, Mechanica
cannot update the model.
o If the design parameter change causes surface regions to intersect,
Mechanica retains the first region as is but removes the section of the
second region where the overlap occurred. The software redistributes
any loads applied to the second region over what remains of that
region. Consequently, your model may experience stress
concentrations as the second region becomes smaller.
• Dependent Dimensions — If you are applying a design parameter to a

dimension, you can only work with independent dimensions. If you create a
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design parameter and add a Pro/ENGINEER relation that makes the design
parameter's dimension dependent, Mechanica will not recognize that design
parameter.
Troubleshoot Shape Change Problems

When you review or animate your model, you may find that the design parameters
change the model's shape in ways you did not anticipate. If you encounter this
situation and cannot determine why the shape is changing unexpectedly, look for
conflicts or problems with the following:
• Relations — Problems with relations are a common source of unexpected

shape changes. If you use relations to make dimensions move relative to one
another, review the relations or look at the Pro/PROGRAM file. Try to locate
errors in the relations or conflicts between relations. For more information on
Pro/PROGRAM, see the Part Modeling area of the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
• Pro/ENGINEER parameters in multiple relations — Pro/ENGINEER
parameters that appear in multiple relations can cause unexpected shape
changes. If you define a design parameter based on a Pro/ENGINEER
parameter, review all the relations associated with the parameter to make
sure you understand their implications. Try to locate relations that you may
have forgotten about.
• Parent/child relationships — Child dimensions can move in unexpected
ways or freeze depending on the changes in the parent dimension. Thus, in
moving a parent feature, you may see a child change shape or position. If
you suspect this problem, review the parent/child relationships for your part
and redimension the part if necessary.
• Dimensions based on datum planes or center lines — You can use
datum planes or center lines to position features in your part. Positioning
dimensions of this sort may freeze feature movement. Among other things,
this can result in size changes that translate feature position rather than
maintain feature centering.
If you suspect this problem, consider adding a design parameter to move the
positioning dimensions as well as the sizing dimensions. As an alternative, you
may want to redimension your part or redefine the relations.
• Sketcher assumptions — When you dimension a part, Pro/ENGINEER's

sketcher makes certain assumptions about undimensioned areas of your part.
These assumptions can result in unwanted part movement.
For example, if you are designing an L-bracket and dimension the width of only
one leg, the sketcher assumes an identical width for both legs. Should you
create a design parameter for this dimension, Mechanica will move the width of
both legs instead of just the leg with the design parameter.
If you suspect that the problem is the result of sketcher assumptions, add
extra dimensions to counteract the sketcher assumptions.
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Shape Animate
Use the Analysis>Mechanica Design Controls>Shape Animate command to
show the effects of one or more design parameters on your model. Shape Animate
allows you to view the shape changes in steps, not just at a specific value. You
should use Shape Animate as well as Shape Review to preview shape changes
and prevent problems with your design parameters before running a design study.
The Shape Animate dialog box contains the following items:
• Parameters — Select the design parameters you want to include in the

shape animation.
• Settings — Enter starting and ending values in the entry boxes for each
parameter.
• Number of Intervals — Select the number of steps for the shape animation.
When you click the Animate button to start the shape animation, Mechanica initially
displays the model with the dimensions set to the start values. Mechanica then asks
if you want to move on to the next step in the animation. You have the option of
continuing or stopping the animation at each step. At the end of the animation, you
have the option to restore the model to its original shape before the animation or
replace the original model with the new shape.
To see how shape animation changes a model's shape, see Example: Shape
Animation.
For information on problems that may occur when design parameters change your
model's shape, see:
• Design Parameter Errors

• Troubleshoot Shape Change Problems
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Example: Shape Animation

This example shows a model's shape animation in four steps using the default start
and end values of 0.8 and 1.5:
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To Perform a Shape Animation

Use this procedure to view in steps the changes made by a design parameter.
1. Select Analysis>Mechanica Design Controls>Shape Animate.
The Shape Animate dialog box appears with a list of the design parameters
you created for the part or assembly.
2. Select the design parameters you want to include in the shape animation.
3. Enter or select a number for the starting value for each design parameter in
the left entry box under Settings.
4. Enter or select a number for the ending value for each design parameter in
the right entry box under Settings.
5. Select the number of steps for the animation in the Number Of Intervals
box.
6. Click Animate to start the shape animation.
Guidelines for Using Relations

When using relations with Mechanica, bear the following factors in mind:
• You cannot assign design parameters to dependent dimensions. Dependent

dimensions are dimensions that appear on the left side of a relation. If your
model contains dependent dimensions, Mechanica does not display them
during design parameter creation.
If you need to assign a design parameter to a dependent dimension, consider

redefining your relations to make the dimension independent. For more on
dependent relations, see Design Parameter Errors and Pro/ENGINEER
Parameters.
• You can use the Tools>Parameters command or Pro/PROGRAM to add

relations.
• You can use nested relations in design parameters. If you do so, be aware
that Pro/ENGINEER maintains all relations in a chronological list. When it
refers to the list, Pro/ENGINEER tries to satisfy the relations sequentially,
starting with the first relation.
Therefore, for nested relations, be sure to define the highest level relation first
and work downward from there. If you do not work downward through the
nest, the order in which you assigned the relations may prevent Pro/ENGINEER
from satisfying all the relations.
• If you want to change the thickness of a shell model using a design

parameter, you need to make sure both surfaces that make up the shell pair
move an equal distance in opposite directions. This type of movement
maintains the correct positioning of the midsurface during the thickness
change.
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If you dimensioned the paired surfaces in relation to a datum plane or an

entity in the part, the easiest way to create this effect is by setting up a
relation between the two paired surfaces.
In this case, you could create a datum plane at the midsurface and write the
relation in terms of that plane. As an alternative, you could treat the distance
from the midsurface to the dimensioning entity as an absolute value and write
the relation in terms of that value.
Example: Relations
With properly defined relations, you can create complex shape changes with fewer
design parameters. For example, you can use relations to decrease the size of the
following rectangular slot while maintaining its proportions and centering. As you
look at the figure, note that the slot is dimensioned to default datum planes for
orientation purposes.
In this case, the width of the slot (slt_width) is 3/4 the length of the slot
(slt_length). To maintain this proportionality and ensure that the slot remains in the
center of the model, you would assign the following relations:
• Relation 1 — ties the positioning width (dtm_wid) to the positioning length

(dtm_len) so that the slot expands and contracts while maintaining its center
position. This relation is:
dtm_wid = (3*dtm_len)/4
• Relation 2 — ties slt_width to slt_length, so that any change made in the

slot length would result in a proportional change to the width. This relation is:
slt_width = (3*slt_length)/4
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Because relations control dtm_wid and slt_width, you would only need to create
design parameters for dtm_len and slt_length. Without these relations, you would
need to define four design parameters to simulate the movement—one for each
dimension.
Design Parameters with Laminate Layup

When you create laminate layup shell properties, design parameters enable you to
control such aspects of the laminate as layer thickness and orientation.
For example, you can designate the thickness of a laminate layer as a design
parameter, and then define an optimization study that asks Mechanica to find the
minimum thickness that will preserve laminate strength.
If you delete a design parameter associated with a laminate layer thickness or

orientation, Mechanica converts the value shown on the Shell Properties dialog box
to the current value of the design parameter. At this point, you can no longer vary or
control the value for a design study. In this case, you may want to review the design
study to ensure that it still meets your needs.
For more information on the laminate layup version of the Shell Properties dialog
box, see Laminate Layup.
Strategy: Using Design Parameters

In Mechanica, you can use design parameters to define the design space you want to
explore during sensitivity and optimization studies. When you define design
parameters, identify aspects of the model you can vary within manufacturing
constraints and tolerances. Define individual design parameters, which you can vary
from 0% to 100%, for those aspects. If you want to vary more than one aspect at a
time—in other words, as a unit—you can build a relation that moves the aspects
together and use that relation as the design parameter.
Use the Analysis>Mechanica Design Controls>Shape Animate and

Analysis>Mechanica Design Controls>Shape Review commands to make sure
that the model geometry and mesh remain valid throughout the design space you
plan to use for a particular study.
You may find that you need to change some of the design parameter limits or add
additional design parameters to achieve the desired modification. Use the following
strategies for reviewing the effect of your design parameters on the model:
• Before running a local sensitivity study, use Shape Review. Set the value for
each parameter to the starting position you plan to use. Then use the Review
menu to check the shape of the model at those settings.
• Before running a global sensitivity study, use Shape Animate and set the
values for each parameter to the range you plan to use for the study. Then
review an animation of the model's changes across each of those ranges.
• Before running an optimization study, use Shape Review to review all
parameters at their starting positions. You can also use Shape Review to
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look at combinations of parameters you think could create possible shape

change conflicts.
For example, if setting the radius of a curve to 100% of its range while
setting the translation of that curve to 0% of its range could cause the
geometry to significantly change its shape, review the shape using that
combination.
Then use Shape Animate to vary your parameters across different ranges
and in different combinations to find any problems the engine might
encounter while optimizing the model.
At a minimum, animate your model across the entire range of each parameter
you plan to include in the optimization study.
You can also use the results of local and global sensitivity studies to predict
how the engine might change particular design parameters to achieve your
goal. Use this information to set the parameter ranges for your optimization
study.
Verifying Models
Checking Your Model
It is a good idea to check your model before you start your run to detect errors in
your model that can cause:
• the results of a design study to be inaccurate

• the design study to terminate abnormally
You can check your model to make sure that the work you did passes Mechanica's
validity checking. To do so, select the Info>Check Model menu option on the
Analyses and Design Studies dialog box before running your analysis or design
study. As an alternative, you can start the run and click OK to use error detection
during the run.
You might want to check your model more than once before starting a run to:
• Check for errors that are specific to the analyses and design studies you
create.
• Make sure that any edits you made to your model did not create any new
errors.
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Validity Checking
Mechanica performs error checks when you select the Info>Check Model menu
option on the Analyses and Design Studies dialog box. For each error it finds,
Mechanica:
• highlights any entities involved

• displays a message box with an error message
Unless otherwise indicated, these errors prevent you from starting a design study
run.
Mechanica's error checks fall into three categories:
• Structure and Thermal

• Structure
• Thermal
The error checking process does not include model repair. Mechanica reports only
corruption errors related to modeling entities. If it encounters topological or
geometric errors, Mechanica exits and returns you to Pro/ENGINEER.
Structure and Thermal Errors

In both Structure and Thermal, Mechanica searches for the following errors:
• Missing properties
• Invalid analysis definitions
Missing Properties
Mechanica highlights any components to which you have not assigned material
properties or other properties.
Use the Properties menu to assign any missing properties.
Invalid Analysis Definitions

Mechanica makes sure that you have defined all analyses correctly. For example,
Mechanica detects analyses that have no constraint sets or that have neither load
sets nor prescribed displacements. These errors can occur if you delete a constraint
set or load set after including it in an analysis.
Use the Analysis>Mechanica Analyses/Studies command to open the Analyses

and Design Studies dialog box, which you can use to edit the analysis definition.
For more information, see About Analyses.
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Mechanica also warns you if your model contains dynamic time, frequency, or
random response analyses, and you have not defined any measures of the types
calculated for those analyses.
You can define new measures with the Insert>Simulation Measure command.
Structure Errors
In Structure only, Mechanica searches for the following errors:
• Missing constraints
• Constraint–constraint conflicts
Constraint–Constraint Conflicts
If you place constraints on associated entities that are incompatible, and include
those constraints in the same set, Mechanica highlights the constraint icons.
For example, if you constrained a shell in the X direction, but also placed an enforced
displacement on one of the shell's edges in the same direction, the constraints will
conflict if they are in the same set.
As a general rule, you should not constrain any associated entities of an entity that
you have already constrained if you plan to include the constraints in the same set.
Missing Constraints
Mechanica makes sure that there are constraints in your model. Note that a point-to-
ground spring is a constraint.
You cannot define an analysis for a model with no constraints, unless you select one
of the following:
• For a modal or prestress modal analysis select Unconstrained on the dialog

boxes for modal analyses.
• For a dynamic time, dynamic frequency, or dynamic random analysis select
Use Modes From Previous Design Study on the Previous Analysis tabs
of the dialog boxes for dynamic analyses.
Thermal Errors
In Thermal only, Mechanica searches for the following errors:
• Missing prescribed temperatures or convection conditions

• Conflicting prescribed temperatures
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Missing Prescribed Temperatures or

Mechanica makes sure that your model has one of the following:
• prescribed temperatures
• convection conditions
You cannot define an analysis for a model without at least one constraint set
containing one of these two conditions.
Conflicting Prescribed Temperatures

If you have placed prescribed temperatures of different values on associated entities,
and included those prescribed temperatures in the same constraint set, Mechanica
highlights the prescribed temperature icons.
As a general rule, you cannot include prescribed temperatures of different values in

the same constraint set if they are on associated entities.
To Promote Simulation Features to

Pro/ENGINEER
1. In the work area, select the simulation feature you want to promote.
2. Select Edit>Promote.
The software promotes the highlighted feature to Pro/ENGINEER. When you

view the model in Pro/ENGINEER, an icon representing the promoted feature
appears on the model.
To Create a Pro/ENGINEER Parameter

This procedure assumes that you have selected type Pro/ENGINEER on the Design
Parameter Definition dialog box, and you are in the Select Pro/ENGINEER
Parameter dialog box.
1. Click Create.
The Create a Pro/ENGINEER Parameter dialog box appears.
2. Enter a name for the new Pro/ENGINEER parameter.

3. Enter a numerical value for the parameter.
Mechanica highlights the new parameter and returns you to the Select
Pro/ENGINEER Parameter dialog box.
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Creating Analyses
About Analyses
Use the Mechanica Analyses/Studies command to create and manage analyses.
For FEM mode analyses, see About FEM Analysis and About Running FEM Analyses
and Generating Output Decks.
In an analysis:
• You specify some combination of constraints and loads for your model that
Mechanica uses to calculate the model's response.
• You enter information that determines how Mechanica calculates and reports
results for the analysis when you include the analysis in a design study and
run the study.
You can create many types of analyses in each Mechanica product.
For general information on creating an analysis, see Creating Analyses and Design
Studies.
For information on creating analyses in each Mechanica product, see the following:
• Structural Analysis — Includes static, prestress static, large deformation

static, contact, modal, prestress modal, buckling, and fatigue analyses.
• Thermal Analysis — Includes steady thermal and transient thermal
analyses.
• Vibration Analysis — Includes dynamic time, dynamic frequency, dynamic
random, and dynamic shock analyses.
Creating Analyses and Design Studies

Use the Analyses and Design Studies dialog box to create analyses and design
studies.
The dialog box contains a list of existing analyses and design studies, if there are
any. Mechanica adds to this list any new analyses or design studies that you create.
The Analyses and Design Studies dialog box includes the following options on the
File menu for creating new analyses and design studies:
• New Static — Create a new static analysis.

• New Modal — Create a new modal analysis.
• New Buckling — Create a new buckling analysis.
• New Fatigue — Create a new fatigue analysis.
• New Prestress — Create a new prestress static or prestress modal analysis.
• New Dynamic — Create a new dynamic time, frequency, shock, or random
analysis.
• New Design Study — Create a new design study.
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Analyses and Design Studies Dialog Box

When you select the Analysis>Mechanica Analyses/Studies command, the
Analyses and Design Studies dialog box appears. Use this dialog box to manage
and run your analyses and design studies.
The Analyses and Design Studies dialog box includes the following:
• Menu bar — Perform the following activities using the options on the menu
bar:
o Create new analyses and design studies using the options available on
the File menu.
o Modify existing analyses and design studies using the
Edit>Analysis/Study menu option. You can also copy or delete
analyses or design studies using the options on the Edit menu.
o Set up a run using the Run>Settings menu option or selecting the
Configure Run Settings button on the toolbar to display the Run
o Create a batch file to run more than one analysis or design study at a
time using the Run>Batch menu option.
o Check your model before you start a run by using the Info>Check
Model menu option.
o Start, stop, or restart analyses and design studies using the options on
the Run menu or the buttons on the toolbar.
o Monitor the status and view a detailed summary of a run using the
Info>Status menu option.
o Review the error and warning messages generated during a run using
the Info>Diagnose menu option.
• Toolbar — Use the toolbar buttons to perform many of the functions
available on the menu bar.
• Analyses and Design Studies Table — Lists the name and type of analyses
and design studies for the current model. To perform an action on a specific
analysis or design study, highlight it in the list and select the action from the
options on the menus or use the toolbar buttons.
• Description — Displays a description, if available, of the analysis or design
study you select from the list.
Closing the dialog box does not initiate any actions.
Analysis Types
You can create these types of analysis within each Mechanica product.
Product Analysis Types
Structure • Static
o Large Deformation Static
o Contact
• Prestress Static
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Product Analysis Types
• Buckling
• Modal
• Prestress Modal
• Fatigue
Thermal • Steady-State Thermal

• Transient Thermal
Vibration (part of Structure) • Dynamic Time Response

• Dynamic Frequency Response
• Dynamic Random Response
• Dynamic Shock Response
Note: Fatigue analysis requires a separate software license. If you do not

have a license, you can use Mechanica in demo mode.
When you run design studies, you have the option of running an analysis type called
regeneration analysis. This type of analysis simply regenerates your model and is a
means of running a design study without first having to run another type of analysis.
In addition to 3D analysis, Mechanica allows you to perform 2D analysis on one

planar or multiple coplanar edges, curves, faces, or surfaces in your model.
Before performing 2D analysis on your model, you must select a 2D model type, the
geometry on which you want to perform the 2D analysis, and a reference coordinate
system. To read about selecting a model type, see About Specifying a Product, Mode,
and Model Type. Before defining an analysis for a 2D model type, read Guidelines for
Working with Model Types.
Structural Analysis
About Structural Analysis
Use the Analysis>Mechanica Analyses/Studies command to define a structural
analysis.
You can define the following types of structural analyses:
• Static — Calculates deformations, stresses, and strains on your model in

response to specified loads and subject to specified constraints.
• Prestress Static — Uses results from a static analysis to calculate
deformations, stresses, and strains on your model.
• Large Deformation Static — Calculates geometrically nonlinear
deformations and stresses in a static analysis.
• Contact — Calculates the effects of loads on contact regions in your model.
• Modal — Calculates the natural frequencies and mode shapes of your model.
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• Prestress Modal — Uses results from a static analysis to calculate the

natural frequencies and mode shapes of your model.
• Buckling — Uses results from a static analysis to determine the critical
magnitudes of loads at which a structure will buckle.
• Fatigue — Uses results from a static analysis to calculate the effect of fatigue
loading on the life of your model.
For static, prestress static, large deformation, contact, and buckling analyses,
Mechanica automatically calculates all measures valid for a static analysis. For modal
and prestress modal analyses, Mechanica automatically calculates all measures that
are valid for a modal analysis.
See Sample Uses for Prestress and Buckling Analyses for an example of when you
might use each of these analysis types.
See Constraint and Load Sets in Structural Analyses for information on including load
sets and constraint sets in your analyses.
Constraint and Load Sets in Structural

Analyses
Your model's loading condition determines the type of analysis you should use. When
you are defining structural analyses, use the following guidelines:
• For a static, prestress static, large deformation static, and contact analysis,
you do not need a load set if you use a constraint set with an enforced
displacement. Otherwise, you must have at least one load set.
• For a modal or prestress modal analysis, you do not need a constraint set if
you select Unconstrained when you define the analysis. Do not select a
constraint set that contains an enforced displacement constraint.
• For any analysis type other than dynamic shock, point-to-ground springs are
equivalent to point constraints. You do not have to select a constraint set if
your model is sufficiently constrained by such springs.
• For all dynamic analyses, you can select a load set that contains a thermal
load, but it will not be used for calculations.
• For dynamic time, frequency, and random analyses, you can choose to have
Mechanica calculate results separately for each load set you include, or sum
the sets as if they are acting simultaneously.
• If you delete a constraint set or load set after you include it in an analysis,
Mechanica automatically deletes that set from the analysis.
Even if you create a new set with the same name as the set you deleted, you
must edit the analysis and reselect the set. Otherwise, you may invalidate the
analysis, and any design studies in which you included the analysis.
Static and Prestress Static Analyses

Static and prestress static analyses examine similar aspects of your model's
structural behavior. You can use static analysis to calculate deformations, stresses,
and strains on your model in response to specified loads and subject to specified
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constraints. You can use prestress static analysis to simulate how a prestiffened or
prestressed structure affects your model's deformations, stresses, and strains.
For a description of and requirements for each analysis type, see Static Analysis
Overview and Prestress Static Analysis Overview.
These items appear on the Static Analysis Definition and Prestress Static
Analysis Definition dialog boxes:
• Constraints — Select a constraint set.

• Loads — You can select one or more load sets. You need at least one load set
or a constraint set with an enforced displacement.
• Nonlinear Options (appears only on the Static Analysis Definition dialog
box) — You can select Compute Large Deformations or Include Contact
Regions if your model is valid for these options. For models with contact
regions, Include Contact Regions is selected by default. If you do not want
to include contact regions in your analysis, you must deselect this option. If
you want to use either of these options, see:
o Large Deformation Static Analysis
o Contact Analysis
The following tabs appear on the Static Analysis Definition and Prestress Static
• Previous Analysis (appears only on the Prestress Static Analysis

Definition dialog box)
• Temperature Distribution (available on the Static Analysis Definition
dialog box only for models with temperature-dependent material properties)
• Convergence
• Output
Static Analysis Overview

Description
Use to calculate deformations, stresses, and strains on your model in response to

specified loads and subject to specified constraints.
A static analysis can tell you if the material in your model will stand stress and if the
part might break (stress analysis), where the part might break (strain analysis), how
much the shape of the model changes (deformation analysis), and the effects of
loads on any contact regions (contact analysis).
Requirements
• 1 constraint set
• 1 or more load sets or enforced displacements
See Constraint and Load Sets in Structural Analyses for more information.
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To Create a Static Analysis
1. Select Analysis>Mechanica Analyses/Studies or click .
The Analyses and Design Studies dialog box appears.
2. Select New Static from the File menu.
The Static Analysis Definition dialog box appears.
3. Enter a name for the analysis. A description is optional.

4. Select a constraint set.
5. Select one or more load sets.
If your constraint set includes an enforced displacement constraint, you do

not need to select a load set.
6. If nonlinear options are available for your model, you can select one of the
following:
o Calculate Large Deformations — See To Create a Large

Deformation Static Analysis.
o Include Contact Regions — See To Create a Contact Analysis. This
option is selected by default if your model includes contact regions. If
you do not want to include contact regions in your analysis, you must
clear this item.
7. Click the following tabs on the dialog box to select additional options for the
static analysis:
o Load Intervals (available only if you selected a nonlinear option in

step 7)
o Convergence
o Output
o Temperature Distribution (available only for models with
temperature-dependent material properties)
8. Click OK when you complete the dialog box.
The dialog box reappears displaying the name, type, and description of the
new analysis.
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Prestress Static Analysis Overview

Description
Use to simulate how a prestiffened or prestressed structure affects your model's

deformations, stresses, and strains.
A prestress static analysis determines the strengthening or weakening of the part

due to the applied loads. For example, you can run a prestress static analysis on a
ski lift to determine the strengthening or weakening caused by a pretension cable.
Results of a previously run static analysis are the starting point for a prestress static
analysis.
You run a prestress static analysis in addition to a static analysis for the following
situations:
• if you want a transverse effect for your model

• if you think your applied loads affect the stiffness of the model—for example,
if you have a model with an existing load that projects an existing force
• if the specified loads in the static analysis are close in magnitude to a
corresponding buckling load. In this case, the prestiffening effects are
negligible from a static analysis. You should run a prestress static analysis for
more specific information.
Requirements
• 1 or more load sets or enforced displacements
• 1 or more static analyses
• a 3D model
To Create a Prestress Static Analysis

You must run a static analysis before you use this procedure. Mechanica uses the
results from the static analysis to calculate the prestress static analysis.
2. Select New Prestress>Static from the File menu.
The Prestress Static Analysis Definition dialog box appears.
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4. Select a constraint set.

If your constraint set includes an enforced displacement constraint, you do

not need to select a load set.
prestress static analysis:
o Previous Analysis
o Output
o Convergence
new analysis.
Large Deformation Static Analysis

In a large deformation static analysis, Mechanica calculates geometrically nonlinear
static results. To define a large deformation analysis, you select a static analysis as
the analysis type and then select Calculate Large Deformations in the Nonlinear
Options area of the Static Analysis Definition dialog box.
See Large Deformation Static Analysis Overview for a description of and

requirements for large deformation static analysis.
For a large deformation static analysis, select the following options on the Static
Analysis Definition dialog box as indicated:

• Loads — Select a load set, unless you are using a constraint set with an
enforced displacement.
• Nonlinear Options — Select Calculate Large Deformations. This option is
only available for certain model and load types. If your model has contact
regions, you must deselect the default option Include Contact Regions and
then select Calculate Large Deformations.
The following tabs are available on the dialog box when you select Calculate Large
Deformations:
• Load Intervals
• Temperature Distribution (appears only for models with temperature-
dependent material properties)
• Convergence
• Output
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Large Deformation Static Analysis Overview

Description
Use large deformation static analysis if you want to calculate geometrically nonlinear
results. You may want to perform a linear static analysis first to determine whether
geometrically nonlinear results are required.
You may also want to perform a linear buckling analysis. If the load factor is greater
than the critical buckling load factor for your model, the large deformation static
analysis may either take a long time to converge, or may not converge to a solution.
If you perform a buckling analysis that indicates your model will buckle, you can
reduce run time for a large deformation static analysis by using a load that is less
than the linear buckling load.
Be aware that, in some cases, the results of linear static analysis and buckling
analysis may not accurately predict what will actually occur in a large deformation
static analysis.
Note: Mechanica supports only certain types of loads in large deformation

static analysis. Some loads may be deformation-dependent, such as pressure
loads.
Mechanica interprets material properties for large deformation static analysis

according to a natural generalization of linear elasticity. and are converted to the
Lame constants and , using the same formulas as used in linear elasticity.
Stresses are calculated using the neo-Hookean material law, which depends linearly
on and . For more information on neo-Hookean material, see Nonlinear
Continuum for Finite Element Analysis, Javier Bonet and Richard D. Wood
(Cambridge University Press: 1997).
When you run a large deformation static analysis, you can use the Single-Pass
Adaptive convergence method or perform a Quick Check. After you run the analysis,
with full results selected for multiple load intervals, you can view the results at the
various load intervals by animating the fringe plot.
Mechanica reports Almansi strains for large deformation static analysis. Resultant
measures are not currently available for this analysis type.
Requirements
• 0 or 1 load set
• a 3D, 2D plane stress, or 2D plane strain model
• solid and mass elements only
• no links
• isotropic, linear elastic material properties only
• no temperature-dependent material properties
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To Create a Large Deformation Static Analysis

1. Create a new static analysis, if you have not already created one.
On the Static Analysis Definition dialog box, the following items must be
filled in: Name, Constraints, Loads, Convergence, and Output.
2. Select the nonlinear option Calculate Large Deformations.
The Load Intervals tab becomes available.
3. To select load interval options, see To Select Load Interval Options for Large
Deformation and Contact Analyses.
new analysis.
Contact Analysis
In a contact analysis, Mechanica examines the effect of loads on contact regions.
For details, see the description of and requirements for contact analyses.
You must first select a static analysis type and then use the nonlinear option
Include Contact Regions.
For a contact analysis, select the following options on the Static Analysis
Definition dialog box as indicated:
• Constraints — Select a constraint set. Enforced displacements in spherical

and cylindrical coordinate systems are not supported for contact analysis.
• Loads — Select a load set, unless you are using a constraint set with an
enforced displacement.
• Nonlinear Options — Verify that the nonlinear option Include Contact
Regions is selected. This option is available and selected by default only if
your model has contact regions. Note that, because Mechanica does not
support large deformation nonlinearity for contact analyses, the Calculate
Large Deformations check box is inactive, and can only be reactivated if
you deselect Include Contact Regions.
The following tabs are available on the dialog box when you select Include Contact
Regions:
• Load Intervals
• Temperature Distribution (appears only for models with temperature-
dependent material properties)
• Convergence
• Output
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Contact Analysis Description

Use contact analysis to observe how displacement, stresses, contact pressures,
and/or measures affect the contact regions of your model. During a contact analysis,
Mechanica monitors any changes to the surfaces of your model that are defined as
contact regions.
Mechanica also calculates the total contact area of all contact regions in your model
and the maximum contact pressure over all contact regions.
In a contact analysis, the relation between the load applied to the model and the
resulting deformations and stresses is not linear.
The contact area changes nonlinearly as the load increases, because the contact area
depends on the deformation of the model:
Contact analysis takes longer to run than linear static analysis because Mechanica
must calculate results several times iteratively.
See Contact Analyses in Design Studies for information on including contact analyses
in different types of design studies.
Contact Analysis Requirements

You need to include the following items in a contact analysis:
• 0 or 1 load set
• 1 or more contact regions
In addition, you must create measures if you want to see results for specific contact
regions. You can select from the following measures: average contact pressure,
maximum contact pressure, contact area, and contact load.
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Note that Mechanica does not support contact analysis for models that include shells
in the contact region. Also, Mechanica does not support large deformation
nonlinearity for contact analyses. This means that the outward normals for the
contact surfaces should not rotate more than 5 during analysis.
To Create a Contact Analysis

Before carrying out a contact analysis, you must create contact regions in your
model. If you want to see results for specific regions, you must define measures for
your model. You can then use contact analysis to find out how displacement,
stresses, contact pressures, and/or measures affect the contact regions.
1. Create a new static analysis, if you have not already created one.
On the Static Analysis Definition dialog box, the following items must be
filled in: Name, Constraints, Loads, Convergence, and Output.
2. Make sure the nonlinear option Include Contact Regions is selected.
The Load Intervals tab becomes available.
3. To select load interval options, see To Select Load Interval Options for Large
Deformation and Contact Analyses.
new analysis.
Modal and Prestress Modal Analyses

Modal and prestress modal analyses both examine the modal behavior of your
model. You can use modal analysis to calculate the natural frequencies and mode
shapes of your model. You can use prestress modal analyses to apply results from a
static analysis and then calculate the natural frequencies and mode shapes of your
model.
For a description of and requirements for each analysis type, see Modal Analysis
Overview and Prestress Modal Analysis Overview.
These items appear on the Modal Analysis Definition and Prestress Modal
• Constrained — Select this option if you want to include a constraint. Then

select a constraint set from the Constraints list.
• Unconstrained — Select this option if you do not want to include a
constraint.
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• With Rigid Mode Search — Use this option to include a search for rigid body
modes.
The following tabs appear on the Modal Analysis Definition and Prestress Modal
• Modes
• Previous Analysis (appears only on the Prestress Modal Analysis
Definition dialog box)
• Temperature Distribution (available on the Modal Analysis Definition
dialog box only for models with temperature-dependent material properties)
• Convergence
• Output
Modal Analysis Overview

Description
Use modal analysis to calculate the natural frequencies and mode shapes of your
model.
You can also see the response to the natural frequencies of your model when it is
subjected to time-dependent and/or oscillatory/vibration loads by running any
dynamic analysis: dynamic time, dynamic frequency, dynamic random, or dynamic
shock.
See Units of Modal Frequency Results to find out how Mechanica reports frequency
results.
Requirements
• 0 or 1 constraint set
To Create a Modal Analysis
2. Select New Modal from the File menu.
The Modal Analysis Definition dialog box appears.

4. Select Constrained and choose a constraint, or select Unconstrained.
5. If you want to include a rigid mode search, select the check box option.
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modal analysis:
o Modes
o Temperature Distribution (available only for models with
temperature-dependent material properties)
o Output
o Convergence
new analysis.
Prestress Modal Analysis Overview

Description
Use results from a static analysis to calculate the natural frequencies and mode
shapes of your model.
For example, in rotating machinery, such as a turbine blade, you may want to run a
prestress modal analysis after a static analysis to get more detailed information
about the applied loads and the stiffening and weakening of those loads.
See Units of Modal Frequency Results to find out how Mechanica reports frequency
results.
See Spin Softening to find out how Mechanica automatically compensates for the
effect of relative motions that can occur during prestress modal analyses when a
centrifugal load is present.
Requirements
• 0 or 1 constraint set
• 1 static analysis
• 3D model
To Create a Prestress Modal Analysis

You must run a static analysis before you use this procedure. Mechanica uses the
results from the modal analysis to calculate the prestress modal analysis.
2. Select New Prestress>Modal from the File menu.
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The Prestress Modal Analysis Definition dialog box appears.

4. Select Constrained and choose a constraint, or select Unconstrained.
5. If you want to include a rigid mode search, select the check box option.
modal analysis:
o Modes
o Previous Analysis
o Output
o Convergence
new analysis.
Buckling Analysis
You can use a buckling analysis to calculate the critical load at which a structure will
buckle, as well as the model's stresses, strains, and deformations at the onset of
buckling.
In a buckling analysis, Mechanica calculates a buckling load factor (BLF) and mode
shape.
See Buckling Analysis Overview for a more detailed description of and requirements
for buckling analyses.
These items appear on the Buckling Analysis Definition dialog box:
• Previous Analysis
• Convergence
• Output
Buckling Analysis Overview

Description
In a buckling analysis, Mechanica calculates:
• a buckling load factor (BLF). The BLF is the magnification factor by which the
loads applied in a previously specified static analysis would have to be
multiplied to produce the critical buckling load. First define a static analysis, in
which Mechanica calculates the stress stiffening of your model due to the
applied forces. You can then define a buckling analysis, which Mechanica uses
to calculate the model's elastic stiffness due to geometry and material
properties. Mechanica uses the two solutions to calculate the BLF.
• the mode shape for each buckling mode you request
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The buckling analysis uses the constraint set specified in the previous static analysis.
Mechanica automatically calculates all predefined measures valid for a static
analysis.
Mechanica buckling analysis is a linear eigenvalue bifurcation instability analysis as

described in The Finite Element Method, Third Edition, by O.C. Zienkiewicz, pages
513–514. Large displacement or non-linear buckling investigations may produce
significantly different results, depending on the type of model and loads being
examined.
A Mechanica buckling analysis will typically overestimate the buckling load in

comparison to real world tests.
Look at the mode shape and BLF in results. For stress results, you should use the
static analysis results. For stress results at the area of buckling, multiply the stresses
from the static analysis with the buckling load factor.
See Buckling Load Factor and Optimization Studies for information on using the BLF
as a limit in an optimization study.
Requirements
• a 3D model
To Create a Buckling Analysis
2. Select New Buckling on the File menu.
The Buckling Analysis Definition dialog box appears.

buckling analysis:
o Previous Analysis
o Convergence
o Output
The dialog box reappears displaying the name, type, and description of the new
analysis.
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Fatigue Analysis
Use fatigue analysis to establish whether your model is susceptible to fatigue
damage when subjected to cyclic loading. The solver technology integrated with
Mechanica fatigue analysis is provided by nCode, Inc. Fatigue analysis requires a
Fatigue Advisor license from PTC.
Before defining a fatigue analysis, you must first define a static analysis. You also
must assign fatigue properties to the materials of your model in order to get valid
fatigue results.
See Fatigue Analysis Overview for a detailed description of and requirements for
fatigue analysis.
The following tabs appear on the Fatigue Analysis Definition dialog box:
• Load History
Below the tabs, the following items appear in the Output area:
• Plotting Grid
• Calculate factor of safety
Fatigue Analysis Overview

Description
Fatigue analysis establishes whether your model is susceptible to fatigue damage

when subjected to a varying load. You can use constant amplitude loading for
situations where the stress cycles are regular, such as a rotating shaft operating at a
constant speed. For situations where the stress cycles are random, you can define a
variable amplitude loading pattern for your model.
You must first define a static analysis before you can define a fatigue analysis. The
stress results from the static analysis are multiplied by the load factors you specify
for the fatigue analysis to find the loading variation for one life cycle.
Fatigue analysis calculates the following:
• Log Life — the estimated number of cycles until your model breaks. Because
of the exponential nature of fatigue, it is useful to express life as a logarithm.
• Log Damage — the ratio between accumulated fatigue cycles and the total
number of cycles to failure. A value greater than unity indicates failure. A
value of 0.5, for example, represents a loss of 50% in the useful life of the
model. Because of the exponential nature of fatigue, it is useful to express
the damage ratio as a logarithm.
• Factor of Safety — the permissible factor of safety on the input load. When
the fatigue life calculated for your model is greater than the target design life,
the software carries out a back calculation to determine a permissible factor
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of safety on the input load. This represents the extent to which the amplitude
of the load can be increased without compromising the target design life.
• If you want the software to calculate the factor of safety, select the check box
in the Output area at the bottom of the Fatigue Analysis Definition dialog
box.
• Confidence of Life — the ratio between the calculated life and the target
design life. Because of the statistical nature of fatigue, the greater the
confidence the better. Values below unity indicate failure. Values greater than
3.0 usually reflect an adequate confidence of achieving the desired target life.
You can display Confidence Of Life results in a tricolored fringe display to give
an overall view of where the model will break first and where the model will
last for a greater number of cycles. Red signifies a confidence of life from 0
cycles to the number of cycles entered for desired endurance on the analysis
dialog box. Yellow signifies a confidence of life that ranges from the number
of cycles for desired endurance to 3 times that number. The difference
between these numbers is considered the marginal life. Green signifies any
number of cycles over the marginal life.
For background information on fatigue and details about the methodology used in
fatigue analysis, see the online document Understanding Fatigue Analysis.
Fatigue Advisor is optimized so you can obtain a rapid indication of whether a design
is sensitive to fatigue without having to provide the full range of input normally
required to solve this problem. The software accomplishes this by asking for input
that is relatively straightforward to obtain and by internally setting very conservative
defaults for input that you do not directly provide. Advanced fatigue users may want
to alter these defaults to examine less conservative scenarios.
Requirements
• 3D solid or shell model

• isotropic materials only
• fatigue properties for the materials
To Create a Fatigue Analysis
2. Select New Fatigue from the File menu.
The Fatigue Analysis Definition dialog box appears.

4. Click the following tabs on the dialog box to select options for fatigue
analysis:
o Load History
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o Previous Analysis
5. Select the density of the Plotting Grid.
6. Select the Calculate factor of safety check box if you want the software to
make this calculation. This calculation adds significantly to the total analysis
runtime.
new analysis.
To Use Previous Analysis Results in a Fatigue

Analysis
You use the results of a previously defined or previously run static analysis to
calculate a fatigue analysis. This procedure assumes you are in the Fatigue
Analysis Definition dialog box.
1. Click the Previous Analysis tab on the analysis dialog box.

2. If you want to use the results from a previously run static analysis, select the
check box Use Static Analysis Results From Previous Design Study.
If you do not select this check box, Mechanica will run a static analysis as part
of running your fatigue analysis.
3. Select the following items to include in your fatigue analysis:
o Design Study (if applicable)

o Static Analysis
o Load Set
To Define the Load History for a Fatigue

Analysis
This procedure assumes you are in the Fatigue Analysis Definition dialog box:
1. Click the Load History tab on the Analysis dialog box.

2. Enter in the Desired Endurance field the number of life cycles you want to
include in the analysis.
3. Select a loading type—Constant Amplitude or Variable Amplitude.
Different options appear on the tab depending on the loading type you select.
4. If you selected Constant Amplitude, select one of the following options for
Amplitude Type:
o Peak–Peak
o Zero–Peak
o User-Defined
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5. If you selected User-Defined in step 4, enter values for Min Load Factor
and Max Load Factor.
6. If you selected the loading type Variable Amplitude in step 3, enter a load
factor for each row in the table to define the amplitude curve for one life
cycle.
You can use the Add Row button to add rows to the table, or the Delete and
Clear All buttons to remove rows.
You also can import the load factor data from a text file directly into the table.
Click the Import button and then select the file from the Open File dialog
box.
To Select Output Options for a Structural

Analysis
This procedure assumes you are in the dialog box for creating one of these analysis
types: static, prestress static, modal, prestress modal, buckling, contact, or large
deformation static.
1. Click the Output tab on the analysis dialog box.

2. Select the quantities you want Mechanica to calculate: Stresses, Rotation,
Reactions, and Ply Stresses (not available for contact analysis).
3. Select the density of the plotting grid.
To Select Load Interval Options for Large

Deformation and Contact Analyses
This procedure assumes you are in the Static Analysis Definition or Prestress
Static Analysis Definition dialog box and have selected Calculate Large
Deformations or Include Contact Regions.
1. Click the Load Intervals tab on the analysis dialog box.

2. Select the number of intervals for your analysis.
3. Enter a load factor for each load interval or use the default factors.
4. If you are creating a large deformation static analysis, select the check boxes
next to the load intervals for which you want to save full results.
To Set Convergence for a Structural Analysis

types: static, prestress static, modal, prestress modal, buckling, contact, or large
deformation static.
1. Click the Convergence tab on the analysis dialog box.

2. Select the convergence method for your analysis—Multi-Pass Adaptive,
Single-Pass Adaptive, or Quick Check.
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3. If you are creating a contact analysis and selected Single-Pass Adaptive

convergence, you have the option to select Localized Mesh Refinement.
Note: If you selected Multi-Pass Adaptive, continue with the

following steps.
4. Enter a minimum and maximum polynomial order.

5. Enter a convergence percentage.
6. Select the quantities you want Mechanica to use to calculate convergence.
For a description of the convergence quantities, see:
o quantities for static, prestress static, contact, and large deformation

analyses
o quantities for modal and prestress modal analyses
o quantities for buckling analysis
To Select Temperature Distribution for an

Analysis
types: static, modal, contact, or large deformation static.
1. Click the Temperature Distribution tab on the analysis dialog box.

2. Select the temperature distribution for the analysis—Uniform, MecT
(MecThermal), or ExtT (External Temperatures).
3. If you selected Uniform, enter a temperature in the Temperature field.
4. If you selected MecT, select a previously defined thermal analysis.
5. If you selected a steady thermal analysis in step 4, select a load set, or if you
selected a transient thermal analysis, select a time step from the analysis.
6. If you want to use the results from a previously run design study, select the
Use temperatures from previous design study check box.
7. If you selected the check box, you must select the name of the design study
or analysis and the load set you want to use.
8. If you selected ExtT for temperature distribution, click the Browse button to
select the external temperature field file you want to use from the Open
dialog box.
The name of the file you selected appears in the ExtT field.
To Use Previous Analysis Results in a

Prestress Analysis
This procedure assumes you are in the Prestress Static Analysis or Prestress
Modal Analysis dialog box.

Use Static Analysis Results From Previous Design Study check box.
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of running your prestress analysis.
3. Select the following items to include in your prestress analysis:

o Static Analysis
o Load Set
4. If you want to multiply the stress results from a previous static analysis, enter
a Load Scale Factor.
5. If you are creating a prestress static analysis, you have the option to select
the Combine Results With Results From Previous Static Analysis check
box.
To Use Previous Analysis Results in a Buckling

Analysis
You use the results of a previously defined or previously run static analysis to
calculate a buckling analysis. This procedure assumes you are in the Buckling
Analysis Definition dialog box.

check box Use Static Analysis Results From Previous Design Study.
of running your buckling analysis.
3. Select the following items to include in your buckling analysis:

o Static Analysis
o Load Set
4. Enter the number of buckling modes you want Mechanica to calculate.
To Select Mode Options for a Modal Analysis

This procedure assumes you are in the Modal Analysis Definition or Prestress
Modal Analysis Definition dialog box.
1. Click the Modes tab on the analysis dialog box.

2. Select one of these mode options: Number Of Modes or All Modes In
Frequency Range.
3. If you selected the Number Of Modes option, enter the number of modes
you want to use for the analysis.
4. Enter the minimum frequency of the modes.
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5. If you selected All Modes In Frequency Range, enter the maximum

frequency to define the top end of the frequency range.
Convergence Options for Structural Analyses

These items appear on the Convergence tab on the dialog boxes for static,
prestress static, modal, prestress modal, large deformation static, contact, and
buckling analyses:
• Method — Select a method for calculating results and determining their

accuracy. Different items appear on the tab, depending on the convergence
method you select.
For the Multi-Pass Adaptive convergence method
• Polynomial Order — Enter a minimum and maximum polynomial order.

• Limits — Enter the Percent Convergence.
• Converge on — Select the quantities you want to use.
For a description of the convergence quantities for each type of analysis see:
o Convergence Quantity for Static, Prestress Static, Large Deformation

Static, and Contact Analyses
o Convergence Quantity for Modal and Prestress Modal Analyses
o Convergence Quantity for Buckling Analyses
For the Single-Pass Adaptive convergence method
• Localized Mesh Refinement (contact analysis only) — Select this option to

improve the accuracy of contact pressure results.
For the Quick Check method, the tab displays the polynomial order of 3.
Previous Analysis Options for Buckling

Analysis
These items appear on the Previous Analysis tab on the Buckling Analysis
• Use Static Analysis Results From Previous Design Study — Select this
option to use results from a previously run static analysis when you include a
static analysis in a buckling analysis. If this option is not selected, Mechanica
runs the static analysis as part of the buckling analysis.
• Design Study — Select a design study to include in the buckling analysis if
you selected the option Use Static Analysis Results From Previous
Design Study.
• Static Analysis — Select a static analysis to include in the buckling analysis.
• Load Set — Select a load set to include in the buckling analysis.
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• Number of Buckling Modes — Enter the number of buckling modes that

you want Mechanica to calculate for this analysis.
Note: When you include a buckling analysis in an optimization study,

Mechanica tracks only the first mode, since that mode will cause failure
first.
Buckling Load Factor and Optimization

Studies
If you have defined an optimization study with one limit specifying that a BLF is
greater than some positive value and an additional limit specifying that the same BLF
is less than zero, Mechanica interprets this as BLF > N OR BLF < 0, where N is the
positive value.
If for any parameter values all the BLFs become less than zero, the study will
continue, and the upper limit BLF > N is ignored.
If for any parameter values any BLF is greater than zero, the lower limit BLF < 0 is
ignored, and the optimizer will try to drive the BLF above the upper limit.
Previous Analysis Options for Prestress

Analyses
These items appear on the Previous Analysis tab on the Prestress Static
Analysis Definition and Prestress Modal Analysis Definition dialog boxes:
• Use Static Analysis Results From Previous Design Study — Select this
option to use results from a previously run static analysis when you include a
static analysis in a prestress analysis. If this option is not selected, Mechanica
runs the static analysis as part of the prestress analysis.
• Design Study — Select a design study to include in the prestress analysis if
you selected the option Use Static Analysis Results From Previous
Design Study.
• Static Analysis — Select a static analysis to include in the prestress analysis.
• Load Set — Select a load set to include in the prestress analysis.
• Load Scale Factor — Enter a factor to multiply stress results from the
previous static analysis for a prestress analysis.
• Combine Results With Results From Previous Static Analysis (available
for prestress static analysis only) — Select to combine results from a previous
static analysis with results from a prestress static analysis.
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Temperature Distribution Options

These items are available on the Temperature Distribution tab on the dialog boxes
for static, large deformation static, contact, or modal analyses only if the model has
temperature-dependent material properties.
• Temperature Distribution — Specify temperature distribution based on a

uniform temperature, the results of a thermal analysis, or an external
temperature field. Different items appear on the tab, depending on the
temperature distribution you select.
• Temperature — Enter a temperature if you selected Uniform for
Temperature Distribution.
• Use Temperatures from Previous Design Study — You can use results
from a previously run thermal analysis if you selected MecT for
• ExtT — Select an external temperature field file if you selected ExtT for
Strategy: Using Contact Analysis Effectively

If you encounter problems using contact analysis, consider the following questions:
• Is the model properly constrained against motion tangential to the

contact surfaces?
Note that contact regions are frictionless and provide support in the normal
direction only.
• Is there a large displacement in the solution?
Note that the tolerance for interpenetration is 5% of the maximum average

normal displacement in the contact region. The maximum average normal
displacement is based on the displacement in the normal direction, as
measured at sample points on the two opposite surfaces in the contact
region.
• Were any contact regions missed?

• In terms of mesh refinement, how large are the elements in the
vicinity of the contact region?
For accurate results in the vicinity of the contact, restrict the size of the
elements adjacent to the contact zone by seeding that area with datum
points. These elements should not be much larger than the zone. If
Mechanica detects this size discrepancy, the following warning message will
appear in the summary file:
Contact area is small in comparison to size of adjacent

element edges for one or more contact regions. If you
need pressure results near the contact regions, use
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single-pass adaptive convergence and select Localized

Mesh Refinement.
Strategy: Determining the Presence of a Non-

Linear Problem
When using a program that is based on a linear assumption, you will find that
doubling a load causes displacements and stresses to double. This technique works
well for a cantilevered beam that displaces very little in comparison to its length.
On the other hand, if you consider a strongly bent fishing rod, the bent rod responds
to an incremental load much differently than the originally straight rod responds. So
this problem exhibits geometric non-linearity.
To determine whether a given problem is non-linear, follow the steps below:
1. Build the model, apply loads and constraints, and solve for displacements.
2. Build a similar model with geometry that corresponds to the deformed shape
of the first model. Load and constrain the second model and solve for
displacements.
Note: For more complicated models, this is not a trivial operation.

Whenever possible, try simplifying the model in order to perform the
investigation.
3. If the two sets of displacements are in good agreement, then the problem
was linear. If however, the two sets of displacements are not reasonable
ratios of each other, then the problem is non-linear.
As an example, consider a circular aluminum plate, 1 mm thick, 200 mm in

diameter, pinned at its circumference and subject to a uniform pressure load.
Pressure Maximum Displacement of Maximum Displacement of

Load Initially Flat Plate Initially Curved Plate
0.005 MPa 4.58 mm 0.026 mm
0.0001 MPa 0.0916 mm 0.0888 mm
For the plate subject to a pressure load of 0.005 MPa, results are non-linear. To
make physical sense, the displacement of the initially curved plate should not be 200
times less than that of the initially flat plate.
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Results for the plate subject to a pressure load of 0.0001 MPa show displacement
results for the initially curved plate just 3% less than for the initially flat plate. Thus,
at this very small pressure, linear analysis is a fairly good approximation.
For the response to be linear, the general rule for plates and shells is that the
deflection should be less than the thickness.
Contact Analyses in Design Studies

You can run a standard, global sensitivity, or optimization design study with a
contact analysis. Be aware, however, that you should not use contact measures for
the goal or limits of your optimization.
To obtain accurate contact measures when running an optimization study, you

should probably run a standard study with the parameters set to the optimized
values.
Plotting Grid
When you define an analysis, you specify the refinement of the plotting grid over
which Mechanica reports displacement and stress results for static and modal
analyses and temperature gradient, and flux results for steady-state thermal
analyses. The value you specify determines the number of intervals along each edge
of each element that Mechanica uses to create plotting grids. Mechanica calculates
quantity values at the intersections of grid lines.
Use the following strategies for specifying the plotting grid refinement:
• Enter a number from 2 to 10 to determine the level of detail Mechanica uses

to report results of the analysis.
The default plotting grid refinement of 4 is often adequate. But when you find
from a previous run that stresses or fluxes vary rapidly over a single element,
specify a higher refinement to more accurately capture the peak results.
• For a higher plotting grid refinement, the engine requires a greater amount of
computation time and a significantly greater amount of disk space for its
output files. In addition, viewing results is more time-consuming.
Note: If you enter a higher number, the grid will be finer, and
Mechanica reports values from more locations on each element. At
lower numbers, Mechanica takes less time to calculate results, and the
data takes up significantly less space. The default is 4.
• For models consisting primarily of beams, set the plotting grid refinement to
10 for the highest possible resolution. For these problems, the overhead of
the finer plotting grid is negligible.
Mechanica reports precise results for each grid intersection point and interpolates
these values to show results elsewhere.
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Calculate Quantities for Analysis

You can direct Mechanica to calculate any or all of the following:
• Stresses — Directs Mechanica to calculate stresses. If you do not need stress

results, especially for modal and dynamic analyses, you can save disk space
by deselecting this item. This also results in dramatically reduced analysis
time.
• Rotations — Directs Mechanica to calculate the rotation about each WCS axis
over the entire model. Mechanica never calculates rotations if your model
consists only of solid elements, even if this item is selected. Rotations are
always zero for these element types.
• Reactions — Directs Mechanica to calculate the reaction forces and moments
present at constrained points and edges. Mechanica does not report reaction
data at constraints associated with a UCS.
• Ply Stresses — Directs Mechanica to calculate the stress on each ply of a
laminate. This option only appears if your model has laminate shell properties
and becomes available when you select Stresses. The Ply Stresses option is
not available for contact analyses.
You cannot access results for any quantity you deselect here.
For static, prestress static, large deformation static, contact, and buckling analyses,
Mechanica does calculate all stress and rotation measures even if you do not select
Stresses and Rotations on the analysis dialog box. But you cannot access the same
results for measures that you can when you select Stresses, Rotations, and
Reactions.
Number of Load Intervals

You can specify the load intervals at which Mechanica calculates results, enabling you
to see how measure values vary with the load. If Mechanica allowed loads on design
parameters, this would be equivalent to performing a global sensitivity study with a
design parameter on the load.
Enter or select a number from 1 to 99. The recommended range is between 1 and
20. To reduce run time, enter a smaller number of load intervals.
If you are concerned only with the stress and deformation of your model with the
load fully applied, you should use the default of 1. This setting does not affect
convergence of the analysis.
Note: For global sensitivity studies, the number of load increments is always
1, no matter what you enter here.
Mechanica displays the load intervals in a table and assigns a number to each
interval.
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Enter a load factor in the field to the right of each load interval or use the default
factors. The first load factor is automatically set to 0, and the last load factor is set
to 1. The load factors must be numbers that increase from 0 to 1.
Mechanica evaluates measures at all load intervals and calculates full results at
specified intervals.
Number of Modes, All Modes in Frequency

Range
Select one of these items to determine which modes Mechanica takes into account
when calculating results for the analysis:
• Number of Modes — Select this option to specify the number of modes you
want Mechanica to calculate above a specified minimum frequency. You can
enter or select a number from 1 to 9999 in the Number Of Modes field.
If you select Rigid Mode Search, Mechanica includes rigid modes in the
number of modes it reports.
this case, add the number of rigid modes to the number of non-rigid modes
you want reported, so you get results for all the modes you want.
For example, a 3D model with no constraints has six rigid body modes. If you
want four non-rigid modes, you should enter 10 for Number Of Modes.
• All Modes in Frequency Range — Select this option if you want Mechanica
to report all modes within a frequency range. Use Minimum Frequency and
Maximum Frequency to define the range.
Min Frequency, Max Frequency

Use these items to enter specific frequencies:
• Minimum Frequency — Mechanica reports modes at or above the frequency

you enter here. The number of modes Mechanica reports depends on whether
you selected Number Of Modes or All Modes In Frequency Range.
Enter a value greater than or equal to 0.
• Maximum Frequency — If you selected All Modes In Frequency Range,

this value determines the upper end of the frequency range. Enter a positive
value greater than the Minimum Frequency.
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Load Interval Options for Large Deformation

and Contact Analyses
These items are available on the Load Intervals tab on the Static Analysis
Definition dialog box when you select either Calculate Large Deformations or
Include Contact Regions:
• Number of Intervals — Enter or select a number of load intervals for your

analysis.
• Full Results — For large deformation static analysis, select the check boxes
next to the load intervals for which you want to save full results. For contact
analysis, full results are available only for the last interval.
• Clear — Click this button to delete all load factor entries.
• Space Equally — Click this button to equally space the load factors between
0 and 1 for the intervals.
• (Select All) — Click this button if you want full results for all load
intervals.
• (Deselect All) — Click this button if you do not want full results for all
load intervals.
Loading Types for Fatigue Analysis

You can input load history data for fatigue analysis using one of the following loading
types:
• Constant Amplitude — Use this option for models with constant amplitude
loading. This is the easiest way to input load history data and is selected by
default. Constant Amplitude provides three Amplitude Type options:
o Peak–Peak — Uses a Min Load Factor of –1.0 and a Max Load Factor
of 1.0.
o Zero–Peak — Uses a Min Load Factor of 0 and a Max Load Factor of
1.0.
o User-Defined — Allows you to enter values for the Min Load Factor
and Max Load Factor.
• Variable Amplitude — Use this option for models with variable amplitude
loading. You can define the variation of the amplitude by manually entering
load factors to specify the datum points of the amplitude curve. You can enter
up to 100 load factors. Use the following buttons to modify the table that
defines the variation of the amplitude.
o Add Row — Adds numbered rows to the table. When you click Add
Row, the Enter Rows dialog box appears. In the Start At field, enter
the row number where you want to begin adding rows. In the Num
Rows field, enter the number of rows you want to add. When you click
OK, Mechanica adds the new rows and preserves any load factors you
entered in rows above or below the new rows.
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o Delete — Deletes rows from the table. When you click Delete, you
can use the Enter Rows dialog box to specify a Begin Row and End
Row. When you click OK, Mechanica deletes all rows numbered from
the Begin Row through the End Row.
o Clear All — Click this button to delete all rows.
o Import — Click this button to import the load factor data from a text
file into the table. You can import an unlimited number of cycles from
a text file.
Previous Analysis Options for Fatigue Analysis

These items appear on the Previous Analysis tab on the Fatigue Analysis
• Use Static Analysis Results from Previous Design Study — Select this
option to use results from a previously run static analysis. If this option is not
selected, Mechanica runs the static analysis as part of the fatigue analysis.
• Design Study — If you selected the option Use Static Analysis Results
From Previous Design Study, select the design study that includes the
previously run static analysis.
• Static Analysis — Select the static analysis that you want to use.
• Load Set — Select a load set.
Output Options for Structural Analyses

These items appear on the Output tab on the dialog boxes for static, prestress
static, modal, prestress modal, large deformation static, contact, and buckling
analyses:
• Calculate — Select the quantities Mechanica will calculate.

• Plotting Grid — Specify the density of the grid that determines where
Mechanica calculates results.
Sample Uses for Prestress and Buckling

Analyses
You can use the following types of models for prestress or buckling analyses:
Analysis Type Type of Model Example
Prestress Static pretension cable ski lift
Prestress Modal rotating machinery turbine blade
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Analysis Type Type of Model Example
Buckling thin sections under bulkheads

compression
Model Temperature Distribution

Use this item to specify temperature distribution for a static, large deformation
static, contact, or modal analysis if your model has temperature-dependent material
properties.
If you selected a load set with a temperature load for a static analysis, you do not
enter anything here. The dialog box displays temperature load information instead.
For other static analyses and all modal analyses, you can select one of these options:
• Uniform — Apply a uniform temperature distribution over the model. Enter

the temperature in the Temperature field below this option menu.
• Mec/T — Apply a thermal load based on a temperature field determined by a
steady or transient thermal analysis. You must already have defined a valid
steady or transient thermal analysis. When defining a transient thermal
analysis for this purpose, you must select the Temp Load option for various
time steps in order to calculate the thermal load results you want to apply to
the static or modal analysis.
The dialog box displays the name of a steady thermal analysis and a load set,
or a transient thermal analysis and a time step from the analysis. If you have
multiple analyses, load sets, or time steps, you can select the ones you want
to use.
Mechanica runs the thermal analysis you select before running the static or
modal analysis.
You can also select Use temperatures from previous design study if you want
to use the results of a previously run thermal analysis.
• Ext/T — Import an externally calculated or measured temperature field as a

temperature load. You must already have created a Pro/FEM Neutral File to
import an external temperature load. Click the Browse button and select an
external temperature field file from the Open dialog box.
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Use Temperatures from Previous Design

Study
Use this option in these cases:
• if you select MEC/T for Model Temperature Distribution

• if you want to use a previously run thermal analysis as the source for the
thermal load
If you select this item, Mechanica takes the temperatures for the load you are
creating from a thermal analysis that you run before you run the static or modal
analysis.
The names of a design study, analysis, and load set appear on the dialog box. If you
have multiple studies, analyses, or load sets, you can select the ones you want to
use.
Note: In a sensitivity or optimization design study, Mechanica automatically

runs the thermal analysis at each parameter setting, even if you select Use
Temperatures From Previous Design Study.
Use Static Analysis Results From Previous

Design Study
For prestress, buckling, and fatigue analyses, Mechanica uses the results of a static
analysis to calculate the prestress, buckling, or fatigue analysis.
You can include the static analysis in one of these ways:
• Use results from a previously run static analysis.
Select the option Use Static Analysis Results From Previous Design
Study.
The dialog box displays the name of a standard design study, static analysis,
and load set. If you have multiple studies, analyses, or load sets, you can
select the ones you want to use.
Note: For sensitivity and optimization studies, Mechanica always reruns

the static analysis at each parameter setting, even if you select Use
Static Analysis Results From Previous Design Study.
• Have Mechanica run the static analysis as part of running the

prestress, buckling, or fatigue analysis.
Clear the option Use Static Analysis Results From Previous Design Study.
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The dialog box displays the name of a static analysis and load set from that
analysis. If you have multiple analyses or load sets, you can select the ones
you want to use.
Load Scale Factor for Prestress Analyses

Enter the value by which Mechanica multiplies the stress results from the previous
static analysis before using them in the prestress analysis.
You can use this option to rerun the prestress analysis with an amplified or
decreased prestress without forcing Mechanica to rerun the included static analysis.
Combine Results with Results from Previous

Static Analysis
Use this option to combine results from the included static analysis with the results
of a prestress static analysis.
The engine adds the stresses and displacements from the previously run static
analysis to those from the current prestress static analysis when it calculates results
for the prestress analysis.
The engine multiplies the previous static results by the Load Scale Factor before
adding them to the prestress analysis results.
Use caution when interpreting combined results since there are no restrictions on
loading and constraint sets used for the prestress and previous static analysis.
Units of Modal Frequency Results

Units of modal frequency shown in results are always cycles per unit of time. The
units of time are affected by the force/length/time units you used to define the
model. Mechanica never reports modal frequency in terms of radians per unit of
time.
Load History Options for Fatigue Analysis

These items appear on the Load History tab on the Fatigue Analysis Definition
dialog box:
• Life — In the Desired Endurance field, enter the number of life cycles for
which you want your part to last.
• Loading — Select Constant Amplitude or Variable Amplitude for the
loading type. Different options appear on the tab depending on which loading
type you select.
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Spin Softening
For prestress modal analyses, Mechanica automatically compensates for the effect of
relative motions when a centrifugal load is present on a model. The software adjusts
the stiffness matrix to account for this effect, which is referred to as spin softening.
The spin softening modification term includes only derivatives of centrifugal loads
that are due to angular velocity, and those with displacements. It does not include
derivatives of centrifugal loads that are due to angular acceleration, nor does it affect
moment terms for beams or shells, or derivatives due to rotations.
Note: Springs are allowed in prestress analysis, but Mechanica does not
compute stress-stiffness effects for springs. For a prestress modal analysis on
a model with centrifugal loads, a spring, and a mass, the system stiffness
decreases due to spin softening, and there is no stress-stiffening for the
spring.
Mode Options for Modal and Prestress Modal

Analyses
These items appear on the Modes tab on the Modal Analysis Definition and
Prestress Modal Analysis Definition dialog boxes:
• Number of Modes (option button) — Use to calculate a specific number of

modes above the minimum frequency.
• All Modes in Frequency Range — Use to calculate all modes within a
frequency range.
• Number of Modes (field) — Enter the number of modes you want to
calculate.
• Minimum Frequency — Set the minimum frequency.
• Maximum Frequency — Set the maximum frequency to define a frequency
range.
Strain Measures in Large Deformation Static

Analysis
For large deformation static analysis, Mechanica reports Almansi engineering strain.
In the limit where deformations are small, this is equivalent to strain reported for
linear static analysis.
Strain measures for uniaxial strain are defined as follows, where l is the final length
and L is the initial length. Note that all are equivalent in the limit where the change
in length is small.
Linear strain
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Almansi strain
Green strain
The Almansi strain tensor e can be defined using the deformation gradient tensor F
and the left Cauchy-Green tensor b, as follows:
The components of strain reported by Mechanica are the engineering strains gij,
defined as follows:
gij = eij , where i = j
gij = 2eij , where i j
Load Types in Large Deformation Static

Analysis
This table shows which load types you can use in a large deformation static analysis:
Load Type Supported Details
Point Yes Deformation-independent load
Curve/Edge Yes Distribution must be Total Load or

Total Load at Point. For Total
Surface/Face Yes Load distribution, the variation
must be Uniform or Interpolated
Over Entity.
Beam No Beam idealizations are not

supported.
Shell No Shell idealizations are not

supported.
Spring No Spring idealizations are not

supported.
Bearing No
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Centrifugal Yes
Gravity Yes Deformation-independent load
Pressure Yes Variation must be Uniform or

Interpolated Over Entity.
Magnitude will remain constant but
direction may change. Direction will
always be parallel to the deformed
normal.
Temperature No
Adjusting Cyclic Material Properties for

Fatigue
By default, Fatigue Advisor estimates cyclic material properties from the type of
material you specified and its ultimate tensile strength. However, this is purely an
approximation. If you want to increase the accuracy of your analysis, you can use an
ASCII file to enter specific cyclic material properties. To do so, use the
sim_fatigue_external_matdata config.pro option.
If you set the above option, you need to create and assign a material to your model
in Mechanica. You then assign your ASCII file the same name as the material you
created and give the file a .mat extension. You place this file in the same directory as
your .prt or .asm file. Mechanica will use this file to obtain the model material during
analysis. For additional information, visit Technical Support at www.ptc.com.
Adjusting the Mean Stress Parameter for

Fatigue
Fatigue Advisor allows you to indicate whether you want to apply mean stress
correction during analysis through the use of configuration options. By default,
Fatigue Advisor calculates mean stress correction on a node-by-node basis using
three correction methods—Smith-Topper-Watson, Morrow, or no mean stress
correction. The software determines which of these methods generates the worst
case and reports those results.
You can change these defaults using two configuration options:
• SIM_FATIGUE_MEAN_STRESS config.pro option — Use this option to

indicate whether you want Fatigue Advisor to apply mean stress correction.
The default state for this option is YES.
• SIM_FATIGUE_MEAN_STRESS_METHOD config.pro option — Use this
option to indicate the method Fatigue Advisor should apply—Smith-Watson-
Topper, Morrow, or Worst. As mentioned, the default state for this option is
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WORST. Note that the software only checks the setting for this option if
sim_fatigue_mean_stress is set to YES.
If you decide to set either of these options to a state other than the default, you
should do so based on correlation with test data.
Adjusting the Material Confidence Level for

Fatigue
By default, Fatigue Advisor sets the material confidence level to 90%. This default is
more conservative than the confidence levels used in other fatigue modeling tools.
Thus, if you want to correlate Fatigue Advisor test results with a test sample
obtained using other software, you should reset the Fatigue Advisor default to 50%.
To do so, use the sim_fatigue_confidence_level config.pro option.
Advanced Tuning for Fatigue Advisor

Mechanica Fatigue Advisor is a tool that lets you determine the fatigue life of your
model. Fatigue Advisor is designed so novice fatigue users can get quick feedback on
whether a design is sensitive to fatigue without having to provide all the input
normally required. Fatigue Advisor does this by asking for input that is fairly easy to
obtain and by internally setting very conservative defaults for input that you do not
directly provide—cyclic material properties, for example. If you are an advanced
fatigue user, you may want to alter these defaults to examine less conservative
scenarios.
In its default state, Fatigue Advisor is an excellent tool for quickly identifying
whether fatigue is an issue for your model, comparing design iterations, and
identifying potential failure locations. Because the results that Fatigue Advisor
provides are conservative, you can be confident that the tool will find any areas of
concern in your model. For example, Fatigue Advisor uses a default value of 90% for
material confidence level, meaning that 90% of the test results under the modeling
conditions you set would have longer lives than the software predicts.
If you are a fatigue expert, you may not want to use Fatigue Advisor's internal
defaults for some applications, specifically because these defaults are highly
conservative. For instance, if you are primarily interested in comparing Fatigue
Advisor's life predictions to specific test results or results provided by alternative
fatigue simulation software, the conservative defaults may not provide good results
correlation. In this case, you should consider adjusting the internal parameter
defaults to ensure that you are comparing similar paradigms and to improve results
correlation.
You change Fatigue Advisor parameter default settings through a variety of

config.pro options. Be aware that improper default settings can result in questionable
analysis results. Thus, you should consider a thorough knowledge of fatigue theory
to be a prerequisite for changing the defaults.
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Here is a list of parameters whose defaults you can alter:
• cyclic material properties

• material confidence level
• mean stress parameter
• biaxiality parameter
Another parameter that you may want to adjust is variable amplitude load history.
Fatigue Advisor enables you to specify either a constant or variable amplitude load
history when you define your fatigue analysis. If you decide to use a variable
amplitude load history, you can either enter the data or import an ASCII file defining
the load history. Importing a variable load history file can allow you to better
correlate test results. Note that you do not need to change any config.pro default
settings to utilize an ASCII file as the variable amplitude load history.
Adjusting the Biaxiality Parameter for Fatigue

Fatigue Advisor allows you to indicate whether you want to apply biaxiality correction
during analysis through the use of configuration options. By default, Fatigue Advisor
calculates biaxiality correction on a node-by-node basis using three correction
methods—Klann-Tipton-Cordes, Hoffman-Seeger, or no biaxiality correction. The
software determines which of these methods generates the worst case and reports
those results.
You can change these defaults using two configuration options:
• SIM_FATIGUE_BIAXIALITY_CORRECTION config.pro option — Use this

option to indicate whether you want Fatigue Advisor to apply biaxiality
correction. The default state for this option is YES.
• SIM_FATIGUE_BIAXIALITY_METHOD config.pro option — Use this
option to indicate the method Fatigue Advisor should apply—Klann-Tipton-
Cordes, Hoffman-Seeger, or WORST. As mentioned, the default state for this
option is Worst. Note that the software only checks the setting for this option
if SIM_FATIGUE_BIAXIALITY_CORRECTION is set to YES.
If you decide to set either of these options to a state other than the default, you
should do so based on correlation with test data.
Guidelines for Entering Polynomial Order

When entering values for the polynomial order, consider the following points:
• The calculation time at each polynomial order increases significantly over the
previous order.
• A low convergence percentage may require a high polynomial order.
• If an element did not converge during a run until a polynomial order of 7 or
higher, you may want to divide that element.
• You may save time by using a maximum polynomial order of 5 for a
preliminary run and then checking the results to see how close the results are
to the convergence you want.
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Strategy: Specifying Polynomial Order for a

Multi-Pass Adaptive Analysis
When you define a multi-pass adaptive analysis, you can specify the minimum and
maximum polynomial order that the Mechanica engine uses for each edge. The
default is a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 6. In general, use the default values.
If the analysis does not converge on the first run, review the results to understand
why it did not converge. See Reviewing the Results for information on reviewing
convergence graphs, stress and flux fringe plots, and p-level results.
A run usually fails to converge for one of two reasons:
• A singularity is present and the engine is trying to capture a high stress or

flux gradient.
• A highly distorted element is trying to capture a smooth stress or flux field.
In either case, the best solution is to refine the mesh through the AutoGEM
Settings dialog box, recreate the mesh, and rerun the analysis. You can use items
on the AutoGEM Settings dialog box to divide the elements near the local effects,
such as concentrated loads, cracks, reentrant corners, and thickness discontinuities
between shells.
If this proves difficult, increasing the maximum polynomial order is an alternative.

(But if you require high polynomial levels in areas of interest, you should consider
refining your mesh). With smaller elements, convergence is more likely to occur and
thus will ensure better results in the areas of interest.
For transient thermal analyses, if you suddenly switch on heat loads and convection
conditions, your changes will adversely affect analysis convergence. If all heat loads
and convection conditions are smooth functions that are zero at the start of the
analysis, the engine will generally select smaller values for the p-orders. For more
information on how to smooth these functions, see Ramping of Heat Loads and
Convection Conditions.
Temperature Load Information for Static

Analyses
If your static analysis has a temperature load, the dialog box shows the following
information, which determines temperature distribution for the analysis:
Temperature Load Type Dialog Box Displays
global temperature load the distribution method and temperature

for the temperature load
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Temperature Load Type Dialog Box Displays
Mec/T temperature load the source design study, analysis, and load
set for the temperature load
Ext/T temperature load external temperature field file name
Single-Pass Adaptive Convergence Method

Single-pass adaptive convergence applies to static, modal, buckling, and contact
analyses of all element types. Models may consist of isotropic and/or orthotropic
materials. While the single-pass adaptive option is available for contact analysis, we
do not normally recommend its use because it can increase run time.
Mechanica runs a first pass at p=3 and determines a local estimate of stress error.
Using this error estimate, Mechanica determines a new p-order distribution and
performs a final pass.
If you use the iterative solver, Mechanica runs a first pass using the block solver at
p=2, followed by a second pass (p=3) using the iterative solver. Using the stress
error estimate from pass 2, Mechanica performs a third and final pass.
Mechanica displays an RMS error estimate for stress in the summary file, so you can
check the solution quality.
In general, use single-pass adaptive convergence when it is available. Larger models

run with single-pass adaptive convergence typically require less disk space. Also,
single-pass adaptive convergence yields comparable results to multi-pass adaptive
convergence of 10% with generally shorter run times.
With single-pass adaptive analysis, you do not control the convergence tolerance,
but you do need to examine the stress error estimates reported in the run summary.
If these error estimates are acceptable, then continue to use single-pass adaptive
convergence for efficiency.
If the error estimates from the single-pass adaptive convergence tolerance are not
acceptable—for example, the stress error estimates are too large—then switch to the
multi-pass adaptive convergence strategy for subsequent design studies.
For information about using the quick-check convergence method, see Strategy:
Identifying and Resolving Potential Trouble Spots in a Model.
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Multi-Pass Adaptive Convergence Method

When you run a design study, the Structure engine performs calculations and
increases the polynomial order for each element edge until the convergence criteria
are satisfied. (The polynomial level for edges on which beams and 2D shells lie
begins with either the third order or the order you enter on the analysis definition
dialog box, whichever is higher).
An analysis converges when the difference in the results of the current pass and the
previous pass is within the percentage you specify under Convergence.
Convergence Quantity for Static, Prestress

Static, Large Deformation, and Contact
Analyses
If you select Multi-Pass Adaptive under Convergence Method, you select the
quantities Mechanica uses to calculate convergence. See Percent Convergence for
information on how Mechanica measures convergence for the multi-pass adaptive
method.
For static, prestress static, large deformation, and contact analyses, you can select
one of these options:
• Local Displacement and Local Strain Energy — Mechanica calculates

convergence of the displacements along each element edge and of the total
strain energy of each element.
• Local Displacement, Local Strain Energy and Global RMS Stress —
Mechanica uses RMS (Root Mean Square) stress in addition to displacement
and strain energy to calculate convergence.
Mechanica checks convergence for RMS stress by extrapolating the total

strain energy of three successive calculations. As a result, RMS stress is
sensitive to the rate of convergence. This option provides high accuracy, but
can also mean greater computation time.
• Measures — Mechanica uses one or more measures to determine

convergence. When you select this option, the Measures button becomes
available.
Click the Measures button to select measures from the Measures dialog
box.
Use Measures for convergence if you are interested either in results for one
or more specific quantities, such as maximum principal stress or displacement
magnitude, or in results at a particular location, such as a boundary condition
or local stress concentration.
Using Measures can help improve accuracy for the quantities or locations of
interest, and may also lower the computation time for your design study.
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When you select Measures, the Structure engine samples over the plotting
grid to get a measure's maximum value during a run and uses that value to
determine convergence. Your plotting grid setting may have a slight effect on
convergence values.
Percent Convergence
If you selected Multi-Pass Adaptive for the convergence method, you enter a
percentage to determine the accuracy level. The percentage applies to the
convergence quantities you select.
• During the analysis, Mechanica performs calculations at increasingly higher

polynomial orders for each element edge. An analysis converges when the
difference in the results of the last two calculations is within the percentage
you specify here.
• You should enter a value between 1% and 25%. Lower convergence
percentages yield more accurate results, but Mechanica may take longer to
reach convergence.
• You should balance the level of accuracy you need with the amount of time
the analysis will take to run.
• If an analysis does not reach convergence during a design study, the results
may not have the desired accuracy. In this case, you need to change
something in your model to get better results.
Convergence Method
Convergence gives you an idea of how accurate your results are. If your analysis
does not reach convergence during a design study, the results may not have the
desired accuracy. In this case, you need to modify your model.
Select one of these convergence methods for Mechanica to use when it runs your
analysis:
• Multi-Pass Adaptive — Mechanica calculates results at increasing

polynomial orders until convergence criteria are satisfied.
• Single-Pass Adaptive — Mechanica runs a first pass at a polynomial order
of 3 and determines a local estimate of stress error. Using this error estimate,
Mechanica determines a new p-order distribution and performs a final pass.
• Quick Check (No Convergence) — Mechanica performs a single pass at a
uniform polynomial order of 3. You can use this method to verify that you
have defined your analysis correctly.
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This table summarizes which methods are available for different analysis and model
types:
Analysis Types Multi-Pass Single-Pass Quick Check

Adaptive Adaptive
static, modal, contact available available only available

for 3D models or
models with 2D
solids
prestress modal, available available only available

buckling for 3D models
prestress static available not available available
large deformation static not available available available
Polynomial Order
The values you specify for minimum and maximum polynomial orders determine the
polynomial order Mechanica uses when analyzing your model.
For each value, you can enter a number from 1 to 9. The default minimum is 1. The
default maximum is 6.
The engine begins with all element edges at the minimum polynomial order and
repeats its calculations at increasingly higher polynomial orders for each edge until it
reaches one of the following values:
• the maximum polynomial order that you specify here

• the convergence percentage. This happens when the results of the last two
calculations are within the value you specified for Percent Convergence.
For more information on polynomial order, see:
• Guidelines for Entering Polynomial Order

• Strategy: Specifying Polynomial Order for a Multi-Pass Adaptive Analysis
Convergence Quantity for Modal and Prestress

Modal Analyses
If you select Multi-Pass Adaptive for the convergence method, you can select the
method.
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For modal and prestress modal analyses, you can select one of these options:
• Frequency — Mechanica calculates the convergence for the frequency of

each mode.
• Frequency, Local Displacement, and Local Strain Energy — Mechanica
calculates convergence of the frequency of each mode, of the displacements
along each element edge, and of the total strain energy of each element.
Use this option if you are interested in details of mode shapes. However,
Mechanica is likely to have to go to a higher polynomial order to reach
convergence for this option, and takes longer to compute results.
• Frequency, Local Displacement, Local Strain Energy, and RMS Stress

— Mechanica uses RMS (Root Mean Square) stress in addition to frequency,
displacement, and strain energy to calculate convergence.
The RMS stress error measure is a single scalar value that is proportional to
the square root of the estimated error in total strain energy.

strain energy for three successive calculations. As a result, RMS stress is
sensitive to the rate of convergence.
Use this option if you are interested in details of mode shapes and modal
stresses. This option provides high accuracy, but can also mean greater
computation time.
Localized Mesh Refinement

For a contact analysis, if you select Single-Pass Adaptive for the convergence
method, you can use this option to improve the accuracy of contact pressure results.
You should select this item only if accurate contact pressures are an important
objective for the analysis.
Mechanica automatically refines the element mesh to improve contact pressure

results during the analysis if:
• The contact area covers only a small portion of one or more element faces
involved in the contact, a situation that can cause inaccurate contact pressure
results.
• You select Localized Mesh Refinement.
If the mesh refinement fails during the first pass, Mechanica continues with a second
pass using the original mesh. During the second pass, you can view the results of the
first pass. If you decide not to continue with the second pass, you can stop the
analysis.
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Convergence Quantity for Buckling Analyses

If you select Multi-Pass Adaptive under Convergence Method, you select the
method.
For buckling analyses, you can select one of these options:
• Buckling Load Factor (BLF) — Mechanica calculates convergence of the

buckling load factor for each buckling mode requested.
• BLF, Local Displacement and Local Strain Energy — For each buckling
mode, Mechanica calculates convergence of the BLF of each mode, of the
displacements along each element edge, and of the total strain energy of
each element.
Use this option if you are interested in details of mode shapes. However,
Mechanica is likely to have to go to a higher polynomial order to reach
convergence for this option, and takes longer to compute results.
• BLF, Local Displacement, Local Strain Energy, and RMS Stress —

Mechanica uses RMS (Root Mean Square) stress for each buckling mode in
addition to BLF, displacement, and strain energy to calculate convergence.
The RMS stress error measure is a single scalar value which is proportional to
the square root of the estimated error in total strain energy.

strain energy for three successive calculations. As a result, RMS stress is
sensitive to the rate of convergence.
Use this option if you are interested in details of mode shapes and modal
stresses. This option provides high accuracy, but can also mean greater
computation time.
Unconstrained
If you select this item, Mechanica automatically selects With Rigid Mode Search
and looks for and reports rigid body modes for an unconstrained analysis.
You might select this option if you want to examine rigid body vibrations.
If your model contains point-to-ground springs, you can select Unconstrained

separately from With Rigid Mode Search. Point-to-ground springs are the
equivalent of constraints. You still have the option of selecting With Rigid Mode
Search, but you do not have to select it as long as the springs sufficiently constrain
your model.
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Constrained, With Rigid Mode Search

Use these items if you want to include a constraint in the analysis:
• Constrained — Select this item to include a constraint in the analysis. Then

select one constraint set from the list.
• With Rigid Mode Search — Use this item if you want Mechanica to look for
and report rigid body modes when it runs a design study containing this
analysis.
You should select this item if your model is not fully constrained or if you are
not sure. Otherwise, you will get a fatal error when you try to run a design
study containing this analysis.
If your model is fully constrained, selecting With Rigid Mode Search does not
cause any problems, but does add to the run time.
Note: If you select Unconstrained, Mechanica automatically selects

With Rigid Mode Search for most models. For details, see
Unconstrained.
Thermal Analysis
About Thermal Analysis
Use the Analysis>Mechanica Analyses/Studies command to define a thermal
analysis. A thermal analysis measures the effect of thermal loading on your model.
In Thermal, you can define two types of analyses:
• Steady Thermal — Calculates steady-state thermal response to a constraint

set and one or more optional heat loads. The constraint set is comprised of
one or more prescribed temperatures and/or convection conditions.
• Transient Thermal — Calculates temperatures and heat fluxes in your
model at different times in response to one or more optional heat loads and
subject to one or more optional prescribed temperatures and/or convection
conditions. You must specify at least one load set or one constraint set.
For guidelines on thermal analysis, see Boundary Condition and Load Sets in Thermal
Analyses.
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Boundary Condition and Load Sets in Thermal

Analyses
When you are defining thermal analyses, keep in mind the following:
• For both steady and transient thermal analyses, you do not have to select a
load set.
• For a transient thermal analysis, you do not have to select a boundary
condition set. If you do not select a boundary condition set, however, you
must select one or more load sets for the analysis to be valid.
• For steady thermal analyses, you must select one boundary condition set.
• If you delete a boundary condition set or load set after you include it in an
analysis, you are also deleting that set from the analysis.
• Even if you create a new set with the same name as the set you deleted, you
must edit the analysis and reselect the set name. Otherwise, you can
invalidate the analysis and any design studies in which you included the
analysis.
Steady Thermal Analysis

You can use steady thermal analyses to calculate thermal response to heat loads
subject to prescribed temperatures and/or convection conditions. Steady thermal
analyses assume a steady state for all thermal loads and boundary conditions. This
form of analysis does not evaluate changes over time.
For a description of and requirements for steady thermal analysis, see Steady
Thermal Analysis Overview.
These items appear on the Steady Thermal Analysis Definition dialog box:

• Loads — Select one or more load sets. This is optional. Mechanica calculates
results separately for each load set you include in the analysis.
The following tabs appear on the Steady Thermal Analysis Definition dialog box:
• Convergence
• Output
Steady Thermal Analysis Overview

Description
A steady thermal analysis calculates a thermal response to specified heat loads

subject to specified prescribed temperatures and/or convection conditions.
For example, you could define a steady thermal analysis for a model with a cooling
fin, as on a lawn mower engine. In defining the analysis, you would subject the
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cooling fin to a constant heat load (piston heat output) and a forced convection
(moving air).
Mechanica automatically calculates all generic, mass property, and thermal

measures.
Requirements
To Create a Steady Thermal Analysis
2. Select New Steady Thermal from the File menu.
The Steady Thermal Analysis Definition dialog box appears.

4. Select a boundary condition set.
5. If you defined heat loads for your model, you have the option to select one or
more heat load sets you want to include in the analysis.
steady thermal analysis:
o Convergence
o Output
new analysis.
Transient Thermal Analysis

You can use transient thermal analyses to calculate thermal responses in your model
over a period of time.
For a description of, and requirements for, transient thermal analysis, see Transient
Thermal Analysis Overview.
These items appear on the Transient Thermal Analysis Definition dialog box:
• Constraint — Select a constraint set (optional). You are not required to

select a constraint set to run a transient thermal analysis. However, if you do
not select a constraint set, you must select at least one heat load set.
• Loads (Summed) — Select one or more load sets (optional). This is optional
if you select a constraint set. Mechanica applies all the load sets that are
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selected and computes just one time-dependent solution, the same as if all
the heat loads were in one load set.
The following tabs appear on the Transient Thermal Analysis Definition dialog
box:
• Temperatures
• Convergence
• Output
Transient Thermal Analysis Overview

Description
A transient thermal analysis calculates temperatures and fluxes in your model over a
particular time range. If you are not interested in the variation of temperature over
time, you should use steady thermal analysis instead.
Mechanica also calculates measures that you defined for your model. Use custom
measures to determine:
• the time at which a given condition is true

• the value of a measure at a point in time
• the max, min, or max abs for a measure over the entire analysis or over a
specified time range
You can direct Mechanica to report full results or temperature loads at specified time
intervals. After you run a transient thermal analysis, with full results selected for
multiple intervals, you can view the results at the various intervals by animating the
fringe plot.
Use transient thermal analysis to find out the following types of information:
• the time your model takes to heat up or cool down

• the way your model might respond to a time-dependent heat load or bulk
temperature
• the thermal stresses that develop as a result of temperature changes in your
model
Requirements
• a 3D solid model
• isotropic material properties only
• no shell or beam elements
• no links
• 1 constraint set or 1 load set
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To Create a Transient Thermal Analysis
2. Select New Transient Thermal from the File menu.
The Transient Thermal Analysis Definition dialog box appears.

4. If you want to include boundary conditions in your thermal analysis, you have
the option to select a boundary condition set. If you do not select a boundary
condition set, you must select at least one heat load set.
5. If you want to include heat loads in your analysis, you have the option to
select one or more heat load sets. At least one heat load set is required if you
did not select a boundary condition set.
Mechanica sums the load sets and computes one time-dependent solution.
6. Click the following tabs on the dialog box to select additional options for a
transient thermal analysis.
o Temperatures
o Convergence
o Output
The dialog box reappears with the name, type, and description of the new
analysis displayed.
To Select Output Options for a Thermal

Analysis
This procedure assumes you are in the dialog box for creating a steady thermal
analysis or a transient thermal analysis.

2. If you do not want Heat Flux calculated, clear the check box. Heat Flux is
selected by default.
3. Select the density of the plotting grid.
Note: If you are creating a steady thermal analysis, skip the following
steps.
4. Select an option for specifying the Output Intervals for which you want
results—Automatic Intervals Within Range or User-defined Output
Intervals.
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If you select User-defined Output Intervals, different items appear on the

tab. Continue with steps 7 through 10.
5. If you selected Automatic Intervals Within Range, enter a minimum time

for the lower end of the time range for which you want Mechanica to report
results for your analysis.
6. Enter a maximum time for the upper end of the time range or select the Auto
check box.
Note: If you selected Automatic Intervals Within Range, skip the

remaining steps.
7. Enter the Number Of Master Intervals for your analysis.
The table displays numbered rows representing the number of intervals you
selected.
8. Use the default values for each interval to specify the spacing between
intervals or click the User-defined Steps button to enter values.
If you click User-defined Steps, you can use the Space Equally button to
evenly space the steps.
9. Select the Full Results check boxes next to the intervals for which you want
to save full temperature and flux results.
10. Select the Temp Load check boxes next to the intervals for which you want
to save temperature load data for importing a thermal load or a temperature
field into Structure.
You can also click to save full results and temperature load data at all
intervals or click to deselect the check boxes for all intervals.
To Select Temperature Options for a Transient

Thermal Analysis
This procedure assumes you are in the Transient Thermal Analysis Definition
dialog box.
1. Click the Temperatures tab on the analysis dialog box.

2. Select an option for Initial Temperature Distribution—Uniform or MecT.
3. If you selected Uniform, enter the temperature in the Temperature field. If
there are any prescribed temperatures in the constraint set, you must enter
the same value as the prescribed temperature.
4. If you selected MecT and want to use temperature results from a previously
run steady thermal analysis, you can select the check box Use
Temperatures From Previous Design Study.
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If you do not select this check box, Mechanica will run a steady thermal
analysis as part of running the transient thermal analysis.
5. If you selected Use Temperatures From Previous Design Study, select

the following items to include in your transient thermal analysis:

o Thermal Analysis
o Load Set
6. Enter a value for Accuracy.

7. Enter a value for Estimated Variation of the temperature or select the Auto
check box.
8. Use the default selection Automatically Smooth Convections so that
convection conditions will be turned on gradually, or you can deselect this
item.
To Set Convergence for a Thermal Analysis

This procedure assumes you are in the dialog box for creating a steady thermal
analysis or a transient thermal analysis.
1. Click the Convergence tab on the analysis dialog box.

2. Select a convergence method for your steady thermal analysis or transient
thermal analysis:
o Multi-Pass Adaptive (available only for steady thermal analysis)
o Single-Pass Adaptive
o Quick Check
Note: If you are creating a steady thermal analysis and selected

Multi-Pass Adaptive, continue with the following steps.
3. Enter a minimum and maximum polynomial order.

4. Enter a convergence percentage.
5. Select the quantities you want Mechanica to use to calculate convergence.
Estimated Variation
You use Estimated Variation to indicate the expected difference between the
maximum and minimum temperature in the model during the analysis. You can enter
a value or select Auto. If you select Auto, the engine estimates a value from the
applied heat loads and convection conditions.
If you enter a value, it must correspond to the temperature variation that you expect
your model to experience during the analysis. This value, which must be a positive
number, works with the value you set in the Accuracy field to control the accuracy
of the time integration.
The estimated temperature variation you enter need only be the correct order of
magnitude to ensure that Mechanica controls time integration errors properly and
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efficiently. If you enter a value for estimated temperature variation that is too small,
the engine may warn that it took too many time steps. However, if at any point in
the analysis the actual temperature variation exceeds your specified value, or the
value estimated by the engine from the applied heat loads, the engine proceeds with
the larger value, computed as a result of the time integration.
If the engine warns that the estimated temperature variation was too large, the
solution may still be sufficiently accurate because of the control of errors in energy
norm. You can verify this by re-running the analysis a second time with the
Estimated Variation equal to the value of temperature variation reported by the
engine in the original analysis.
Alternatively, you can use the quick check analysis to compute the temperature
variation in the model and enter that value for Estimated Variation before running
a transient thermal analysis with single-pass adaptive convergence.
Initial Temperature Distribution

Select the initial temperature for your model at the start of the transient thermal
analysis. You can select one of two options:
• Uniform — Apply a uniform temperature distribution over the model. Enter

the initial temperature in the Temperature field below this item. The
temperature value must be the same as any prescribed temperatures in the
constraint set. If there are no prescribed temperatures, you can specify any
value for uniform initial temperature.
• MecT — Use the temperature results from a steady thermal analysis to
specify the initial temperature for your transient thermal analysis. Before you
select this option, you must first define a steady thermal analysis.
When you select MecT, the dialog box displays the name of a steady thermal
analysis and a load set from that analysis. If you have multiple analyses or
load sets, you can select the ones you want to use. Mechanica runs the
steady thermal analysis you select before running the transient thermal
analysis.
You can also select Use Temperatures From Previous Design Study if you
want to use the results of a previously run analysis.
Transient Thermal Convergence Method

You can select one of the following convergence methods for Mechanica to use when
it runs your transient thermal analysis:
• Single-Pass Adaptive — This method is the default.
Mechanica runs a first pass at p=3 and determines a time-step reading of the
model temperature. Each subsequent time-step uses information from the
previous time-step to determine a new p-level.
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• Quick Check (No Convergence) — Mechanica performs a single-pass

analysis with uniform p=3. You can use this method to verify that you have
defined your analysis correctly.
Neither of the preceding convergence methods is supported for the following:
• 2D models
• models with shell or beam elements
• models with transversely isotropic or orthotropic materials
• models with links
Transient thermal analyses take longer to run than steady-state thermal analyses.
For some runs, you may want to use the Quick Check convergence method to get a
quick reading of your model. When you do use the single-pass adaptive convergence
method, allow more time for your run.
Note: For transient thermal analyses, if you suddenly switch on heat loads
and convection conditions, these changes can adversely affect analysis
convergence. If all heat loads and convection conditions are smooth functions
that are zero at the start of the analysis, the engine will generally select
smaller values for the p-orders. For more information on how to smooth these
functions, see Ramping of Heat Loads and Convection Conditions.
Automatically Smooth Convections

If the convective heat exchange rate for a model entity is rapid, increased numerical
errors can occur. Select the Automatically smooth convections option to turn on
the convection conditions gradually, reducing these numerical errors.
This feature is selected by default.
Accuracy
This value represents the acceptable fractional temperature error used to determine
the time step. The time step may vary by many orders of magnitude during the
course of an analysis, depending on the loads and constraints. At the beginning of an
analysis, the time step can be especially small. Since the energy norm in the model
is zero at the start of an analysis, the errors in energy norm are normalized by a
small value.
This value works with the temperature variation value to control the accuracy of the
time integration. For example, if you set Accuracy to a value of 0.001 and set
Estimated Variation to a value of 200, the Thermal engine attempts to keep time-
step errors in temperature to a value of 0.2 degrees or less.
Mechanica controls the accuracy of transient thermal analyses by varying the p-order
of element edges and the time step used for numerical integration. These values
change as an analysis progresses. Two parameters affect the time step size on the
Analysis Definition dialog box for transient thermal analysis—Accuracy and
Estimated Variation.
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Errors in temperature must be less than the product of the estimated temperature
variation and the accuracy.
Percent Convergence
Convergence gives you an idea of how accurate the results are. If an analysis does
not reach convergence during a design study, the results may not have the desired
accuracy. In this case, you need to make modifications to your model to get better
results.
Enter the percentage you want Mechanica to use to determine convergence for this
analysis. This option is available only with the multi-pass adaptive convergence
method.
The default convergence value is 10%. For most analyses, you should enter a value
from 1% to 25%. If you enter a convergence value outside this range, Mechanica
asks you to confirm the value you entered.
Convergence Quantities for Steady Thermal

Analysis
If you select the multi-pass adaptive convergence method for a steady thermal
analysis, you can select one of three options for the quantities Mechanica uses to
calculate convergence:
• Local Temperatures and Local Energy Norms — Mechanica calculates

convergence of the temperatures along each element edge and of the energy
norms in each element. This option is the default convergence option.
• Local Temperatures and Local and Global Energy Norms — Mechanica
uses global norms in addition to temperatures and local energy norms to
calculate convergence.
• Measures — Mechanica uses one or more thermal measures to determine
convergence.
Steady Thermal Convergence Method

You can select one of the following convergence methods for Mechanica to use when
it runs your steady thermal analysis:
• Multi-Pass Adaptive — This method is available for all model types.
When you run a design study, the Mechanica Thermal engine performs
calculations and increases the polynomial order for each element edge until
the convergence criteria is satisfied. An analysis converges when the
difference in the results of the current pass and the previous pass is within
the percentage you specify for Percent Convergence.
• Single-Pass Adaptive — This method is available for all 3D models.
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Mechanica runs a first pass at p=3 and determines a local estimate of heat
flux error. Using this error estimate, Mechanica determines a new p-order
distribution and performs a final pass.
If you use the iterative solver, Mechanica runs a first pass using the block
solver at p=2, followed by a second pass using the iterative solver at p=3.
Using the heat flux error estimate from the second pass, Mechanica performs
a third and final pass.
The polynomial order for beams is 9 for the final pass.
• Quick Check (No Convergence) — This method is available for all models.
It does not check convergence.
Mechanica performs a single pass analysis with uniform p=3. You can use this
method to verify that you have defined your analysis correctly.
Understanding Accuracy
Accuracy is a dimensionless number that is used to control local time integration
errors. A local time integration error indicates that the error is estimated for each
time step in the analysis, independent from the results of previous time steps,
whereas a global time integration error depends on the entire time integration. The
engine selects the size of the time step to keep local time integration errors in
temperature smaller than the product of accuracy and estimated temperature
variation, and errors in energy norm smaller than the product of accuracy and
energy norm.
Specifying an accuracy value of 0.001 does not guarantee that all results are within
one-tenth of one percent of the exact solution. This is mostly because the accuracy
of the solution is affected strongly by the spatial discretization, but also because the
global time error is not controlled. To improve the spatial discretization, the engine
increases or decreases the p-orders as needed to keep the flux jumps at element
boundaries below a target value. Some models require more elements to capture
thin layers with sharp temperature gradients that result from fast convection
conditions or rapidly-varying heat loads.
Time Range Specification

To specify the time range, enter:
• Minimum — Enter a number greater than or equal to zero.

• Maximum — Enter a number greater than zero or select Auto. If you select
Auto, the engine determines the total time for the duration of the analysis.
Note: Selecting Auto for the maximum time can cause your analysis
to run longer than necessary to produce the results you need. If you
use the Auto selection, therefore, be sure to allow for the extra time
required.
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Time Range
Specify a minimum and a maximum time for the time range that defines the start
and finish time for the analysis. In Mechanica, all of the predefined systems of units
measure conductivity in seconds.
The units you use to measure time must be consistent with your system of units and
the units for measuring conductivity. For example, if you want to measure
conductivity in BTUs per hour, you may need to change your system of units.
User-defined Steps for Transient Thermal

Analysis
Use this button to specify the spacing between steps in the time range.
You can enter different values for each step. The values you enter must be in
increasing order from step to step.
When you click the User-defined Steps button, you can also use the Space
Equally button to evenly space the steps.
You cannot enter any values for the steps if you selected Auto for the maximum of
the time range. The dialog box shows Auto for each step in the table.
Output Intervals for Transient Thermal

Analysis
Use this item to specify a time range, master intervals, and the results you want
Mechanica to report at selected intervals. Master intervals serve two purposes:
• to save output data

• to force the time integrator to notice important events, such as times when a
heat load jumps suddenly
If you use the default option, Automatic Intervals Within Range, Mechanica
selects appropriate intervals at which to report results. You specify a time range by
entering a minimum time and a maximum time. You have the option to select Auto
to automatically enter the maximum time.
If you select User-defined Output Intervals, the following items become

available:
• Number of Master Intervals — Enter the number of master intervals at

which you want Mechanica to report results. Mechanica displays the intervals
in a table with numbered rows. You can specify up to 999 master intervals. In
general, computation time increases with the number of intervals.
• Full Results — Select the check boxes next to the intervals for which you
want to save full temperature and flux results.
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• Temp Load — Select the check boxes next to the intervals for which you
want to save data for importing a thermal load or temperature field into
Structure.
• User-defined Steps — Click this button to enter values for spacing the time
steps.
• Space Equally — Enters evenly spaced values for the steps. This button is
only available when you click User-defined Steps.
• (Select All) — Click this button if you want to save full results and
temperature load data for all intervals.
• (Deselect All) — Click this button if you do not want to save full results
and temperature load data for any intervals.
Temperature Options for Transient Thermal

Analysis
These items appear on the Temperatures tab on the Transient Thermal Analysis
• Distribution — Specify initial temperature distribution—Uniform or MecT.

• Temperature — Enter an initial temperature if you selected Uniform for
Distribution. This temperature value must be the same as any prescribed
temperatures in the constraint set.
These additional items appear on the tab only if you select MecT for Distribution:
• Use Temperatures From Previous Design Study — You can select this
check box option if you want to use temperature results from a previously run
steady thermal analysis for the initial temperature in your transient thermal
analysis. If this option is not selected, Mechanica runs the steady thermal
analysis as part of running the transient thermal analysis.
• Design Study —If you selected the option Use Temperatures From
Previous Design Study, select a design study to include in the transient
thermal analysis.
• Thermal Analysis — Select a steady thermal analysis.
• Load Set — Select a load set.
These options are available for all transient thermal analyses:
• Accuracy — Enter a value for the acceptable fractional temperature error.

• Estimated Variation — Enter a value for temperature variation or select
Auto.
• Automatically Smooth Convections — Select this option to turn on
convection conditions gradually.
Thermal Measures
Mechanica uses one or more measures to determine convergence. Select Measures
for convergence if you are interested either in results for one or more specific
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quantities, such as maximum flux magnitude, or in results at a particular location,

such as a boundary condition or local flux concentration.
Using Measures can help improve accuracy for the quantities in which you are
interested, and may also lower the computation time for your design study.
When you select Measures as the convergence option, the Measures button
becomes available. Click this button to select thermal measures from the Measures
dialog box. You can select any global or local thermal measures.
Plotting Grid
The value you specify determines the number of intervals along each edge or across
each face that Mechanica uses to create plotting grids. Mechanica calculates quantity
values at the intersections of grid lines.
Enter a number from 2 to 10 to determine the level of detail Mechanica uses to

report results of the analysis.
If you enter a higher number, the grid will be finer, and Mechanica reports values
from more locations on each element. At lower numbers, Mechanica takes less time
to calculate results, and the data takes up significantly less space. The default is 4.
Mechanica reports precise results for each grid intersection point and interpolates
these values to show results elsewhere.
Local Temperatures and Local Energy Norms

Mechanica calculates convergence of the temperatures along each element edge and
of the energy norms in each element.
The energy norm of an element is a scalar quantity that is proportional to the

integral over the element of the flux squared. It is analogous to element strain
energy in a static structural analysis.
Local Temperatures And Local Energy Norms is the default convergence option.
Local Temperatures and Local and Global

Energy Norms
Mechanica uses global norms in addition to temperatures and local energy norms to
calculate convergence. The global energy norm is the sum of the energy norms of all
elements in the model.
The global energy norm error measure is a single scalar value that is proportional to
the square root of the estimated error in the global energy norm.
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Mechanica checks convergence for the global energy norm by extrapolating the
global norm of three successive calculations. As a result, global norm convergence
considers the rate of convergence. This option provides high accuracy, but can also
mean greater computation time.
Heat Flux
This check box enables you to have heat flux calculated as part of your analysis. This
option is selected by default and works as a toggle.
If you do not want heat flux calculated, deselect this option. Be aware that if you do
not select Heat Flux, you cannot access results for heat flux when you look at
results for your analysis.
Convergence Percentage Calculation

Mechanica calculates the convergence percentage in the following ways:
• When you run a design study, the engine performs calculations at increasingly
higher polynomial orders for each element edge. An analysis converges when
the difference in the results of the last two calculations is within the
percentage you specify here.
• The engine finishes calculating results when the analysis converges, or when
it has reached the maximum polynomial order that you specified.
• Lower convergence percentages yield more accurate results, but Mechanica
may take longer to reach convergence. You should balance the level of
accuracy you need with the amount of time it will take to run a design study
containing this analysis.
Output Options for Thermal Analyses

These items appear on the Output tab on the dialog boxes for steady thermal and
transient thermal analyses:
• Heat Flux — This option is selected by default. You must deselect this option
if you do not want to calculate heat flux.
• Plotting Grid — Specify the density of the plotting grid that determines
where Mechanica calculates results.
• Output Intervals — Appears only for transient thermal analysis. Select this
option to specify the number of intervals in the time range at which you want
Mechanica to report results.
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Convergence Options for Thermal Analyses

These items appear on the Convergence tab on the dialog boxes for steady thermal
and transient thermal analyses:
• Method — Select a convergence method for calculating results and

determining the accuracy of steady thermal analysis results or transient
thermal analysis.
The following items appear on the tab only for steady thermal analysis with the
Multi-Pass Adaptive convergence method selected:
• Polynomial Order — Enter a minimum and maximum polynomial order.

• Limits — Enter the Percent Convergence.
• Converge on — Select the convergence quantities you want to use.
Vibration Analysis
About Vibration Analysis
Use the Analysis>Mechanica Analyses/Studies command in Structure to define
a vibration analysis.
The following four types of vibration analysis are available to Structure users:
• Dynamic Time — Calculates displacements, velocities, accelerations, and

stresses in your model at different times in response to a time-varying load.
• Dynamic Frequency — Calculates the amplitude and phase of
displacements, velocities, accelerations, and stresses in your model in
response to a load oscillating at different frequencies.
• Dynamic Random — Calculates the power spectral densities and RMS values
of displacements, velocities, accelerations, and stresses in your model in
response to a load of specified power spectral density.
• Dynamic Shock — Calculates maximum values of displacements and
stresses in your model in response to a base excitation with specified
response spectrum.
Dynamic Time, Dynamic Frequency, and

Dynamic Random Analyses
Mechanica dynamic analyses measure a system response to a number of time-driven
loads. You can use dynamic time analysis to examine system response to a non-
periodic, or impulsive, time-dependent load. You can use dynamic frequency
analyses to evaluate system response to a periodic, or cyclical, frequency-dependent
load. You can use dynamic random analysis to measure the system response to a
power spectral density function.
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For a description of, and requirements for, each analysis type, see Dynamic Time
Analysis Overview, Dynamic Frequency Analysis Overview, and Dynamic Random
Analysis Overview.
The dialog boxes for dynamic time, dynamic frequency, and dynamic random
analyses include the following:
• Loading — Select Load Functions or Base Excitation. To use Load

Functions, you must have loads defined on your model. You can use Base
Excitation only if you select a constrained modal analysis to include in your
dynamic analysis.
If you select Load Functions, these items appear under Loading:
o Sum Load Sets — Select this check box if you want to combine the
results from all selected load sets.
o Load Sets list — Select the check boxes next to the load sets you
want to use. Click ƒ(x) to select load set functions for each one or use
the default functions.
If you select Base Excitation, these items appear under Loading:
o Time (or Frequency) Dependence — Select a function for time or

frequency dependence.
o Direction — Select WCS coordinates for the direction of base
excitation.
o Relative to — Select whether you want results calculated relative to
Ground or to Supports.
For both Load Functions or Base Excitation, you can use the Include
Frequency Steps From Table check box to ensure that the solution includes
all steps in a table input function, not just those that Mechanica selects
automatically.
The following tabs appear on the dialog boxes for dynamic time, dynamic frequency,
and dynamic random analyses:
• Modes
• Output
Dynamic Time Analysis Overview

Description
Dynamic time analysis measures the response of a system to a non-periodic or

impulsive, time-dependent load. The load input takes the form of a time history.
In a dynamic time analysis, Mechanica calculates displacements, velocities,

accelerations, and stresses in your model at different times in response to a time
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varying load. Use dynamic time analyses if you are interested in transient or non-
steady forced response.
For base excitation only, you can direct Mechanica to calculate the modal mass
participation factors to enable you to better assess the accuracy of your results.
Mechanica also calculates all valid measures for dynamic time analyses that you
have defined for the model.
You can direct Mechanica to report full results at specified time intervals. For
dynamic time analysis with full results, you can animate results of a fringed display
for each time interval of your analysis.
Tip: You can define the equivalent of a base excitation case by placing a
gravity load on the model.
Requirements
• 1 modal analysis
• 1 or more load sets
To Create a Dynamic Time Analysis
2. Select New Dynamic>Time from the File menu.
The Dynamic Time Analysis dialog box appears.

4. Select one of the following options:
o Load Functions
o Base Excitation
dynamic time analysis:
o Modes
o Previous Analysis
o Output
The dialog box reappears displaying the name, type, and description of the new
analysis.
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Dynamic Frequency Analysis Overview

Description
Dynamic frequency analysis measures the response of a system to a periodic or

cyclical, frequency-dependent load. The load input takes the form of a driving
frequency with corresponding amplitudes.
In a dynamic frequency analysis, Mechanica calculates the amplitude and phase of

displacements, velocities, accelerations, and stresses in your model in response to a
load oscillating at different frequencies. Use dynamic frequency analyses if you are
interested in a steady-force response, for example, cyclic loading.
Mechanica also calculates all valid measures for dynamic frequency analyses that you
have defined for the model.
You can direct Mechanica to report full results at specified frequency intervals.
gravity load on the model.
Requirements
To Create a Dynamic Frequency Analysis
2. Select New Dynamic>Frequency from the File menu.
The Dynamic Frequency Analysis dialog box appears.

o Load Functions
o Base Excitation
5. Select the Include frequency steps from table function check box if you
want to ensure that the solution includes all steps in a table input function,
not just those that Mechanica selects automatically.
dynamic frequency analysis:
o Modes
o Previous Analysis
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o Output
new analysis.
Dynamic Random Analysis Overview

Description
Dynamic random analysis measures the response of a system to a power spectral

density function (PSD). The load input is force or acceleration PSD over a range of
frequencies. Because the spectral density curves are obtained by sampling over a
period of time, the longer the sampling time, the more accurate the curve. Results
are reported in terms of a response PSD.
In a dynamic random analysis, Mechanica calculates these power spectral densities

and RMS values of displacements, velocities, accelerations, and stresses at points in
your model in response to a load of specified PSD. Use a dynamic random analysis if:
• the loading of your model can be described statistically by a random process

• you are interested in evaluating RMS responses or power spectral densities
Mechanica also calculates all valid measures for dynamic random analyses that you
have defined for the model. You can obtain results for the PSD of a quantity at a
point by defining measures. You can also define measures that yield the RMS value
or apparent frequency of a quantity.
gravity load on the model. The PSD is equal to gravity squared over
frequency (PSD = G^2/F) for this case.
Requirements
To Create a Dynamic Random Analysis
The Analyses and Design Study dialog box appears.
2. Select New Dynamic>Random from the File menu.
The Dynamic Random Analysis dialog box appears.
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o Load Functions
o Base Excitation
5. Select the Include frequency steps from table function check box if you
want to ensure that the solution includes all steps in a table input function,
not just those that Mechanica selects automatically.
dynamic random analysis:
o Modes
o Previous Analysis
o Output
new analysis.
Dynamic Shock Analysis

Dynamic shock analysis measures the response of a system to a response spectrum.
The load input is a base excitation with a response spectrum of either displacement,
velocity, or acceleration. Dynamic shock analysis is not used for impulsive loads that
vary with respect to time.
In a dynamic shock analysis, Mechanica calculates maximum values of displacements

and stresses in your model in response to a base excitation with a specified response
spectrum.
Use dynamic shock analysis if you are interested in subjecting your model to
earthquake-like motion. Do not use this analysis type for impulse response.
Mechanica also automatically calculates all measures valid for a static analysis.
You need one constrained modal analysis before defining a dynamic shock analysis.
These items appear on the Shock Analysis Definition dialog box:
• Direction of Base Excitation

• Response Spectrum
• Output
To Create a Dynamic Shock Analysis
2. Select New Dynamic>Shock from the File menu.
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The Shock Analysis Definition dialog box appears.

4. Enter WCS coordinates for Direction of Base Excitation to specify the
direction the constrained parts of your model move in response to the forcing
function. For 2D models, enter only X and Y coordinates.
dynamic shock analysis:
o Previous Analysis
o Response Spectrum
o Output
new analysis.
To Use Previous Analysis Results in a Dynamic

Analysis
types: dynamic time, dynamic frequency, dynamic random, or dynamic shock.
1. Click the Previous Analysis tab on the dialog box.

2. If you want to use the results from a previously run modal analysis associated
with a different design study, select the check box Use Modes From
Previous Design Study.
If you do not select this check box, Mechanica runs a modal analysis as part
of running your dynamic analysis.
3. Select the following items to include in your dynamic analysis:

o design study (if applicable)
o analysis
The name of the constraint set for the modal analysis you selected appears in
the Constraint Set field.
To Define the Response Spectrum for a

Dynamic Shock Analysis
This procedure assumes you are in the Shock Analysis Definition dialog box.
1. Click the Response Spectrum tab on the dialog box.

2. Use the default function of frequency, uniform, to define the response
spectrum curve for the base excitation, or click the ƒ(x) button to select or
create a different function.
3. Select a quantity for the response spectrum curve—Displacement, Velocity,
or Acceleration.
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4. Select a Modal Combination Method option to determine how the

contributions of the modes are combined to calculate results—SRSS or
Absolute Sum.
To Select Output Options for a Dynamic

Analysis
types: dynamic time, dynamic frequency, dynamic random, or dynamic shock
analysis.

2. Select the quantities and factors that you want Mechanica to calculate.
o For dynamic time, frequency, or shock analysis, you can select
Stresses, Rotations, Ply Stresses (for laminates), or Mass
Participation Factors (available only for dynamic analyses with base
excitation).
o For dynamic random analysis, you can select Full RMS Results For
Displacements And Stresses.
Note: If you are creating a dynamic shock analysis, skip the

remaining steps.
3. Select an option for specifying the Output Intervals for which you want
results—Automatic Intervals Within Range or User-defined Output
Intervals.
If you select User-defined Output Intervals, different items appear on the

tab. Continue with steps 5 through 8.
4. If you selected Automatic Intervals Within Range, you can specify a Time
Range or Frequency Range over which you want Mechanica to report
results for your analysis:
o For dynamic time analysis, enter the minimum time for the Time
Range. You can select Automatic to use the default maximum time
or User-defined to enter a different maximum time.
o For dynamic frequency or random analyses, enter the minimum
frequency of excitation for the Frequency Range. You can select
Automatic to use the default maximum frequency or User-defined
to enter a different maximum frequency.
Note: If you selected Automatic Intervals Within Range,

skip the remaining steps.
5. Enter the Number Of Master Intervals in the time or frequency range at

which you want results reported.
Mechanica displays the specified number of rows in the list of master

intervals.
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6. Use the default values for each time or frequency interval to specify the
spacing between intervals or click the User-defined Steps button to enter
values.
If you click User-defined Steps, you can use the Space Equally button to
7. For dynamic time and frequency analyses only, select the check boxes next to
the intervals for which you want to save full results. Mechanica does not
report full results for dynamic random analysis.
You can also click for full results at all intervals or click to turn off full
results for all intervals.
8. Enter a number for Measures Output Intervals Per Master Interval.
To Select Mode Options for a Dynamic

Analysis
types: dynamic time, dynamic frequency, or dynamic random analysis.
1. Select an option for Modes Included from the modal analysis in the dynamic
analysis—All or Below specified frequency.
2. If you selected Below specified frequency, enter a frequency value.
3. Select one of these options for assigning damping coefficients to the modes in
the analysis:
o For all modes

o For individual modes
o Function of frequency
4. If you selected For all modes in step 3, enter a value without a % symbol
for the damping coefficient you want to assign to all modes.
5. If you selected For individual modes in step 3, enter damping coefficient
values for each mode in the list that appears for this option.
You can use the Fill button to change all zero values to the percent value
immediately above them. Use the Clear button to change all values to zero.
6. If you selected Function of frequency in step 3, click f(x) to select or

define a damping coefficient function.
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To Select Load Functions for a Dynamic

Analysis
This procedure assumes you have selected the Load Functions option on the dialog
box for creating one of these analysis types: dynamic time, dynamic frequency, or
dynamic random analysis.
1. If you want Mechanica to combine the loads of all selected load sets, select
Sum Load Sets.
3. Use the default time or frequency dependence function for each selected load
set, or click the f(x) button next to any load set if you want to select or
create a different function.
To Specify Base Excitation for a Dynamic

Analysis
This procedure assumes you have selected the Base Excitation option on the dialog
box for creating one of these analysis types: dynamic time, dynamic frequency, or
dynamic random analysis.
1. Use the default function for Time Dependence or Frequency Dependence,

or click the ƒ(x) button to select or create a different function.
2. Enter WCS coordinates to specify the direction in which the constrained parts
of your model move in response to the forcing function. For 2D models, enter
only X and Y coordinates.
3. Select an option for calculating displacement, velocity, and acceleration
results relative to ground or to supports.
Results Output Intervals

Use this item to specify the number of intervals in the time or frequency range at
which you want Mechanica to report results.
If you use the default, Automatic Intervals Within Range, Mechanica selects
appropriate intervals at which to report results but does not calculate full results at
any step:
• For dynamic time analysis, you can specify a time range over which you want
Mechanica to report results by entering a minimum time and maximum time.
• For dynamic frequency and dynamic random analyses, you can specify a
frequency range by entering minimum and maximum frequencies.
If you select User-defined Output Intervals, the following options appear:
• Number of Master Intervals — Enter the number of master intervals at

which you want Mechanica to report results. You can specify up to 999
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intervals. A row is added to the table for each interval. In general,

computation time increases with the number of intervals.
• Full Results — For dynamic time and dynamic frequency analyses only,
select the check boxes next to the intervals for which you want to save full
results.
• User-defined Steps — Click this button to enter values for spacing the
steps.
• Space Equally — Enters evenly spaced values for the steps. This button is
only available when you click User-defined Steps.
• (Select All) — Click this button if you want full results for all intervals.
• (Deselect All) — Click this button if you do not want full results for all
intervals.
• Measures Output Intervals per Master Interval — Enter a positive
number up to 999. In general, computation time increases with the number of
measures output intervals.
Response Spectrum Options for Dynamic

Shock Analysis
Use the following options to define the response spectrum curve for the base
excitation. These items appear on the Response Spectrum tab on the Shock
Analysis Definition dialog box:
• Response Spectrum f(x) — Select a function of frequency to define the

response spectrum curve.
The default response spectrum curve function is uniform, which means the
frequency dependence of the base excitation is uniform over the frequency
range.
To select a different function, click the f(x) button. The Functions dialog box
appears. You can select an existing function or click New to define a new
function.
• Spectrum of — Select one of these quantities for the response spectrum

curve:
o Displacement
o Velocity
o Acceleration
• Modal Combination Method — Select the method the engine uses to

combine modes when calculating results:
o SRSS — the square root of the sum of the squares

o Absolute Sum — the sum of the absolute values of the contributions
of each mode
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Use Modes From Previous Design Study

Mechanica uses the modes from a modal analysis to calculate a dynamic analysis.
You can include the modal analysis in one of these ways:
• Have Mechanica run the modal analysis as part of running the

dynamic analysis.
The dialog box displays the name of a modal analysis and the constraint set for
that analysis. If you have multiple modal analyses, you can select the analysis
you want to use.
Make sure Use Modes From Previous Design Study is not selected.
• Use results from a previously run modal analysis.
Select the option Use Modes From Previous Design Study.
The dialog box displays the name of a standard design study, modal analysis,
and the constraint set for the selected modal analysis. If you have multiple
studies or analyses, you can select the ones you want to use.
Keep these points in mind when using this option:
o You cannot place the current dynamic analysis in the same design
study as the previous modal analysis you select.
o The design study containing the previous modal analysis must be in
the same directory as the design study in which you place the current
dynamic analysis.
o You must run the design study that contains the modal analysis prior
to running the current dynamic analysis so that the modes from the
previous analysis are available.
Previous Analysis Options for Dynamic

Analysis
These items appear on the Previous Analysis tab on the dialog boxes for dynamic
analyses:
• Use Modes From Previous Design Study — Select this option to use
results from a previously run modal analysis in the dynamic analysis. If this
option is not selected, Mechanica runs the modal analysis as part of the
dynamic analysis.
• Design Study — Select a design study to include in the dynamic analysis if
you selected the option Use Modes From Previous Design Study.
• Modal Analysis — Select a modal analysis to include in the dynamic
analysis.
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• Constraint Set — Mechanica displays the constraint set for the selected
modal analysis.
Modes Included
Use this item to specify which modes from the modal analysis you want included in
the dynamic analysis. You can specify this in two ways:
• All — Select if you want to include all modes from the modal analysis in the
dynamic analysis.
• Below Specified Frequency — Select to limit the modes included. Enter a
frequency in the entry box.
Frequency Range
Enter the minimum and maximum frequencies of excitation for the range over which
you want Mechanica to report results for dynamic frequency and dynamic random
analyses.
The minimum frequency must be greater than or equal to 0.
The default maximum frequency is Automatic, which is 1.5 times the highest
natural frequency calculated.
If you select the User-defined option, you can enter a value for the maximum
frequency.
For Individual Modes

Use this option to assign a separate damping coefficient to each mode in the
dynamic analysis.
When you select For individual modes, a numbered list of modes appears on the
Modes tab. The number of modes in the list is based on the modes from the
previous modal analysis.
Enter a value, without a % symbol, for each mode.
After entering one or more values, you can click Fill to change all zero values to the
percent value immediately above them. Use the Fill button to assign the last
damping coefficient value in the list to the remaining modes at the end of the list.
You can use the Clear button to change all the entries in the list back to zero.
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Function of Frequency
Select this option to define damping as a function of frequency.
Click the f(x) button. If you have previously defined a damping coefficient function,
the Functions dialog box appears. Select an existing function or click New to define a
new function.
If you select New, the Function Definition dialog box appears. Use this dialog box
to define a new function.
To select a different function, click the f(x) button and the Functions dialog box
appears. You select an existing function or click New to define a new function.
Damping Coefficient (%)

Use this item to assign damping coefficients to the modes in the analysis.
The damping coefficient is the percentage of critical damping. A damping coefficient

of 100% means the model is critically damped and does not vibrate freely. A
damping coefficient of 1% means the amplitude decays by about 6% over one period
of oscillation.
You can select one of three methods of assigning damping coefficients:
• For all Modes — Assigns a single damping coefficient to all modes. You enter
a single value, without a % symbol, in the entry box.
• For Individual Modes — Assigns a separate damping coefficient to each
mode in the analysis.
• Function of Frequency — Defines damping as a function of frequency.
The normal range for damping coefficients is from 0% to 50%. If you enter values
outside this range, Mechanica asks you to confirm each value.
Calculate Quantities and Factors for Vibration

Analysis
Use this item to determine the type of results Mechanica calculates.
For dynamic time, dynamic frequency, and dynamic shock analyses, select one of the
following items if you want Mechanica to calculate full results:
• Stresses — Directs Mechanica to calculate stresses. If you do not need stress

results, you can save disk space by clearing this item. This also results in
dramatically reduced analysis time.
• Rotations — Directs Mechanica to calculate the rotation about each WCS axis
over the entire model.
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Mechanica never calculates rotations if your model consists only of 3D solid,

2D solid, or 2D plate elements, even if this item is selected. Rotations are
always zero for these element types.
• Ply Stresses — Directs Mechanica to calculate the ply-by-ply stress results.

This option is only for models that have laminate shell properties defined.
For dynamic random response analyses, select the following item if you want
Mechanica to calculate full results:
• Full RMS Results for Displacements and Stresses — Enables you to

display fringe plots for RMS stress and RMS displacement results.
For dynamic analyses with base excitation, select the following item if you want
Mechanica to calculate factors important in determining if enough vibration modes
obtained from modal analysis are included to ensure accurate results.
• Mass Participation Factors — Directs Mechanica to calculate the modal

mass participation factors. This may result in greatly increased computational
time.
You cannot access full results for quantities you deselect here. Mechanica calculates
all measures valid for the analysis, regardless of your selections here. You can
access results for measures through the summary report or by graphing the measure
in a results window.
Note: If you select Time/Frequency Eval when you define a dynamic

measure, you can access results only through a results window.
User-defined Steps
Use this button to specify the spacing between steps in the time or frequency range.
You can enter different values for each step. The values you enter must be in
increasing order from step to step.
When you click User-defined Steps, you can also use the Space Equally button to
You cannot enter any values for the steps if you selected Auto for the maximum of
the time or frequency range. The dialog box shows Auto for each step in the table.
Output Options for Dynamic Analyses

These items appear on the Output tab on the dialog box for dynamic analyses:
• Calculate — Select the quantities and factors for which Mechanica calculates
results.
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• Output Intervals (not available for dynamic shock analysis) — Specify the
number of intervals in the time or frequency range at which you want
Mechanica to report results.
Mode Options for Dynamic Analyses

These items appear on the Modes tab on the dialog boxes for dynamic time,
dynamic frequency, and dynamic time analyses:
• Modes Included — Specify which modes from the modal analysis you want
included in the dynamic analysis.
• Damping Coefficient (%) — Assign damping coefficients to the modes in
the analysis.
Mass Participation Factor Results

For dynamic analyses, the engine writes some additional mass participation factor
information to the summary file during a run. Immediately preceding the measure
output for the analysis, the summary file contains a table with the same format as
the frequency data for modal analyses. The columns of the table are:
• Mode — mode number

• Frequency — frequency of indicated mode
• Mass Participation Factor — indicator of the relative participation of the
mode
• Effective Mass — percentage indicator of participation of mode. This is the
ratio of the mass participation factor divided by the total mass squared.
• Total Effective Mass — percentage indicator of participation of modes up to
and including indicated mode. This is the sum of effective masses of modes
up to and including indicated mode.
Full Results
Use this column to specify the intervals at which Mechanica reports full results.
Mechanica always reports measure results, but only reports stresses, displacements,
strains, and forces at intervals that you designate.
You can also turn full results on or off for all intervals with the Select All and
Deselect All buttons.
This column does not appear for dynamic random analyses.
Base Excitation
You can use this option if the modal analysis you selected for your dynamic analysis
contains at least one constrained modal analysis. Otherwise, Base Excitation is not
available.
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If no loads are defined on your model, you must define the dynamic analysis using
base excitation.
When you select Base Excitation, these items appear on the dialog box:
• Time/Frequency Dependence — A default function to define base

acceleration appears on the dialog box. Click the f(x) button if you want a
different function, and the Functions dialog box appears. You select an
existing function or click New to define a new function.
If you click New on the Functions dialog box, the Function Definition dialog
box appears. Use this dialog box to define a new function.
• Direction — Enter WCS coordinates that specify the direction in which the
constrained parts of your model move in response to the forcing function. For
2D models, you only enter X and Y coordinates.
• Relative to — You can have displacement, velocity, and acceleration results
calculated with respect to ground or to supports.
Sum Load Sets

You can select Sum Load Sets if you want Mechanica to merge the loads of all
selected load sets. If you do not select Sum Load Sets, Mechanica calculates results
separately for each load set.
If you do select Sum Load Sets, Mechanica assumes that all load sets act
simultaneously, and reports results for a single load set containing all loads in the
selected sets. The combined results are associated with the first load set in the list.
You can use the Sum Load Sets feature to mix loads with different functions in the
same analysis. The exception is dynamic time simulations. You cannot mix load sets
for a dynamic time simulation using the function impulse with load sets using any
other function, but you can sum a series of load sets that all use the function
impulse.
Load Set Functions

When you select a load set function, the function you select depends on the analysis
type:
Analysis Type Defines Function of Default
dynamic time amplitude time impulsea
dynamic amplitude frequency uniformb

frequency
phasec frequency zerod
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Analysis Type Defines Function of Default
dynamic load set power frequency uniformb

randome spectral density
a. When the time function is impulse, an impulse load is applied at the

minimum time.
b. When the frequency function is uniform, the load is multiplied by 1 over the
frequency range.
c. The phase function is defined in radians.
d. When the frequency phase function is zero, a zero radian phase angle over
the frequency range is applied to the load.
e. The frequency dependence functions you specify for a random response

analysis are the PSD curves for each load set. The engine calculates the PSD
response curves for local measures as a function of frequency.
To select a different function, click the ƒ(x) button and the Functions dialog box
appears. You can select an existing function or click New to define a new function.
See Function Definition Dialog Box for information on defining new functions.
Time Range
Enter the minimum and maximum times for the range over which you want
Mechanica to report results for a dynamic time analysis. The impulse load is applied
at the minimum time.
The minimum time must be greater than or equal to 0.
The default maximum time is Automatic, which is three times the period of the first
mode. If you use the Automatic option, the range will cover three oscillations for
the first mode.
If you select the User-defined option, you can enter a value for the maximum time.
Direction of Base Excitation

Enter WCS coordinates that specify the direction in which the constrained parts of
your model move in response to the forcing function. For 2D models, you only enter
X and Y coordinates.
The software does not normalize the base excitation vector. It multiples the
magnitude of the vector by the function you enter for Response Spectrum.
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FEM Analysis
About FEM Analysis
After you define a FEM mode model, you can define an analysis that Mechanica runs
using the FEA solver you select. In defining an analysis, you inform Mechanica which
type of analysis you want and indicate the loads, constraints, materials, idealizations,
and so forth you want considered.
Defining a FEM analysis is an optional step. If you plan to run the FEA solver from
within Mechanica, you need to define an analysis. However, in some cases, you may
be primarily interested in generating a mesh to use with an offline solver instead. For
this application, you do not need to define an analysis.
The point in your design process at which you define an analysis depends on whether
you are working with transient or retained meshes. If you work with transient
meshes, you define a FEM analysis immediately after you define your modeling
entities, and before you mesh the model. Those of you who work with retained
meshes can define a FEM analysis anytime before you start a run, although you
typically want to define loads and constraints first.
You define a FEM analysis by selecting the Analysis>FEM Analysis command. The
dialog box you use to define FEM analyses changes depending on whether you are
specifying a structural or thermal analysis or a modal analysis.
Using the FEM Analysis Command in FEM

Mode
To define a FEM analysis, use the Analysis>FEM Analysis command. After you
select the FEM Analysis command, the SIM ANALYSES menu appears. This menu
contains the following commands:
• New — Define a new analysis. If you select this command, the Analysis
Definition dialog box appears. This dialog box changes depending on
whether you are specifying a structural or thermal analysis or a modal alysis.
• Edit — Modify an existing analysis. If you select this command, Mechanica
displays a list of analyses for you to choose from. Once you select an
analysis, the Analysis Definition dialog box for that analysis appears. You
use this dialog box to redefine the analysis.
• Copy — Copy an existing analysis under a new name. If you select this
command, Mechanica displays a list of analyses for you to choose from. Once
you select an analysis, you use the entry box in the message area to enter a
name for the analysis copy. This function proves useful if you plan to run a
number of analyses that have only minor differences.
• Delete — Delete an existing analysis. If you select this command, Mechanica
displays a list of analyses for you to choose from. Once you select an
analysis, Mechanica deletes it.
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Defining a FEM Analysis

Use the FEM Analysis>New command to define a structural or thermal FEM
analysis. When you select this command, the Analysis Definition dialog box
appears. This dialog box lets you specify the analysis type as well as the load and
constraint sets that will be active for the analysis.
Note: If you want to define a modal analysis, see Defining a Modal FEM
Analysis.
The Analysis Definition dialog box version you use for FEM analyses includes the
following:
• Type — Specify the type of analysis you want to run, in this case Structural
or Thermal.
• Description — Optionally, enter a description of the analysis.
• Constraint Sets or Boundary Condition Sets — Use this area to add and
remove constraint or boundary condition sets you have defined for your
model. You can also use this area to suppress constraint or boundary
condition types within the set. Mechanica lists all sets you have added on a
table in this area. This area includes three buttons:
o Add — Add a constraint set to the table. When you click this button,
Mechanica displays a list of all constraint sets in the model. You can
select one or more constraint sets to add.
o Remove — Remove a highlighted constraint set from the table.
o Suppress Constr or Suppress BCs — Suppress one or more
constraint or boundary condition types in the set.
• Load Sets — Use this area to add and remove load sets defined for your
model. You can also use this area to suppress load types within the set.
Mechanica lists all load sets you have added on a table in this area. This area
includes three buttons:
o Add — Add a load set to the table.
o Remove — Remove a highlighted load set from the table.
o Suppress Loads — Suppress one or more load types in the load set.
Defining a Modal FEM Analysis

Use the FEM Analysis>New command to define a modal FEM analysis. When you
select this command, the Analysis Definition dialog box appears. This dialog box
lets you specify the analysis type as well as the load and constraint sets that will be
active for the analysis.
Note: If you want to define a structural or thermal analysis, see Defining a

FEM Analysis.
The Analysis Definition dialog box you use for modal analyses includes the
following:
• Type — Specify the type of analysis you want to run, in this case Modal.
• Description — Optionally, enter a description of the analysis.
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• Constraint Sets — Use this area to add and remove constraint sets you have
defined for your model. You can also use this area to suppress constraint
types within the set. Mechanica lists all constraint sets you have added on a
table in this area. This area includes these buttons:
o Add — Add a constraint set to the table. When you click this button,
Mechanica displays a list of all constraint sets in the model. You can
select one or more constraint sets to add.
o Remove — Remove a highlighted constraint set from the table.
o Suppress Constr — Suppress one or more constraint types in a set.
Parameters — Use this area to define the parameters you want the modal analysis
to observe. This area includes these fields:
• Number of Modes — Specify the number of modes you want the NASTRAN
or ANSYS solver to generate data for. The default is 4 modes.
• First Frequency Guess — Provide an estimate of the first mode natural
frequency. NASTRAN is the only solver that uses the information you enter in
this field. The default is 1.000.
• Frequency Range — Using the From and To fields, specify the lower and
upper ends of the frequency range you want to evaluate.
To Create an Output File

If you plan to perform finite element analyses on your model using an offline FEA
program, you must create an output file, or deck, for the model's mesh data using
these steps:
1. Select Analysis>FEM Solution. The Run FEM Analysis dialog box appears.
2. Select the format of the output file from the Solver scroll list.
3. Select the analysis type from the Analysis option menu. Mechanica sets up
the output deck for the type of analysis you select.
4. Use the Linear or Parabolic buttons to select the order of the finite
elements.
5. Select the analyses that you want to include in the output deck from the
Analyses list. This step determines the constraints, boundary conditions, and
loads that Mechanica outputs.
6. If you do not want to use the WCS as the reference coordinate system, select
a different coordinate system from the Coord System option menu.
7. If desired, use the Aux Coord Systems area to select one or more auxiliary
coordinate systems to include in the output deck.
8. If you are outputting the deck for the NASTRAN solver and want to use a
customized NASTRAN template, select a NASTRAN template.
9. Click Output To File from the lower set of buttons and enter a name for the
output file in the text box.
10. Click OK.
Mechanica creates the mesh output file in the working directory. The REVIEW MESH
menu appears, enabling you to evaluate specific aspects of the mesh output in the
work area.
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To Review the Mesh

2. Select the combination of options in the Run FEM Analysis dialog box that
you wish to view.
3. Select Output to File and, if you do not want to use the default filename,
specify a different filename.
4. Click OK. Mechanica creates the mesh output file in the working directory and
re-displays the meshed model with internal element edges shown in gray. The
REVIEW MESH menu appears.
5. Select commands from the REVIEW MESH menu to view specific aspects of
the mesh output.
6. When you are finished viewing the mesh data, you can:
o output a file for use with an offline FEA program
o solve the model from within Mechanica using one of the supported FEA
solvers
To Solve a FEM Model Online or in the

Background
2. Select the FEA program to access.
3. Select the analysis type from the Analysis option menu.
4. Use the Linear or Parabolic buttons to select the order of finite elements.
5. Select the analyses that you want to include in the solver run from the
Analyses list. This step determines the constraints, boundary conditions, and
loads that Mechanica outputs.
6. If you do not want to use the WCS as the reference coordinate system, select
a different coordinate system from the Coord System option menu.
7. If desired, use the Aux Coord Systems area to select one or more auxiliary
coordinate systems to include in the output deck.
8. If you are using the NASTRAN solver and want to use a customized NASTRAN
template, select a NASTRAN template.
9. Select either Run On-Line or Run in Background to indicate how
Mechanica will conduct the solving process.
10. Click OK.
Mechanica creates an output file for the FEA solver to use as input for the run. This
file is named partname.ext file (where .ext is the appropriate three-letter file
extension for the selected FEA solver). Once the FEA solver solves the mesh model,
Mechanica stores the results in an .frd file. You can then view your model in the
postprocessor, displaying the results of the finite element analysis in a variety of
tabular and graphical formats.
Note: If there is already an .frd file that contains results, the system prompts
you to overwrite the existing .frd file.
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To Create a Modal FEM Analysis

1. Select Analysis>FEM Analysis>New.
2. The Analysis Definition dialog box appears. Enter a name for the analysis.
3. Select the Modal analysis type from the Type option menu.
4. If desired, enter a description of the analysis in the Description field.
5. Click the Add button in the Constraint Sets area. The Sets Selection dialog
box appears.
6. Select one or more constraint sets and click OK. The dialog box closes and
Mechanica adds the constraint sets to the table.
7. Specify appropriate modal parameters in the Parameters area.
8. Click Ok to accept the analysis definition.
Suppressing Loads, Constraints, and

Boundary Conditions
Use the Suppress Loads, Suppress Constr, or Suppress BCs button on the
Analysis Definition dialog box to suppress one or more load, constraint, or
boundary condition types in the set. For example, you might want to suppress a
radiation boundary condition in a Thermal set that includes both a prescribed
temperature and a convection condition. If you suppress a load, constraint, or
boundary condition type, Mechanica omits all entities of that type from the set,
ignoring the omitted entities at run time.
When you click any of these buttons, a dialog box appears, enabling you to select
appropriate entity types. The dialog box includes these items:
• Entity type check boxes — Use these check boxes to suppress individual
load, constraint, or boundary condition types. There is a check box for each
kind of entity you can suppress for the type of set you are working with. As
an example, if you are working with a boundary condition set, the dialog box
provides Temperature, Convection, and Radiation check boxes.
• — Select all entity types in the check box list.
• — Deselect all entity types in the check box list.
NASTRAN Templates
You control what goes into the .nas file through a NASTRAN template file that you
specify in the NASTRAN Analysis Template area of the Run FEM Analysis dialog
box.
The NASTRAN Analysis Template area includes a file selector that you can use to
browse for a NASTRAN template file. Once you select a template file, you can set
that file as the default template for the model by clicking the Default button.
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The format of the NASTRAN template file is as follows:
[optional, user supplied File Management and NASTRAN statements]
[optional, user supplied Executive Control statements]

@include_promesh_executive_control_section (optional)
[optional Executive Control statements]
CEND
[optional Case Control commands]
@include_promesh_case_control_section (optional)
@include_promesh_case_control_section_as_comments (optional)
[more optional, user supplied Case Control commands]
BEGIN BULK
[optional, user supplied Bulk Data instructions]
@include_promesh_bulk_data_section (optional)
[more optional, user supplied Bulk Data instructions]
ENDDATA
There are four special optional lines in this template file:
@include_promesh_executive_control_section
@include_promesh_case_control_section
@include_promesh_case_control_section_as_comments
@include_promesh_bulk_data_section
If these lines are present in the template file (case-insensitive), the software
replaces them with data output from Mechanica FEM mode as it processes the
NASTRAN input file.
Fixing Parabolic Elements

If you click the Fix Elements button in the Run FEM Analysis dialog box,
Mechanica slightly straightens excessively curved edges of solid and shell mesh
parabolic elements. Mechanica accomplishes this by moving the mid-edge nodes off
the part geometry to a setting you determine using the mid ratio mesh check. Note
that using this approach improves mesh quality, but at some expense to the mesh's
geometric accuracy.
Alternate methods of improving mesh quality include:
• performing additional mesh improvement passes

• establishing tighter local mesh control in problem areas
Storing and Retrieving FEA Results

After an FEA program has successfully solved a FEM part or assembly, the system
stores both the model's mesh data and FEA results in a single database file with the
name model.frd. This occurs regardless of whether you solved the model online or in
the background.
To avoid re-meshing or re-solving the model, you can use the File>Open FEM
Results command to retrieve the .frd file. The system retrieves the model and puts
you in the system environment corresponding to the state captured in the .frd file.
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Thus, if you retrieve the file with FEA program results, you automatically enter the
postprocessor.
When you store or retrieve the .frd file, keep the following in mind:
• If more than one analysis is available, you can select a different analysis for
your model and send it to the solver. When you click OK on the Run FEM
Analysis dialog box and the system detects an .frd file that already contains
solution results, the system prompts you to decide whether or not to
overwrite the existing results.
o If you select Yes, the system runs the analysis and stores the results
in the present .frd file.
o If you select No, the system prompts for the name of the file where
you want to store the new results. Thus, the original .frd file remains
intact.
• You can only retrieve an .frd file that contains results.
• You can only retrieve a stored mesh and results file that corresponds to the
current model in session. If the system detects that you modified the model,
it warns you that the model does not correspond to the stored mesh and
terminates the retrieval process. Mechanica only allows changes to the model
that do not cause changes in the mesh. For example, changing the value of a
pressure load is acceptable, but adding or deleting a hard point or a force is
not.
Using Solver Results in the Postprocessor

Your ability to view FEA solver results in the Mechanica postprocessor depends on
the solver you used as well as whether you ran the solver online or output a deck.
Here is an overview:
• NASTRAN solver — You can view analysis results in the Mechanica

postprocessor regardless of whether you run NASTRAN from within Mechanica
or output a deck for external use with the NASTRAN solver. However, if you
output a deck and alter it before running it with the solver, you may not be
able to postprocess some or all of the results in Mechanica.
• ANSYS solver — You can only view analysis results in the Mechanica
postprocessor if you run the FEA solver from within Mechanica. If you choose,
instead, to output a deck for use outside Mechanica, you cannot import the
results back into Mechanica.
• Unsupported solvers — You cannot view the solver results in the Mechanica
postprocessor.
Output Formats
The options you select from the Output to File dialog box determine the format and
element types included in the output file. The following is a summary of supported
FEA programs that generate shell and solid element meshes.
• ANSYS
• MSC/NASTRAN
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• FEM Neutral Format
FEM Neutral Format

The FEM Neutral Format enables data exchange between Pro/ENGINEER and FEA
programs, and creates model descriptions using references to existing data.
A FEM Neutral Format file contains information about an entire finite element model,
including the following data:
• definitions of element types

• description of FEM topology (nodes and elements)
• applied loads, constraints, boundary conditions
• analysis definitions. Note that, for modal analysis definitions, the solver may
ignore the frequency range you specified in the Analysis Definition dialog
box.
• calculated results
To output your model to the FEM Neutral Format, select the PTC FEM Neutral
Format option from the Solver option menu on the Run FEM Analysis dialog box.
See FEM Neutral Format File for details.
MSC/NASTRAN
Writing an MSC/NASTRAN output file creates an MSC/NASTRAN file in ASCII format
called filename.nas.
The following table lists the mesh elements written to the MSC/NASTRAN output file
for the various mesh types and idealizations.
Element Type MSC/NASTRAN
Shells Triangular — Linear CTRIA3
Triangular — Parabolic CTRIA6
Quadrilateral — Linear CQUAD4
Quadrilateral — Parabolic CQUAD8
Tetrahedral Solids Linear and Parabolic CTETRA
Beams CBEAM
Trusses CROD
Springs CBUSH
Masses CONM2
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Element Type MSC/NASTRAN
Rigid Links RBAR
Weighted Links RBE3
Gaps CGAP (element coordinate

system and orientation)
PGAP (properties)
Be aware that Mechanica does not support or output thermal loads and constraints.
Also, for gaps, stiffness properties are specified on the PGAP card. These properties
include UO, the initial gap value, KA, the normal stiffness, and KT, the slide stiffness.
MSC/NASTRAN supports zero-length idealizations—idealizations that have no length,
such as an idealization between a point on a surface and the surface itself—for gaps
and advanced springs only.
For an MSC/NASTRAN solution, you can use the fem_solver_time_limit config.pro

option to interrupt the solver after the specified time limit. The default value is 60
(60 minutes).
If you place simulation entities on layers and want to review a file containing layer
data, you can use the sim_output_ids_for_layers config.pro option to generate an
XML file that lists the layers. Mechanica outputs this file at the same time that it
outputs the .nas file and places it in the same directory as the .nas file.
ANSYS
Writing an ANSYS output file creates a PREP7 file in ASCII format called
filename.ans.
Use the fem_which_ansys_solver config.pro option to specify which ANSYS solver

you plan to use—Frontal, Iterative, or Powersolver. The values are: FRONTAL
(default), ITERATIVE, and POWERSOLVER.
The following table lists the mesh elements written to the ANSYS output file for the
various mesh types and idealizations.
Analysis ANSYS
Shells Linear Thermal SHELL57
Linear Structural SHELL43
Parabolic Structural SHELL93
Tetrahedral Solids Linear Thermal SOLID70
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Analysis ANSYS
Parabolic Thermal SOLID87
Linear Structural SOLID92
Parabolic Structural SOLID92
Beams All BEAM44
Trusses All LINK8
Springs All COMBIN14
Advanced Springs All MATRIX27
Masses All MASS21
Gaps All COMBIN40
Note that Mechanica does not output radiation to ANSYS. Also, for gaps, the gap
value is Gap and the normal stiffness is K2. ANSYS supports zero-length
idealizations—idealizations that have no length, such as an idealization between a
point on a surface and the surface itself—for gaps and advanced springs only.
To Create a FEM Analysis

1. Select Analysis>FEM Analysis>New.
2. The Analysis Definition dialog box appears. Enter a name for the analysis.
3. If you are working in Structure, select the Structural analysis type from the
Type option menu.
4. If desired, enter a description of the analysis in the Description field.
5. Click the Add button in the Constraint Sets (Structural) or Boundary
Condition Sets (Thermal) area. The Sets Selection dialog box appears.
6. Select one or more constraint or boundary condition sets and click OK. The
dialog box closes and Mechanica adds the constraint sets to the table.
7. If you want to suppress one or more constraint or boundary condition types in
the set, click Suppress Constr or Suppress BCs. The Constraint Types or
BC Types dialog box appears.
8. Select individual constraints or boundary conditions to suppress or click

to select all constraint types. Click OK to close the dialog box.
9. Perform steps 5 through 8 to complete the Load Sets area.
10. Click Ok to accept the analysis definition.
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Analysis and Design Study Workflow

This workflow shows the process of creating, modifying, and running analyses and
design studies. You initiate all of these activities, as well as monitoring the progress
of a run, from the Analyses and Design Studies dialog box. To access the dialog
box, select the Mechanica Analyses/Studies command from the Analysis menu.
• Create a new analysis or design

Create an Analysis or study using the options on the File
Design Study menu.
• Select the analysis or design study

Modify an Existing from the list and use the
Analysis or Design Edit>Analysis/Study menu option to
Study modify it.
• Open the Run Settings dialog box to

designate the output and temporary
files and their format for the run.
Set Up an Analysis or
• Specify the solver and memory
Design Study Run
allocation you want Mechanica to use
for the run.
• Check your model before you start the

run using the Info>Check Model
Check Your Model
menu option.
• Use the Run menu or the buttons on

Start, Stop, and the toolbar to start, stop, or restart a
Restart a Run run.
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• Use the Run Status window to

monitor a run.
• Select Detailed Summary to see
Monitor a Run more information about the run.
• Select the Info>Diagnose menu
option to troubleshoot run problems.
Strategy: Identifying and Resolving Potential

Trouble Spots in a Model
To help identify potential trouble spots or modeling errors before you invest a great
deal of time in a model, we recommend that you obtain a first pass of the results
within a relatively short period of time.
• Define and run an analysis using the quick check convergence option. With
this option, the engine runs the analysis at a polynomial order of 3. You can
then check stress and deformation results for structural analyses, or
temperature gradient and flux results for thermal analyses. These results can
reveal problems in the model, such as cracks or missing loads and
constraints.
• Then, you might want to consider running an analysis with reduced tolerance
or reduced maximum polynomial order values. For example, if the model is
large and it would require several hours to achieve 10% convergence,
consider first setting convergence to 20% and the maximum p-order to 6.
Once the run is complete, review a fringe plot of the p-level reached by each
edge. For edges that reach the maximum p-order, you may want to make the
following changes:
o Spread any loads or constraints over a larger area.

o Use AutoGEM's feature isolation settings to counteract singularities.
o Seed your model with datum points near the high p-order zones to
adjust the size of elements so the elements in the high p-order zones
are smaller.
o Add more elements.
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About Creating and Running Analyses and

Design Studies
Mechanica uses analyses and design studies to provide information about your
model's strengths and weaknesses under different conditions.
When you create an analysis, you specify the loads and constraints on the model and
how you want Mechanica to calculate the effects of the loads and constraints on your
model. You can run several different types of analyses depending on what you want
to evaluate in results. For example, if you want to study the effect of fatigue on your
model, you can create a fatigue analysis.
Design studies use one or more analyses to study the effects of changes to your
model (standard studies), to see how sensitive your model is to changes (sensitivity
studies), or to see what combination of parameters makes your model the best or
strongest (optimization studies). For example, an optimization study might vary the
material your model is made of to see which material is the strongest and withstands
the most pressure.
Use the Analysis>Mechanica Analyses/Studies command to create, modify, run,

and monitor analyses and design studies. The type of model and the items you select
in your analyses and design studies determine the quantities, locations, and displays
that are available in results.
When you select the Mechanica Analyses/Studies command, the Analyses and
Design Studies dialog box appears. Use this dialog box to define, control, and run
analyses and design studies. In working with this dialog box, you typically follow a
step-by-step process that begins with defining an analysis or study and progresses
to running and monitoring the analysis or study.
Creating Design Studies

About Design Studies
Mechanica uses design studies to calculate results for an analysis or it uses an
analysis to examine alternatives to your design. You can use design studies to
determine the effect of design parameters on your model's shape and behavior.
Performing various design studies provides information you can use to determine
how sensitive your model is to a shape change as well as which shape changes make
the most sense in terms of model behavior.
To create and modify design studies, use the Analysis>Mechanica

Analyses/Studies command to access the Analyses and Design Studies dialog
box. Select the File>New Design Study menu option to create a new study or the
Edit>Analysis/Study menu option to modify an existing study. The Design Study
Definition dialog box appears in both cases.
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Working toward an optimized model usually involves these types of design studies:
standard, global or local sensitivity, and optimization.
In a design study:
• You specify one or more analyses for which you want Mechanica to calculate
results.
• You indicate whether you want Mechanica to calculate those results for the
original model or for variations on the original model.
If you delete a component of a design study, you need to redefine the study.
Strategies for Running a Standard Design

Study
There are a number of strategies to consider before running a design study. To learn
more about these strategies, read the following:
• Memory Allocation
• Restrictions When Specifying Multiple Working Directories
• Managing Memory and Swap Space
• Guidelines for Managing Disk Space Resources
• Managing Performance
Although these topics pertain to both Structure and Thermal users, Structure runs
are more computationally intensive. Therefore, these strategies are probably more
helpful to Structure users.
Design Study Files

Mechanica creates three different types of files when you run a design study:
• Engine Input Files — When you start the run, Mechanica writes engine input
files. These files include the following (study is the name of the design study
you selected): study.mdb—a copy of the model file—and study.lok.
The study.lok file prevents you from defining result windows before sufficient
data is available. Mechanica deletes the file when the run has progressed
sufficiently to enable you to define result windows. For example, if a run
terminates with an error, you may be able to access partial results if the
study.lok file is gone.
Mechanica places these files in a subdirectory with the same name as the
design study you are running. It places the subdirectory within the directory
for output files that you specify in the Run Settings dialog box.
• Temporary Working Files — The engine creates temporary working files

while the run is in progress and deletes the files when the run is finished.
Mechanica creates a temporary subdirectory for these files called study.tmp
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(study is the name of the design study you are running). This subdirectory is
located in the directory for temporary files that you specify in the Run
• Output Files — The engine also creates output files in which it places the
results of the design study. These files contain the results of the previous run
of the same design study, and may contain useful results even if the run did
not complete successfully. The engine output files are placed in the same
subdirectory as the engine input files for the design study.
For more information on these files, see Files Created by Mechanica.
Creating Design Studies

bar:
the File menu.
Model menu option.
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Design Study Definition Dialog Box

Use this dialog box to create, modify, or review a design study. Depending on the
type of design study you are working with, and the product you are in, the dialog
box displays different items.
You can create, modify, or review the following types of design studies:
• Standard — Calculates results for an analysis or analyses. You can specify

different parameter settings for the analysis.
Mechanica creates a default standard study for each analysis you created for
your model.
• Global Sensitivity — Calculates the changes in your model's measures when

you vary a parameter over a specified range. Mechanica does this by
calculating measure values at regular intervals in a parameter's range.
• Local Sensitivity — Calculates the sensitivity of your model's measures to
slight changes in one or more parameters.
• Optimization — Adjusts one or more parameters to best achieve a specified
goal or to test feasibility of a design, while respecting specified limits.
Mechanica adjusts the model's parameters in a series of iterations through

which it tries to move closer to the goal while satisfying any limits. If you
have no goal, Mechanica simply tries to satisfy your limits. An optimization
with no goal is sometimes called a feasibility study.
Standard Study for Structure and Thermal

Standard Study
After you select Standard as your type of design study, you then select one or more
analyses from the list of all analyses you defined for the model. Mechanica calculates
results separately for each analysis you specify when you run the design study. You
can also view results for each analysis separately.
You can examine the following results for a standard study:
• result windows for all quantities on the Result Window Definition dialog
box that are valid for each analysis in the study
• measure values listed in the summary file for each analysis
You need to define a separate standard study in the following cases:
• if you want to include multiple analyses

• if you want to set design parameters
When you define a standard study, you can set parameters for the selected analyses
for a modified version of your model.
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Set Parameters
Select this item if you want Mechanica to calculate results for a modified version of
your model. You define this modified version by setting one or more parameters to
different values.
When you select Set Parameters, a list of the parameters you created appears in a
scroll box.
Select one or more parameters from the list. The computation time for the study is
not affected by the number of parameters you select.
For each parameter you select, enter a value from 0 to 100 in the Settings column.
This value is a percentage of the range for the design parameter associated with a
given parameter. Mechanica uses this value to determine the position of the design
parameter.
You can enter one of the following symbolic values instead of a numerical value:
• min or minimum
• max or maximum
These symbolic values represent the parameter's minimum or maximum value. You
can use lowercase or uppercase letters.
Minimum is always 0 and maximum is always 100.
To Create a Standard Design Study

This procedure assumes that you are in the Design Study Definition dialog box
and that you selected Standard as the study type.
1. Enter a description (optional).

2. Select one or more analyses from the list.
3. If you want to change your model to a specific shape other than its current
shape, select Set Parameters.
4. Click Accept.
You return to the dialog box and the design study appears in the list.
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Global Sensitivity Study for Structure and

Thermal
Global Sensitivity Study
In a global sensitivity study, Mechanica calculates values for all measures that are
valid for the analyses included in the study. The software specifically calculates the
changes in your model's measures when you vary a design parameter over a
specified range. Mechanica does this by calculating measure values at regular
intervals in a design parameter's range. You can vary more than one parameter
simultaneously. You can also examine the results for a global sensitivity study as a
graph of a measure for a selected design parameter.
Note: Mechanica does not calculate dynamic step measures when you use
dynamic time, frequency, or random response analyses in a global sensitivity
study.
The Design Study Definition dialog box contains the following items:
• Analyses — Select one or more analyses from this list. Mechanica calculates
results separately for each analysis. You also view results separately for each
analysis.
• Parameters, Start, End — Select one or more parameters from the

alphabetical list of parameters you created for the model.
• Number of Intervals — Enter the number of intervals in the range of each
parameter you want Mechanica to use in the study. Mechanica distributes
these intervals equally across each parameter's range and calculates values
for your model's measures at each interval.
Increasing the number of intervals increases the computation time for the
design study.
You can enter from 1 to 999 intervals. The default is 10.
• Repeat P-Loop Convergence — Select this item to direct Mechanica to

carry out additional calculations during the study.
Parameters, Start, End

Use the Parameters area of the dialog box to specify a range across which you want
Mechanica to vary each selected parameter during a global sensitivity study.
You can select one or more parameters from the alphabetical list of parameters you
created for the model. Selecting additional parameters has an insignificant effect on
computation time for the study.
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If you select multiple parameters, Mechanica varies the parameters in sync,

calculating a single set of values for your model's measures at each interval. To get
results for individual parameters, you should create a separate study for each
parameter.
Each value you specify is a percentage of the range for the design parameter
associated with a given parameter. The End value must be greater than the Start
value.
• min or minimum (always 0)

• max or maximum (always 100)
Repeat P-Loop Convergence

Use this option if you want to change the shape of your model considerably in the
sensitivity or optimization study.
At the first interval of a global sensitivity study using multi-pass adaptive

convergence, Mechanica analyzes each element edge by repeating its calculations at
successively higher polynomial orders until reaching either convergence or the
maximum polynomial order of nine, whichever comes first.
Mechanica calculates values at the remaining intervals differently depending on

whether or not you select this option:
• If Repeat P-Loop Convergence is off, Mechanica calculates values at each

remaining interval at the polynomial order it used to reach convergence for
the first interval. This method cuts down on calculation time but may not fully
capture your model's changes.
• If Repeat P-Loop Convergence is on, Mechanica starts its calculations over
again at each interval until reaching convergence or the maximum polynomial
order. This is important if you want to significantly change your model's
shape, since the polynomial order required to reach convergence at later
intervals may change.
Note: For optimization studies, the default is On.
Regeneration Analysis
A regeneration analysis is a predefined analysis that regenerates your Pro/ENGINEER
model. Because regeneration analysis does not import geometry or generate
elements for the part, it is a quick method of running a design study without having
to first set up an analysis.
You can select regeneration analysis for the following design study types:
• Local Sensitivity
• Global Sensitivity
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• Optimization
When you select regenerate (Model Regeneration Only) from the list of
analyses, Mechanica runs a regeneration analysis and generates a summary and log
report.
For local and global sensitivity studies, you can run a regeneration analysis from the
design study dialog box. The regenerate option appears automatically in the list of
existing analyses for the model.
For optimization studies, Mechanica runs a regeneration analysis automatically if any

of the following are true:
• The goal and all selected limits are Pro/ENGINEER parameter-driven

measures.
• The goal is a Pro/ENGINEER parameter-driven measure and no limits are
defined.
• The selected limits are all Pro/ENGINEER parameter-driven measures and no
goal is defined.
If a study is a candidate for regeneration analysis, you can choose either of two
modes in which to run the analysis:
• Current session of Pro/ENGINEER — Enables a faster analysis which runs

in the session you were working in.
• Separate session of Pro/ENGINEER — Enables you to continue working in
the same session of Pro/ENGINEER while the study runs in a different session.
To Create a Global Sensitivity Study

and that you selected Global Sensitivity as the study type.
1. Enter a description for the study (optional).

2. Select one or more analyses from the list. If you do not want to run a design
study based on an existing analysis, you can select a predefined analysis that
regenerates the Pro/ENGINEER model.
3. Select one or more parameters.
4. If you want Mechanica to use a number of intervals different from the default
value of 10, select the number of intervals.
5. If you will be changing the shape of your model considerably in the sensitivity
study, select Repeat P-loop Convergence.
6. Click Accept.
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Local Sensitivity Study for Structure and

Thermal
Local Sensitivity Study
A local sensitivity study calculates the effect of slight changes in one or more
parameters on your model's measures. Mechanica calculates the slope of the
sensitivity curve between two sample points. The result is a graph of the linear
approximation of a measure over a parameter's range. The sensitivity slopes are also
reported in the run Summary file.
Mechanica computes local sensitivity by performing one base analysis and then a
perturbation analysis for each parameter. A base analysis is the same as a standard
analysis. In a perturbation analysis, Mechanica changes the parameter by an
incremental amount and then performs a new analysis.
Mechanica uses the results of the perturbation analysis and base analysis to compute
a slope. This value is the same as the slope of the global sensitivity curve at a given
value of the parameter. By comparing the rates of change caused by several
parameters, you can determine which parameters affect the model the most. The
larger the rate of change, the greater the effect.
If you are using local sensitivity studies to facilitate future optimization runs,
consider the strategies listed in Optimizing a Model when reviewing your sensitivity
results.
You can use a local sensitivity study to determine the most important design
parameters for your model, which provides a way of reducing the number of
parameters used in global and optimization studies. This, in turn, reduces run times
and resource requirements.
Mechanica calculates values for all measures that are valid for the analyses included
in the study. But Mechanica does not calculate the value for measures using the At
Each Step option when you use dynamic time, frequency, or random response
analyses in a local sensitivity study.
For dialog box parameters, refer to Local Sensitivity Dialog Box.
Parameters, Settings
Use these items to select and enter a value for one or more parameters you created
for the model.
Selecting additional parameters has an insignificant effect on computation time for

the study.
Next, enter a value in the Settings column to determine each parameter's position
at the start of the local sensitivity study.
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If you select multiple parameters, Mechanica updates the model to reflect the
settings for all parameters you selected. Mechanica then varies each parameter
independently about the Settings value and calculates a single set of values for your
model's measures for each parameter.
This value is a percentage of the range for the design parameter associated with a
given parameter.

• Optimization
report.


measures.
defined.
goal is defined.

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To Create a Local Sensitivity Study

and that you selected Local Sensitivity as the study type.
1. Enter a description for the study (optional).

2. Select one or more analyses from the list. If you do not want to run a design
study based on an existing analysis, you can select a predefined analysis that
regenerates the Pro/ENGINEER model.
3. Select one or more parameters.
4. Click Accept.
Optimization Study for Structure and Thermal

Optimization Study
An optimization study adjusts one or more parameters to best achieve a specified
goal or to test feasibility of a design, while respecting specified limits.
Mechanica adjusts the model's parameters in a series of iterations through which it

tries to move closer to the goal while satisfying any limits. If you have no goal,
Mechanica simply tries to satisfy your limits. An optimization study with no goal is
sometimes called a feasibility study.
The goal and limits are each optional, but you must have at least one goal or one
limit.
Before defining an optimization design study, see Preview Design Parameters.
Mechanica calculates values for all measures that are valid for the analyses included
in the study. Be aware of the following:
• Mechanica does not calculate the value for measures using the At Each Step
option when you use dynamic time, frequency, or random response analyses
in an optimization study.
• You cannot select the At Each Step option for measures for the optimization
goal or limits.
Mechanica runs a regeneration analysis automatically if the study meets certain

criteria regarding goals, limits, and parameters.
You can examine the following types of results for an optimization study:
• graphs of a measure against the study's iterations
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• standard results for the final optimized model
This dialog box contains the following items:
• Goal
• Limits on Measures
• Track
• Parameters, Min, Init, Max
• Optim Convergence (%)
• Max Iterations
• Repeat P-Loop Convergence
Preview Design Parameters

Before defining an optimization design study, you should use the following functions
to preview what effect your design parameters will have on the model:
• Use the Mechanica Design Controls>Shape Review command to review

your model at specific settings for each parameter. Shape Review enables
you to identify conflicts within multi-dimension relations defined as a design
parameter.
• Use the Mechanica Design Controls>Shape Animate command to vary
your parameters across different ranges and in different combinations to find
problems that might arise during the optimization process.
Goal
Use this area of the Design Study Definition dialog box to select a measure to
minimize or maximize as the goal of the optimization. For example, you might want
to minimize mass or reaction forces for your model. When defining a goal, you
cannot select a measure unless you have defined an analysis for which that measure
is valid. However, you can select a measure associated with different analyses.
Defining a goal is optional, but if you do not define a goal, you must define limits.
Without a goal, Mechanica searches for the first feasible design that satisfies the
limits you define. If you do not want to define a goal, deselect Goal on the Design
Study Definition dialog box.
The Goal area of the dialog box includes a Goal option menu that you use to
indicate the goal and a Select button that enables you to select the measure you
want to use as the basis for the goal.
The Goal option menu provides these selections:
• Minimize — Mechanica tries to make the goal measure as small as possible.

If the measure can move into the negative numbers, Mechanica will try to
make the goal as negative as possible.
• Maximize — Mechanica tries to make the goal measure as positive as
possible.
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• Minimize Abs Val — Mechanica tries to minimize the absolute value of the
goal measure, getting it as close to zero as possible, regardless of sign.
• Maximize Abs Val — Mechanica tries to maximize the absolute value of the
goal measure, getting it as far from zero as possible, regardless of sign.
Note that the Minimize and Maximize options take into account the sign of the goal
measure's value, while the two Absolute Value options do not.
Clicking the Select button displays the Measures dialog box. You use the option
menu in the upper right corner of this dialog box to choose the type of measure you
want to select—Structural or Thermal. You cannot select a measure unless you
have defined an analysis for which that measure is valid. You can select measures
associated with multiple analyses.
Once you select a measure and exit the Measures dialog box, Mechanica displays
the name of the measure you select on the Design Study Definition dialog box.
Mechanica also displays an analysis name, except for measures like total_cost and
total_mass that are calculated for all analyses. If there is more than one analysis you
can use the Select button beside the analysis name to indicate the analysis you
want the optimization study to run.
Depending on the analysis type you select, you may have the option of selecting
specific load sets or modes. If you select a modal and prestress modal analysis, you
also have the option of enabling mode tracking.
Limits on Measures
Use this area of the Design Study Definition dialog box to select one or more
measures to act as limits for the optimization, and to define the mathematical limit
you want Mechanica to observe for each measure.
Each limit you define is a mathematical statement including the measure, an

operator, and a value (for example, max_stress_prin < 100). Mechanica seeks to
keep the measures you select within the limits you specify during the study. For
example, you might want to ensure that an aluminum model does not exceed 20,000
psi for a von Mises stress measure. If you set this von Mises stress value as an
optimization limit (max_stress_vm < 20000), Mechanica will move the model toward
20,000 psi in an attempt to find a more efficient model that still meets that limit, as
well as any goal you set.
Defining limits is optional, but if you do not define limits, you must define a goal.
Without limits, Mechanica searches for the optimum value of your goal anywhere in
the full range of the parameters you select. When defining a limit, you cannot select
a measure unless you have defined an analysis for which that measure is valid.
However, you can select a measure associated with different analyses.
The Limits on Measures area of the dialog box includes a Create and Delete
button that you use to create and delete the measure limits. Clicking the Create
button displays the Measures dialog box. You use the option menu in the upper
right corner of this dialog box to choose the type of measure you want to select—
Structural or Thermal. You cannot select a measure unless you have defined an
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analysis for which that measure is valid. You can select measures associated with
multiple analyses.
Once you select a measure and exit the Measures dialog box, Mechanica displays
the name of the measure you select on the Design Study Definition dialog box and
adds fields that enable you to select an operator (<, >, or =) and value for the
measure limit. When entering values, use units consistent with the units you have
used previously with this model. Mechanica reports some rotation measures in
radians. You must enter the limits of rotation measures in radians
(1 radian = 57.29578 ).
Note: You can use the same measure as a limit more than once.
After you select a measure as a limit, Mechanica displays an analysis name below the
limit definition area, except for measures like total_cost and total_mass that are
calculated for all analyses. If there is more than one analysis you can use the Select
button beside the analysis name to indicate the analysis you want the optimization
study to run.
Depending on the analysis type you select, you may have the option of selecting
specific load sets or modes. If you select a modal and prestress modal analysis, you
also have the option of enabling mode tracking.
Parameters, Min, Init, Max

Select one or more parameters from the alphabetical list in the scroll box of the
parameters you created for the model.
A parameter is associated with one design parameter. Mechanica varies the

parameters associated with the parameters you select to reach the goal and meet
the limits of the optimization study.
The computation time increases substantially for each additional parameter you
select.
After you select parameters, entry boxes appear next to each parameter. Enter the
minimum, initial, and maximum values for each selected parameter.
The minimum and maximum values define a range across which you want Mechanica
to vary each selected parameter during the study. The initial value defines the
position of the design parameter at the start of the optimization study.
Enter a value from 0 to 100, representing a percentage of the range for the design
parameter associated with a given parameter.

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Optim Convergence (%)

Use Optim Convergence (%) to specify the percentage you want Mechanica to use
to determine when an optimization has converged.
In an optimization study, the Mechanica optimizer adjusts the model in a series of

steps until it reaches convergence in one of these ways:
• the change in the goal quantity from the previous optimization step relative to
its initial value is within the convergence value
• the change in the goal quantity relative to the parameters is within the
convergence value (the slope of a graph of the goal vs. the parameters is
close to 0)
• the goal cannot be improved from the current design point without violating
one or more of your specified limits
Mechanica also uses the convergence value to determine if a limit is met. For
example, if the convergence is 1%, Mechanica keeps to the limit value give or take
1%.
If a limit value is near zero, the optimizer uses one-tenth of the specified
convergence value as an absolute limit. For example, if you use the default
convergence value of 1, a zero limit is considered met if its measure has a value of
0.001 (one-tenth of 1 percent) or less.
Mechanica continues the optimization study until it reaches either the convergence
value or the Max Iterations value you enter below.
You can enter any number between 0 and 100 for convergence, but if you enter a
number below 0.1 or above 25, Mechanica asks you to confirm the value you entered
when you click Accept.
Max Iterations
Use Max Iterations to specify the maximum number of iterations you want
Mechanica to carry out during the optimization study.
The minimum number of iterations is 1. If you enter a number above 50, Mechanica
asks you to confirm the value you entered when you click Accept. The higher the
number of iterations, the longer it takes for Mechanica to reach the goal.
Mechanica continues the optimization study until it reaches either the Max
Iterations value or the value for Optim Convergence %.
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• Optimization
report.


measures.
defined.
goal is defined.

To Create an Optimization Study

and that you selected Optimization as the study type.
1. Enter a description for the optimization (optional).

2. Select a measure as the goal for the optimization. (Selecting a goal is
optional, but if you do not select a goal, you must define limits.)
3. Select limits for one or more measures that Mechanica cannot violate during
the optimization. (Defining limits is optional, but if you do not define limits,
you must define a goal.)
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4. Select parameters from those listed, and define the range across which you
want Mechanica to vary each selected parameter during the optimization.
5. Enter the percentage you want Mechanica to use to determine when the
optimization has converged.
6. Enter the maximum number of iterations you want Mechanica to carry out
during the optimization.
7. Select Repeat P-Loop Convergence if you expect the shape of your model
to change considerably during the optimization. (It is selected by default.)
8. Click Accept.
To Save an Optimized Shape

1. Select Analysis>Mechanica Design Controls>Optimize Hist.
2. Select one of the following commands:
o Enter Study — Enables you to enter the optimization study name in

the Pro/ENGINEER message window.
o Search Study — Enables you to select a study name from a list of
defined optimization studies.
o Quit — Closes the OPTIMIZE HIST menu and returns you to the
DSGN CONTROLS menu.
3. Select or enter a design study.
Mechanica displays your optimized model, and lets you sequentially display
the shape it used for each step in the optimization study.
4. Press ENTER to accept the final optimized shape.

5. Select File>Save to save the optimized model in Pro/ENGINEER.
6. Press ENTER to save the optimized model.
To Create a Design Study
2. Select the File>New Design Study menu option.
The Design Study Definition dialog box appears.
3. Enter a name at the top of the Design Study Definition dialog box. The
name you enter must be different from the analysis name.
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4. Select the type of design study you want to run. For procedures defining each
type of study, select one of the following:
o Standard
o Global Sensitivity
o Local Sensitivity
o Optimization
5. When you return to the dialog box, close it or continue working.
To Define an Optimization Study Limit

1. Select the Limits on Measures check box. Mechanica adds limit definition
fields to the Limits on Measures area of the dialog box.
2. Click the Create button. Mechanica displays the Measures dialog box.
3. Select the measure you want to minimize or maximize and click OK.
Mechanica returns you to the Design Study Definition dialog box.
4. Select a mathematical operator (<, >, or =) and enter a value for the
selected measure in the same row as the measure name.
Tip: You can enter a numerical value or c for the current value.
5. If you defined more than one analysis of the relevant type, use the Select
button to select the analysis you want.
6. If you included more than one load set for a static, prestress static, or steady-
state thermal analysis, use the Select button to select a different load set.
7. If you selected a modal and prestress modal analysis, select a mode number.
8. If you want Mechanica to track a specific mode shape, select Track.
Repeat steps 2 through 9, and any subsequent steps that apply, for each measure
you selected as a limit.
To Define an Optimization Study Goal

1. Select the Goal check box. Mechanica adds goal definition fields to the Goal
area of the dialog box.
2. Select one of the following items from the Goal option menu:
o Minimize
o Maximize
o Minimize Abs Val
o Maximize Abs Val
3. Click the Select button to the right of the goal. Mechanica displays the
Measures dialog box.
4. Select the measure you want to minimize or maximize and click Accept.
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Mechanica returns you to the Design Study Definition dialog box and
displays the analyses that include the measure.
5. If you defined more than one analysis of the relevant type, use the Select
button to select the analysis you want.
6. If you included more than one load set for a static, prestress static, or steady-
state thermal analysis, use the Select button to select a different load set.
7. If you selected a modal and prestress modal analysis, select a mode number.
8. If you want Mechanica to track a specific mode shape, select Track.
To Run a Regeneration Analysis

This procedure assumes that when you created your design study, you selected a
local sensitivity or global sensitivity and that you selected regenerate (Model
Regeneration Only) from the list of analyses on the Design Study Definition
dialog box.
2. Select Start from the Run menu.
Mechanica may display one or more prompts before starting the run.
3. Select one of the following options from the Run Mode Choice dialog box:
o Run in Current Session of Pro/ENGINEER — Enables you to
observe the effects of the parameter changes and reduces the analysis
run time. While the study is running, you cannot work in this session
of Pro/ENGINEER.
o Run in Separate Session of Pro/ENGINEER — Enables you to
continue working in the current session of Pro/ENGINEER while
Mechanica runs the design study. You will not be able to observe
parameter changes until either the study is complete or you interrupt
it.
4. Select Run to start the analysis.
5. When the study is complete, you can choose to keep the new values or return
to the original values.
You can check to see if the regeneration analysis is complete by looking for a
directory named regenerate in the directory from which you launched
Mechanica.
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Local Sensitivity Dialog Box

This dialog box contains the following items:
• Analyses — Click this button to select one or more analyses from this list.
Mechanica calculates results separately for each analysis. You also view
results separately for each analysis.
• Parameters, Settings — Select one or more parameters from the

alphabetical list of parameters you created for the model.
Strategy: Viewing Optimization Results

After the optimization is completed, examine the results by performing the following:
• Examine the changes in measures of interest from step to step by defining a

graph using Optimization Pass as the location.
• For static and modal analyses, review deformed shape and stress results for
the optimized design. For thermal analyses, review temperature and flux
results for the optimized design. Compare them with the standard design
study results.
Strategy: Running a Global Sensitivity Study

Use the following strategies for defining a global sensitivity study and reviewing the
study results:
• Each step of a global sensitivity study can take almost as much time as a
standard run of the same model. Take this into account when you specify the
number of intervals. A greater number of intervals will require longer run
time.
• The key result you obtain from a global sensitivity study is a sensitivity graph
that indicates which values of the design parameters correspond to less mass,
higher stress, higher frequency, or lower flux, and so forth. This information
serves as a guide to help you improve the design.
• By looking at sensitivity graphs for measures you plan to use for the
optimization goal and limits, you can determine which parameters are likely
to have the most effect on those measures. You can also determine the
portion of a parameter's range that has the most effect on the measures.
As an option, you can specify that convergence be repeated. We recommend

repeating convergence if the parameters cause massive distortion of the elements.
However, the run will require more time.
Sometimes, by adjusting the starting and ending positions of the parameters, you
can define the study such that the first step includes the most distorted elements. If
the p-levels of the edges used for the worst case result in convergence, they will
work for all others.
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Varying a Single Design Parameter in a Global

Sensitivity Study
In the following example, the global sensitivity curve plots von Mises stress as a
function of change in radius. In this case, the von Mises stress is at a maximum
value of approximately 10.69 ksi for a radius of 0.45 inch.
Using Global Sensitivity Studies Effectively

Global sensitivity gives you a cross section of the design space—the values of
measures as Mechanica varies one or more design parameters through their range of
values.
If the global sensitivity study were not available, you could obtain the same results
by making several copies of a model and slightly modifying each one. After running a
standard study on each, you could then plot the measure of interest from each run
on a single graph. The global sensitivity study provides that data with one run.
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In the most common type of global sensitivity study, you instruct Mechanica to vary
a single design parameter while keeping all other design parameters constant. You
can also do a study in which Mechanica varies multiple design parameters
simultaneously over specified ranges.
Another option is to offset one or more design parameters while varying another. To
do this, set start and end values that are very close together for the design
parameters you want to offset. You cannot set identical start and end values for any
two parameters.
For an example of a global sensitivity curve plotting von Mises stress as a function of
change in radius, see Varying a Single Design Parameter in a Global Sensitivity
Study.
Track
In Structure only, this item appears if you select modal_frequency as the measure
for the goal or a limit. Select this item to direct Mechanica to follow a particular
mode through the optimization, even if that mode's frequency becomes greater or
less than a neighboring mode's frequency.
As Mechanica modifies a design parameter during optimization, frequencies of

different modes can change, so that mode 2 at the beginning can become mode 3 at
the end.
For example, if you enter 2 for the Mode Number and select Track, Mechanica
tracks at each step of the optimization the frequency of the mode whose shape is
closest to the shape of mode 2 in the original model.
Mechanica reports the mode number of the frequency in a summary file, which you
can access with the Info>Status command on the Analyses and Design Studies
dialog box.
If you do not select Track, Mechanica optimizes whatever mode has the second
lowest frequency, even if the mode shape changes.
Keep the following points in mind if you select Track:
• Mode tracking requires the polynomial order on each edge to remain constant
during the optimization. Mechanica calculates values for the analysis
connected to the modal_frequency measure at the first interval of the
optimization. Mechanica then uses the polynomial order it reached to achieve
convergence in the first interval at each remaining interval.
• Do not select Track for a rigid mode. If your analysis contains rigid modes,
Mechanica ignores them when tracking a non-rigid mode.
• For buckling analyses, Track is not available. Since the smallest positive
buckling mode is the mode that will cause failure first, Mechanica
automatically tracks the lowest positive mode.
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Redefine the Design Study

If you delete a component of a design study, you need to redefine the study before
you run it:
• If you delete an analysis or parameter you selected when you defined a

design study, you need to edit the study to select a new analysis or
parameter. Even if you create a new analysis or parameter with the same
name as the one you deleted, you must still edit the design study and
reselect that analysis or parameter name.
• If you delete a constraint set or load set after you include it in an analysis,
you may invalidate the analysis. If the analysis is part of a design study, you
must edit the analysis to select a new set before running the design study.
Even if you create a new set with the same name as the set you deleted, you
must edit the analysis and reselect the set name.
Strategy: Optimizing a Model

When you are satisfied with the results of the standard design study and have gained
a feel for the design space by running one or more sensitivity studies, you can use
optimization to find the optimal values of your parameters to achieve a specific
design goal (for example, to minimize mass).
See the suggested approaches when you want to do any of the following:
• Before defining an optimization study, consider which sensitivity studies to

run.
• Define and run an optimization study.
• After the optimization has completed, analyze the results.
• After you run an optimization study, follow up with standard and local
sensitivity studies.
Strategy: Defining Optimization Studies

When you define and run an optimization study, consider the following:
• You can monitor the progress of the optimization study by selecting the
Info>Status command on the Analyses and Design Studies dialog box.
The summary file gives you a running account of the optimization process,
with comments and warnings as the Structure engine searches the design
space.
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Strategy: After You Run an Optimization

Study
You can follow up optimization studies with standard and local sensitivity studies in
the following ways:
• If you ran an optimization study with a high analysis convergence percentage

to save time, the values for the parameters are probably valid even though
the goal and limit values may not be accurate.
You can then lower the convergence value in the analysis you included in that
study and run a standard study with your parameters set to their optimization
values. This study will give you more accurate results for the goal and other
quantities.
You can also run a new optimization study after lowering the convergence
values. Use the final position of your parameters in the old study as their
initial position in the new study. The new optimization will produce more
accurate results and could further refine the optimized shape of your model.
• If any design parameters in an optimization need to meet a standard size or

other manufacturing requirement, you can set those design parameters to the
standard size closest to the optimized value and run a standard study. You
can use Mechanica Design Controls>Shape Review to determine the
percentage values for each parameter that correspond to the closest
manufacturing requirement.
You can then check the results of the standard study to see if other quantities
of interest are still close to their optimized value.
• If an optimization study ends with a message in the report file that says
changes in the goal quantity were insignificant relative to its initial value, you
can use local sensitivity to check the goal quantity. Set the start position of
each parameter to the optimized position.
After the sensitivity study completes, graph the goal quantity against each
parameter, and check to see whether the slope of each graph is close to zero.
A slope that is not near zero indicates that the optimization study may not
have reached the optimum goal value. In this case, you may want to redefine
the optimization study and run it again.
If you run the optimization again, use the parameter values from the final
optimum model of the last optimization study as the starting point in the new
study.
• If an optimization study ends with insignificant changes to your parameters,

Mechanica may have encountered a local optimum value for your goal
measure that caused it not to explore the design space more fully.
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If this happens, run the study again after setting the parameters to initial
values far enough from the original settings to encourage Mechanica to
examine more promising parameter positions.
Selecting Load Sets and Modes for

Optimization Studies
Depending on the analysis type you select for an optimization study goal or limit, you
may have the option of selecting specific load sets or modes:
• For static, prestress static, or steady-state thermal analyses, the dialog box
displays the name of the first load set you included in the analysis. If you
included more than one load set, you can use the Select button to select a
different load set.
• For modal and prestress modal analyses, select a mode number. The dialog
box displays Mode 1. If you specified more than one mode in the analysis,
you can use the Select button to select a different mode number.
Mechanica reports the frequency for each mode by number in the summary
file after you run a standard design study. You can use the summary from a
previously run standard study to choose a mode number to enter in this
dialog box. Use the Info>Status command on the Analyses and Design
Studies dialog box to access the summary file.
Using Measures More than Once for

Optimization Limits
For optimization study limits, you can use the same measure more than once. For
measures that use the same combination of analyses and load set or mode numbers,
you must adhere to these restrictions:
• Enter different values for each limit.

• Do not use c (current) for either value.
• Use different mathematical operators for each limit.
• Do not use = as the operator for either limit.
• For modal analyses, do not use All for the mode for either limit.
• For modal analyses, use the same selection for Track for both limits.
If you set limits within the same analysis that conflict with each other, Mechanica
attempts to satisfy only one of the conflicting limits. For example, if you assigned
contradictory values to two related measures such as max_stress_xx < 1 and
max_stress_prin > 2, Mechanica interprets the limit as meaning it should either keep
max_stress_xx less than 1 or keep max_stress_prin greater than 2.
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Strategy: Preparing for Optimization Studies

When considering which sensitivity studies as preparation for your optimization
study, be aware of the following:
• Optimization typically requires more iterations as the number of parameters

increases. You should therefore use as few parameters as possible. Sensitivity
studies are helpful in deciding which design parameters are important. In
particular, local sensitivity studies help identify parameters that do not affect
the design significantly.
• The smaller the design space being considered, the shorter the optimization
run time. You should therefore use the results from the global sensitivity
study to narrow the range of each parameter being considered and thus limit
the overall design space.
• The optimization takes less time the closer the baseline model is to the
optimum. You might find it useful to review results from sensitivity studies to
improve the candidate design prior to optimization.
Running Solvers
Native Mode Solvers
Running Analyses and Design Studies
Use the Analyses and Design Studies dialog box to run the analyses and design
studies you create. The dialog box displays a list of existing analyses and design
studies.
To run an analysis or design study, select it from the list, and then use the following
options to set up and manage the run:
• Run menu
o Start — Start running the analysis or design study you select.
o Stop — Stop running the analysis or design study you select.
o Restart — Restart a previously stopped analysis or design study.
o Batch — Create the engine input files necessary to run one or more
analyses or design studies.
o Settings — Open the Run Settings dialog box, which enables you to
change certain settings Mechanica uses for the run.
• Info menu
o Status — Open the Run Status window, which enables you to view
the status of a run. You can select the Detailed Summary check box
at the bottom of the window to view a detailed summary of the run.
o Diagnose — Open the Run Diagnostics dialog box, which enables
you to review the warning and error messages.
o Check Model — Perform model error checks to determine whether
there are problems that would prevent an analysis or study run from
starting such as missing properties, problems with constraints or
boundary conditions, invalid analysis definitions, and so forth.
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For information on troubleshooting problems with a run, see Troubleshoot Run

Problems. For information about reviewing the results of a run, see About Results.
Before You Run an Analysis or Design Study

Be aware of the following before starting your run:
• You may want to check your Mechanica settings to determine how the
software processes your model during analyses and design studies.
You can use Mechanica settings to determine the following:
o whether Mechanica includes datum curves or surfaces in the mesh

o the defining ranges that Mechanica observes when creating elements
o whether Mechanica treats the model as a shell or solid
• You can check your model for errors before you start a run by selecting
Info>Check Model on the Analyses and Design Studies dialog box.
• If you select an invalid design study to run, Mechanica displays an error
message after you select Start or Batch. Examples of invalid design studies
include:
o a design study containing an analysis that requires measures for
convergence but has no measures selected
o a sensitivity or optimization design study with no parameters
• Mechanica deletes a standard or sensitivity design study if you delete the only
analysis belonging to that study.
• You should run only one design study at a time to avoid using too much
memory.
Before Mechanica Starts a Run

Mechanica performs a number of steps before an actual run begins:
1. Performs preliminary error checking to make sure that all analyses, design
studies, and model data are valid.
2. Converts surface pairs to midsurfaces if you defined surface pairs for shell
modeling and you selected the AutorGEM>Midsuface or
AutoGEM>Solid/Midsurface command. See Defining Solid and Shell Models
for more information.
3. Merges the geometry, material properties, loads, constraints, design
parameter data, analysis definitions, and design study definitions into the
.mdb file. Mechanica stores this file, along with the .prt file, in the study
directory. See Database Considerations for more information.
4. Checks the geometry and associated entities for errors. If there are any
errors, Mechanica writes an error message to the summary file.
5. Creates elements using AutoGEM. Elements are the entities that Mechanica
uses to analyze your model. They are the mathematical approximation of
your model's geometry that Mechanica uses to simulate the behavior of your
design. The elements created by AutoGEM comply with all element creation
rules. As elements are created, Mechanica saves the element data.
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If geometry errors exist in your model, AutoGEM creates elements with

approximated linear elements and places them in a new layer.
If there are no modeling or meshing errors, Mechanica starts running the analysis.

bar:
the File menu.
Model menu option.
To Start an Analysis or Design Study Run
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2. Select an analysis or design study from the list.
3. Select Settings from the Run menu or click (Configure Run Settings).
The Run Settings dialog box appears.
4. Make the appropriate changes to the Run Settings dialog box, and then click
OK.
5. Select Start from the Run menu.
Mechanica may display one or more prompts before starting the run.
6. Click Yes or No when Mechanica asks if you want error detection during the
run.
Mechanica starts the run.
Setting Up a Run
Select the Run>Settings menu option or the Configure Run Settings button on
the Analyses and Design Studies dialog box to access the Run Settings dialog
box.
Use this dialog box to specify the locations of the output and temporary files, any
elements you want to use from an existing study, the output file format, and the
solver settings. The Run Settings dialog box includes the following options:
• Directory for Output Files —Select the directory for the output files
generated by the run.
• Directory for Temporary Files — Select the directory for the temporary
files generated by the run.
• Elements — Select the source of the elements Mechanica uses during a run.
• Output File Format — Select an output format for the output file.
• Solver Settings — Use this area to specify settings for the solver:
o Memory Allocation (MB) — Select the check box and enter the
appropriate number of megabytes to allocate for the memory.
o Use Iterative Solver — Select the check box to use the iterative
solver and enter the maximum number of iterations and at which P-
loop pass the iterative solver should take over from the direct solver.
• Defaults — Select this button to return the settings on the dialog box to the
default values.
Directory for Temporary Files

Specify the directory where you want Mechanica to place temporary files created
during the run.
Mechanica places temporary files in a directory called study.tmp (study is the name
of the design study you are running), and places study.tmp in the directory for
temporary files you specify here.
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The Run Settings dialog box initially displays the name of the directory you specify
using the sim_run_tmp_dir config.pro option, or it displays the current working
directory if you do not set the config.pro option. The directory you specify appears
the next time you open the dialog box.
As a general guideline, you should have at least 20 to 30 megabytes of disk space

available for temporary files. Mechanica deletes these files when it completes the
run.
You can specify multiple directories for your temporary files using the -w option of
the msengine command.
Directory for Output Files

Specify the directory where you want Mechanica to place the output files, which
contain the results data from the run.
Mechanica places all output files and the engine input files in a directory called study
(study is the name of the design study you are running), and places study in the
directory for output files you specify here.
The Run Settings dialog box initially displays the name of the directory you specify
using the sim_run_out_dir config.pro option, or it displays the current working
directory if you do not set the config.pro option. The directory you specify appears
the next time you open the dialog box.
As a general guideline, you should have 9 to 15 megabytes of disk space available

for the output files.
Elements
You can specify the elements you want Mechanica to use when you run an analysis
or design study by selecting one of the following options on the Run Settings dialog
box:
• Use Elements from Existing Mesh File

• Create Elements during Run
• Use Elements from an Existing Study
Click the Select button to display the Select Existing Study Directory dialog box
that lists the studies in the current directory. When you return to the Run Settings
dialog box, the directory path of the study you selected appears.
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Output File Format

Specify whether the Mechanica engine writes the engine output files in binary format
or ASCII format. Binary format is the default.
Memory Allocation
Select Memory Allocation to turn on RAM allocation. This setting is turned off by
default. The value you enter sets the amount of RAM reserved for solving equations
and for storing element data created by the iterative solver. The engine dynamically
allocates the rest of the memory it needs for the run.
Before you run design studies, you can set the amount of RAM the engine uses.
Depending on the amount of RAM installed in your machine, you might be able to
improve the engine solver performance by changing this setting.
When you select Memory Allocation, Mechanica displays the default value of 128
megabytes. You can change this default value by setting the config.pro value for
sim_max_memory_uasge to a different number. The value you enter must be
greater than 0.1.
Some tips for setting this value include:
• You can use the default allocation for any run.

• If you have a lot of RAM on your machine, you may want to enter a higher
RAM allocation number so that large models will run faster—you can slow the
run substantially if you specify an allocation that is too large to fit in available
RAM.
• You can also slow the run if you do not specify sufficient memory, especially if
you specify less than the default.
• You can increase the speed of the iterative solver by increasing the amount of
RAM you allocate with this option.
For specific information about specifying solver RAM, see Guidelines for Allocating
RAM for Solver and Element Data.
Use Iterative Solver

Select this item to run a study with the iterative solver instead of the direct block
solver. The Structure engine uses the direct solver by default because it usually uses
less time, disk space, and/or memory than the iterative solver. For more information
about choosing a solver and when to use the iterative solver instead of the direct
solver, see Select the Solver.
You can use the iterative solver in the following situations:
• if you ran out of disk space running a design study using the direct solver
• if a run is very time-consuming using the direct solver
• if you are running a linear static analysis and your model is a solid
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The iterative solver has the following limitations:
• If you are running a global sensitivity or optimization design study, you must
select Repeat Convergence when you create the study.
• If you are running a local sensitivity or optimization design study, none of the
analyses in the study can have temperature loads in Structure that refer to
thermal analyses.
• If your design study contains any modal analyses, Mechanica does not use
the iterative solver for those analyses.
For some models, the iterative solver may not converge. If a design study does not
converge, the run terminates, and you must re-run the study without the iterative
solver.
When you select this item, the following additional items appear on the dialog box:
• Maximum Iterations
• After P-Loop Pass
Start
Select the Run>Start menu option or select the Start Run button on the Analyses
and Design Studies dialog box to start the run of a selected analysis or design
study.
You can use one of the following methods to start an analysis or design study run:
• Run directly from within Mechanica by selecting the Run>Start menu option
or the Start button on the Analyses and Design Studies dialog box.
• Run from your operating system command prompt. Create the input files for
each study by selecting the Run>Batch menu option on the Analyses and
Design Studies dialog box. You can then run each study in succession by
using the mecbatch command.
Mechanica gives you the following feedback before starting a run:
• If you enter an invalid design study, you will see an error message.
• Mechanica asks if you want error detection during the run.
• If your study is a candidate for a regeneration analysis but no other analysis
type, the Run Mode dialog box appears, enabling you to:
o run the study within the current Pro/ENGINEER session. The study
runs faster, but you cannot work in Pro/ENGINEER while the study
proceeds.
o run the study as a separate task while you continue working in the
same Pro/ENGINEER session
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Existing Design Study Files

After you select Start, Mechanica asks you one or both of the following questions:
• Do you want to delete any output files that are already present for a
previously run study? Before deleting these files, make sure that you do not
need the data they contain. If in doubt, you can specify a different directory
for output files for the current run or copy the design study to a new name.
You can specify the directory for the output files using the Run>Settings
menu option.
• Do you want to delete any temporary files located in the study.tmp directory
(study is the name of the design study you selected)?
Mechanica automatically deletes temporary files when a run completes

normally. If temporary files are still present, it means that a previous run of
the same design study ended in error, was stopped before it completed, or is
currently running.
If the files are left over from a previous run, you can safely delete them. If the
design study is currently running, you should wait until it is finished before
starting a new run.
Invalid Design Studies

If you select an invalid design study, Mechanica displays an error message after you
select Start or Batch. Examples of invalid design studies include:
• a design study containing an analysis that requires measures for convergence

but has no measures selected
• a sensitivity or optimization design study with no parameters
Error Detection
If you do not request error detection, Mechanica goes to the next step. If you skip
error detection, and your model contains errors, the run could terminate later with a
fatal engine error.
If you request error detection, Mechanica checks the model for errors.
Mechanica carries out the same checks as it does when you select Info>Check
Model on the Analyses and Design Studies dialog box, with these additions:
• If you select a design study that contains analyses from both Structure and
Thermal, Mechanica checks for both Structure-specific and Thermal-specific
errors, and displays entities specific to both products during error detection.
• Mechanica checks for some additional errors that Check Model does not
detect.
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• Once a run has started, Mechanica checks for errors in the following areas:
o matching parameters
o convergence measures
o optimization studies
o temperature distribution
• After error checking is complete or interrupted, Mechanica searches for the

following:
o boundary edges
o boundary faces
Even if you previously used Check Model, you should check your model again to
catch errors introduced since you used Check Model, and to take advantage of the
extra checks performed at this time.
Once Mechanica checks your model for errors, you can resolve them.
Restart
To restart an analysis or design study, select the Run>Restart menu option on the
Analyses and Design Studies dialog box.
You can restart a standard design study or one of the following analysis types:
• static
• prestress static
• modal
• prestress modal
• buckling
• steady-state thermal
Note that Restart does not work for analyses that use the single-pass adaptive
method.
Before You Use Restart

Before you restart an analysis or design study, you can make the following changes
to it, on the analysis definition dialog box:
• Raise the maximum polynomial order in the event that the analysis did not
converge the first time.
• Change the plotting grid, making it larger for more refined results, or smaller
to use less disk space or CPU time. This can have an effect on the
convergence for analyses that converge on measures.
• Change the option to calculate stresses, rotations, or heat flux. This is useful,
for example, if you forgot to ask for stress output the first time the analysis
was run.
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Before you restart, be aware of the following:
• You can restart stopped analyses in any order.

• You cannot restart a sensitivity or optimization design study.
• You cannot restart an SPA analysis.
• Mechanica must complete at least one pass through the analysis in order for
you to restart it.
• If the engine stops for any reason, including running out of disk space or
swap space, power failure, maximum p-level reached (unless the analysis
reached pass 9), or user interruption, you can use the Restart command to
continue the analysis from the beginning of the pass during which the engine
stopped.
What Restart Does

When you select Restart, Mechanica does the following:
• runs the stopped analysis from the last completed p-pass, but does not
continue to the other analyses in a design study
Note: When running the analysis again, the engine overwrites most
existing data for that analysis—if you do not want Mechanica to overwrite
these results, you should make a copy of the study before you restart
the analysis.
• if the design study contains more than one analysis, displays the names of
the analyses in the design study and prompts you to select the name of the
analysis you want to restart
• saves all the information in the summary (.rpt), log (.stt), and measure
convergence plotting (.res) files and appends new data to them
• gives you the opportunity to save the current restart run to a batch file so you
can run it later
Restart a Stopped Analysis or Design Study

When you restart a run, Mechanica asks if you want to overwrite the results of the
existing analysis or design study with the new results from the restarted run.
If you made changes to your analysis before restarting it, Mechanica gives you the
opportunity to change the polynomial order used in the run.
At any time that Mechanica displays informational messages, you can select one of
the following options:
• Click Cancel on any of the messages. Mechanica returns to the dialog box.
• Click Continue on all of the messages. Mechanica runs the analysis with the
updated values.
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Batch
Creating a Batch File
Select the Run>Batch menu option on the Analyses and Design Studies dialog
box to create a batch file.
When Mechanica creates a batch file, it generates the engine input files necessary to
run one or more design studies from your operating system. By default, Mechanica
names the batch file mecbatch and places it in the directory from which you started
Mechanica. If you change the name of the batch file or the directory, the new name
or directory becomes the default for the next batch file you create.
Use the Batch menu option to:
• create a new batch file

• change the directory where the batch file is stored
• append selected studies to an existing batch file
What Batch Does

When you select Run>Batch, Mechanica does the following:
• If output files for the design study already exist for the specified design study,
Mechanica asks you if you want to delete them.
Mechanica creates output files during a run. These files contain the results of
the previous design study run, and may contain useful results even if they
were created during a run that did not complete successfully.
Before deleting the files, make sure that you do not need the data that they
contain. If in doubt, you can specify a different directory for output files for the
current run, or copy the design study to a new name.
If you decide to save the existing files and not proceed with the run, Mechanica
does not start the run and returns you to the Analyses and Design Studies
dialog box.
• If a batch file already exists, Mechanica asks if you want to append this
design study to the existing batch file.
• If you do not append the design study to the existing batch file, Mechanica
gives you the opportunity to overwrite the existing mecbatch file with a new
one for the current design study.
• Mechanica asks if you want error detection.
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If you do not check for errors, or if no errors were detected, Mechanica takes
the following steps:
o writes the engine input files

o places the files in a directory called study, located in the directory for
output files you specify on the Run Settings dialog box (study is the
name of the design study you selected)
o adds an msengine command for the current study to the mecbatch
file located in the directory from which you are running Mechanica
Run a Batched Analysis or Design Study

To run the analyses or design studies you batched, open a command shell. Start the
run by entering the mecbatch command.
Mechanica runs each analysis or design study you batched in succession. If one
analysis or study ends in an error, Mechanica continues running the remaining
analyses or studies in the file.
Stop
To stop running a selected analysis or design study that you started during the
current Mechanica session, select Run>Stop or the Stop Run button on the
Note: You cannot use Stop to cancel a run you started in a previous
Mechanica session, or a run you started directly from the operating system by
using the mecbatch or msengine commands.
When you select Stop, Mechanica does the following:
• If the selected analysis or design study is not running, Mechanica informs you
that it is not.
• If Mechanica is currently running the selected analysis or design study started
during the current session, Mechanica gives you the opportunity to confirm
that you want to stop the run.
• If you confirm the stop, Mechanica terminates the run and displays a
message that the run has successfully been stopped.
Monitoring an Analysis or Design Study Run

After you create an analysis or design study and start the run, use the Analyses
and Design Studies dialog box to monitor the progress of the run. You can view
the status window as the run progresses and also check for errors and messages.
Using the Analyses and Design Studies dialog box, you can do the following:
• Review errors and messages generated when you are running an analysis or
design study by selecting the Info>Diagnose menu option.
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• Check the status of your run by selecting the Info>Status menu option or
clicking the Display Study Status button.
• See the log file for a run by selecting the Detailed Summary check box. The
log file appears in the same window as the status. You can toggle between
the status and the log by selecting and clearing the Detailed Summary
check box.
Status/Summary
To access a summary report for the analysis or design study you select, select the
Info>Status menu option, or the Display Study Status button on the Analyses
and Design Studies dialog box.
You can use the summary report to:
• check the status of a run

• access information about a completed run
The summary report includes the following information for the entire analysis or
design study:
• a model summary at the beginning, listing the model type and the number of
elements, points, edges, and faces in the model
• a running status of convergence information that shows how far the analysis
has gone, plus the quality of the convergence and the estimated error
• a memory and disk usage summary at the end, including the total elapsed
time, total CPU time, maximum memory usage, and the amount of disk space
used by various files
You can toggle between the status report window and the detailed summary report
by selecting or clearing the Detailed Summary check box at the bottom of the
status report window.
If you access the status report while the run is in progress, Mechanica adds new
information to the dialog box as the engine updates the report file.
You can access this same file through your operating system. The file is called
study/study.rpt, located in the directory for output files (where study is the name of
your design study).
Summary Report Contents

The summary report includes the following information for the entire design study:
• a model summary at the beginning, listing the model type and the number of
elements, points, edges, and faces in the model
• a running status of convergence information that shows how far the analysis
has gone, plus the quality of the convergence and the estimated error
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• a memory and disk usage summary at the end, including the total elapsed
time, total CPU time, maximum memory usage, and the amount of disk space
used by various files
The contents of the body of the summary report vary by design study and analysis
type:
• Standard Studies: Static, Large Deformation Static, Contact, Prestress Static,

Modal, Prestress Modal, Buckling, Steady-State Thermal, and Transient
Thermal Analyses
• Standard Studies: Dynamic Time, Frequency, and Random Analyses
• Standard Studies, Dynamic Shock Analyses
• Global Sensitivity Studies
• Local Sensitivity Studies
• Optimization Studies
RMS Stress Error Estimates

Mechanica displays an RMS stress error estimate for all analyses that use the single
pass adaptive convergence method. The stress error does not include regions of
potential singularities. Mechanica does not include this information when all of the
external edges have potential singularities.
For static and contact analyses, Mechanica displays the following information:
• Load Set Name — The name of the load set to which the RMS stress error
estimate applies.
• Stress Error — Obtained by sampling the local error estimates along
external edges. The estimate excludes regions with potential singularities
(constraints, reentrant corners). You can use the stress error as an
uncertainty for local stress values.
• % Of Max Prin Str — Keep in mind that if the maximum principal stress
occurs at a singular region of the model, Mechanica excludes it from the
sampling when evaluating the stress error estimate. In this case, the % Of
Max Prin Str can be artificially low.
To assess the achieved stress accuracy, it is always better to use the absolute
stress error estimate (from the previous column) rather than this relative
value.
For modal, prestress modal, and buckling analyses, Mechanica displays the following
information:
• mode
• stress error (% of Max Modal Stress)
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Error Messages
For all design studies, the summary report also issues two types of error messages:
• Warning messages — If the engine detects an unexpected situation that

does not stop the progress of a run, it issues a warning message. This
message indicates that there may be a problem requiring further attention.
• Fatal error messages — For any design study that stops with a fatal error,
Mechanica writes a message explaining the error, and in many cases, advises
you of corrective action to take.
For some fatal errors, Mechanica directs you to use the Results command to
see a diagnostic display of your model with entities associated with the error
highlighted.
Results for a run may be available, even if the run ended with an error:
• For each p-loop pass in a static, prestress static, modal, prestress modal,
buckling, or contact analysis, Mechanica calculates displacement and stress
results.
• For each p-loop pass in a steady-state thermal analysis, Mechanica calculates
temperature and flux results.
• For the quick check convergence method, Mechanica displays a warning after
the convergence loop log, informing you that convergence has not been
checked.
• For the multi-pass adaptive convergence method, following the final p-loop
pass, Mechanica writes a message stating that convergence to the specified
percentage either was or was not attained.
If your run did not converge, you can review a convergence graph for most of the
quantities that Mechanica uses for convergence.
Time and Disk Usage Information

After each milestone, Mechanica displays the time and disk usage information in this
format:
Elapsed Time (sec): 29.27

CPU Time (sec): 23.48
Memory Usage (kb): 3731
Work Dir Disk Usage (kb): 253
Step Elapsed Time (sec): 29.27

Step CPU Time (sec): 23.48
Following is a description of each of the lines showing times:
• Elapsed Time — the total time from the start of the run through the previous
milestone, or step
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• CPU Time — the time your CPU has been in use from the start of the run
through the previous milestone, or step
• Step Elapsed Time — the total time for the previous milestone, or step
• Step CPU Time — the time your CPU was in use during the previous
milestone, or step
If an error causes your run to fail, Mechanica displays a message at the end of the
log. You can find a more specific error message in the summary window. To see the
summary window, select Info>Status on the Analyses and Design Studies dialog
box.
If no log file exists for the design study you select, Mechanica displays a message
that it cannot find the file.
If the machine you are using to run the engine is equipped with parallel processors,
Mechanica automatically uses all CPUs in the system for the run. However, you can
manually specify the number of CPU's devoted to the run if you want to limit the
number of CPUs you use.
In cases where the ratio of elapsed time to CPU time is close to a value of 1 with one
CPU, your solution times may benefit from running the engine in parallel processing
de. For other ratios, you may experience performance degradation. For information
on the benefits and limitations of parallel processing as well as a discussion of how to
manually specify the number of CPU's, see Strategy: Running the Engine with
Parallel Processing.
Diagnose
Select the Info>Diagnose option on the Analyses and Design Studies dialog box
to open the Run Diagnostics dialog box. Use this dialog box to review the warnings
and errors that Mechanica generates during a run.
The software highlights the geometry associated with each error and places a marker
on each instance of faulty meshing.
Troubleshoot Run Problems

You may encounter the following run problems:
• Incomplete runs — If a run ends in an error, in some cases you might still
be able to display intermediate results if there is one completed p-pass. The
engine calculates stress and displacement values or temperature and flux
values after each p-pass. You can also create p-level fringe plots from
intermediate results.
Depending on the nature of the error, however, the engine may not produce
convergence information for the run.
On UNIX systems, you can also use intermediate results for a run that is still in
progress.
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Note: Keep in mind that the engine overwrites existing intermediate

results each time it writes new results.
At certain points during a run, Mechanica locks the results files so it can write
data to them. When this occurs, you cannot access intermediate results.
• Study does not converge — If the summary report says that your study did
not converge during the run, and you used the multi-pass adaptive
convergence method, you should look at a convergence graph to get more
information.
For more information, see Strategy: Fixing Convergence Problems.
You may also be able to circumvent run problems by managing your computer
resources effectively. For technical information on resource and performance
management, see Managing Memory and Swap Space, Guidelines for Managing Disk
Space Resources, and Managing Performance.
Troubleshoot High Elapsed Run Times

One indication of computer system performance is the ratio of elapsed time to CPU
time for Mechanica engine jobs. A high ratio of elapsed time to CPU time can indicate
a performance problem, either with the settings you are using to run Mechanica or
with your computer system.
For jobs running the direct solver, a ratio of elapsed time to CPU time much greater
than 4 can indicate a problem. For jobs running the iterative solver, a ratio much
greater than 7 can indicate a problem. The iterative solver generally has a higher
ratio of elapsed time to CPU time because it does more I/O per calculation than the
direct solver.
Following are possible causes of high elapsed times:
• Running more than one application at a time — This might not be a true
performance problem unless the applications are competing with each other
for access to the CPU, memory, or disk. If performance is lower than you
expect, consider what other applications might have been competing for
resources.
Determine whether the problem is repeatable by rerunning the job when there
is little or no other activity on the machine.
• Setting the solver RAM (solram) value too high

• Setting the solver RAM (solram) value too low
• Starting the iterative solver after pass 3 or later, instead of after pass
2 — Unless you are solving a class of problems that consistently demonstrate
better convergence by starting the iterative solver after pass 3, always start
the iterative solver immediately after pass 2.
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Starting the iterative solver after pass 3 or later frequently results in greatly
increased I/O and elapsed time, with little or no reduction in the number of
iterations required for convergence.
• Using remote NFS-mounted disks for your working directories — I/O

to network disks can be up to 10 times slower than I/O to local disks. For
example, a local disk might transfer data at 10 MB/sec, whereas a remotely
mounted disk might transfer data at only 1 MB/sec. Use local disks whenever
possible.
• Using swap space that is not local to the machine — Add local swap
space and avoid using remote swap space.
• Using swap space or disk space that is not dedicated to that purpose
— Some operating systems allow an area of a disk to be shared dynamically
between temporary files and swap space. Switching from this type of dynamic
sharing to dedicated disk space or dedicated swap space can provide much
better performance. You can also gain performance by placing the swap space
and the scratch files on separate physical disks.
• Running a large job with insufficient machine RAM — The performance
of many programs suffers when the virtual memory usage exceeds the
available machine RAM. However, Mechanica typically uses only a small part
of memory at a time. Therefore, performance can remain stable even when
the reported total memory usage is 2 or 3 times machine RAM, and
sometimes as much as 5 times machine RAM.
If you follow the guidelines for all run-setting parameters and you still suspect poor
performance, compare the ratio of elapsed time to CPU time and compare the
memory usage for this job with previously run jobs using similar models. Make sure
all runs were made on the same machine under the same work load conditions.
Similar models should have the same element and analysis types and use the same
type of solver.
If the ratios of elapsed time to CPU time and memory usage to machine RAM are
both high, you might need to install more machine RAM in order to improve
performance. In some cases, it helps to decrease the solram allocation or reduce the
size of the model you are analyzing.
For more information on the use of virtual memory, see Managing Memory and Swap
Space.
mecbatch
This command lets you to run a single design study or a series of design studies from
your operating system.
Mechanica runs the studies in the order in which you enter them into the batch file.
If one study ends in an error, Mechanica continues running the remaining studies in
the file.
You can monitor the status of the runs and review the summary file by selecting
Info>Status or the Display study status button on the Analyses and Design
Studies dialog box.
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Use mecbatch
The mecbatch command executes from your operating system the run of one or
more design studies you previously included in a batch file.
To use mecbatch, for each study you want to include in a batch file, do the
following:
• Select the Analysis>Mechanica Analyses/Studies command.

• Select the design study you want to batch from the dialog box.
• Select Run>Batch on the Analyses and Design Studies dialog box. The
Batch dialog box appears. You can use this dialog box to specify a new name
for the batch file, change the directory where this file is stored, or append the
study to an existing batch file.
By default, Mechanica names the file mecbatch (mecbatch.bat on Windows)

and places it in the directory from which you started Mechanica.
When you are ready to run the mecbatch command:
• Open a command shell.

• Enter mecbatch at the operating system command prompt.
Note: If you changed the name of the batch file, enter that name instead
of mecbatch to start running the design studies.
The msengine command for an individual design study contains information you
entered on the Analyses and Design Studies dialog box. Each time you select
Run>Batch on the Analyses and Design Studies dialog box, Mechanica places an
msengine command for a design study.
msengine
Use this command to run a single design study from your operating system. You can
run a study containing structural analyses, thermal analyses, or both. In order to use
this command, you need engine input files.
When you select Run>Batch on the Analyses and Design Studies dialog box,
Mechanica does the following:
• writes the input files that the Structure engine needs for the run, but does not
actually start the run
• places an msengine command in a batch file each time you use the Batch
option
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Optionally, you can run a single design study by manually entering the same
msengine command that Mechanica placed in the batch file. You do this by entering
the following at the command prompt:
msengine study [options]
where study is a directory with the same name as your design study. This directory
contains the engine input files.
You also use the msengine command to access external optimizers for design
optimization.
After the msengine command executes the run of your design study, you can
monitor the status of the run and review the summary file by selecting Info>Status
on the Analyses and Design Studies dialog box.
Use msengine
You can specify one or more of the following options after the input directory name:
• –i input_dir — Specifies the location of the directory containing the engine

input files.
• –w working_dir1:working_dir2:... — Specifies the location of the directory
or directories in which the engine places temporary files during the run.
• –solram ram_size — Specifies the amount, in megabytes, of memory to be
allocated for direct solver memory and for element data for the iterative
solver.
• –iter n — Specifies that the engine uses the iterative solver after polynomial
pass n, a number from 1 to 8.
• –sturm option — Specifies whether or not the Structure engine performs a
Sturm sequence test for a modal analysis.
• –gdp — Specifies that the engine uses an alternative algorithm for an
optimization design study.
• –extopt — Specifies that Mechanica uses an external optimizer to run either
a function evaluation (using a standard study) or a gradient evaluation (using
a local sensitivity study).
• –ascii — Specifies that the engine writes the engine output files in ASCII
format.
• –p password — Specifies an optional password.
• –T — Causes the design study to run in demo mode.
• –bsram ram_size — Specifies the amount, in megabytes, of block solver
RAM the engine uses for equation solving.
• –elram ram_size — Specifies the amount, in megabytes, of RAM available to
store element matrices created by the iterative solver.
• –massnorm — Specifies that the Structure engine mass-normalizes mode
shape vectors instead of unit-normalizing them in modal analysis.
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Use External Optimizers

Use external optimizers to utilize optimizers other than SQP and GDP to perform
design optimization.
When you use alternate external optimizers, instead of defining an optimization

study, you define one of these two types of study, depending on what you are trying
to do:
• Standard study — To perform a function evaluation, define a standard study

with all design parameters defined.
• Local sensitivity study — To perform a gradient evaluation, define a local
sensitivity study.
You will always need a standard study for function evaluation. If the external
optimizer can benefit from gradient information, use a local sensitivity study.
If you are running a function evaluation, enter this command:
msengine –extopt <standard study name>
If you are running a gradient evaluation, enter this command:
msengine –extopt <local sensitivity study name>
Before executing either of these commands, you need to write a wrapper code that
defines the design problem and calls the external optimizer, which in turn calls
Mechanica.
To use an external optimizer with your study, do the following:
• Define the appropriate study.

• Write the wrapper code that calls the external optimizer.
• Execute the msengine –extopt command.
The wrapper code calls the external optimizer, which generates the mech_extopt.in
file, and is read by Mechanica. When the study finishes running, Mechanica sends
data containing the design objectives and the limits to a mech_extopt.out output
file.
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For information on the format of these files, see:
• mech_extopt.in File Format

• mech_extopt.out File Format
FEM Solvers
About Running FEM Analyses and Generating
Output Decks
Once you generate the mesh for your model successfully, you can perform additional
reviews of your mesh, run a FEM analysis from within Mechanica using one of the
supported FEA solvers, or generate an output deck that you can use outside of
Mechanica. You perform these activities by selecting the Analysis>FEM Solution
command and completing the Run FEM Analysis dialog box.
Before you start a run, you should have created all modeling entities and generated
a mesh for your model. If you plan to run an analysis instead of outputting a deck,
you should also have defined an analysis.
To give you a general idea of the process you might use, here is a description of how
you use the Run FEM Analysis dialog box to prepare for and start a FEM analysis
run or to generate an output deck for one of the FEA solvers:
• Use the Run FEM Analysis dialog

box to choose the solver you are
interested in or to select the display-
only method for reviewing the mesh.
• Set the dialog box to output to a file
Review the Mesh and click OK to output the mesh.
• Use the commands on the REVIEW
MESH menu to examine the mesh.
• If you find problems, adjust the
model and mesh.
• Use the Run FEM Analysis dialog box

to select the solver you are interested
in and define other aspects of the run,
such as the element shape, analyses,
Run the Analysis or and coordinate systems.
Generate the Deck • If you want to run a FEA analysis from
within Mechanica, set the dialog box for
an online or background run.
• If you want to generate a deck for later
use with one of the FEA solvers, set the
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dialog box to output to a file.
Be aware that this process varies depending on your needs. For some models, you
may feel comfortable omitting the mesh review cycle—proceeding immediately with
an online run or deck generation. For other models, you may only want to complete
the mesh review phase.
Solving a Model Using an FEA Program

Use the Analysis>FEM Solution command to open the Run FEM Analysis dialog
box. This dialog box enables you to review the solver mesh, start an FEA program
directly from Mechanica, or generate an output deck for use outside of Mechanica.
The dialog box includes the following items:
• Solver — Select the solver you want to use for your run or for which you
want to generate an output deck. You can also create a neutral file deck for
use with solvers that Mechanica does not directly support.
• Analysis — Select the type of analysis you want the FEA solver to run or for
which you want Mechanica to create an output deck.
• Element Shape — Use the buttons in this area to specify the element shape,
which, in turn, determines the order of the finite elements. Higher order
elements can, in some cases, result in better model definition.
• Analyses — Select one or more analyses that you want to include in the run
or output deck. Mechanica displays a list that includes the names of all
analyses you have created for the analysis category you selected on the
Analysis option menu. For example, if you selected Modal on the Analysis
option menu, Mechanica lists each of the modal analyses you defined for the
model.
When Mechanica outputs the deck or sends the model to one of the solvers, it
refers to the analyses you select to determine which loads, boundary
conditions, and constraints to include in the run.
• Coord System — Select the coordinate system that the solver should use
when formulating results. You cannot select a coordinate system if you select
Display Only on the Solver option menu. If you do not select a coordinate
system, Mechanica uses the WCS.
• Aux Coord System — Select any additional coordinate systems you want to
include in the run. You can select one or more individual coordinate systems
from the list by highlighting items on the list or select all coordinate systems.
You cannot select an auxiliary coordinate system if you select Display Only
on the Solver option menu.
• NASTRAN Analysis Template — Select a template to use for the NASTRAN
analysis. This area only appears if you select MSC/NASTRAN on the Solver
option menu.
• run methods area — Use the remaining three items on the dialog box to
indicate how you want Mechanica to process the run—online, in the
background, or by outputting a deck for the chosen solver.
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After you complete an online or background run, the system stores the model mesh
and the FEA results in a single database file called model.frd (where model is the
name of the model). You use this file when you view results in the postprocessor. To
fully understand how Mechanica uses the .frd file and what this file contains, see
Storing and Retrieving FEA Results.
Selecting a Solver
Use the Solver option list on the Run FEM Analysis dialog box to select a solver for
your FEM analysis run or mesh review. The Solver option list includes the following:
• Display Only — Display a solver mesh for your model independent of solver
type.
• ANSYS — Perform a structural, modal, or thermal analysis of your model
using the ANSYS solver. You can also use this option if you want to create an
output deck formatted for use with ANSYS.
• MSC/NASTRAN — Perform a structural or modal analysis of your model
using the NASTRAN solver. You can also use this option if you want to create
an output deck formatted for use with NASTRAN.
If you are using MSC/NASTRAN as a solver, it creates a NASTRAN results file

with the .xdb extension in addition to the model.frd file. Mechanica FEM mode
gives you a direct access to the .xdb file, so you can view NASTRAN results in
the postprocessor. For more information, see Loading NASTRAN Results
Database.
• FEM Neutral — Output a FEM Neutral File (FNF file) for use with solvers
other than the ones Mechanica supports. If you want to use this option, the
solver you plan to use must be able to correctly read the FNF format.
You can configure Mechanica to automatically display ANSYS or NASTRAN as the

default setting for the Solver scroll list when you open the Run FEM Analysis
dialog box. You do this by setting the fem_default_solver configuration option to
ANSYS or MSC/NASTRAN.
FEM Analysis Types

You can select one of the following analysis types from the Analysis option menu on
the Run FEM Analyses dialog box. You can select any analysis type regardless of
the product you are currently working in—whether or not you have actually defined
an analysis of that type. The analysis type you select is the one that the FEA solver
will perform or for which Mechanica will output a deck.
The Analysis option menu includes these items:
• Structural — Outputs a model and mesh for structural analysis.

• Modal — Outputs a model and mesh for modal analysis.
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• Thermal — Outputs a model and mesh for thermal analysis. Note that
NASTRAN does not support thermal analyses.
When you select an analysis type, Mechanica adds all existing analyses of that type
to the Analyses area of the dialog box. You can then select one or more individual
analyses from that area. You can also choose not to select an analysis.
Note that, if you select Structural from the Analysis option menu, Mechanica lists
both structural and modal analyses in the Analyses area. If you select a modal
analysis under these circumstances, Mechanica runs a structural analysis that
includes the constraints, frequency specifications, and so forth from the modal
analysis definition.
Element Shape
Use the Element Shape area on the Run FEM Analysis dialog box to determine
the type of elements the solver will use. The Element Shape area includes the
following:
• Linear — Use linear elements for the run or the output deck. Linear elements
have only corner nodes, straight edges, and planar faces. These elements are
best suited for models with relatively planar and straight-edged topologies,
and can improve solution times for these models. Mechanica outputs linear
elements as follows:
o shell elements — Uses 3-node elements for triangular mesh and 4-
node elements for quadrilateral mesh.
o solid elements — Uses 4-node elements.
• Parabolic — Use parabolic elements for the run or the output deck. When
Mechanica runs with or outputs parabolic elements, it uses the same mesh,
but adds mid-edge nodes to each element. These added nodes aid in the
approximation of model curvature by enabling the mesh elements to flex at
the added nodes. This ability to flex enables the elements to conform to
curved model surfaces better. Mechanica outputs parabolic elements as
follows:
o shell elements — Adds a mid-node to each edge, using 6-node

elements for triangular mesh and 8-node elements for quadrilateral
mesh.
o solid elements — Adds mid-nodes to each tetrahedral edge and
outputs 10-node elements to the file.
If you select Parabolic, you can use the Fix Elements button to adjust the
mesh. This button adjusts mid ratios so that they do not exceed values you
specified on the Element Quality Checks dialog box. The Fix Elements
button is particularly useful if your model has a moderate to high degree of
curvature.
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Determining a Run Method

Run Methods
While performing a FEA analysis, the system passes the model mesh data to the
solver for processing. You can conduct the solve either online or in the background.
If you want to use the model data outside of Mechanica, you can also output a deck
for the solver of your choice. To indicate which of these methods you want
Mechanica to use, you select one of the three items in the run methods area near the
bottom of the Run FEM Analysis dialog box.
Note: If you plan to run online or in the background, you must supply the
software with the correct path to the FEA executable. You provide the path by
including the appropriate options in your configuration file.
The run methods area of the dialog box includes these items:
• Output to File — Outputs a deck formatted for the solver you selected. You
can use this deck outside of Mechanica as input for your solver. If you select
this option, you must also enter the filename that you want Mechanica to use
when writing the deck.
You can also output to user-defined solver other than the ones that appear on
the Solver option list, provided the solver supports a FEM Neutral File.
• Run On-Line — Runs the solver online saving mesh and results in the
model.frd file. This ties up the Pro/ENGINEER session until the processing is
complete. When it is complete, the system automatically enters the
postprocessor and loads the results section from the name.frd file into
memory.
• Run in Background — Runs the solver in the background and stores the
results in the file model.frd, where model is the name of your model. Your
current session is not interrupted and you can continue working with another
model. After the processing is complete, you can view the analysis results in
the postprocessor.
Reviewing a FEM Mesh

Use the Mesh>Review command to review aspects of your mesh. You can also
review a mesh if you select Display Only from the Solver option menu on the Run
FEM Analysis dialog box or use Output to File to output a solver deck.
When you select the Review command or use one of the Run FEM Analysis dialog
box methods, the REVIEW MESH menu appears. This menu allows you to review
the mesh after it is created or after an analysis is run.
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The menu includes:
• Meshes — Review a mesh after you create it. You can review a list of
components by path within the top-level assembly hierarchy, the number of
elements and nodes, and the range of element and node ID numbers. You
can also review the range of element, node, and local mesh entity IDs with
the Mesh ID Offset mesh control applied. This type of review can help you
identify and resolve any numbering conflicts.
• Nodes — Review nodes by selecting:
o Coord Systems — Select this option to display a coordinate system
icon at each selected node that will be oriented for nodal displacement.
If the coordinate system is not Cartesian, then Mechanica calculates
and displays the R, , and Z or direction instead.
o All — Highlight all element nodes and display their node IDs.
o Boundary — Highlight only boundary nodes and display their node
IDs. This option only appears if the mesh includes solid elements.
o Node ID — Highlight an individual node and display its ID. If you
select this option, you enter the integer ID for the node you are
interested in.
o Select — Highlight an individual node and display its ID. In this case,
you use your mouse to select the node on your model.
o List Unused — Generate a list of unused node IDs. You use this
option to help detect node ID conflicts in hierarchical meshes. You can
correct these conflicts by applying mesh ID offset mesh controls to the
conflicting nodes.
• Elements — Review elements by selecting:
o Coord Systems — Display the coordinate system for the elements
that you review.
o Shell Normals — Display the shell normals for the elements that you
review. This check box only appears if the mesh includes shell
elements.
o All — Highlight all elements and display their element IDs.
o Boundary — Highlight only boundary elements and display their
element IDs. This option only appears if the mesh includes solid
elements.
o Element ID — Highlight an individual element and display its ID as
well as its node IDs. If you select this option, you enter the integer ID
for the element you are interested in.
o Select — Highlight an individual element and display its ID as well as
its node IDs. In this case, you use your mouse to select the element
on your model.
o List Unused — Generate a list of unused element IDs. You use this
option to help detect element ID conflicts in hierarchical meshes. You
can correct these conflicts by applying mesh ID offset mesh controls to
the conflicting elements.
• Connectivity — Highlight edges that are only included in one shell surface.
You can also use this command to highlight a free node on a one-dimensional
element such as a beam or spring.
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If you review the mesh at run time, Mechanica adds these options to the REVIEW
MESH menu:
• Materials — Highlight elements made of selected materials by selecting:

o All — Highlight all elements with specified materials
o Material ID — Highlight elements by specific material.
• Analyses — Highlight nodes or elements from a selected analysis and
examine how the loads and constraints defined for the analysis apply to the
mesh.
• Hard Points — Display an information window listing nodes that were
created at hard points on the model.
Outputting Data to an Offline FEA Program

If you are going to perform finite element analysis on your model using an offline
FEA program, you must create an output file, or deck, for the model's mesh data.
This deck includes the following:
• the model's mesh elements and nodes output in a format compatible with the
particular FEA program to be used
• all material data assigned to the model
• all properties assigned to the model
• all analyses applied to the model
Mechanica creates output decks in a variety of FEA formats.
When outputting a hierarchical mesh of an assembly, Mechanica creates a single

output file. Depending on whether your goal is to create an output file for
MSC/NASTRAN or any other solver, Mechanica arranges the data in two different
ways:
• For the NASTRAN solver, Mechanica outputs component meshes into sections
of a single file. Each section groups together all items that belong to a
particular component, such as coordinate systems, materials, properties,
nodes, elements, and so on.
• For other solvers, Mechanica lists separately all assembly nodes, all
coordinate systems, all materials, and so forth. The solver then restores the
hierarchy according to information each list provides.
Outputting to a User-Defined Solver

If a solver can accept input and generate output in the FEM Neutral Format, you can
use it to solve a model. You can include the name of the desired solver in the Solver
option menu by setting the pro_solver_name config.pro option. To enable the solver,
you need to specify the path to the solver executable by setting the pro_solver_path
config.pro option.
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A user solver should work as follows:
path_to_solver_executable input_file output_file
where:
input_file — input file in the FEM Neutral format with the extension .fnf
output_file — solution results file in the FEM Neutral format with the
extension .fnf
For example:
/abc/def/fea_solver model.fnf model_res.fnf
If it finds a solution, the user solver should return a zero value upon termination.
To Display Run Errors

If a run ended in an error, and an error message in the summary file for the run
directs you to use Results to review a diagnostic display of your model, follow this
procedure.
1. Select Analysis>Results or click .
The Results user interface appears.
2. Use the Results user interface to create a new result window containing the
design study that ran unsuccessfully. For help with this step, see To Define a
Result Window.
The way you define the result window does not affect the diagnostic display.
If you are only interested in the diagnostic display, use the default selections
on the Result Window Definition dialog box.
Partial results may also be available that enable you to define and show other
types of result windows.
3. Click the Display definition(s) from selection button on the toolbar.
Mechanica displays a message containing information about the error

encountered during the run.
4. Click OK in the message box.
Mechanica shows a diagnostic display of the model on which it highlights

entities associated with the error. If sufficient results are available, Mechanica
also shows any other result windows you defined.
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To Select the Iterative Solver
2. Select Settings from the Run menu or click (Configure run settings).
The Run Settings dialog box appears.
3. Select the Use Iterative Solver check box.
Additional items appear on the Run Settings dialog box.
4. Enter a value for the maximum number of iterations.

5. Enter a p-loop pass number for After P-Loop Pass. The iterative solver
takes over after the pass you specify.
Guidelines for Allocating RAM for Solver and

Element Data
The default values for RAM allocation for the block solver and for element data are
minimal values. If your machine has sufficient RAM and swap space available, you
may be able to improve the performance significantly by increasing RAM allocation
above the default values.
If you decide to use values other than the defaults, you can generally improve
performance by following these guidelines:
• For a static or prestress analysis with the direct solver, block solver RAM
should not exceed one-half of your machine RAM. In this case, the RAM
allocation for element data has no effect and the default value is the ideal
choice.
• For a static or prestress analysis with the iterative solver, block solver RAM
and the RAM allocation for element data together should not exceed three-
quarters of your machine RAM. A recommended starting point is to allocate
one-tenth of your machine RAM for your block solver and one-half of your
machine RAM for element data.
• For a modal, prestress modal, or buckling analysis, block solver RAM and the
RAM allocation for element data together should not exceed one-half of your
machine RAM. A recommended starting point is to allocate one-quarter of
your machine RAM for the block solver and one-quarter for element data.
• Block solver RAM and the RAM allocation for element data together should
never exceed three-quarters of your machine RAM.
You can find specific information about the block solver RAM and the RAM allocation
for element data in the element calculations section of the study/study.pas file,
located in the directory for output files.
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To set solver RAM allocation, refer to Guidelines for Setting Solram.
Detailed Summary
When you select the Detailed Summary check box on the status window during or
after a run, you access a log file for the run.
You can use the log file to:
• check the status of an analysis or design study during a run. Mechanica adds
new information to the log as the engine updates the log file
• access information about a completed run
You can access this same file through your operating system. The file is called
study/study.stt, located in the directory for output files (study is the name of your
analysis or design study).
Log information includes the following:
• the start and end time and date of the run

• a summary of the AutoGEM settings you specified for your model
• the settings on the Element Limits dialog box
• a running status report from AutoGEM
• a summary of the elements AutoGEM created
• the time and date of several milestones reached during the run
Milestones can include:
• the start and end times for calculating an analysis within the design study
• the time for starting a p-loop pass in an analysis
• other points at which the engine starts an action
For more information about the displayed log information, see Time and Disk Usage
Information.
Restrictions When Specifying Multiple

Working Directories
Be aware of the following restrictions and behaviors when specifying multiple
working directories. Your job may halt prematurely if you do not observe the
following:
• The only directory that can be shared with the study directory (also known as
the directory for output files) is dirn—the last directory you specify.
Mechanica fills dir1 to dirn completely with the .bas files if necessary, leaving
no space for other types of files. In order to ensure that the study directory
has adequate space, write it to a file system separate from any working
directory.
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Your engine job will stop if the study directory runs out of space.
• The only directory that can be NFS-mounted is dirn. Directories dir1 to dirn–1
must be local file systems. The .bas files cannot split past the first NFS
directory in the list because of NFS limitations.
• Directories dir1 to dirn must have enough space available to run your job.
There may be less available space than you expect. For example, if another
job is using one of the directories in the list at the same time as your job is, it
may decrease the available space.
You can increase the space available to your job by:
o adding local directories to the directory list

o freeing space in dir1 to dirn by moving or compressing files before
starting your job
o adding more local disks to your system
Managing Memory and Swap Space

All computers that run Mechanica use virtual memory, which allows programs to run
on your computer as if it had more RAM than is actually available. Use of virtual
memory involves some compromises, such as the following:
• Whatever memory your programs use must be backed up by an equivalent

amount of swap space, also known as paging space. Swap space is a specially
formatted area of your disk that the operating system can use while it is
managing the real memory, or machine RAM, of your computer.
In principle, the operating system could move all or part of the virtual memory
used by your program to the swap space area at any time. Therefore, if you
have a shortage of swap space, the operating system may cancel your job
because there is not enough room for your job to run.
• When the virtual memory used by your programs exceeds the available real
memory, performance may suffer. Performance suffers most when the
operating system must make frequent transfers between real memory and
the swap space area—that is, when the program repeatedly accesses more
virtual memory than is available in machine RAM.
Performance is acceptable only when transfers between real memory and the
swap space area are infrequent—that is, when the virtual memory area used
by the program is smaller than the available machine RAM.
For 32-bit machines, Mechanica cannot access more than 2 GB of virtual memory,
regardless of the amount of RAM or swap space available on your computer. For 64-
bit machines, Mechanica is limited to about 8 GB. If your operating system has
memory limits, Mechanica might be able to access even less virtual memory. If
Mechanica attempts to use more than the maximum available memory, your job is
likely to fail.
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You may be able to correct the failure by:
• decreasing solver RAM (solram)

• increasing memory limits
• increasing swap space
• decreasing model size
For additional information, see Guidelines for Allocating Swap Space.
Guidelines for Managing Disk Space

Resources
The following guidelines will help you to manage disk space resources:
• Try to anticipate resource usage and avoid resource shortages. Mechanica is

storage-intensive, so make sure you have ample disk and swap space, and
monitor the resource usage periodically. This approach helps prevent an
unexpected shortage of resources.
• Resource and performance information is written in the engine log file (the
study/study.stt file, where study is the design study name). The engine
updates the information in this file for each step of the analysis.
• While your job is running, you can estimate total disk space required by
reviewing the information printed in the study/study.pas file immediately
after the heading Begin Element Calculations. This information tells you how
large the factored global stiffness matrix will be (if you are using the direct
solver) and how large the element matrix files will be.
• For jobs using the direct solver, total disk space is approximately the size of
the global matrix file plus three times the size of the element matrix file.
• For jobs using the iterative solver, total disk space is approximately the size
of the element matrix file plus the global matrix profile for the last pass that
used the direct solver (that is, the pass immediately before the first iterative
solver pass).
• Some platforms allow you to configure two or more disks together as a
striped file system. A striped file system splits disk I/O among several disks in
parallel. You may be able to improve I/O performance and reduce elapsed
times by directing Mechanica working directories to the striped file system.
Managing Performance
The engine log file (study/study.stt file) maintains detailed information on how much
memory, disk space, elapsed time, and CPU time the engine uses as your job runs.
You can review this file to monitor resource requirements and performance. For
example, reviewing Step Elapsed Time and Step CPU Time can help you predict how
much time a particular job step will take at a future p-pass. Results inconsistent with
the trends in this file can help you identify and fix performance problems and
resource shortages.
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Modifying Analyses and Design Studies

Use the Analyses and Design Studies dialog box to modify analyses and design
studies. The dialog box contains a list of existing analyses and design studies.
To modify an analysis or design study, you select an analysis or design study from
the list, and then select Analyses/Study from the Edit menu. The dialog box you
used to create the analysis or design study appears so you can make any necessary
changes.
Analyses and Design Studies Toolbar

For fast access to some of the most commonly used commands on the menu bar, the
Analyses and Design Studies dialog box provides a toolbar with these buttons:
Button Action/Name
Edit Study — Opens the dialog box for the analysis or design
study you select so you can modify it.
Copy Study — Copies an analysis or design study.
Delete Study — Deletes the selected analysis or design study.
Start Run — Starts an analysis or design study run.
Stop Run — Stops an analysis or design study run.
Configure Run Settings — Opens the Run Settings dialog box

so you can define the settings for a run.
Display Study Status — Opens the status window for the

analysis or design study you select.
Strategy: Improving Convergence

If an analysis does not converge, the problem is typically due to a few unconverged
element edges located in specific areas of the model.
• Define a p-level plot for that analysis and use Dynamic Query to identify the
locations of the edges with maximum p-levels.
• Consider whether the high p-level is due to a local singularity. If so, you can
address the problem by spreading the constraints or loads over a larger area
or excluding noncritical elements from the convergence check.
• If these techniques are not an option, then break up the model into smaller
elements in the critical areas that did not converge. Although this method can
be tedious, it is a reliable way of improving convergence.
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-massnorm
This option specifies that the engine mass-normalizes mode shape vectors instead of
unit-normalizing them in modal analysis.
BLF Convergence
The convergence index is the maximum percentage change of any BLF (buckling load
factor).
In a buckling analysis, Mechanica calculates BLF and mode shape for each buckling
mode you specify. The BLF is the magnification factor by which the loads applied in a
previously specified static analysis would have to be multiplied to produce the critical
buckling load.
For more information, see Buckling Analysis.
–iter n
Specifies that the engine uses the iterative solver after polynomial pass n, a number
from 1 to 8. For more information on the iterative solver, see Select the Solver.
–i input_dir
Specifies the location of the directory containing the engine input files. This is the
directory with the same name as the design study you are running. The directory is
the same as the directory for output files you specify on the Run Settings dialog
box.
By default, Mechanica places this directory in the current directory.
Optimization Studies
The report contains the following information for each iteration, or step, of the
optimization:
• the value of each parameter

• the value of the goal measure and each limit measure
• a memory and disk usage summary at each step, similar to the summary
included at the end of every design study
The parameter value is a percentage of the range for the design parameter
associated with the parameter. This value tells you where Mechanica has moved the
design parameter at a specific stage of the optimization.
At the end of the study, Mechanica lists the values for each parameter and measure
for the best design found.
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Measure Convergence
The Structure engine calculates and reports in the summary report the convergence
percentage of each measure. The convergence index is the maximum percentage
change of any measure. The percentage change is the difference between the
current pass and the preceding pass divided by the value at the current pass. For
multiple load sets, the value is the maximum over all load sets.
Local Sensitivity Studies

The following information is included for each analysis in the study:
• convergence loop log

• the value of each measure calculated for each type of analysis included in the
study
• if you selected Calculate Reactions when defining a static analysis, values
for the resultant load on the model in the global X, Y, and Z directions
• for modal analyses, the modal frequency for each mode (cycles per unit time)
• derivative of each measure calculated in the analysis with respect to each
parameter
Local Disp/Energy Index, Local Temp/Energy

Index
These are local measures of convergence. The engine checks the percentage change
in total strain energy or total energy norm of each element, and the percentage
change in the displacement or temperature along each element edge.
After checking all elements and edges, the engine sets the local convergence index
to the maximum value encountered. For multiple load sets, the value is the
maximum over all load sets.
Global RMS Stress Index

This is an estimate of the square root of the error in the total strain energy, which is
the difference between the strain energy at the current pass and the exact strain
energy, divided by the exact strain energy. To estimate the exact strain energy, the
engine extrapolates the total strain energies of three successive passes.
The three successive passes are referred to as pass one, pass two, and pass three,
with pass three being the most recent. The index might detect a significant error if
the difference between pass three and pass two is not small compared to the
difference between pass two and pass one. For multiple load sets, the value is the
maximum over all load sets.
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Global Sensitivity Studies

The summary report contains a convergence loop log for each sensitivity step of a
global sensitivity study.
For more information on global sensitivity studies, see Global Sensitivity Study.
Global Energy Index

This is an estimate of the square root of the error in the total energy norm, which is
the difference between the energy norm at the current pass and the exact energy
norm, divided by the exact energy norm. To estimate the exact energy norm, the
engine extrapolates the total energy norms of three successive passes.
This index handles the three successive passes as described for the Global RMS
Stress Index.
Convergence index values always lie between 0% and 100%. The engine may
calculate values greater than 100% internally, but it reports 100% in this case.
Convergence Indicators
The convergence loop log also lists convergence indicators at each pass. These
percentages are based on changes between the current pass and the preceding pass,
and provide an indication of the accuracy of the results.
If you intentionally define an analysis that requires only a single p-loop pass by
setting the minimum and maximum polynomial orders to the same value, Mechanica
sets the convergence indicators to 100% and warns that convergence has not been
checked, because there is no preceding pass with which to compare.
The Structure engine calculates the following convergence indicators:
• Measure Convergence
• Frequency Convergence
• BLF Convergence
• Local Disp/Energy Index, Local Temp/Energy Index
• Global RMS Stress Index
• Global Energy Index
Strategy: Fixing Convergence Problems

When a study does not converge, you should create a convergence graph result
window. If the graph shows that the study almost converged during the run, the
results are likely to be quite accurate.
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If the graph shows that the quantity did not come close to converging, you should
take one or more of these steps, and then run the study again:
• Define and show a fringe plot of the p-level. This will show the polynomial
level to which Mechanica calculated to reach convergence for each edge. If
one or two elements went to much higher p-levels than the rest, you should
try dividing those elements by adding datum points in that location to seed
the mesh.
• If an element did not reach convergence at the location where a load, heat
load, constraint, convection condition, or prescribed temperature is applied on
a point, or at a small feature of significance, you should be sure you have the
appropriate point options selected in the Feature Isolation area of the
AutoGEM Settings dialog box. Proper use of these options enables AutoGEM
to create small elements surrounding the point or near the small feature.
• Check the convergence value you entered when you defined the analysis. If
that value is too tight, especially if it is below 1%, you should try loosening it.
• Check the polynomial order you entered when you defined the analysis. If the
maximum is lower than 9, you should try increasing it.
• If you are primarily interested in a quantity other than the convergence
quantity, check if that quantity converged. You only need to rerun the study if
the quantity of interest did not converge or come close to converging.
Frequency Convergence
The convergence index is the maximum percentage change of any modal frequency.
For more information on frequency, see Modal and Prestress Modal Analyses.
Temperature Distribution
Mechanica checks if a temperature load exists for an analysis that depends on it.
Error Detection in Optimization Studies

Mechanica checks if a measure is associated with the optimization goal if Goal is
selected, and if at least one limit is defined if Limits on Measures is selected. If
not, Mechanica displays an error message and does not start the run.
–solram ram_size
Specifies the amount, in megabytes, of memory to be allocated for direct solver
memory and for element data for the iterative solver. This option when used
overrides any values specified for the –elram and –bsram options. If you do not use
the –solram option, solver memory is 128 megabytes by default.
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Inconsistent Shell Normals

If the design study contains Structure analyses, Mechanica checks for inconsistent
shell normals in 3D models. If you have not fixed the normal direction of shells, or
you added any elements or flipped any normals since fixing them, Mechanica asks
you if you want the element normals to be automatically aligned.
Fixing normals may change the direction of any pressure load or material orientation
you create.
–sturm option
Specifies whether or not the Structure engine performs a Sturm sequence test for a
modal analysis. By default, the engine performs this test in certain situations to
ensure that it has identified the correct number of modes of vibration.
You can control Sturm sequence checking by using one of the following options:
–sturm default Equivalent to giving no –sturm command line option.

Mechanica performs a Sturm sequence test only for
those modal analyses that include a search for rigid
body modes. For nearly all models, Mechanica correctly
identifies all of the modes of vibration when you use
this option.
–sturm always Mechanica performs a Sturm sequence test for all

modal analyses, which may significantly increase
execution time.
–sturm never Mechanica does not perform a Sturm sequence test for
any modal analyses.
Error Resolution
During error checks, Mechanica displays message boxes asking you whether or not
you want to place the highlighted entities into groups. It does not consider boundary
edges and faces to be errors and does not prevent the run from starting.
If your model contains errors, Mechanica returns you to the Analyses and Design
Studies dialog box without executing the run. If your model contains no errors,
Mechanica continues on to the next step.
If your model does not contain errors, or if you did not check for errors, Mechanica
takes the following steps:
• saves the model, prompting you to enter a model name if you have not
previously saved it
• writes the engine input files and starts the engine
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The engine runs the design study in the background.
At any time during the run, you can:
• Check the study's status by selecting Info>Status on the Analyses and

Design Studies dialog box.
• Stop the run by clicking the Stop button.
Convergence Measures
Mechanica checks if measures are associated with any analyses in a design study
that use the Measure option for convergence. If there are no convergence
measures, Mechanica displays an error message and does not start the run.
Boundary Faces
Mechanica highlights all boundary faces—faces that belong to only one solid.
Although these are not actually errors, you can check each boundary face to make
sure it does not represent a missing element.
If your model contains boundary faces that are not associated with a surface,
Mechanica highlights just those faces separately. You can use this information to
identify missing elements.
Boundary Edges
Mechanica highlights all boundary edges. A boundary edge is an edge associated
with only one shell or solid, unless the edge is associated with a solid and a shell
coincident with a face of that solid.
If your model contains boundary edges that are not associated with a curve,
Mechanica highlights just those edges separately. You can use this information to
identify missing elements.
Allowable Errors
In most cases, Mechanica does not start a run if it finds errors. There are a few
errors that do not prevent a run from starting, including:
• loads, constraints, heat loads, prescribed temperatures, and convection

conditions that result in singularities
• elements that should be linked
• gravity loads that have no effect
For more information on allowable errors, see Check Model.
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Standard Design Study with Parameters

You can also create an offset design study by running a standard design study with
one or more parameters set to specific values. This option enables you to explore the
design space "manually," through a "what if" study.
Before defining and running a standard design study with parameters set, you need
to define design parameters. For more information on design parameter creation,
refer to Strategy: Using Design Parameters.
The basic strategy for running an offset design study with specific parameters set
and for reviewing the results is the same as for any standard design study.
Following are some additional reasons for running offset studies:
• To facilitate setting one or more parameters to specific values (for example,

the next size permitted by your manufacturing requirements). This allows you
to see how the model behaves without actually modifying the model.
• To set one or more design parameters to the start or end point of their range.
This technique enables you to bracket the results within the design space.
• To explore a local region of the design space, such as near a design produced
by an optimization study.
You can save the version of the model Mechanica creates when you run an offset
study.
Standard Studies: Static, Large Deformation

Static, Contact, Prestress Static, Modal,
Prestress Modal, Buckling, Steady-State
Thermal, and Transient Thermal Analyses
• for Structure analyses, the convergence method

• convergence loop log
• RMS stress error estimates
• total mass of model
• total cost of model
• moments of inertia about WCS origin
• principal MOI and principal axes relative to WCS origin
• center of mass location relative to WCS origin
• moments of inertia about the center of mass
• principal MOI and principal axes relative to COM for each
• if you selected Calculate Reactions when defining a static analysis, values
for the resultant load on the model in the global X, Y, and Z directions
• for modal analyses, the modal frequency for each mode (cycles per unit time)
• for static and steady-state thermal analyses, the value of each valid measure
for that analysis for each load set
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• for buckling analyses, the buckling load factor (BLF) for each mode. If only
negative BLFs appear, you should reverse the direction of the loads and rerun
the previous static analysis and the buckling analysis. The first positive BLF
mode is usually the one of interest.
• for contact analyses, the contact area for each load factor if the number of
load increments is greater than one
Standard Studies: Dynamic Time, Frequency,

and Random Analyses

• the value of each measure valid for that analysis, except measures using the
At Each Step option
Standard Studies, Dynamic Shock Analyses


• for each mode, the frequency, participation factor, effective mass, and total
mass (the frequency is in cycles per unit time)
• the value of each measure valid for shock analyses
–T
Specifies that Mechanica run the design study in demo mode. The run cannot exceed
a polynomial order of 4 in demo mode.
Matching Parameters
Mechanica checks if standard design studies with Set Parameters selected
reference another design study. This can happen if the study contains a dynamic
analysis with Use Previous Modes selected, or an analysis that includes a MEC/T
temperature load.
In either case, Mechanica checks that the parameters and parameter settings are the
same in both the current study and the other study referenced by an analysis in the
current study. If the parameters do not agree, Mechanica displays an error message
and does not start the run.
–p password
Specifies an optional password.
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-gdp
Specifies that the engine use an algorithm other than the default algorithm for an
optimization design study. This algorithm, gradient projection (GDP), is an
alternative to the default algorithm, sequential quadratic programming (SQP).
If you allow the optimizer to run in its natural state, Mechanica begins the run using
SQP. However, if it encounters an invalid model during an optimization and its
several recovery attempts fail, the software attempts to resolve the problem by
automatically switching from SQP to GDP for the remainder of the run.
In some situations, you may want to use the -gdp option to enforce the GDP
algorithm throughout the optimization. When making this decision, you should
understand the advantages and disadvantages of each algorithm.
SQP typically finds the optimum design faster than GDP does. The disadvantage of
SQP is that it does not guarantee that your design satisfies your limits at the end of
each iteration. It only guarantees that the optimum design satisfies your limits.
This means that if SQP ever fails to find an optimum design, there may be no
intermediate designs available that are improvements over the initial design. In
contrast, GDP tends to produce a series of intermediate designs that satisfy your
limits while getting closer to the goal. Thus, if speed is not an issue and you want to
ensure the availability of interim designs, use the -gdp option.
–elram ram_size
Specifies the amount, in megabytes, of RAM available to store element matrices
created by the iterative solver. This option is only relevant if you are also using the -
iter option. The value must be greater than 0.1. If you do not specify a value, or if
you omit this option, the engine allocates 2 megabytes by default.
Note: The bsram and elram options have been superseded by the solram
option. If you choose to use bsram and/or elram, you must specify them on
the msengine command line, or by editing the mecbatch file.
This allocation and the –bsram allocation represent part of the memory the engine
uses to run a design study. The engine dynamically allocates the rest of the memory
it needs for the run.
You can increase the speed of the iterative solver by increasing the amount of RAM
you allocate with this option.
As a general guideline, set this value to one-quarter of your machine RAM. Do not
set this value to more than half of your workstation installed RAM. The optimal value
also depends on other factors, such as what other processes are running on your
machine.
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–bsram ram_size
Specifies the amount, in megabytes, of block solver RAM the engine uses for
equation solving. The value must be greater than 0.1. If you do not specify a value,
or if you omit this option, the engine allocates 8 megabytes by default.
Note: The bsram and elram options have been superseded by the solram
option. If you choose to use bsram and/or elram, you must specify them on
the msengine command line, or by editing the mecbatch file.
This allocation and the –elram allocation represent part of the memory the engine
uses to run a design study. The engine dynamically allocates the rest of the memory
it needs for the run.
You can use the default allocation for any run. If you have a lot of RAM on your
machine, large models will run faster if you specify a higher RAM. You can slow the
run substantially if you specify an allocation that is too large to fit in available RAM.
You can also slow the run if you do not specify sufficient space, especially if you
specify less than the default.
As a general guideline for large models, set this value to one-half of your machine
RAM if you do not use the -iter option, and to one-quarter of your machine RAM if
you do use the -iter option. The optimal value also depends on other factors, such as
what other processes are running on your machine.
For more information, see Setting Up a Run.
–ascii
Specifies that the engine writes the engine output files in ASCII format.
Sample mecbatch File

The following example of a mecbatch file would start two design studies:
# Batch file written from:

# Mechanica Wildfire 2.0 -Parametric Technology 2003
# Wed Sept 8 12:24:54 2003
# Design Study Name " study1 "
$MECH_HOME/bin/msengine study1 -i ./ -w ./ -bsram 2 -elram 2
# Batch file written from:

# Mechanica Wildfire 2.0 -Parametric Technology 2003
# Wed Sept 8 12:27:23 2003
# Design Study Name " study2 "
$MECH_HOME/bin/msengine study2 -i ./ -w ./ -bsram 2 -elram 2
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Strategy: If Solver RAM Is Too Low

If you set solver RAM (solram) too low, performance suffers because Mechanica must
transfer data between machine RAM and disk files many more times than with a
larger setting. Because disk drives transfer data roughly 100 times slower than
machine RAM, excessive disk I/O can degrade system performance.
Performance may degrade significantly if you set solram to 0.1 times machine RAM
or less. In general, do not set the solram allocation to below 10% of machine RAM
unless you have severe memory constraints and you are prepared to accept
substandard performance. A solram allocation of 25% of machine RAM is
preferable—a setting of 50% of machine RAM is usually optimal. For guidelines on
setting the solver RAM allocation, refer to Guidelines for Allocating RAM for Solver
and Element Data.
Strategy: If Solver RAM Is Too High

The purpose of solver RAM (solram) is to reduce the amount of disk I/O. If you set
solram too high, performance usually suffers, even on machines with very large
RAM, for the following reasons:
• There will not be enough machine RAM for other important data. For example,
Mechanica allocates many large, non-solver memory areas that will cause
excessive swapping unless you leave enough spare machine RAM.
Except for the solver, Mechanica allocates memory for other operations as
needed. These other memory allocations can become large and, in
combination, are often larger than the solram allocation. Even for computers
with very large machine RAM, if you set the solram value too high, you may
force the other memory areas used by Mechanica out of RAM and into swap
space.
• There will not be enough RAM for the operating system to do disk caching.
Disk caching improves file system performance by holding file data in RAM for
faster access.
Setting solram to 0.5 times machine RAM is usually the best compromise between
reducing the amount of disk I/O and leaving enough machine RAM for disk caching
and for other data. By limiting the solram allocation to half the machine RAM or less,
you greatly increase your chances of achieving optimal performance. If there is too
much demand on machine RAM and swap space, system performance can be
severely degraded. In this situation, decreasing solver RAM can increase overall
system performance.
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Select the Solver

Mechanica uses one of two solvers in an analysis or design study. You can use either
the direct solver or the iterative solver. The direct solver and the iterative solver are
different methods by which Mechanica solves systems of simultaneous equations that
arise from the geometric element model.
Mechanica uses the direct solver by default because it usually requires less time, disk
space, and/or memory than the iterative solver. You should use the direct solver in
the following situations:
• if your model has thin features

• if your model did not converge using the iterative solver
• if your design study contains any analyses other than linear static, such as
contact, modal, or transient thermal
• if your model is insufficiently constrained or you want to locate constraint
problems in your model. For more information, see Insufficiently Constrained
Models.
If you want to try the iterative solver, you should monitor how much time and disk
space your models take to run with each type of solver. In this way, you can
determine which solver is best for which type of model.
Note: For jobs running the direct solver, an elapsed time/CPU time ratio much
greater than 4 may indicate a problem. For jobs running the iterative solver, a
ratio much greater than 7 may indicate a problem. The iterative solver
generally has a higher ratio of elapsed to CPU time because it does more I/O
per calculation than the direct solver.
Guidelines for Allocating Swap Space

Use the following guidelines to plan where you should allocate swap space and how
much you need:
• Always configure swap space from a fast local disk. Using swap space from a
remote computer can severely degrade performance.
• If possible, allocate swap space on disks that are not used for the Mechanica
working directories.
• The amount of swap space you need is the maximum of the three values
listed below:
o 250 MB
o 3 × your machine's RAM
o 1.5 × maximum job memory (see below)
You can estimate the job memory by performing these steps:
1. Start running the study.

2. After the first two passes, check the memory usage reported in the summary
file at the end of each pass.
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3. Use linear extrapolation to determine the amount of memory the run will need
for the pass at which you expect the analysis to converge (for example, the
maximum polynomial order you set for the analysis).
The following example shows how to calculate swap space requirements for a
machine that has 128 MB of RAM, and a model that you expect to converge after
seven polynomial passes:
pass 1 memory usage = 100 MB
pass 2 memory usage = 150 MB
estimated memory usage during pass 7 = 400 MB
swap space = max (250 MB, 3 × 128 MB, 1.5 × 400 MB) = 600 MB
Note: If you are using the iterative solver, the memory usage will jump
by the solram value after the first iterative solver pass.
For example, if you are running with –iter 2, then you should extrapolate
after pass 3 ends or add solram to the estimate you extrapolated from
passes 1 and 2. Your result will be the estimate of total memory use for
the job.
Guidelines for Setting Solram

You set solver RAM allocation with a single parameter, called solram.
• If the engine is the only memory-intensive application running on your

computer, performance is usually best if you set solram equal to half of your
machine RAM. For example, solram 120 is a good choice for a machine with
256 MB of RAM. Note that, for large models, Mechanica typically requires
more RAM to handle your model's element data. Thus, you may need to set
solram to less than 50% of your machine RAM to facilitate the run.
• If you are running other memory-intensive applications on your computer,
decrease the solram allocation accordingly. For example, set solram to 0.25
times machine RAM if you are running two large applications at once.
However, you often can run two large jobs faster one after another than if
you try to run both jobs at once.
The optimal values also depend on other factors, such as what other processes are
running on your machine, and the total amount of swap space available on your
machine. If increasing RAM allocation causes a decrease in performance or a
shortage of swap space, some performance gains might still be possible by
increasing RAM allocation to above the default values, but below the recommended
maximums.
For solver RAM settings that exceed maximum or minimum ideal settings, refer to
Strategy: If Solver RAM Is Too High and Strategy: If Solver RAM Is Too Low.
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mech_extopt.out File Format

The format of the mech_extopt.out file is as follows:
objective_value_1
objective_value_2
objective_value_nobj
limit_value_1
limit_value_2
limit_value_nlim
This file contains nobj objective values and nlim limit values.
–w working_dir1:working_dir2:...
Specifies the location of the directory or directories in which the engine places
temporary files during the run. Mechanica creates a subdirectory in the working
directory called study.tmp (study is the name of the design study you are running),
and deletes the directory at the end of the run.
If you are running a large model or the disk space available on your computer is
divided among several different directories, it may help to specify multiple working
directories for your Mechanica job. You can specify the list of directories to be used
as working directories from either the operating system command line or by editing
the command line in a Mechanica batch file.
You specify the list of working directories with the –w option, as follows (where dir1,
dir2, and so forth, are your directory names):
<install_dir>/bin/msengine... –w dir1:dir2:...:dirn
If you specify multiple working directories, Mechanica sequentially places temporary

files in the working directories as they reach capacity. When using multiple
directories, be sure that you specify enough directories, and that the directories are
large enough, to complete your run. If the directories are filled before the run
completes, the run will terminate. You must order your directories in the following
way to allow for how Mechanica places the files:
• Large files, with .bas extensions, fill the directories from left to right.
Therefore, specify the largest and fastest directories first in the directory list.
The .bas files hold data such as the element stiffness and mass matrices and
the factored global stiffness matrix.
Mechanica fills the first directory you specify in the command line, followed by
the second directory, and so on, until it reaches the dirn directory. For
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example, Mechanica uses the directory dir1 until it is filled, then dir2 is used,
and so on.
• Other files, such as .tmp files, go only into the last directory specified (dirn).
The dirn directory must be big enough to hold all of the .tmp files. Be sure
that the last directory can hold at least 50 MB of data. On very large models,
this directory may need to hold as much as 5 or 6 GB. Again if you exceed the
allotted directory space, the run will terminate, so be sure the last directory
specified is sufficiently large.
• Input and output files (those with the extensions .mdb, .rpt, .stt, .err, or
.pas) can go in the last directory specified, or in a separate directory from the
–w list. For higher performance during pre- and post-processing, you can
move the input and output files back to the fastest disk.
The working directory is the same as the directory for temporary files you
specify on the Run Settings dialog box. By default, Mechanica places this
directory in the current directory.
Strategy: Running the Engine with Parallel

Processing
By default, Mechanica automatically selects the number of CPU's it will use during a
run. For systems with one CPU, Mechanica always uses standard serial processing.
For parallel processor machines, Mechanica attempts to use all CPUs on the machine.
In certain situations, however, you may want to limit the number of CPUs the
software can use. When making this decision, you need to balance the benefits of
parallel processing against its limitations.
The main advantage of parallel processing is that it can improve solution times.
Parallel processing is most likely to improve a design study run time under the
following conditions:
• Only a single user is using the computer at the time of the run.
• The computer is equipped with a fast disk, ample memory, and individual
processors that are fast in and of themselves.
• The ratio of elapsed time to CPU time is close to a value of 1 with one CPU.
• Your model is large, solid, and blocky in shape.
Even if these conditions are present, your elapsed run time might improve only
slightly when you run the engine in parallel processing mode because parallel
processing accelerates just a few phases of the overall solution process.
The main disadvantage of parallel processing is that, if you are running other jobs at
the same time as Mechanica, you can experience performance bottlenecks. Thus,
unless you expect substantial gains from using all CPUs in your system for the
engine or you have no other jobs planned for your system during the engine run,
you may want to limit the number of CPUs dedicated to the engine.
If you do not want to use all of the CPUs in your system for the engine job, you can
set the environment variable MEC_NUM_THREADS to the anticipated number of idle
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CPUs on the machine. For example, on a 4-CPU machine with one CPU-intensive job
running in addition to the parallel job, set MEC_NUM_THREADS to 3.
Note that Mechanica does not support parallel processing on the HP 32-bit platform.
mech_extopt.in File Format

The format of the mech_extopt.in file is as follows:
ndp
design_parameter_name_1 value_1
design_parameter_name_2 value_2
design_parameter_name_ndp value_ndp
nobj
objective_name_1 analysis_name_1
objective_name_2 analysis_name_2
objective_name_nobj analysis_name_nobj
nlim
limit_name_1 analysis_name_1
limit_name_2 analysis_name_2
limit_name_nlim analysis_name_nlim
where
• ndp is the number of design parameters

• nobj is the number of objectives (in Mechanica, there is just one single
objective)
• nlim is the number of limits
You must specify:
• the names and values of design parameters

• for objectives and limits, the names of measures defined in Mechanica, as
well as the names of analyses in which these measures are used
After P-Loop Pass

This item appears only if you selected Iterative Solver.
The iterative solver takes over from the direct solver after the pass you specify. You
can enter a number from 1 to 9. The default of 2 is usually the best choice. The
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iterative solver does not always converge if you set this value to 1, and if you set the
value to 3 or higher, your job might use excessive time, disk space, and/or memory.
Maximum Number of Iterations

This item appears only if you selected Iterative Solver.
Use this item to specify the maximum number of iteration attempts the iterative
solver can make during equation solving. The default is 3000.
If the solver exceeds the number of iterations, Mechanica terminates the run. When
you re-run the study, allow the block solver to complete one more pass by increasing
the After P-Loop Pass number by 1.
Reviewing Results
Results for Native Mode
About Results
Use the Analysis>Results command to display the results of an analysis or design
study. You view results by defining and displaying one or more result windows. For
additional information on FEM mode results, see About FEM Results.
The type of model and the items you select in your analysis or design study
determine the quantities, locations, and displays that are available in results.
Mechanica displays your results using the display format, combined with the quantity
and location you select, to define your result window. Only certain combinations of
quantities and displays are valid depending on the type of model, design study, or
analysis you select for the result window. In addition, a selection in one category
might not be valid with some items in the other categories.
You can access results for both structural and thermal analyses after you select
Analysis>Results. For information you should know about this command, see
Before You Use the Results Command.
If you have a model open when you select the Analysis>Results command,
Mechanica handles this model differently depending on the mode you are using. This
affects the state of your working model while you are looking at results.
When you select the Analysis>Results command, Mechanica opens the Results
user interface. Use this user interface to view, evaluate, and generate reports on
analyses and design studies. You use the Result Window Definition dialog box to
define and display your results.
Once you have found a combination of results that work well for your application,
you can save these results as a template using the File>Save As Template
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command. After you have saved a template, you can recall that template using the
Insert>Results Window from Template command. This command opens the
Insert Result Windows from Template dialog box.
You can also see results information in the summary file available through the
Analysis>Mechanica Analyses/Studies command. This information gives you an
idea of how well the model withstands the effects of the loads and constraints you
apply in your design studies.
Even if a design study run is still in progress or ended in error, you might still be able
to display results. You can also get information about convergence problems from
looking at results. For more information, see Troubleshoot Run Problems.
Working with the Results User Interface

When evaluating analysis and design study results, you work within the Results user
interface. This user interface lets you view, evaluate, and manage results for your
analyses and design studies. The Results user interface is independent of the
Mechanica workspace. The way you open the Results user interface depends on the
mode in which you are operating Mechanica.
• Native mode — Use the Analysis>Results command to open the Results

user interface.
• FEM mode — Use the File>Open FEM Results command to open the .frd
file that contains the FEM mesh and analysis results for the model on your
screen. If you have performed an analysis of your model using the
MSC/NASTRAN solver, in addition to being able to view FEM mesh and
analysis results, you can also have a direct access to a NASTRAN results .xdb
file. For information on different ways of loading results, see Using the
Postprocessor in FEM Mode.
The Results user interface incorporates a menu bar, toolbar, a set of basic functions,
and a built-in workflow designed to facilitate results viewing. This workflow enables
you to set up a variety of result views, evaluate individual results, and control scaling
and visualization of multiple results so that you can easily compare one quantity of
interest with another.
Here is a step-by-step overview of what we suggest as your workflow:
1. Viewing results — You define result windows, display and hide them, and
control how they appear on-screen and in your reports.
2. Evaluating results — You study the result windows you defined, probe
specific areas of your model, and compare your findings for one model,
design study, result quantity, or set of conditions with your findings for
another.
3. Saving result windows — You save the set of result windows you created
so that you can review or re-use them later.
4. Generating reports — You prepare printed and online reports for evaluation
and presentation.
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While this sequence represents the most linear approach to reviewing results, you
may find that you move back and forth through these steps as you refine the result
views you have set up.
Tip: You can perform many operations in the Results user interface against
both single and multiple windows. For example, you can change backgrounds
for multiple windows, rotate multiple result windows, and so forth.
To select a single result window, move your cursor to the window and left-
click it. Mechanica highlights the window border in yellow. To select multiple
result windows, press the SHIFT key and left-click each of the windows you
want. If you select multiple result windows, Mechanica deactivates certain
commands, such as Edit>Result Window and Export>VRML.
Results User Interface Menu Bar

The Results user interface features a menu bar at the top of the screen. You create
and manage your results using the menus. To acquaint you with the organization of
menu bar, here is an overview:
• File menu — Provides commands that control such basic functions of the
Results user interface as opening result sets, closing the interface, saving
result definitions, and generating reports.
• Edit menu — Provides commands that modify result definitions, legends,
cutting and capping planes, and annotations.
• View menu — Provides commands that control such aspects of results
viewing as model position, shading, and overlays. You can also use this menu
to display or hide result windows, start and stop animations, change or save
the orientation of your model, and control the visual characteristics of result
windows.
• Insert menu — Provides commands that define result windows, cutting
planes, capping planes, and annotations.
• Info menu — Provides commands that probe your model for specific items of
interest such as quantity maximums and minimums, exact quantities at
model locations you select, and so forth. Also provides commands to display
node IDs, element IDs, and node result values in FEM mode.
• Format menu — Provides commands that format result window values, color
spectrums, and scales.
• Utilities menu — Provides commands that refine your results and let you
perform result comparisons against the same scale.
• Window menu — Provides commands that let you manipulate your result
windows within the Results user interface.
The Results user interface also includes a toolbar whose buttons give you fast access
to the most frequently used commands on the menus just discussed.
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Results User Interface Toolbar

Results user interface provides a toolbar with these buttons:
Button Action/Name
Open — Closes the current set of result definitions and opens a

new one.
Save — Saves the result windows currently available in the

Results user interface.
Save As — Saves the result windows currently available in the

Results user interface to a .rwd file you specify.
Print — Prints all currently displayed result windows.
Insert — Lets you create a result window definition.
Edit — Lets you edit a result window definition.
Copy — Lets you copy result window definitions.
Delete — Deletes the selected result windows.
Display — Lets you pick which result windows you want to

display.
Hide — Hides the selected result windows.
Repaint — Repaints all currently displayed result windows.
Zoom In — Zooms in on the model in the selected result

window.
Zoom Out — Zooms out from the model in the selected result
window.
Refit — Refits the model in the selected result window.
Default — Returns the model to the default view.
Saved Views — Repositions your model to the orientation of the

saved view that you select from the list.
Start Animation — Starts an animation of the model in the

selected result window.
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Stop Animation — Stops an animation.
Step Animation Backward — Steps backward through an

animation frame by frame.
Step Animation Forward — Steps forward through an

Animation Playback Speed Control — Speeds up or slows

down all currently displayed animations.
Basic Functions for the Results User Interface

The Results user interface provides a set of three commands that let you perform
basic, low-level functions like opening a set of result windows or closing the Results
user interface. These activities are generally preliminary to setting up a results
session. You can find all three basic commands on the File menu.
Here is an overview of the basic commands:
• New — Use this command to start a new results session.

• Open — Use this command to open an existing set of result definitions and
view the associated result windows.
• Exit Results — Use this command to close your results session.
Each of these commands clears the current contents of the Results user interface.
When you select any of these commands, Mechanica prompts you to save any result
windows currently defined for the results session. If you want to save the result
windows, reply Yes. Mechanica displays the Save Results Window dialog box. Use
this dialog box to create a new .rwd file or save the result windows to an existing
.rwd file.
Defining and Viewing Results

Viewing Results
To view results, you perform three activities—define result windows, display result
windows, and control the general appearance of the result windows you define. The
Results user interface features easy, direct methods of defining result windows as
well as a variety of view controls. Here is an overview of the method you use to view
results:
• Define result windows — You define result windows through the

Insert>Result Window command or by clicking the Insert button on the
toolbar. Mechanica opens the Result Window Definition dialog box. Use the
dialog box to select the design studies, display types, quantities, and
locations you are interested in.
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If you want to add or compare the result windows you define to an existing
set of result window definitions, use the Insert>Result Window From File
command in concert with Insert>Result Definition.
You may find that you can define result windows more quickly by copying
them.
• Display and hide result windows — You display result windows through
the View>Display command or by clicking the Display button on the
toolbar. When you select this command, the Display Result Window dialog
box appears, enabling you to select and deselect various result windows to
display.
You hide windows by clicking the Hide button. You can hide a single window
or multiple windows. You will find this particularly handy as you prepare to
generate reports.
You can also make a selected result window occupy the entire Result user
interface work area through the Windows>Full Screen command. This
command expands the current window to occupy the work area.
• Control result window appearance — You control how result windows

appear on-screen through commands on the View and Format menus. You
can also perform some of these activities through toolbar buttons.
When you set up your result windows as you want, you can begin to evaluate and
compare results. Once you have studied your result windows, you may also want to
alter, copy, or delete some of them.
Defining Result Windows

Result Window Definition Dialog Box
Use the Result Window Definition dialog box to define the contents of a result
window.
Valid quantity and display combinations depend on whether you are working in
native mode or FEM mode as well as on the type of model, design study, and
analyses you select for the result window. In addition, a selection in one category
may not be valid with some items in the other categories.
When you select Analysis>Results, the Result Window Definition dialog box
appears. In FEM mode, you can use the Results command when you want to load
results directly from a NASTRAN .xdb file. To load Mechanica FEM mesh and results
file, select File>Open FEM Results.
The Result Window Definition dialog box consists of these main areas:
• Name and title area — Enter a name and title for the result window. The
name you enter appears in the list on the Display Result Window dialog
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box. The title appears at the bottom center of the result window. You can
change the name and title at any time.
• Study Selection — Select the design study or analysis that the software will
use to generate the result display. You can also use this area to select modes,
load sets, time steps, and load steps if these are part of the analysis or design
study you select.
• Display Type — Select the type of display for your result window.
• Quantity tab — Select the quantity for your result window. After you select a
quantity from the first option menu, you may see additional option menus or
buttons you can use to complete selecting a quantity.
• Display Options tab — Select various options for displaying your results.
The available options depend on the display type you choose.
• Display Location tab — Select specific locations on your model to display in
the results window.
The Result Window Definition dialog box provides a top-down approach to

defining the result window. As you make selections at the top of the dialog box,
different choices become active or inactive as you move down from one area to
another area. The type of design study you select affects the available display types
and quantities that are available. When you select a display type, that determines
the quantities and display options that are available. The dialog box lets you select
only valid combinations.
For strategies on choosing among the various result window types, see Reviewing
the Results.
You can display result windows using these methods:
• If you are still working with the Result Window Definition dialog box, click
the OK And Show button.
• If you have finished defining results and are working in the Results user
interface, click the Display button on the toolbar and select result windows
from the Display Result Window dialog box. As an alternative, you can use
View>Display.
Study Selection Area

Use the Study Selection area of the Result Window Definition dialog box to
select the design study/analysis that the software uses to generate the result
display.
The Study Selection area displays the following:
• Design Study — Select the design study for which you want to display the
results. The design study name appears in the display-only text box to the
right of the button. In FEM mode, if you are loading results directly from a
NASTRAN .xdb file, use the button to open the Load NASTRAN XDB dialog
box. On this dialog box, you need to select the .xdb file from which you want
the software to read the results.
• Analysis — Select an analysis that is part of the design study you select.
• Step/Combination — Select a subset of design study results.
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Step/Combination Selection
The step/combination selection table displays different columns depending on the
design study you select. You can select one or more subsets to include in the result
display. If there is only one subset for a design study, the subset is selected by
default and you cannot clear it.
The possible subsets in the step/combination selection table are:
• Load Set/Mode — When you select a static, modal, or steady-state thermal

design study, the table lists the load sets or modes used in the study. You can
select one or more load set/mode combinations and provide a scaling factor
for each load set/mode combination you select. The default scaling factor is
1.0. Note that there are special considerations if you use scaling with
centrifugal loads.
• Time/Frequency/Load Step — When you select a static large deformation,
dynamic frequency, dynamic time, or transient thermal analysis, the table
lists the time, frequency, or load steps present in the design study. These are
the user-defined steps you defined when you created the analysis. You can
select one step from the list.
• Mode (Buckling/Prestress Modal) — When you select a buckling or
prestress modal design study, the table lists the mode and buckling load
factor present in the design study. You can select one mode or buckling load
factor from the list.
Display Type Area

Use this area to define the way you want Mechanica to display your results. The
design study or quantity you select can make one or more of the display types
unavailable on the option menu.
These items can appear on the Display Type option menu:
• Fringe — Displays a graphical representation of your model, showing the

measurements of the quantity you specify as filled color regions—each
corresponding to a numeric range calculated by the analysis or design study.
You can also create a contour plot using this display type.
• Vectors — Displays a graphical representation of your model, showing the
measurements and directions of the quantity you specify as colored vector
arrows. This display type is not available in FEM mode.
• Graph — Displays a graph of your model's behavior. Graphs display the
relationship between a quantity and the graph location, such as P-loop pass,
curve or edge, time, or frequency.
• Model — Displays your model's geometry in its original or deformed state.
Model representations are useful if you want to show a simple animation of
how your model deforms or if you want to show the optimized shape of your
model. This display type is not available for Thermal.
You can query linearized stresses for your model by selecting Model as the
display type, Stress as the quantity, and Linearized as the component.
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When the result window displays, select Linearized Stress Query from the
Info menu.
Quantity Tab
Use the Quantity tab on the Result Window Definition dialog box to select a
quantity for your result window display. The choices that appear on the Quantity tab
depend on the design study and display type you select. The items that are available
change immediately if you change the design study or display type.
These are the items that can appear on the Quantity tab:
• Quantity — Select the quantity you want to display in the result window. The
menu displays only the quantities that are valid for the design study and
display type you choose. The quantity you select determines which of the
remaining items appears on the Quantity tab.
• Secondary Quantity Option Menu — Select a secondary quantity to display
in the result window. This item appears if you select Fatigue, Reaction,
Shell Resultant, or Beam Resultant from the Quantity option menu.
• Component — Select the component you want to display in the result
window. The menu displays only components that are valid for the quantity
you select from the Quantity menu, and only appears for certain quantities.
• Relative To — Select the reference for a directional component. This item
appears only if you select a directional component.
• Graph Location — Select the type of location you want to use for your graph
results display. This area appears only if you select a display type of Graph.
The following additional items are available depending on the quantity you select and
whether beams or shells are present in the model. These items do not appear in FEM
mode.
• Include Contribution from Beams — Select the beam contributions to

include in the result window definition. This area appears only if there are
beams in the model.
• Include Contribution from Shells — Select the shell contributions to
shells in the model.
In addition to using the Quantity tab to define your basic result quantity, you use
the Display Options tab and Display Location tab to further refine the result
window display.
Display Options Tab

Use the Display Options tab on the Result Window Definition dialog box to
determine the appearance of your results window display.
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Selecting one of these display types determines the options available on the Display
Options tab:
• Fringe (includes contour)

• Vectors (not available for FEM mode)
• Graph
• Model (not available for thermal mode)
If you select a display type and then select a design study or quantity that is not
compatible with that display type, Mechanica removes the display type from the
option menu and displays only the valid display types for that design study and
quantity combination.
Display Location Tab

Use the Display Location tab on the Result Window Definition dialog box to
select specific locations to display in your result window.
These items appear on the Display Location tab:
• Display Location — Select the type of location you want to display in your
result window. The options available on this menu vary depending on the
design study, display type, and quantity you select. These items can appear
on the menu:
o All — Display all locations in the result window. This is the default
value.
o Beams — Display beams in the result window.
o Curves — Display curves in the result window.
o Surfaces — Display surfaces in the result window.
o Volumes — Display volumes in the result window.
o Components/Layers — Display specific components or layers in the
result window.
Select the Use All check box to display all Beams, all Curves, all Surfaces, all
Volumes, or all Components/Layers in the result display window.
• Location Selector Arrow — Use the selector arrow to select the specific
entity on your model that you want to display in the results window. You can
select more than one entity. If you accept the default All, the selector arrow
is unavailable.
To Define a Result Window
1. From the Insert menu, select Result Window or click (Result Window)
on the Results user interface toolbar.
The Result Window Definition dialog box appears.
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2. In the Name text box, enter a name to identify the result window so that you
can show or hide the window during your results session, or use the default.
3. In the Title text box, enter the title that you want to display at the bottom
center of the result window.
4. Select the design study for which you want to display results by clicking .
5. If the design study has more than one analysis, select an analysis from the
Analysis option menu.
6. If Mechanica displays a step/combination table below the Design Study and
Analysis option menus, select a load set, mode, time step, or frequency from
the table.
7. Select one of these display types from the Display Type option menu:
o Fringe
o Vectors
o Graph
o Model
8. Select a quantity from the Quantity option menu on the Quantity tab.
9. Select the Display Options tab and choose among the display options to
determine the appearance and behavior of your model in the result window.
10. Select the Display Location tab and choose a location from the option menu.
If you want to use all entities of a certain location type, select the Use All
check box. To select a single entity, click the selector arrow.
11. To display the result window, click OK And Show. To close the dialog box
without displaying the result window, click OK.
To Display a Result Window
1. Select View>Display or click (Display) on the toolbar.
Mechanica displays the Display Result Window dialog box.
2. If you want to display one or more result windows in the result window list,
select the desired result windows.
Mechanica highlights each selection you make.
3. If you want to display all result windows in the list, click (Select All).
Tip: If you need to deselect all result windows, click (Deselect All).
4. Click OK.
Annotating Result Windows

Use the Insert>Annotation menu option to create or edit one or more annotations
for a result window. You can use annotations to create notes about the results or the
model, to point out specific results or features on your model, to make your result
reports more meaningful to others, and so on.
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You can customize annotations in many ways. If you want to include text, you can
surround the text with a border and a background color. You can have leader lines,
with or without arrows, that point to one or more places on your model. Using the
mouse sketch tools, you can be very creative by adding shapes or drawings to your
annotation. Any part of the annotation can have its own unique color and you can
place it anywhere on the active window.
When you select the Insert>Annotation menu option, the Note dialog box appears
with the following options:
• Text — Change the font, the font size, and the font color.
• Note Location — Select the location where you want the annotation text to
appear. The annotation appears to the right of the point you select.
• Leader — Create one or more leaders for the annotation. You select a point
on your model and Mechanica draws the leader line from the annotation to
that point. Use the arrow button to put an arrow at the end of the line. If you
reorient the model, the end of the leader line that is on the model moves with
the model.
• Display Leader Arrow — Display an arrow at the end of the leader.

• Mouse Sketch — Create a circle, square, or multiple line shape.
• Style — Open the Note Style dialog box.
Use the Preview button at any time to apply any changes you have made without
closing the dialog box.
Evaluating Results
The way you evaluate results depends on the type of result window you are working
with. For example, if you are examining fringe plots, you are likely to be interested in
the location of the quantity maximum, the value of the quantity at specific locations,
how one quantity compares with another, and so forth. If you are looking at
animations, you are likely to be interested in how the model deforms, the pattern of
deformation at different steps, how behavior in one mode compares with behavior in
another, and so forth.
Here is an overview of methods and tools you can use to evaluate the different types
of Mechanica results:
• Fringe, contour, and vector plots — You perform three basic activities
depending on how deeply you need to examine the model for the result
quantity:
o Adjust the legend, perform comparisons with other result windows,
and, if necessary, shade or unshade your model.
o Probe your model for specific information like maximum and minimum
locations or how the interior of your model responded during analysis.
o In FEM mode, display information about the element ID's, node ID's,
and values of the result quantity at each node.
• Graphs — You perform two basic activities depending on how much detail
you need on the quantity:
o Adjust the graph, perform comparisons with other result windows.
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o Probe the graph to obtain more exact values for specific segments of
the graph or points on the graph.
• Animations — You can start, stop, and control stepping and speed for the
animation. You can also perform comparisons with the original model shape
as well as with other animations.
Once you have evaluated your results, you should save the result definitions for later
use. At this point, you can also generate reports on your results.
After you have studied your result windows, you may also find that you want to
Loading Result Windows

To preserve your work, you typically save a set of result windows you have defined
to a named .rwd file so you can use the windows later.
In future sessions, you can load this file, review the result windows, modify the
definitions, add new result windows to the file, or delete windows. You can load
existing result windows in two ways:
• File>Open — Use to start a new result session with the result windows active
and displayed. This command is convenient if you have just started your
results session or if you are finished looking at any result windows you may
have created in the current session.
Before executing this command, Mechanica checks to see if any you have
changed any of the result windows in the current session. If so, the software
asks you whether you want to save the result windows. If you respond Yes,
the software executes a Save command before starting the new result
session.
• Insert>Results Window from File — Use to load existing result windows

into the current session and add them to the list of windows you can view.
This command is handy when you want to preserve the result windows you
created during the current session, but also want to see the windows saved
from an earlier session.
Mechanica ensures that you do not overwrite current result windows by giving
you the opportunity to rename any result windows that have duplicate names.
When you select either of these commands, a dialog box appears. Select the name of
the file you want to load or enter it without the .rwd extension Mechanica gave the
file.
To Load a Result Window

This procedure assumes you are in the Insert menu. There is an alternate method
of loading result windows using the File>Load command. However, the effect on the
existing session is different.
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1. Select Insert>Result Window From File.
The Load Result Windows dialog box appears.
2. Select the name of the file you want to load or enter it without the .rwd
extension Mechanica gave the file.
3. If you load a result window with the same name as a result window already
on the dialog box, the New Result Window Name dialog box appears. Enter
a new name for the result window definition you want to load.
4. Click OK.
If you have not yet created or loaded any other result windows in the results session,
the Results user interface title bar displays the name of the .rwd file you selected in
step 2.
Saving Results
After you create one or more result windows, you can save these windows to a file
for later use. Mechanica saves result windows in .rwd files. Saving result windows
makes it easier to restore and add to your work. You can also use result windows as
templates for developing result windows for multiple models.
Use one of these commands on the File menu to save your result definitions:
• Save — Use to save the current set of result definitions and associated views
in a single .rwd file. If you defined the set of result windows in the current
session and this is the first time you have saved them, Mechanica saves the
windows to a file named Untitled.rwd. If the result windows displayed were
saved to a named .rwd file in the past, Mechanica saves them to the named
file.
• Save As — Use to save the current set of result definitions and associated
views as a named .rwd file. When you click Save As, Mechanica displays the
Save Result Windows dialog box. Use this dialog box to choose a directory
and name the file. Do not include the .rwd extension in the file name you
enter—Mechanica appends this automatically.
When you use Save As to create a named .rwd file, the name of the .rwd file
appears in the Results user interface title bar whenever you load the named
.rwd file using Insert>Results Window From File as the first activity in your
results session.
• Save As Template — Use to save the current result window definition and
some of the result window attributes as a named template as a .rwt file.
When you click Save As Template, Mechanica displays the Save Results
Template dialog box. Use this dialog box to choose a directory and name the
file. Do not include the .rwt extension in the file name you enter—Mechanica
appends this automatically.
You can optionally store the legend values, model orientation, annotations, and
deformed scale for the result window as part of the template. Once you create
a result window definition as a template, you can create other result windows
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from the template by selecting the Insert>Results Window From Template

command.
Regardless of which approach you use, be aware that Mechanica includes paths for
the study directories referenced by the result windows in the .rwd file. Mechanica
uses an absolute path when it writes this information to the .rwd file, but you can
instruct Mechanica to use a relative path instead through the sim_pp_path_absolute
config.pro option.
You can retrieve a set of saved windows using one of the load commands.
Generating Reports
Once you define and display result windows, you can generate reports that capture
the vital points of your analyses and design studies. Mechanica provides you with the
ability to print reports in a wide variety of print formats, to output reports as HTML,
and to generate VRML reports. For graphs, you can generate specialized graph
reports so you can study the graph sampling points in depth.
Use these commands located on the File menu to generate reports:
• Print — Use to print a selected result window to a printer or to a file.

• Export — Use to generate each of the following report types, selectable from
the associated submenu:
o Image — Use to generate printed images. This command is identical
to File>Print.
o Direct VRML — Use to export a single fringe plot at a time in VRML
format.
o HTML Report — Use to export result windows to an HTML file for web
viewing.
o Graph Report — Use to export a graph report file for a single,
selected graph. The output file is a text file.
o Excel — Use to export a single graph for viewing in Microsoft Excel.
The output file is a .xls file.
o MPEG — Use to export a single animated result window to an MPEG
file.
When preparing to generate reports, you may want to pay particular attention to the
aesthetics of the result windows you are printing or exporting. You should also
consider formatting the result windows to emphasize the aspects of the result you
want to focus on when you share the information with others.
For example, blended or dark background colors may make it difficult to read some
of the information, depending on the quality of your printer. You may want to
eliminate excess text from the result window by using Format>Result Window and
turning off labels. You may want to work with the Format Legend dialog box to
ensure that you are using the best color scale to reflect what takes place in a fringe
plot. You can highlight parts of your results and add information using annotations.
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To Define an Acceleration Quantity

in To Define a Result Window.
1. Select Acceleration from the Quantity option menu on the Quantity tab.
2. Select a component from the Component menu.
3. If you select a directional component, select an option from the Relative To
option menu.
4. If you select Graph from the Display Type option menu, select an option
from the Graph Location option menu, then use the selector arrow to select
the location from your model.
To Animate a Results Display

1. Select Animate.
The Auto Start check box, the animation buttons, and the Frames entry box
become available.
2. If you want to start the animation as soon as the result window opens, select
Auto Start.
3. If you want the animation to automatically run in reverse after it runs
forward, click .
4. If you want the animation to automatically repeat over and over from the
beginning, click .
5. If you want the animation to automatically alternate between forward and
reverse, click .
6. Enter the number of frames in the animation or accept the default.
When you display or load a result window with an animation, you can use the slider
on the toolbar to speed up or slow down the animation.
To Specify a Result Window Quantity

Select a quantity from this list to access the procedure for creating a result window
display for the quantity. These procedures assume that you have completed the
appropriate preliminary steps in To Define a Result Window:
• Acceleration • Rotation Velocity

• Beam Resultant • Shear & Moment
• Contact Pressure • Shell Resultant
• Displacement • Strain
• Failure Index • Strain Energy
• Fatigue • Stress
• Flux • Temp Gradient
• Measure • Temperature
• P-Level • Thermal Strain (FEM only)
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• Reaction • Thermal Strain Energy (FEM only)

• Reactions at Point Constraints • Velocity
• Rotation
• Rotation Acceleration
Note: The P-Level quantity does not require a procedure. For information on
this quantity, see P-Level Results Quantity.
To Specify Result Window Display Options

The display options available on the Display Options tab vary depending on the
display type you choose from the Display Type option menu. Select a display type
from the following list to access the procedure for defining the display options for the
quantity you selected. These procedures assume that you have completed the
appropriate preliminary steps in To Define a Result Window:
• Fringe
• Contour
• Vectors
• Graph
• Model
To Define a Displacement Quantity

1. Select Displacement from the Quantity option menu on the Quantity tab.
2. If you are working with dynamic analysis results in FEM mode, select
Amplitude or Phase.
option menu.
To Define a Deformed Results Display

1. To display your model with deformations in the result window, select

Deformed.
The Overlay Undeformed and Transparent Overlay check boxes become

available.
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2. To superimpose the undeformed model over the results model, select

Overlay Undeformed.
3. To display the overlay as a transparent filled representation of the model,
select Transparent Overlay.
4. In the Scaling text box, enter a positive real number. If you do not want to
display the scaling value as a percentage, clear the Percent (%) check box.
To Define a Contour Results Display

1. Enter the number of legend levels to display or accept the default.

2. Select Contour. The Label Contours and IsoSurfaces check boxes become
available.
3. To display labels along the contour lines, select Label Contours.
4. To show isosurfaces in your model, select IsoSurfaces.
5. To include displacements or deformation when you display your model, select
Deformed.
6. To display the edges of the elements in your model, select Show Element
Edges.
7. To animate your results, select Animate.
To Define a Contact Pressure Quantity

1. Select Contact Pressure from the Quantity option menu on the Quantity
tab.
To Define a Beam Resultant Quantity

1. Select Beam Resultant from the Quantity option menu on the Quantity
tab.
2. Select a secondary quantity from the secondary quantity option menu.
4. Select an option from the Relative To option menu.
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To Define a Rotation Quantity

1. Select Rotation from the Quantity option menu on the Quantity tab.
2. If you are working with dynamic analysis results in FEM mode, select
Amplitude or Phase.
option menu.
To Define a Rotation Velocity Quantity

1. Select Rotation Velocity from the Quantity option menu on the Quantity
tab.
option menu.
To Define a Rotation Acceleration Quantity

1. Select Rotation Acceleration from the Quantity option menu on the

Quantity tab.
option menu.
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To Define a Shear & Moment Quantity

1. Select Shear & Moment from the Quantity option menu on the Quantity
tab. Shear & Moment is only available on the Quantity menu if you select
Graph from the Display Type menu.
2. Use the check boxes and option menu under Beam to select beam
components.
3. Select beams or curves from the Graph Location option menu, then use the
selector arrow to select the location from your model.
To Define a Strain Quantity

1. Select Strain from the Quantity option menu on the Quantity tab.
option menu.
4. If beams are present in the design study, make the appropriate selections in
the Include Contribution From Beams area.
5. If shells are present in the design study, make the appropriate selections in
the Include Contribution From Shells area.
To Define a Results Display Location

1. Select the Display Location tab.

2. Select the location you want to display in the result window from the option
menu. One or more the following options may appear:
o All
o Beams
o Curves
o Surfaces
o Volumes
o Components/Layers
3. Click the selector arrow to select one or more entities on your model of the
location type you selected.
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To Define a Vectors Results Display

1. Select the Display Options tab.

2. Select one of these items:
o Wireframe Vectors
o Shaded Vectors
4. Enter the maximum relative length of the vectors to be drawn in the result
window.
Deformed.
Edges.
To Define a Flux or Temp Gradient Quantity

1. Select either Flux or Temp Gradient from the Quantity option menu on the
Quantity tab.
option menu.
To Define a Reactions at Point Constraints

Quantity
in To Define a Result Window and that you chose Model as the Display Type.
1. Select Reactions at Point Constraints from the Quantity option menu on

the Quantity tab.
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To Define a Reaction Quantity

in To Define a Result Window and that you chose Graph from the Display Type
menu.
1. Select Reaction from the Quantity option menu on the Quantity tab.
4. Select an option from the Relative To option menu.
To Define a Model Results Display


2. To shade the surfaces of your model, select Shade Surfaces.
Deformed.
Edges.
To Define a Measure Quantity

1. Select Measure from the Quantity option menu on the Quantity tab.
Measure is only available on the Quantity menu if you select Graph from the
Display Type menu.
The Select A Measure dialog box appears.
2. Select a measure from the Pre-Defined or User-Defined list.

3. Click Accept.
4. Select an option from the Graph Location option menu, then use the
selector arrow to select the location from your model.
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To Define a Graph Results Display

1. Select Graph from the Display Type option menu.
Mechanica deactivates the Display Options tab and the Display Locations
tabs.
2. Select the quantity you want to graph from the Quantity option menu on the
Quantity tab.
3. Select an option from the Graph Location option menu, then use the
selector arrow to select one or more locations from your model.
Once you click the OK button or the OK And Show button, you can control the
appearance of your graph from the Results user interface.
To Define a Fringe Results Display

This procedure is for a basic fringe plot results display. To create a contour plot
results display, see the contour procedure.

2. To display the fringe in continuous tones rather than discrete colors, select
Continuous Tone.
Deformed.
Edges.
To Define a Shell Resultant Quantity

1. Select Shell Resultant from the Quantity option menu on the Quantity tab.
option menu.
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To Define a Failure Index Quantity

1. Select Failure Index from the Quantity option menu on the Quantity tab.
To Define a Velocity Quantity

1. Select Velocity from the Quantity option menu on the Quantity tab.
option menu.
To Define a Thermal Strain Quantity

Mechanica supports the Thermal Strain quantity for FEM mode only. This procedure
assumes that you have completed the appropriate preliminary steps in To Define a
Result Window.
1. Select Thermal Strain from the Quantity option menu on the Quantity tab.
option menu.
To Define a Thermal Strain Energy Quantity

Mechanica supports the Thermal Strain Energy quantity for FEM mode only. This
procedure assumes that you have completed the appropriate preliminary steps in To
Define a Result Window.
1. Select Thermal Strain Energy from the Quantity option menu on the
Quantity tab.
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To Define a Temperature Quantity

1. Select Temperature from the Quantity option menu on the Quantity tab.
To Define a Strain Energy Quantity

1. Select Strain Energy from the Quantity option menu on the Quantity tab.
To Define a Stress Quantity

1. Select Stress from the Quantity option menu on the Quantity tab.
option menu.
To Define a Fatigue Quantity

1. Select Fatigue from the Quantity option menu on the Quantity tab.
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Components for Fatigue

When you select Fatigue from the Quantity option menu, the Component option
menu displays the components specific to this quantity. Use this option menu to
further refine your quantity definition. The choices available on this menu depend on
the design study, display type, and quantity combination you select.
These options appear on the Component menu if you select Fatigue:
• Log Life — Shows the estimated number of cycles until your model breaks.
Because of the exponential nature of fatigue, it is useful to express life as a
logarithm.
• Log Damage — Shows the ratio between accumulated fatigue cycles and the
total number of cycles to failure. A value greater than unity indicates failure.
A value of 0.5, for example, represents a loss of 50% in the useful life of the
model. Because of the exponential nature of fatigue, it is useful to express
the damage ratio as a logarithm.
• Factor of Safety — Shows the permissible factor of safety on the input load.
When the fatigue life calculated for your model is greater than the target
design life, the software carries out a back calculation to determine a
permissible factor of safety on the input load. This represents the extent to
which the amplitude of the load can be increased without compromising the
target design life.
If you want the software to calculate the factor of safety, select the check box
in the Output area at the bottom of the Fatigue Analysis Definition dialog
box.
• Confidence of Life — Shows the ratio between the calculated life and the
target design life. Because of the statistical nature of fatigue, the greater the
confidence the better. Values below unity indicate failure. Values greater than
3.0 usually reflect an adequate confidence of achieving the desired target life.
You can display Confidence Of Life results in a tri-colored fringe plot to give
an overall view of where the model will break first and where the model will
last for a greater number of cycles. Red signifies from 0 cycles to the number
of cycles entered for Desired Endurance (considered 1x) on the analysis
dialog box. Yellow signifies from 1x to 3x (considered the marginal life).
Green signifies any number of cycles over the marginal life (3x). The default
is 3x, but you can change this by changing the value of
sim_fatigue_safety_margin in the configuration file.
For fatigue analyses, Mechanica reports results for all surfaces on your model, but
not the interior of your model.
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Reviewing the Results

You can review many combinations of quantities, locations, and display types for a
design study. For a standard design study, you should typically start by defining
result windows that contain the following combinations. If possible, always try to
make a rough calculation by hand to get an order of magnitude validation of your
results.
• Convergence Graph — To create a convergence graph for analyses that use

multi-pass convergence, select Graph as the display type, Measure as the
quantity, and P-Pass as the location. You can define a graph of the value of
any measure calculated for the analysis at each p-pass.
• Deformed Model — To create a deformed result display for static and modal
analyses, select Model as the display type, Displacement as the quantity,
Magnitude as the component, and All as the location. Select Deformed
from the Common Settings section of the Display Options tab. You can
also overlay an undeformed or transparent version of the model and animate
the displacement to verify that the model is deforming the way you expect it
to. Change the scale factor to make the deformed shape look more
reasonable, if necessary.
To examine the magnitude of the displacements, define another result

window using a display type of Fringe or Vectors with the same quantity and
location.
• Stress — To create a result display for static analyses that shows the
distribution and magnitude of stresses, select Fringe as the display type,
Max Principal, von Mises, or Beam Total as the component, and All as the
location. You can determine whether the distribution and magnitude of stress
look reasonable.
Locations where the stresses differ greatly across element boundaries are
areas where altering the mesh can facilitate convergence.
• Temperature — To create a result display that shows temperature

distribution for thermal analyses, select Fringe as the display type,
Temperature as the quantity, and All as the location. Then select Contour
from the Common Settings section of the Display Options tab. You can
determine whether the temperature distribution looks reasonable.
• Flux — To create a flux distribution and magnitude result display for thermal
analyses, select Fringe or Vectors as the display type, Flux as the quantity,
Magnitude as the component, and All as the location. You can determine
whether the distribution and magnitude of flux look reasonable.
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Component and Layer Visibility in Results

Use the Components/Layers option on the Display Location tab to show, hide, or
isolate specific components or layers of a model in the result window. You can use
the layers you created in Pro/ENGINEER or Mechanica.
Only layers containing simulation beams or shells are available for display in results.
When you select the Components/Layers option, the Component And Layer
Visibility dialog box appears. This dialog box contains the following:
• Component and Layer Tree — Use to select the components or layers you
want to display, hide, or isolate in the results window. If the model is an
assembly, the Layer Tree displays the components of an assembly and any
layers containing beam or shell definitions that exist in the model. If the
model is a part, the Component and Layer Tree displays only layers that
contain beam or shell definitions.
• Buttons — Use to determine which components or layers are visible in the
results window.
In general, it is better to use Isolate to visualize the parts and layers of interest in
the result window display. Use Blank to exclude a few items from the result window
display.
If you define assembly-level shell/beam definitions on part-level geometry, blanking

the part also blanks the shell/beam definitions unless they are in an isolated layer.
For more detailed information on layers, search the Basic Pro/ENGINEER functional
area in the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
Results Relative to Ply Orientation

When you select Ply Orientation from the Relative To option menu, Mechanica
displays a spin box that allows you to select the ply to use in the result window
display.
To display results relative to the ply orientation, you need:
• to have a shell with laminate layup properties

• to have selected Ply Stresses under Calculate on the Output tab of the
Static Analysis Definition dialog box
• to use Stress or Strain as the result window quantity
Note: Mechanica allows you to select only ply locations that are valid
for the quantity you choose.
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Component
When you define your result window display, you can select a component to further
define the quantity you choose.
The items available on the Component option menu depend on the quantity you
choose from the Quantity option menu. For more information on the components
available for each quantity, select the quantity from this list:
• Acceleration
• Beam Bending
• Beam Resultant
• Beam Tension
• Beam Torsion
• Beam Total
• Displacement
• Fatigue
• Flux
• Reaction
• Rotation
• Rotation Acceleration
• Rotation Velocity
• Shear & Moment
• Shell Resultant
• Stress, Strain, and Thermal Strain
• Temp Gradient
• Velocity
Recovery Points for Beam Results

The Recovery Point menu option appears in the Include Contribution From
Beams area of the Quantity tab when you select the Von Mises, Max Principal,
Mid Principal, Min Principal, Maximum Shear Stress, Beam Bending, or Beam
Total component of the Stress quantity. Note that in FEM mode, this option appears
only when you used the NASTRAN solver to run your analysis. In this case, your only
selection from the Component menu can be Beam Total.
Use the Recovery Point option to direct Mechanica to report beam stresses at a
specific location on the beam section. After you select this option, you need to make
additional selections from the menus that appear:
• Select a beam section from the list of beam sections available in your model.
Mechanica lists every beam section you created while defining your beams.
The list contains shape names, such as Square, Rectangle, and so on, for
standard cross-sections, and section names, such as my_beam_section, for
sketched and general cross-sections. After you select a shape or section
name, Mechanica displays a graphic showing the locations of the recovery
points on the beam section.
852
If you run in FEM mode with the NASTRAN solver, you may not always be able
to see the cross-section names and the graphic displaying the recovery points.
If you open the .xdb file alone in a session without the model file or .frd file
active in the session, the list displays only default names, with numbers
corresponding to the PBEAM property card IDs in the .xdb or .nas file. For
example, Section1 corresponds to PBEAM ID 1, Section2 corresponds to
PBEAM ID 2, and so on. For all beam sections, regardless of the type,
Mechanica displays the graphic corresponding to a general beam section. If
you view results from the .frd file in FEM, the beam section names and the
graphic displayed are the same as in native mode.
Also in FEM mode, if your beam has different section types at the start and
end, no section name will be included in the list. You cannot view recovery
point results for this type of beam. However, if the sections at the start and
end of the beam are of the same type, but of different dimensions, you can
view results.
• Select a recovery point from the list of available points. The list contains the
maximum number of recovery points allowed for the type of beam section
that you selected. For example, solid circle sections have nine recovery
points, L-sections have eight recovery points, while sketched sections have
the number of points you specified when sketching a section.
In FEM mode, the number of points is always four.
Stress Notes
If your model is made up of brick, wedge, or tetrahedral elements that have the
same isotropic materials, Mechanica uses a different calculation that increases the
rate of stress convergence, yielding more accurate stress results at a lower
polynomial order.
Mechanica does not use this algorithm to compute the stresses in models made up
of:
• non-isotropic materials
• more than one material property
• non-solid elements (the algorithm is used for solids in the same model)
In reporting stress results, if identical positive and negative stresses are the highest
stresses, Mechanica reports the positive stress. If the negative value is slightly
higher than the positive value, Mechanica still reports the positive value.
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Example: Contour Plot

Following is an example of a contour plot with IsoSurfaces turned on:
Quantity Notes for Modal and Dynamic

Analyses
These notes can be helpful when you want to display results for modal and dynamic
analyses:
• For modal analyses, values for all quantities are not absolute. You cannot
compare them to quantities from any other type of analysis. Mechanica unit
normalizes displacements and rotations to 1.0 by dividing all displacements
by the maximum displacement response. All other modal quantities are mass
normalized. If you want to mass normalize displacements and rotations, use
the –massnorm engine option.
• If you select Full Results when you define your analysis, the result window
displays all valid quantities plus all valid measures. If you do not select Full
Results, the result window displays only the valid measures.
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Top and Bottom Shell Location

Select Top, Bottom, or Top And Bottom from the first option menu to display the
values of the shell top or bottom or both top and bottom at a given plotting-grid
point for shells and 2D shells.
When you select Top, Bottom, or Top And Bottom from the first option menu, the
second option menu appears. If the model does not contain laminate shells, only the
first of these items is available on the option menu:
• Shell — Select this option to display a quantity at the top, bottom, or top and
bottom of the shell location.
• Ply — Select this option to display a quantity at the top, bottom, or top and
bottom of the ply location. This option is only available if there are shells with
laminate properties in the model.
When you select Ply, a spin box appears enabling you to select the ply for
which to show the results.
Maximum and Minimum Shell Values

Select Maximum or Minimum from the first option menu to display the most
positive or negative value of the shell top or bottom at a given plotting-grid point for
shells and 2D shells.
When you select Maximum or Minimum from the first option menu, the second
option menu appears. This menu contains these items:
• Of Shell Top/Bottom — Display the maximum (or minimum) values of the

shell top or bottom simultaneously on the shell.
• Of Ply Top/Bottom — Include results on a specific ply number. This option
is available only if your model contains laminate shells.
• Of All Plies — Include all the plies of the model in the results display. This
option is available only if your model contains laminate shells.
When you select Of Ply Top/Bottom, a spin box appears on the dialog box for
entering the ply number for which to display the results.
Results Relative to Material Orientation

You can define results relative to material orientation if the quantity you select
specifically reports for shells—for example, Shell Resultant quantities or Stress
and Strain quantities that include shell contributions. When you select Material
Orientation from the Relative To option menu, Mechanica displays your results
relative to the directional component you select on the Component option menu.
For more information about material orientation, see About Material Orientation.
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Reaction Results Reporting

Following are some details for how Mechanica reports reaction results:
• Mechanica reports point reactions in force units and reports curve and edge
reactions in force per unit length units.
• Mechanica does not report reaction force data at constraints you associated
with a UCS.
• Mechanica calculates reaction force values for each element at locations
shared by more than one element. Mechanica reports the maximum of those
values at the shared location when displaying results.
• Mechanica always reports the maximum reaction force at locations shared by
more than one element.
Velocity Results Quantity

Mechanica supports this quantity for dynamic time and frequency analyses with full
results. The Velocity quantity is not available in FEM mode.
When you select Velocity from the Quantity option menu, Mechanica may alter the
selections on the Quantity tab. Some selections do not appear unless the item is
part of the design study you choose.
The possible selections on the Quantity tab include:
• Component — Select a component. The directional components that appear

on this option menu change if you change the coordinate system using the
Relative To option menu.
beams in the model.
• Relative To — Display results relative to a directional component.
• Graph Location — Select a location from the option menu to display in the
result window. Use the selector arrow to display your model and pick the
entity you want to use in your results display. This area appears only if you
select a display type of Graph.
Thermal Strain Results Quantity

Mechanica supports this quantity for all FEM mode Structure models that include
temperature loads. The Thermal Strain quantity is not available for native mode.
When you select Thermal Strain from the Quantity option menu, Mechanica may
alter the selections on the Quantity tab. Some selections do not appear unless the
item is part of the analysis or design study you choose.
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The possible selections include:

Vectors Display Type

Use the Vectors display type to display your results as a vector plot. Vector plots
display the directional behavior of the quantity by superimposing sets of colored
arrows over a transparent view of your model. Each colored set of arrows represents
a different range of values for the quantity you are viewing. Vector plots use arrow
length and color to indicate the magnitude of the directional forces. To get a better
idea of what a vector plot looks like, you can review an example.
When you select Vectors from the Display Type option menu, the options available
on the Display Options tab become specific to vector result window displays.
The Display Options tab displays some or all of these items depending on the
design study and quantity you choose and the selections you make on the tab:
• Wireframe/Shaded — Designate whether the vectors are drawn as

wireframe vectors or as shaded (polygon) vectors.
• Legend Levels — Set the number of legend levels to display in the result
window. The minimum value is 2, and the maximum is 16. The default is 9
levels.
• Max Length — Enter a real, positive number to designate the maximum
relative length of the vectors to be drawn in the result window. The default
value is 5.
• Deformed — Display your model in its deformed state. Additionally, you can
display an undeformed wireframe or transparent version of the model
superimposed over the deformed model.
• Show Element Edges — Display the edges of the elements in your model
when you display the results.
• Show Loads — Display the load icons in your model when you display the
results.
• Show Constraints — Display the constraint icons in your model when you
display the results.
• Animate — Animate the display of your results in the result window. You can
select Auto Start, Reverse-Repeat-Alternate options, and the number of
frames in the animation. The Animate option is unavailable for fatigue
results.
For Max Principal Stress or Min Principal Stress, Mechanica displays a vector
plot for both quantities. See an example of a Max Principal Stress vector plot.
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Animating Your Results Display

Use animation to display your results for these purposes:
• to animate mode shapes

• to animate deformations in your model in conjunction with quantities such as
displacement, stress, strain, strain energy, and so on
• for buckling analyses, to animate the mode shapes so that you can fully
understand how the structure fails
You can animate fringe, vector, or model result displays using the Display Options
tab on the Result Window Definition dialog box. You cannot animate fatigue or
linearized stress results.
When you select Animate on the Display Options tab, these options become
available:
• Auto Start — Start the animation as soon as the result window displays.
You can also start and stop the animation using the View>Start,
View>Step Forward, and View>Stop commands, or the corresponding
toolbar buttons on the result window.
• Playback mode — Designate the playback mode of the animation by clicking

one of these buttons:
o (Repeat) — In a static animation, the model moves from zero to
maximum deformation in equal, linear steps.
o (Reverse) — In a static animation, the model moves from zero
to maximum deformation and back to zero in equal, linear steps.
o (Alternating) — In a modal animation, the model moves from
zero to maximum deformation, back to zero deformation, then to
negative maximum deformation, and then back to zero, changing
shape in unequal steps.
• Frames — Enter the number of frames you want in a single animation cycle.
The default number of frames is 8. The number of frames must be a multiple
of 4 except for step animation.
If you define a deformed result display, you can toggle the deformed overlay on the
animation by selecting View>Overlay in the Results user interface window.
When you display the result window for an animated model, you can speed up or
slow down the animation by moving the slider on the toolbar in the appropriate
direction.
For information on controlling your animation, see Controlling Animations.
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Insert Result Windows From Template Dialog

Box
Use the Insert Result Windows From Template dialog box to define the contents
of a result window using a template.
When you use the Insert>Results Window From Template command the Insert
Result Windows from Template dialog box appears.
This dialog box contains the following areas:
• Design Study Selection — Use this area to select a design study or

analysis.
• Design Study — Select a design study.
• Analysis — Select an analysis.
• Template Selection — Select the template you want to use for the results.
• Load Set Selection — Determine whether to record results for one or
several of the load sets in your model. You must also decide whether to
repeat the analysis for each load set, or to combine them. This section
appears only if your analysis contains more than one load set.
• Mode Selection — Determine whether to record results for one or several of
the modes in your model. You must also decide whether to repeat the
analysis for each mode, or to combine them. This section appears only if your
analysis contains more than one mode.
• Step Selection — Determine whether to record results for one or several of
the steps in your model. You must also decide whether to repeat the analysis
for each step, or to combine them. This section appears only if your analysis
contains more than one load step or time step.
If the template and options combine to produce more than 16 windows, then only
the first 16 will be shown.
Tips for Fringe Displays

These tips can be helpful when you want to create a fringe plot:
• For models with a large number of elements, you should look at your results
on a contour plot before attempting a fringe plot. Drawing a fringe plot for a
large model can be time-consuming. You save time by using a contour plot to
view results data.
• If you want to display fringe and contour result windows that match exactly,
enter one less number of contour levels than fringe levels.
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Example: Max Principal Stress Vector Plot

This is an example of a vector plot using Max Principal Stress:
Components for Beam Bending, Tension,

Torsion, and Total
If the design study you select contains beams, when you select Stress or Strain
from the Quantity option menu, the Component option menu displays the
components specific to beams in addition to the other components valid for these
quantities.
If you select Stress from the Quantity option menu and then select one of the
beam components from the Component option menu, the check boxes in the
Include Contribution From Beams area become unavailable. You can still select
an item from the option menu in that area.
These are the beam options that can appear on the stress or strain Component
option menu:
• Beam Bending — Display beam bending in the result window.

• Beam Tensile — Display beam tension in the result window.
• Beam Torsional — Display beam torsion in the result window.
• Beam Total — Display beam tension plus beam bending in the result
window.
In FEM mode, the only available component specific to beams is Beam Total for the
stress quantity. It appears when you display results from the NASTRAN .xdb file.
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Contour Results Display

A contour plot is a type of fringe plot that shows you where the borders of the value
ranges lie, as calculated by your analysis or as determined by how you set your
legend values. For example, if you display a contour plot of von Mises stress,
Mechanica shows a transparent view of your model with the the borders of each
stress range shown in a different color. To get a better idea of what a contour plot
looks like, you can review an example.
When you select Fringe from the Display Type option menu, these items become
available on the Display Options tab:
• Contour — Display your results model with contour lines. Selecting this check
box activates the IsoSurfaces and Label Contours check boxes.
Displaying your model using contour lines is ideal for shell or 2D models. For
solids, you can get a more informative display of model behavior if you select
the IsoSurfaces check box as well.
• Label Contours — Select this item to display the value for each contour
curve directly in the result window.
You probably need to label a contour plot only if you are printing black and
white hard copy. The contour colors generally provide enough information
when you look at a result window on the screen or on a color hard copy.
• IsoSurfaces — Define a contour plot with isosurfaces instead of lines. With

this option, you can enhance a contour plot by extending 2D isolines into 3D
isosurfaces. Isosurfaces can help you map the interior behavior of your model
because they let you see how a quantity varies within solid elements.
To change the density of the contour labels so there are more or less in a given area,
select Utilities>Relabel Contour from the Results user interface menu bar.
Strategy: Using Convergence Graphs to

Review Results
You can use a convergence graph to determine whether a measure quantity
converged acceptably. In a graph that shows good convergence of a measure, the
curve becomes asymptotic as it plots values for the final p-passes. The following
graph shows how the strain energy in a model converged with each p-loop pass.
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Measures you might want to graph include strain_energy or max_disp_mag for static
analyses, modal_frequency for modal analyses, and energy_norm,
max_temperature, or max_flux_mag for thermal analyses.
Note that if an analysis converges on local displacement and strain energy or local
temperatures and local energy norms, the stress or flux values may not converge.
The following graph shows that maximum von Mises stress values are still increasing
as of the final p-pass and, therefore, did not converge.
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Tip: To facilitate convergence, create a layer of small elements around

features that exhibit high stress or flux concentrations. For more information,
see Singularities.
If you are interested in stresses or fluxes, create a convergence graph of the

particular stress or flux measures of interest to you.
Strategy: Interpreting Beam Resultant Forces

and Moments
By understanding the sign conventions used for beam resultant forces and moments,
you can more easily interpret the results that Structure reports.
The following figure illustrates the sign conventions Mechanica uses for resultant
forces and moments in beams. The X axis for the beam is defined along the beam
length.
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Note that in the positive direction of the beam element, positive Fx acts in the
positive normal X direction. However, in the negative direction of the beam element,
positive Fx acts in the negative normal X direction. The resultant moments follow the
same sign convention.
Applying this resultant force and moment convention to a typical example, note how
the results of a beam model solved in Structure relate to a free-body diagram.
In the cut section, the resultant forces Fy and moment couple Mz act to maintain
equilibrium. In beam a, Fy is negative while, in beam b, Fy is positive. Mz is negative
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in both beams. Structure always reports values for the resultant forces and moments
for the positive direction of the free-body diagram.
The X axis for beams is along the length of the beam, with the positive X direction
determined when you select the beam references. To find the positive beam
direction, look at the orientation of the beam icon axes. The beam icon displays the Y
and Z axes for the BSCS. You can determine the positive X direction using the right-
hand rule.
Since Mechanica reports resultant values based on the positive beam direction,
review the orientation of the BSCS before running an analysis to ensure that results
will make sense to you. If the orientation is reversed, the sign of resultant forces and
moments will change.
Types of Measure Results Graphs

Measure graphs provide different information depending on the type of design study:
Standard (except Shows the measure's value after each p-loop pass. Use
dynamic analyses) this graph to see how well the analysis converged.
You can create this graph only if the analysis uses the
multi-pass adaptive convergence method. The location
is P-Pass.
Note: Mechanica uses absolute values to graph

a convergence quantity. Use the Info>Status
command on the Analyses and Design
Studies dialog box to check the summary file
for the actual value of a convergence quantity
at each P-loop pass.
Standard (dynamic Shows the measure's value at each step of a dynamic

analyses only) time, frequency, or random analysis. You can graph
this if you select At Each Step for the analysis.
The location can be time or frequency.
Optimization Shows the measure's value at each step of the

optimization. The location is Optimization Pass.
Local or Global Shows the measure's value as a design parameter

Sensitivity changes. Design Param is the location.
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Results Relative to Coordinate Systems

When you select Coordinate System from the Relative To option menu, a selector
arrow appears next to the Coordinate System option. Click the selector arrow to
select a UCS from your model. WCS is the default coordinate system.
After you select the coordinate system, Mechanica displays the appropriate
component labels, as follows:
Coordinate System Components
Cartesian X, Y, Z
Cylindrical R, T, Z
Spherical R, T, P
Mechanica saves the coordinate system you select when you save a result window
definition.
Results Relative to Beam Orientation

When you select Beam Orientation from the Relative To option menu, Mechanica
displays your results relative to the beam orientation that you specified while
creating the beam.
Beam orientation is available only for design studies with beams. Select Beam
Orientation to get results in terms of the local beam coordinates.
See About Beam Orientation for information on specifying coordinate systems for
beams.
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Example: Vector Plot

Following is an example of a vector plot of model displacement:
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Example: Fringe Display

Following is an example of a fringe plot with Continuous Tone turned on:
Local Sensitivity Graph Notes

For local sensitivity design studies, if you gave your design parameter an especially
large range, a graph can cross the X or Y axis and look as if it were showing negative
values.
This does not mean that there are negative values associated with the graph. It may
appear this way in a local sensitivity study because the result of interest is the slope
of the curve between two sample points, not specific values.
For more information about local sensitivity graphs, see Local Sensitivity Study.
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Deformed Results Display

Use to view a displaced or deformed version of your model. You can also overlay an
undeformed model or a transparent filled representation of the model. The
Deformed option is available for structural, dynamic, and contact analyses only.
After you select Deformed, these options are available:
• Overlay Undeformed — Superimpose the undeformed wireframe model

over the deformed model in the result window. Selecting this check box
activates the Transparent Overlay check box.
• Transparent Overlay — Display the overlay as a transparent filled
representation of the model.
• Scaling — Enter a positive real number or a percentage value for scaling.
Note that for percentage, you must enter a % symbol after the value. The
default is 10% except for contact and large deformation analyses, which have
a default of 1.
If you enter a positive real number, Mechanica scales the deformed shape by
the specified value. If you enter a percentage value, Mechanica scales the
deformed shape by the specified percentage of the model size.
Use a scale factor of 1 to show the true deformation, or a scale factor of 10%
to show an exaggerated deformation.
For example, suppose the size of the model is 10 inches and the maximum
computed displacement for the analysis is 0.05 inches. If you enter a scale
factor of 3%, then Mechanica displays a deformed model with the maximum
displacement equal to 10 inches * 0.03 (that is 3%) = 0.3 inches. If you enter
a scale factor of 3, then Mechanica displays a deformed model with the
maximum displacement equal to 0.05 inches * 3 = 0.15 inches.
Tip: Entering a percentage can take some of the guesswork out of

finding the scale factor you want. Mechanica translates the percentage
into a magnitude. After you display this results window, this dialog box
shows the magnitude instead of the percentage.
You can toggle the deformed overlay on an animation by selecting View>Overlay in

the Results user interface window.
Acceleration Results Quantity

results. The Acceleration quantity is not available in FEM mode.
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When you select Acceleration from the Quantity option menu, Mechanica may
alter selections on the Quantity tab. Some selections do not appear unless the item
is part of the design study you choose. The possible selections include:

Components for Acceleration, Displacement,

Reaction, Rotation, Rotation Acceleration,
Rotation Velocity, or Velocity
When you select Acceleration, Displacement, Reaction, Rotation, Rotation
Acceleration, Rotation Velocity, or Velocity from the Quantity option menu, the
Component option menu displays the components specific to these quantities. Use
this option menu to further refine your quantity definition. The choices available on
this menu depend on the design study, display type, and quantity combination you
select.
These are the options that can appear on the Component menu if you select
Acceleration, Displacement, Reaction, Rotation, Rotation Acceleration,
Rotation Velocity, or Velocity:
• Magnitude — the magnitude of the quantity vector, which is equivalent to

selecting all three components. Magnitude is not available for the reaction
quantity.
• X — the quantity in the X direction or about the X axis. X is not available for
reaction moment, rotation, rotation acceleration, and rotation velocity for all
2D models.
• Y — the quantity in the Y direction or about the Y axis. Y is not available for
2D plane strain and 2D axisymmetric models. Y is not available for reaction
moment, rotation, rotation acceleration, and rotation velocity for all 2D
models.
• Z — the quantity in the Z direction or about the Z axis. Z is not available for
any 2D model.
If you change the coordinate system type for your results display, the directional
components in the Component option menu change to reflect the new coordinate
system. For example, if you change from the Cartesian coordinate system to the
cylindrical coordinate system, the labels change from X, Y, and Z to R, T, and Z. For
more information, see Results Relative to Coordinate Systems.
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Secondary Quantity Option Menu

This option menu appears only for the Beam Resultant, Shell Resultant,
Reaction, or Reactions at Point Constraints quantities. The items on the menu
vary depending on the design study, display type, and quantity you choose.
These are the items that can appear on the Secondary Quantity option menu:
• Force — Specify that you want to evaluate beam resultant forces, shell
resultant forces, or reaction forces at point constraints.
• Moment — Specify that you want to evaluate beam resultant moments, shell
resultant moments, or reaction moments at point constraints.
• Transverse Shear Force — Specify that you want to evaluate shell
transverse shear in the Z direction. This option is available only if you select
Shell Resultant as your quantity.
The components that appear on the Quantity tab change depending on whether you
select Force, Moment, or Transverse Shear Force. For more information, see the
component topics for Beam Resultant, Shell Resultant, Reaction, or Reactions at
Point Constraints.
Displacement Results Quantity

Mechanica supports this quantity for all Structure models.
When you select Displacement from the Quantity option menu, Mechanica may
item is part of the analysis or design study you choose. The possible selections
include:
• Amplitude — Use this option button to indicate that you want Mechanica to
display displacement in terms of amplitude. This button is available for FEM
mode dynamic analyses only.
• Phase — Use this option button to indicate that you want Mechanica to
display displacement in terms of phase. This button is available for FEM mode
dynamic analyses only.
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Contact Pressure Results Quantity

Mechanica supports this quantity for contact analyses that include calculated
stresses. The software reports the contact pressure between the entities that define
the contact region. The Contact Pressure quantity is not available in FEM mode.
If you select Contact Pressure from the Quantity option menu and Graph as your
display type, Mechanica adds the Graph Location selection to the Quantity tab.
Use the associated selector arrow to display your model and pick the entity you want
to use in your results display.
Graph Location
Use the Graph Location area on the Quantity tab to select specific locations for
your graph result window display.
The Graph Location area includes these items:
• Graph Location — Select from the option menu the locations you want to
display in your graph result window. You can select multiple connected beams
or curves. In FEM mode, you can select multiple connected edges. The
options on the menu include:
o Curves
o Beams
o P-Pass (Measure quantity only)
o Optimization Pass (Measure quantity only, optimization study only)
o Design Param
o Time
o Frequency
entity on your model that you want to display in the graph results window.
The selector arrow is available only for curves and beams.
Components for Beam Resultant

When you select Beam Resultant from the Quantity option menu, the Component
menu displays the components specific to that quantity. Use this option menu to
further refine your quantity definition.
These options appear on the Component menu:
• X — the beam resultant quantity about the X axis.

• Y — the beam resultant quantity about the Y axis.
• Z — the beam resultant quantity about the Z axis. Z is not available for 2D
models.
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Cylindrical coordinate system, the labels change from X, Y, and Z to R, T, and Z. For
Fatigue Results Quantity

Mechanica supports this quantity for fatigue analyses in Structure. The Fatigue
quantity is not available in FEM mode.
When you select Fatigue from the Quantity option menu on the Quantity tab,
Mechanica displays a Component option menu.
For fatigue analyses, Mechanica reports results for all surfaces on your model, but
not the interior of your model.
Beam Resultant Results Quantity

Mechanica supports this quantity for 3D models that include beams. In FEM mode,
Beam Resultant becomes available on the Quantity option menu when you load
results from an MSC/NASTRAN file.
When you select Beam Resultant, Mechanica may alter the selections on the
Quantity tab. Some selections do not appear unless the item is part of the analysis
or design study you choose. The possible selections include:
• Secondary quantity option menu — Select a secondary quantity option.

• Relative To — Display results relative to a directional component. This item
is available only when you select X, Y, or Z from the Component option
menu.
When reviewing beam resultant results, you should be aware of the sign conventions
used for beam resultant forces and moments. An understanding of the sign
conventions will help you interpret your results correctly.
Shell Contribution
Use the Include Contribution From Shells area of the Quantity tab to select the
shell contributions you want to use for the result window. This area does not appear
on the dialog box unless there are shells in the model and they were part of the
design study.
Note: The discussion below pertains to all quantities that allow specific
measurement of shell behavior except for Strain Energy.
The options in the Include Contribution From Shells area determine the values
used for plotting the result display. All of the check boxes are selected by default.
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The selections in the Include Contribution From Shells area are as follows:
• Membrane — Include membrane values for shells in the result display.

• Bending — Include bending values for shells in the result display.
• Transverse Shear — Include transverse shear for shells in the result display.
There are two option menus below the check boxes. These are the possible options
available on the first option menu, and they determine the options available on the
second menu:
• Maximum — Display the maximum value of the shell top or bottom at a

given plotting-grid point for shells and 2D shells. Maximum is the default
option for stress.
• Minimum — Display minimum value of the shell top or bottom at a given
plotting-grid point for shells and 2D shells. For stress, this option appears
only with Min Principal.
• Top — Select this item to use the value of the shell top. The top of a shell or
2D shell is in the normal direction.
• Bottom — Select this item to use the value of the shell bottom. The bottom
of a shell or 2D shell is opposite the normal direction.
• Top and Bottom — Select this item to display the values of the shell top and
bottom simultaneously on the shell, with the top values at the top, and the
bottom values at the bottom.
Relative To
When you select a directional component for a quantity, you can choose the
reference direction of the component from the Relative To option menu. The
reference options available on the Relative To menu vary depending on the
quantity.
Use the Relative To menu to display results relative to:
• a coordinate system
• the material orientation
• the ply orientation
• the beam orientation
Rotation Acceleration Results Quantity

results. Be aware that:
• For the Rotation Acceleration quantity, you must select Rotations as an

analysis output when you define the analysis.
• Your model must be a shell or beam model or a mixed solid model with
beams or shells present.
• You cannot specify rotation as a quantity for 2D plane stress models.
The Rotation Acceleration quantity is not available in FEM mode.
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When you select Rotation Acceleration from the Quantity option menu,
Mechanica may alter the selections on the Quantity tab. Some selections do not
appear unless the item is part of the design study you choose. The possible
selections include:

Mechanica reports rotation acceleration in radians per unit of time squared.
Temp Gradient Results Quantity

Mechanica supports this quantity for all Thermal models. For modal analyses,
Mechanica only calculates the Temp Gradient quantity if you select Heat Flux as
an analysis output when you define the analysis.
When you select Temp Gradient from the Quantity option menu, Mechanica may
item is part of the design study you choose.

Thermal Strain Energy Results Quantity

Mechanica supports this quantity for FEM mode Structure models that include
temperature loads. The Thermal Strain Energy quantity is not available for native
mode.
If you select Thermal Strain Energy from the Quantity option menu and Graph as
your display type, Mechanica adds the Graph Location selection to the Quantity
tab. Use the associated selector arrow to display your model and pick the entity you
want to use in your results display.
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Temperature Results Quantity

Mechanica supports this quantity for all Thermal models. When you select
Temperature from the Quantity option menu and Graph as your display type,
Mechanica may add the Graph Location selection to the Quantity tab. Use the
associated selector arrow to display your model and pick the entity you want to use
in your results display.
Strain Energy Results Quantity

Mechanica supports this quantity for all Structure models. For most modal analyses,
Mechanica only calculates the Strain Energy quantity if you select Stresses or Ply
Stresses as an analysis output when you define the analysis.
When you select Strain Energy from the Quantity option menu, Mechanica may
item is part of the design study you choose. The possible selections include:
• Include Contributions from Beams — Select the beam contributions to

beams in the model. This area does not appear in FEM mode. The selections
in the Include Contribution From Beams area include:
o Shear — Include shear values for shells in the result display.
o Bending — Include bending for beams in the result display. In FEM
mode, this box is always checked.
o Tensile — Include tension for beams in the result display. In FEM
mode, this box is always checked.
o Torsional — Include torsion for beams in the result display. In FEM
mode, this box remains unchecked.
• Include Contributions from Shells — Select the shell contributions to
shells in the model. This area does not appear in FEM mode. The selections in
the Include Contribution From Shells area include:
o Membrane — Include membrane values for shells in the result
display.
o Bending — Include bending values for shells in the result display.
o Membrane-Bending — Include both membrane and bending values
for shells in the result display.
o Transverse Shear — Include shear values for shells in the result
display.
Shell Resultant Results Quantity

Mechanica supports this quantity for 3D models that include shells. Mechanica
obtains values for shell resultant forces and shell transverse shear forces by
integrating stress components through the thickness of the shell. For information
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about shell properties and shell results, including how Mechanica represents the
mechanical properties mathematically, see Shell Property Equations.
In FEM mode, Shell Resultant becomes available on the Quantity option menu
when you load results from an MSC/NASTRAN file. The system only supports
CQUAD4 and CTRIA3 shell elements. If your model contains CQUAD8 or CTRIA6
elements, the Quantity option menu does not display Shell Resultant. For
information on MSC/NASTRAN output formats, see MSC/NASTRAN.
When you select Shell Resultant from the Quantity option menu, Mechanica may
item is part of the design study you choose. The possible selections include:
• Secondary Quantity option menu — Select a secondary quantity option.

• Relative To — Display results relative to a directional component. This item
is available only when you select X, Y or Z from the Component option
menu.
Shear & Moment Results Quantity

Mechanica supports this quantity for Structure models that contain beams, provided
you select Graph as your display type. In FEM mode, the Shear & Moment quantity
is only available when you are loading results from an MSC/NASTRAN .xdb file.
When you select Shear & Moment from the Quantity option menu, Mechanica
alters the selections on the Quantity tab. The selections include:
• Beam Area — Select the beam components to include in the result window
definition. Mechanica displays up to six graph curves on separate graphs
depending on the number of beam components you select.
entity you want to use in your results display.
Rotation Velocity Results Quantity

results. Be aware that:
• For the Rotation Velocity quantity, you must select Rotations as an

analysis output when you define the analysis.
• Your model must be a shell or beam model or a mixed solid model with
beams or shells present.
The Rotation Velocity quantity is not available in FEM mode.
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When you select Rotation Velocity from the Quantity option menu, Mechanica
may alter the selections on the Quantity tab. Some selections do not appear unless
the item is part of the design study you choose. The possible selections include:

Mechanica reports rotation velocity in radians per unit of time and displays the
square root of the sum of the squares (SRSS) of the rotation components you select.
Rotation Results Quantity

Mechanica supports this quantity for Structure analyses of shell and beam models.
Be aware that:
• For the Rotation quantity, you must select Rotations as an analysis output
when you define the analysis.
For FEM mode, the Rotation quantity is available for all models, but only returns
nonzero results for beam and shell models.
When you select Rotation from the Quantity option menu, Mechanica may alter the
part of the design study you choose. The possible selections include:
• Amplitude — Use this option button to indicate that you want Mechanica to
display rotation in terms of amplitude. This button is available for FEM mode
• Phase — Use this option button to indicate that you want Mechanica to
display rotation in terms of phase. This button is available for FEM mode
Mechanica reports rotation in radians (1 radian = 57.29578 ) and displays the SRSS
of the rotation components you select.
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Flux Results Quantity

Mechanica supports this quantity for all Thermal models. For thermal analyses,
Mechanica only calculates the Flux quantity if you select Heat Flux as an analysis
output when you define the analysis.
When you select Flux from the Quantity option menu, Mechanica may alter the
part of the design study you choose.

Model Display Type

When you select Model from the Display Type option menu, the options available
on the Display Options tab become specific to model result window displays.
Use Model for these purposes:
• to display your original model with all loads, constraints, and other model
entities
• to display your FEM model's geometry in its original form
• to display and animate your model's structural deformations. You can use
Model this way in standard design studies only.
• to display the optimized shape of your model
• to display the linearized stresses of your model
• to display an undeformed model as a rendering of the analysis model
design study and quantity you choose and the selections you make on the tab:
• Shade Surfaces — Display your model as light-source shaded frames. If you

do not select the check box, the animation appears as a series of wireframe
images.
results.
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frames in the animation. This option is unavailable for fatigue or linearized
stress results.
Components for Shell Resultant

When you select Shell Resultant from the Quantity option menu, a secondary
quantity option menu appears. Depending on what you select from the secondary
quantity option menu, the Component menu displays the components specific to
this quantity. Use this option menu to further refine your quantity definition.
If you select Moment or Force from the secondary quantity option menu, these
options appear on the Component menu:
• Max Principal — the maximum principal shell resultant. For mixed locations
that include beams, Max Principal specifies total stress or strain for beams.
• Min Principal — the minimum principal shell resultant
• XX — normal shell resultant along the X axis
• XY — shear shell resultant acting in the Y direction on the plane whose
outward normal is parallel to the X axis
• YY — normal shell resultant along the Y axis
If you select Transverse Shear Force from the secondary quantity option menu,
these options appear on the menu:
• X — shear force acting in the Z direction on the plane whose outward normal
is parallel to the X axis
• Y — shear force acting in the Z direction on the plane whose outward normal
is parallel to the Y axis
Regardless of whether you choose Force, Moment, or Transverse Shear Force

from the secondary menu, Mechanica enables you to select a reference coordinate
system for any of the directional components. If you change the coordinate system
type for your results display, the directional components in the Component option
menu change to reflect the new coordinate system. For example, if you change from
the Cartesian coordinate system to the Cylindrical coordinate system, the labels
change from XX, YY, and ZZ to RR, TT, and ZZ. For more information, see Results
Relative to Coordinate Systems.
Components for Shear and Moment

When you select Shear & Moment from the Quantity option menu, the Beam area
displays the components specific to this quantity. Mechanica uses these components
to plot the shear and moment graph. You can select one of these components only if
a beam is associated with the curve.
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These are the components that appear in the Beam area:
• P — Axial force
• Vy — Shear force in the Y direction
• Vz — Shear force in the Z direction
• Mx — Torsional moment
• My — Bending moment about the Y axis
• Mz — Bending moment about the Z axis
Components for Reactions at Point

Constraints
When you select Reactions At Point Constraints from the Quantity option menu,
the Component menu displays the components specific to this quantity. Use this
option menu to further refine your quantity definition.
• X - The quantity in the X direction or about the X axis. X is not available for
reaction moment, rotation, rotation acceleration, and rotation velocity for all
2D models.
• Y - The quantity in the Y direction or about the Y axis. Y is not available for
2D plane strain and 2D axisymmetric models.
• Z - The quantity in the Z direction or about the Z axis. Z is not available for
any 2D model.
Components for Flux and Temp Gradient

When you select Flux or Temp Gradient from the Quantity option menu, the
Component option menu displays the components specific to these quantities. Use
this option menu to further refine your quantity definition. The choices available on
this menu depend on the design study, display type, and quantity combination you
select.
These are the options that can appear on the Component menu if you select Flux
Temp Gradient:
• Magnitude — the magnitude of the quantity vector, which is equivalent to

selecting all three components.
• X — the quantity in the X direction or about the X axis.
• Y — the quantity in the Y direction or about the Y axis.
• Z — the quantity in the Z direction or about the Z axis. Z is not available for
2D models.
Cylindrical coordinate system, the labels change from X, Y, and Z to R, T, and Z. For
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Reactions at Point Constraints Quantity

Mechanica supports this quantity for all Structure models in native mode. For most
analyses, Mechanica calculates the Reactions at Point Constraints quantity if
you select Reactions as an analysis output when you define the analysis.
When you select Reactions at Point Constraints from the Quantity option menu,
Mechanica may alter the selections on the Quantity tab. Some selections do not
appear unless the item is part of the design study you choose. The possible
selections on the Quantity tab include:
• Secondary Quantity option menu — Select a secondary quantity option.

• Component — Select a component.
Graph Display Type

Use the Graph display type to display graphs of your selected quantity. In FEM
mode, you can create graphs for most quantities along one or more edges. For
native mode, you can create graphs for:
• Most quantities along one or more curves or beams

• Predefined or user-defined measures. In this case, the graph shows the result
quantity as a function of:
o The p-loop pass iteration number in a multi-pass analysis
o The optimization pass number in an optimization design study
o The value of a design parameter in a global or local design study. For
additional information, see Local Sensitivity Graph Notes.
o Time or frequency in a dynamic analysis
• Shear & moment on a curve or beam
• A study that did not converge when you used the multi-pass adaptive
convergence method. In this case, you can create a convergence graph to get
more information on why the study did not converge.
When you select Graph from the Display Type option menu, the Display Options
tab and the Display Location tab become unavailable.
Quantity for Result Windows

Use the Quantity option menu on the Quantity tab of the Result Window
Definition dialog box to select the quantity you want to display in the result
window.
The list of quantities available on the Quantity option menu varies depending
whether you are working in native mode or FEM mode as well as on the design study
and analysis you select in the Study Selection area of the dialog box.
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These are the possible choices available on the Quantity option menu:
Native Mode FEM Mode
• Acceleration • Rotation Velocity • Beam Resultant

• Beam Resultant • Shear & Moment • Displacement
• Contact Pressure • Shell Resultant • Flux
• Displacement • Strain • Reaction
• Failure Index • Strain Energy • Rotation
• Fatigue • Stress • Shear & Moment
• Flux • Temp Gradient • Shell Resultant
• Measure • Temperature • Strain
• P-Level • Velocity • Strain Energy
• Reaction • Stress
• Reactions at • Temp Gradient
Point Constraints • Temperature
• Rotation • Thermal Strain
• Rotation • Thermal Strain
Acceleration Energy
After you select a quantity from the Quantity option menu, additional selections
appear that you can use to define the quantity.
For information on how Mechanica handles quantities for modal and dynamic
analyses, see Quantity Notes for Modal and Dynamic Analyses.
Reaction Results Quantity

Mechanica supports this quantity for all Structure models. You can display reaction
results using the Graph display type only. The Reaction quantity represents reaction
forces and moments at constrained curves, edges, or points, for all element types.
These results are available for static and modal analyses if you selected Reactions
as an analysis output. Mechanica reports reactions using specific criteria that you
should be aware of as you evaluate your results.
For FEM mode, Mechanica reports reaction forces at constrained curves, edges, or
points for all element types. FEM mode does not provide results on reaction
moments.
When you select Reaction from the Quantity option menu, Mechanica may alter the
• Secondary quantity option menu — Select a secondary quantity option.

For FEM mode, Force is the only secondary quantity and, therefore, the
secondary quantity option menu displays this item only.
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For more information about the Reaction quantity, see Reaction Results Reporting.
P-Level Results Quantity

Mechanica supports this quantity provided you select Fringe as your display type.
This quantity is available for analyses using the multi-pass adaptive convergence
method. The P-Level quantity is not available in FEM mode.
Use P-Level to review a fringe plot of the maximum polynomial order Mechanica
calculated, set along each of the element edges in your model. The thickness of the
lines representing element edges in the P-Level fringe plot depends on the
polynomial order value. The higher the polynomial order value, the thicker Mechanica
draws the line.
When you select P-Level from the Quantity menu, the Display Options and
Display Locations tabs are unavailable.
Components for Stress or Strain

When you select Stress, Strain, or Thermal Strain (FEM only) from the Quantity
option menu, the Component menu displays the components specific to these
quantities. Use this option menu to further refine your quantity definition. The
choices available on this menu depend on the design study, display type, and
quantity combination you select.
Following are the possible items that appear in the Component menu if you select
Stress, Strain, or Thermal Strain (FEM only). If you have a beam model,
Mechanica displays additional items.
• Max Principal — the maximum principal stress or strain. For mixed locations
that include beams, Max Principal specifies total stress or strain for beams.
For an example of a Max Principal stress vector display, see Example: Max
Principal Stress Vector Plot.
• Min Principal — the minimum principal stress or strain
• Mid Principal — the principal stress or strain that has a numerical value
between max principal and min principal
• von Mises — a combination of all stress components. This component is not
available for Strain or Thermal Strain quantities.
• Maximum Shear — one-half the maximum absolute difference between the
principal stresses or strains. This component is not available for Strain or
Thermal Strain quantities.
• XX — normal stress or strain along the X axis
• XY — shear stress or strain acting in the Y direction on the plane whose
outward normal is parallel to the X axis
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• XZ — shear stress or strain acting in the Z direction on the plane whose

outward normal is parallel to the X axis. This component is only available for
3D models.
• YY — normal stress or strain along the Y axis
• YZ — shear stress or strain acting in the Z direction on the plane whose
outward normal is parallel to the Y axis. This component is only available for
3D models.
• ZZ — normal stress or strain along the Z axis. This component is only
available for 3D models.
For directional components, Mechanica displays the Relative To option menu,

enabling you to display the result relative to a coordinate system, laminate ply, and
so forth. Be aware that if you change the coordinate system for your results display,
the directional components in the Component option menu change to reflect the
new coordinate system. For example, if you change from Cartesian to Cylindrical, the
labels change from XX, YY, and ZZ to RR, TT, and ZZ. For more information, see
Results Relative to Coordinate Systems.
Native mode expresses stress values and directions somewhat differently than they
are sometimes described in textbooks. To learn more about how native mode
stresses relate to textbook examples, see How Stress Components Relate to
Textbook Examples.
Failure Index Results Quantity

Mechanica supports this quantity for Structure analyses on models where you
defined a failure criterion for at least one of the materials. The Failure Index
quantity is not available in FEM mode.
Use Failure Index to determine whether a material has failed under given loading
conditions. If the failure index is:
• less than 1 — the material has not failed

• equal to or greater than 1 — the material has failed
When reviewing failure index results, be sure to consider the failure modes of the
material.
If you select Failure Index from the Quantity option menu and Graph as your
display type, Mechanica adds the Graph Location selection to the Quantity tab.
Use the associated selector arrow to display your model and pick the geometric
Measure Results Quantity

Mechanica supports this quantity provided you select Graph as your display type. Be
aware that you cannot select measures if you combine loads or modes. The
Measure quantity is not available in FEM mode.
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When you select Measure from the menu, Mechanica may alter the selections on the
Quantity tab. Some selections do not appear unless the item is part of the design
study you choose. The possible selections include:
• Measure Selector — Click the measure selector to display the Measures

dialog box, which lists the measures available for this design study. Select
one measure from the list. You can also review measures through this dialog
box.
• Graph Location — Mechanica automatically selects P-Pass which is the only
location for measure quantities.
See Types of Measure Results Graphs to learn about the kinds of results you can
display using Measure as the quantity.
Fringe Display Type

Use the Fringe display type to display your results as a fringe plot, which is a series
of filled color regions on the location you select. Each region is a different color,
representing a different range of values for the quantity you are viewing.
You can use fringes to determine whether certain results are reasonable. For
example, you can look at the fringe plot of maximum principal or von Mises stress for
static analyses, or flux magnitude for thermal analyses.
You can also create a contour display using the Fringe display type. To get a better
idea of what a fringe plot looks like, you can review an example. Also, before
defining a fringe display, be sure to read the information in Tips for Fringe Displays.
When you select Fringe from the Display Type option menu, the options available
on the Display Options tab become specific to fringe plot result window displays.
design study and the selections you make on the Quantity tab and the Display
Options tab:
• Continuous Tone — Display fringes in continuous tones that transition

smoothly between fringes. If you do not select this item, fringes display in
discrete colors. A fringe with Continuous Tone selected cannot be exported
as a VRML file.
• Averaged — Display quantities as values averaged at locations where two
elements in your model meet. If you clear the check box, the results display
as unaveraged values. In FEM mode, this option becomes available only when
you load results from an .xdb NASTRAN file.
In native mode of Mechanica, the Averaged check box is selected by default

and is unavailable for quantities other than flux and temperature gradient.
You can clear the check box only for flux and temperature gradient to display
the result as unaveraged values.
• Legend Levels — Set the number of levels to display on the model for a
fringe window. The minimum value is 2, and the maximum is 16. The default
is 9 levels.
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• Contour — Display your model with contour lines or isosurfaces. Set to

display or not display contour labels. You cannot select both Continuous
Tone and Contour.
results.
frames in the animation. This option is unavailable for fatigue results and
linearized stresses.
Select Dynamic Query from the Info menu to show the value of the result
window's quantity at locations you select.
Stress Results Quantity

Mechanica only calculates the Stress quantity if you select Stresses or Ply
Stresses as an analysis output when you define the analysis. For information on
how Mechanica calculates and reports stress results, see Stress Notes.
When you select Stress from the Quantity option menu, Mechanica may alter the
part of the design study you choose. The possible selections on the Quantity tab
include:

beams in the model.
shells in the model. This area does not appear in FEM mode.
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Strain Results Quantity

Mechanica only calculates the Strain quantity if you select Stresses or Ply
Stresses as an analysis output when you define the analysis.
When you select Strain from the Quantity option menu, Mechanica may alter the

beams in the model.
shells in the model. This area does not appear in FEM mode.
How Stress Components Relate to Textbook

Examples
If you are trying to relate the stress results or stress measures reported by native
mode Structure to textbook examples, you may find that Mechanica expresses stress
component direction somewhat differently than your textbook.
The diagram below describes the directions of the stress components in a standard
textbook application.
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The following items explain the relation between the textbook definition of stresses
and the values reported by Structure:
• Textbooks commonly denote normal stresses by the symbol and a

subscript indicating the plane on which the stress acts. A normal stress is
positive if it is tensile. Structure denotes the normal stresses in Structure as
Stress XX, Stress YY, and Stress ZZ.
• Textbooks commonly denote shear stresses by the symbol and two
subscripts. The first designates the plane on which the shear stress acts and
the second indicates the coordinate axis to which it is parallel.
The sign of a shear stress depends on the normal of the plane on which it is
acting. If the outward normal is positive, the shear stress is positive when it
points in the positive direction of the coordinate axis which it parallels. If the
outward normal is negative, the shear stress is positive when in points in the
negative direction of the coordinate axis which it parallels.
Structure denotes the shear stresses as Stress XY, Stress XZ, and Stress YZ.
The other three shear stress components follow these equivalent relations:
Stress XY = Stress YX
Stress XZ = Stress ZX
Stress YZ = Stress ZY
Beam Contribution
Use the Include Contribution From Beams area of the Quantity tab to select the
beam contributions you want to use for the result window. This area does not appear
on the dialog box unless there are beams in the model and they were part of the
design study or analysis. In FEM mode, you can see this area only when you are
loading results from an MSC/NASTRAN .xdb file. However, in this case, Include
Contribution From Beams area is inactive—showing you which contributions
Mechanica will include in the result window, but not allowing you to select
contributions.
Note: The discussion below pertains to all quantities that allow specific
measurement of beam behavior except for Strain Energy.
The options in the Include Contribution From Beams area determine the values
that the software uses to plot along the beam curve in the result display. All of the
check boxes are selected by default. If you clear all three, the result window does
not display any beams.
If you select beam bending, beam tensile, beam torsional stress, or beam total from
the Component option menu, the check boxes in the Include Contribution From
Beams area become unavailable. In FEM mode, since your selection is limited to
beam total, the check boxes always remain unaccessible.
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For quantities that have beams, except for strain energy, the selections in the
Include Contribution From Beams area include:
• Bending — Include bending for beams in the result display. In FEM mode,
this box is always checked.
• Tensile — Include tension for beams in the result display. In FEM mode, this
box is always checked.
• Torsional — Include torsion for beams in the result display. In FEM mode,
this box remains unchecked.
There is a menu below the check boxes with these options:
• Maximum — Use the maximum value to evaluate the beams in your model.
• Minimum — Use the minimum value to evaluate the beams in your model.
• Maximum Absolute — Use the signed value that has the maximum absolute
value to evaluate the beams in your model. If the absolute values of the
maximum value and minimum value are equal, Mechanica uses the maximum
value.
• Recovery Point — Use one of the locations at which Mechanica reports
stresses for the beams in your model.
Results for FEM

About FEM Results
Once you solve your model, you can review and evaluate a variety of graphical and
statistical results using Mechanica's postprocessor. You can:
• view graphical renditions of your model's analysis results by defining and

displaying result windows. Using this method you can study a variety of
quantities calculated during the analysis—among them, stress, strain,
displacement, temperature, and thermal flux. You can study your model's
interior as well as its exterior surfaces. You can also animate your model,
review fringe plots, examine graphs, and so forth.
• define FEA parameters to calculate and collect results over the model's
geometry. You can use these parameters in relations to drive your model
according to your results.
• review analysis statistics that provide information about how your model
behaved. Statistical information provides reports on how particular quantities
behave at model locations you specify. You can also generate graphs of how
model edges react during analysis.
• evaluate a report of model behavior at one or more hard points. Hard point
reports let you study quantities as measured in reference to the three
translational and three rotational axes of a coordinate system you specify.
To perform these activities, you should become familiar with how to use the
postprocessor. To learn about entering and working with the postprocessor, see
Using the Postprocessor.
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Using the Postprocessor in FEM Mode

You perform all evaluation of FEM analysis results using Mechanica's postprocessor.
Before starting a results session, you should know how to enter the postprocessor
and understand the function of the postprocessing tools.
You can enter the postprocessor:
• Automatically — After you have run a FEM solver online, the system opens
the postprocessor and loads an .frd file with FEM mesh and results, into
memory.
• By using the File>Open FEM Results command — Mechanica stores FEM
meshes and analysis results in .frd files. You can choose to load the stored
.frd file. Be aware that the software can only retrieve the file that contains
both mesh and results and is compatible with the current model.
• By selecting the Analysis>Results command — This action enables you
to load the NASTRAN results database, which gives you an access to more
types of available results. You can use the Analysis>Results command only
if you have performed an analysis of the FEM model on the MSC/NASTRAN
solver and have an .xdb NASTRAN file available.
Once you enter the postprocessor, Mechanica displays the Results user interface that
overlays the Pro/ENGINEER work area and menu bar. You can use the Results user
interface to view graphical representations of analysis results by creating and
manipulating result windows.
Another useful tool is the RESULTS menu that appears as an extension of the menu
manager to the right of the work area. The menu does not open if you select the
Analysis>Results command and are reading results from the NASTRAN .xdb file.
On the RESULTS menu you can:
• use the Parameters command to work with result parameters

• use the Info command to obtain statistical information
• use the Reports command to review hard point reports
• use the Visualize command to reopen the Results user interface if you closed
it earlier
Loading NASTRAN Results Database

Mechanica FEM mode gives you direct access to MSC/NASTRAN results that you can
load into the postprocessor after you select the Analysis>Results command. The
ability to access NASTRAN rather than FEM results that you load through the
File>Open FEM Results command, gives you the following advantages:
• You can view more types of available results, such as beam stresses, beam
and shell resultants, shear and moment for beams, beam stress recovery
points, and so forth.
• You can view results as either averaged or unaveraged values when you
display your results as a fringe plot. There are, however, logical limitations on
averaging.
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As a prerequisite for loading NASTRAN results, you need to perform analyses for
your FEM model using the MSC/NASTRAN solver. When you run the solver, it creates
a NASTRAN results file with an .xdb extension and stores it in the current directory.
When you click the Results command, it opens the Results user interface and
displays a file selection dialog box, which you use to specify the .xdb file you want to
load.
Once you specify the NASTRAN .xdb file, the postprocessor can read information
about nodes, elements, and their connectivity, as well as results from the file. Also,
the postprocessor looks for a FEM mesh and results .frd file associated with the
current model in session and selected .xdb file. The postprocessor uses the .frd file
to read mesh data only.
If you have solved your model offline, the .frd file may not be present in your current
directory, but you can still view results from the .xdb file. Depending on whether the
.frd file is present or not, Mechanica takes one of these actions:
• If the .frd file is present, Mechanica reads the mesh data from the .frd file into
memory and displays a mesh in the Pro/ENGINEER window. You can have
access to meshed geometric entities and select them as needed. Also, you
can view results by layers and display saved views.
• If the .frd file is not present, Mechanica continues to display the current
model and you have no access to meshed geometry. Graph results, layers, or
saved views become unavailable.
Graphical Result Windows

Viewing FEM Analysis Results
You can view FEM analysis results through the Results user interface, a graphical
user interface that provides commands, menus, and functions you use to work with
graphical results. The system opens the Results user interface when it enters the
postprocessor. To learn how you can access the postprocessor, see Using the
Postprocessor. To learn about commands and menus on the Results user interface,
and how to work with it, see Working with the Results User Interface.
To view analysis results for your model, you need to define and display one or more
result windows. A result window is a graphical display of your model's behavior as
determined by an analysis. You can define a result window so that it:
• displays a fringe plot of various quantities of interest, such as stress or strain.

You can animate the fringe plot, show interior stresses, compare deformed
states against original states, and so forth.
• displays a graph of specific model quantities along edge curves
• displays a model view showing displacements
When defining a result window, you can select from a variety of display types,
quantities, and locations. The exact options and combinations available depend on
the type of model and the analysis type you select when you define your analysis.
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Also, you can use only certain combinations of quantities and displays. For more
information on defining your results window, see Result Window Definition Dialog
Box.
Result Windows
Working with the Results User Interface
When evaluating analysis and design study results, you work within the Results user
interface. This user interface lets you view, evaluate, and manage results for your
analyses and design studies. The Results user interface is independent of the
Mechanica workspace. The way you open the Results user interface depends on the
mode in which you are operating Mechanica.
• Native mode — Use the Analysis>Results command to open the Results

user interface.
• FEM mode — Use the File>Open FEM Results command to open the .frd
file that contains the FEM mesh and analysis results for the model on your
screen. If you have performed an analysis of your model using the
MSC/NASTRAN solver, in addition to being able to view FEM mesh and
analysis results, you can also have a direct access to a NASTRAN results .xdb
file. For information on different ways of loading results, see Using the
Postprocessor in FEM Mode.
The Results user interface incorporates a menu bar, toolbar, a set of basic functions,
and a built-in workflow designed to facilitate results viewing. This workflow enables
you to set up a variety of result views, evaluate individual results, and control scaling
and visualization of multiple results so that you can easily compare one quantity of
interest with another.
Here is a step-by-step overview of what we suggest as your workflow:
1. Viewing results — You define result windows, display and hide them, and
control how they appear on-screen and in your reports.
2. Evaluating results — You study the result windows you defined, probe
specific areas of your model, and compare your findings for one model,
design study, result quantity, or set of conditions with your findings for
another.
3. Saving result windows — You save the set of result windows you created
so that you can review or re-use them later.
4. Generating reports — You prepare printed and online reports for evaluation
and presentation.
While this sequence represents the most linear approach to reviewing results, you
may find that you move back and forth through these steps as you refine the result
views you have set up.
Tip: You can perform many operations in the Results user interface against
both single and multiple windows. For example, you can change backgrounds
for multiple windows, rotate multiple result windows, and so forth.
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To select a single result window, move your cursor to the window and left-
click it. Mechanica highlights the window border in yellow. To select multiple
result windows, press the SHIFT key and left-click each of the windows you
want. If you select multiple result windows, Mechanica deactivates certain
commands, such as Edit>Result Window and Export>VRML.
Results User Interface Menu Bar

The Results user interface features a menu bar at the top of the screen. You create
and manage your results using the menus. To acquaint you with the organization of
menu bar, here is an overview:
• File menu — Provides commands that control such basic functions of the
Results user interface as opening result sets, closing the interface, saving
result definitions, and generating reports.
• Edit menu — Provides commands that modify result definitions, legends,
cutting and capping planes, and annotations.
• View menu — Provides commands that control such aspects of results
viewing as model position, shading, and overlays. You can also use this menu
to display or hide result windows, start and stop animations, change or save
the orientation of your model, and control the visual characteristics of result
windows.
• Insert menu — Provides commands that define result windows, cutting
planes, capping planes, and annotations.
• Info menu — Provides commands that probe your model for specific items of
interest such as quantity maximums and minimums, exact quantities at
model locations you select, and so forth. Also provides commands to display
node IDs, element IDs, and node result values in FEM mode.
• Format menu — Provides commands that format result window values, color
spectrums, and scales.
• Utilities menu — Provides commands that refine your results and let you
perform result comparisons against the same scale.
• Window menu — Provides commands that let you manipulate your result
windows within the Results user interface.
The Results user interface also includes a toolbar whose buttons give you fast access
to the most frequently used commands on the menus just discussed.
Results User Interface Toolbar

Results user interface provides a toolbar with these buttons:
Button Action/Name
Open — Closes the current set of result definitions and opens a

new one.
Save — Saves the result windows currently available in the

Results user interface.
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Button Action/Name
Save As — Saves the result windows currently available in the

Results user interface to a .rwd file you specify.
Print — Prints all currently displayed result windows.
Insert — Lets you create a result window definition.
Edit — Lets you edit a result window definition.
Copy — Lets you copy result window definitions.
Delete — Deletes the selected result windows.
Display — Lets you pick which result windows you want to

display.
Hide — Hides the selected result windows.
Repaint — Repaints all currently displayed result windows.
Zoom In — Zooms in on the model in the selected result

window.
Zoom Out — Zooms out from the model in the selected result
window.
Refit — Refits the model in the selected result window.
Default — Returns the model to the default view.
Saved Views — Repositions your model to the orientation of the

saved view that you select from the list.
Start Animation — Starts an animation of the model in the

selected result window.
Stop Animation — Stops an animation.
Step Animation Backward — Steps backward through an

Step Animation Forward — Steps forward through an

Animation Playback Speed Control — Speeds up or slows

down all currently displayed animations.
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Basic Functions for the Results User Interface

The Results user interface provides a set of three commands that let you perform
basic, low-level functions like opening a set of result windows or closing the Results
user interface. These activities are generally preliminary to setting up a results
session. You can find all three basic commands on the File menu.
Here is an overview of the basic commands:
• New — Use this command to start a new results session.

• Open — Use this command to open an existing set of result definitions and
view the associated result windows.
• Exit Results — Use this command to close your results session.
Each of these commands clears the current contents of the Results user interface.
When you select any of these commands, Mechanica prompts you to save any result
windows currently defined for the results session. If you want to save the result
windows, reply Yes. Mechanica displays the Save Results Window dialog box. Use
this dialog box to create a new .rwd file or save the result windows to an existing
.rwd file.
Viewing Results
To view results, you perform three activities—define result windows, display result
windows, and control the general appearance of the result windows you define. The
Results user interface features easy, direct methods of defining result windows as
well as a variety of view controls. Here is an overview of the method you use to view
results:
• Define result windows — You define result windows through the

Insert>Result Window command or by clicking the Insert button on the
toolbar. Mechanica opens the Result Window Definition dialog box. Use the
dialog box to select the design studies, display types, quantities, and
locations you are interested in.
If you want to add or compare the result windows you define to an existing
set of result window definitions, use the Insert>Result Window From File
command in concert with Insert>Result Definition.
You may find that you can define result windows more quickly by copying
them.
• Display and hide result windows — You display result windows through
the View>Display command or by clicking the Display button on the
toolbar. When you select this command, the Display Result Window dialog
box appears, enabling you to select and deselect various result windows to
display.
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You hide windows by clicking the Hide button. You can hide a single window
or multiple windows. You will find this particularly handy as you prepare to
generate reports.
You can also make a selected result window occupy the entire Result user
interface work area through the Windows>Full Screen command. This
command expands the current window to occupy the work area.
• Control result window appearance — You control how result windows

appear on-screen through commands on the View and Format menus. You
can also perform some of these activities through toolbar buttons.
When you set up your result windows as you want, you can begin to evaluate and
compare results. Once you have studied your result windows, you may also want to
Defining Results
Result Window Definition Dialog Box
Use the Result Window Definition dialog box to define the contents of a result
window.
Valid quantity and display combinations depend on whether you are working in
native mode or FEM mode as well as on the type of model, design study, and
analyses you select for the result window. In addition, a selection in one category
may not be valid with some items in the other categories.
When you select Analysis>Results, the Result Window Definition dialog box
appears. In FEM mode, you can use the Results command when you want to load
results directly from a NASTRAN .xdb file. To load Mechanica FEM mesh and results
file, select File>Open FEM Results.
The Result Window Definition dialog box consists of these main areas:
• Name and title area — Enter a name and title for the result window. The
name you enter appears in the list on the Display Result Window dialog
box. The title appears at the bottom center of the result window. You can
change the name and title at any time.
• Study Selection — Select the design study or analysis that the software will
use to generate the result display. You can also use this area to select modes,
load sets, time steps, and load steps if these are part of the analysis or design
study you select.
• Display Type — Select the type of display for your result window.
• Quantity tab — Select the quantity for your result window. After you select a
quantity from the first option menu, you may see additional option menus or
buttons you can use to complete selecting a quantity.
• Display Options tab — Select various options for displaying your results.
The available options depend on the display type you choose.
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• Display Location tab — Select specific locations on your model to display in

the results window.
The Result Window Definition dialog box provides a top-down approach to

defining the result window. As you make selections at the top of the dialog box,
different choices become active or inactive as you move down from one area to
another area. The type of design study you select affects the available display types
and quantities that are available. When you select a display type, that determines
the quantities and display options that are available. The dialog box lets you select
only valid combinations.
For strategies on choosing among the various result window types, see Reviewing
the Results.
You can display result windows using these methods:
• If you are still working with the Result Window Definition dialog box, click
the OK And Show button.
• If you have finished defining results and are working in the Results user
interface, click the Display button on the toolbar and select result windows
from the Display Result Window dialog box. As an alternative, you can use
View>Display.
Study Selection Area

Use the Study Selection area of the Result Window Definition dialog box to
select the design study/analysis that the software uses to generate the result
display.
The Study Selection area displays the following:
• Design Study — Select the design study for which you want to display the
results. The design study name appears in the display-only text box to the
right of the button. In FEM mode, if you are loading results directly from a
NASTRAN .xdb file, use the button to open the Load NASTRAN XDB dialog
box. On this dialog box, you need to select the .xdb file from which you want
the software to read the results.
• Analysis — Select an analysis that is part of the design study you select.
• Step/Combination — Select a subset of design study results.
Step/Combination Selection
The step/combination selection table displays different columns depending on the
design study you select. You can select one or more subsets to include in the result
display. If there is only one subset for a design study, the subset is selected by
default and you cannot clear it.
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The possible subsets in the step/combination selection table are:
• Load Set/Mode — When you select a static, modal, or steady-state thermal

design study, the table lists the load sets or modes used in the study. You can
select one or more load set/mode combinations and provide a scaling factor
for each load set/mode combination you select. The default scaling factor is
1.0. Note that there are special considerations if you use scaling with
centrifugal loads.
• Time/Frequency/Load Step — When you select a static large deformation,
dynamic frequency, dynamic time, or transient thermal analysis, the table
lists the time, frequency, or load steps present in the design study. These are
the user-defined steps you defined when you created the analysis. You can
select one step from the list.
• Mode (Buckling/Prestress Modal) — When you select a buckling or
prestress modal design study, the table lists the mode and buckling load
factor present in the design study. You can select one mode or buckling load
factor from the list.
Display Type Area

Use this area to define the way you want Mechanica to display your results. The
design study or quantity you select can make one or more of the display types
unavailable on the option menu.
These items can appear on the Display Type option menu:
• Fringe — Displays a graphical representation of your model, showing the

measurements of the quantity you specify as filled color regions—each
corresponding to a numeric range calculated by the analysis or design study.
You can also create a contour plot using this display type.
• Vectors — Displays a graphical representation of your model, showing the
measurements and directions of the quantity you specify as colored vector
arrows. This display type is not available in FEM mode.
• Graph — Displays a graph of your model's behavior. Graphs display the
relationship between a quantity and the graph location, such as P-loop pass,
curve or edge, time, or frequency.
• Model — Displays your model's geometry in its original or deformed state.
Model representations are useful if you want to show a simple animation of
how your model deforms or if you want to show the optimized shape of your
model. This display type is not available for Thermal.
You can query linearized stresses for your model by selecting Model as the
display type, Stress as the quantity, and Linearized as the component.
When the result window displays, select Linearized Stress Query from the
Info menu.
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Quantity Tab
Use the Quantity tab on the Result Window Definition dialog box to select a
quantity for your result window display. The choices that appear on the Quantity tab
depend on the design study and display type you select. The items that are available
change immediately if you change the design study or display type.
These are the items that can appear on the Quantity tab:
• Quantity — Select the quantity you want to display in the result window. The
menu displays only the quantities that are valid for the design study and
display type you choose. The quantity you select determines which of the
remaining items appears on the Quantity tab.
• Secondary Quantity Option Menu — Select a secondary quantity to display
in the result window. This item appears if you select Fatigue, Reaction,
Shell Resultant, or Beam Resultant from the Quantity option menu.
• Component — Select the component you want to display in the result
window. The menu displays only components that are valid for the quantity
you select from the Quantity menu, and only appears for certain quantities.
• Relative To — Select the reference for a directional component. This item
appears only if you select a directional component.
• Graph Location — Select the type of location you want to use for your graph
results display. This area appears only if you select a display type of Graph.
The following additional items are available depending on the quantity you select and
whether beams or shells are present in the model. These items do not appear in FEM
mode.

beams in the model.
In addition to using the Quantity tab to define your basic result quantity, you use
the Display Options tab and Display Location tab to further refine the result
window display.
Display Options Tab

Use the Display Options tab on the Result Window Definition dialog box to
determine the appearance of your results window display.
Selecting one of these display types determines the options available on the Display
Options tab:
• Fringe (includes contour)

• Vectors (not available for FEM mode)
• Graph
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• Model (not available for thermal mode)
If you select a display type and then select a design study or quantity that is not
compatible with that display type, Mechanica removes the display type from the
option menu and displays only the valid display types for that design study and
quantity combination.
Display Location Tab

Use the Display Location tab on the Result Window Definition dialog box to
select specific locations to display in your result window.
These items appear on the Display Location tab:
• Display Location — Select the type of location you want to display in your
result window. The options available on this menu vary depending on the
design study, display type, and quantity you select. These items can appear
on the menu:
o All — Display all locations in the result window. This is the default
value.
o Beams — Display beams in the result window.
o Curves — Display curves in the result window.
o Surfaces — Display surfaces in the result window.
o Volumes — Display volumes in the result window.
o Components/Layers — Display specific components or layers in the
result window.
Select the Use All check box to display all Beams, all Curves, all Surfaces, all
Volumes, or all Components/Layers in the result display window.
entity on your model that you want to display in the results window. You can
select more than one entity. If you accept the default All, the selector arrow
is unavailable.
To Define a Result Window
1. From the Insert menu, select Result Window or click (Result Window)
on the Results user interface toolbar.
The Result Window Definition dialog box appears.
2. In the Name text box, enter a name to identify the result window so that you
can show or hide the window during your results session, or use the default.
3. In the Title text box, enter the title that you want to display at the bottom
center of the result window.
4. Select the design study for which you want to display results by clicking .
5. If the design study has more than one analysis, select an analysis from the
Analysis option menu.
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6. If Mechanica displays a step/combination table below the Design Study and

Analysis option menus, select a load set, mode, time step, or frequency from
the table.
7. Select one of these display types from the Display Type option menu:
o Fringe
o Vectors
o Graph
o Model
8. Select a quantity from the Quantity option menu on the Quantity tab.
9. Select the Display Options tab and choose among the display options to
determine the appearance and behavior of your model in the result window.
10. Select the Display Location tab and choose a location from the option menu.
If you want to use all entities of a certain location type, select the Use All
check box. To select a single entity, click the selector arrow.
11. To display the result window, click OK And Show. To close the dialog box
without displaying the result window, click OK.
To Display a Result Window
1. Select View>Display or click (Display) on the toolbar.
Mechanica displays the Display Result Window dialog box.
2. If you want to display one or more result windows in the result window list,
select the desired result windows.
Mechanica highlights each selection you make.
3. If you want to display all result windows in the list, click (Select All).
Tip: If you need to deselect all result windows, click (Deselect All).
4. Click OK.
Annotating Result Windows

Use the Insert>Annotation menu option to create or edit one or more annotations
for a result window. You can use annotations to create notes about the results or the
model, to point out specific results or features on your model, to make your result
reports more meaningful to others, and so on.
You can customize annotations in many ways. If you want to include text, you can
surround the text with a border and a background color. You can have leader lines,
with or without arrows, that point to one or more places on your model. Using the
mouse sketch tools, you can be very creative by adding shapes or drawings to your
annotation. Any part of the annotation can have its own unique color and you can
place it anywhere on the active window.
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When you select the Insert>Annotation menu option, the Note dialog box appears
with the following options:
• Text — Change the font, the font size, and the font color.
• Note Location — Select the location where you want the annotation text to
appear. The annotation appears to the right of the point you select.
• Leader — Create one or more leaders for the annotation. You select a point
on your model and Mechanica draws the leader line from the annotation to
that point. Use the arrow button to put an arrow at the end of the line. If you
reorient the model, the end of the leader line that is on the model moves with
the model.
• Display Leader Arrow — Display an arrow at the end of the leader.

• Mouse Sketch — Create a circle, square, or multiple line shape.
• Style — Open the Note Style dialog box.
Use the Preview button at any time to apply any changes you have made without
closing the dialog box.
Evaluating Results
The way you evaluate results depends on the type of result window you are working
with. For example, if you are examining fringe plots, you are likely to be interested in
the location of the quantity maximum, the value of the quantity at specific locations,
how one quantity compares with another, and so forth. If you are looking at
animations, you are likely to be interested in how the model deforms, the pattern of
deformation at different steps, how behavior in one mode compares with behavior in
another, and so forth.
Here is an overview of methods and tools you can use to evaluate the different types
of Mechanica results:
• Fringe, contour, and vector plots — You perform three basic activities
depending on how deeply you need to examine the model for the result
quantity:
o Adjust the legend, perform comparisons with other result windows,
and, if necessary, shade or unshade your model.
o Probe your model for specific information like maximum and minimum
locations or how the interior of your model responded during analysis.
o In FEM mode, display information about the element ID's, node ID's,
and values of the result quantity at each node.
• Graphs — You perform two basic activities depending on how much detail
you need on the quantity:
o Adjust the graph, perform comparisons with other result windows.
o Probe the graph to obtain more exact values for specific segments of
the graph or points on the graph.
• Animations — You can start, stop, and control stepping and speed for the
animation. You can also perform comparisons with the original model shape
as well as with other animations.
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Once you have evaluated your results, you should save the result definitions for later
use. At this point, you can also generate reports on your results.
After you have studied your result windows, you may also find that you want to
Saving Results
After you create one or more result windows, you can save these windows to a file
for later use. Mechanica saves result windows in .rwd files. Saving result windows
makes it easier to restore and add to your work. You can also use result windows as
templates for developing result windows for multiple models.
Use one of these commands on the File menu to save your result definitions:
• Save — Use to save the current set of result definitions and associated views
in a single .rwd file. If you defined the set of result windows in the current
session and this is the first time you have saved them, Mechanica saves the
windows to a file named Untitled.rwd. If the result windows displayed were
saved to a named .rwd file in the past, Mechanica saves them to the named
file.
• Save As — Use to save the current set of result definitions and associated
views as a named .rwd file. When you click Save As, Mechanica displays the
Save Result Windows dialog box. Use this dialog box to choose a directory
and name the file. Do not include the .rwd extension in the file name you
enter—Mechanica appends this automatically.
When you use Save As to create a named .rwd file, the name of the .rwd file
appears in the Results user interface title bar whenever you load the named
.rwd file using Insert>Results Window From File as the first activity in your
results session.
• Save As Template — Use to save the current result window definition and
some of the result window attributes as a named template as a .rwt file.
When you click Save As Template, Mechanica displays the Save Results
Template dialog box. Use this dialog box to choose a directory and name the
file. Do not include the .rwt extension in the file name you enter—Mechanica
appends this automatically.
You can optionally store the legend values, model orientation, annotations, and
deformed scale for the result window as part of the template. Once you create
a result window definition as a template, you can create other result windows
from the template by selecting the Insert>Results Window From Template
command.
Regardless of which approach you use, be aware that Mechanica includes paths for
the study directories referenced by the result windows in the .rwd file. Mechanica
uses an absolute path when it writes this information to the .rwd file, but you can
instruct Mechanica to use a relative path instead through the sim_pp_path_absolute
config.pro option.
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You can retrieve a set of saved windows using one of the load commands.
Generating Reports
Once you define and display result windows, you can generate reports that capture
the vital points of your analyses and design studies. Mechanica provides you with the
ability to print reports in a wide variety of print formats, to output reports as HTML,
and to generate VRML reports. For graphs, you can generate specialized graph
reports so you can study the graph sampling points in depth.
Use these commands located on the File menu to generate reports:
• Print — Use to print a selected result window to a printer or to a file.

• Export — Use to generate each of the following report types, selectable from
the associated submenu:
o Image — Use to generate printed images. This command is identical
to File>Print.
o Direct VRML — Use to export a single fringe plot at a time in VRML
format.
o HTML Report — Use to export result windows to an HTML file for web
viewing.
o Graph Report — Use to export a graph report file for a single,
selected graph. The output file is a text file.
o Excel — Use to export a single graph for viewing in Microsoft Excel.
The output file is a .xls file.
o MPEG — Use to export a single animated result window to an MPEG
file.
When preparing to generate reports, you may want to pay particular attention to the
aesthetics of the result windows you are printing or exporting. You should also
consider formatting the result windows to emphasize the aspects of the result you
want to focus on when you share the information with others.
For example, blended or dark background colors may make it difficult to read some
of the information, depending on the quality of your printer. You may want to
eliminate excess text from the result window by using Format>Result Window and
turning off labels. You may want to work with the Format Legend dialog box to
ensure that you are using the best color scale to reflect what takes place in a fringe
plot. You can highlight parts of your results and add information using annotations.
FEA Parameters
Creating FEA Parameters
Mechanica FEM mode postprocessing supports the creation of parameters based on a
model's finite element analysis. You can use created parameters to drive model
geometry by including them in relations and regenerating the model.
After you run an analysis on your model, you can create different types of
parameters for any combination of analysis tests, applied analysis, or selected model
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geometry, provided you obtain your results from an .frd file. To obtain results from
an .frd file, you must use the File>Open FEM Results command or run a FEM
solver online and look at the results available immediately after the run completes.
You cannot create FEA parameters if you select Analysis>Results instead of using
one of these two methods.
You access parameter creation and management commands by selecting

Parameters from the RESULTS menu displayed when you use either of the two
methods just discussed. You create the parameters you want by selecting the
Create command and using the Define Parameter dialog box.
You can specify parameters based on multiple analyses, multiple modes, and
multiple geometric entities. If you are working with a shell model, you can define
parameters based on a particular shell side. Mechanica only updates parameters
when you enter the postprocessor after successfully solving the FEA program online.
To Create Parameters
You can create parameters for your results provided you obtain your results from an
.frd file. To obtain results from an .frd file, you must use the File>Open FEM
Results command or run a FEM solver online and look at the results available
immediately after the run completes. You cannot create parameters if you select
Analysis>Results instead of using one of these two methods.
1. Select File>Open FEM Results and select the result file for the current
model. As an alternative, perform an online FEM solver run.
Mechanica displays the RESULTS menu.
2. Select Parameters>Define Param from the RESULTS menu.
The Define Parameter dialog box appears.
3. Enter a name for the parameter in the Name window.

4. Select the type of parameter from the Type option menu.
5. Select the analysis from the Analysis list.
6. If you selected a modal analysis, select the desired modes from the Mode
list.
7. Select the desired quantity from the Result option menu.
8. Select the desired component from the Components option menu.
9. If the model includes shell elements, select the shell side for the parameter
from the Shell Side options.
10. From the Reference menu, select either the entire model or specific
geometric entities. You can choose different entity types for the same
parameter. Be aware that Mechanica bases the parameter on the selected
geometry only.
11. Select the reference coordinate system from the Coord System option menu
and indicate the coordinate system type.
12. Click Apply. Mechanica creates the parameter.
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Analysis Statistics
Reviewing FEM Analysis Statistics
After you run an analysis on your meshed model using a finite element analysis
program, you can review thermal, structural, or modal analysis statistics, provided
you obtain your results from an .frd file. To obtain results from an .frd file, you must
use the File>Open FEM Results command or run a FEM solver online and look at
the results available immediately after the run completes. You cannot review
statistics if you select Analysis>Results instead of using one of these two methods.
Mechanica can output the following statistics from the analysis results:
• applied analyses
• type of result—quantities such as von Mises stress, heat flux, strain energy,
for example
• side of the shell elements the analysis results data were calculated from—top,
bottom, average of both, or both
• maximum value of the result on the model
• minimum value of the result on the model
• average value of the result on the model
• variance of the result on the model
• location of result maximum on the model
• location of result minimum on the model
Mechanica can generate these statistics for the entire model or for selected parts,
surfaces, edges, vertices, or hard points. For edges, Mechanica provides the
additional option of generating a graph of values measured along the edges.
Mechanica also supports mid-node data processing for parabolic elements.
You specify the statistics you want using the Postprocessing Info dialog box. You
can request that Mechanica output analysis statistics to an information window on
your screen, to a readable ASCII text file, or to both the screen and a file.
To Display or Output Analysis Statistics

You can display or output analysis statistics from your run provided you obtain your
results from an .frd file. To obtain results from an .frd file, you must use the
File>Open FEM Results command or run a FEM solver online and look at the
results available immediately after the run completes. You cannot display or output
analysis statistics if you select Analysis>Results instead of using one of these two
methods.
2. Select Info from the RESULTS menu.
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The Postprocessing Info dialog box displays.

list.
5. Select the desired Structure or Thermal quantity from the Result option
menu.
7. If the model includes shell elements, select the shell side for the statistics
8. From the Reference menu, select either the entire model or specific
geometric entities. You can choose different entity types for the same
statistical report. Mechanica includes analysis statistics on the selected
geometry only.
and indicate the type.
10. Select the display or output method as follows:
o If you want to display the statistics in an information window on your
screen, select Screen.
o If you want to output the statistics to a file, select File and type a file
name in the associated text box.
o If you want both a displayed version and printable output, select Both
and type a file name for the printable output in the associated text
box.
11. Click the Statistics button. If you selected Screen or Both as an output
method, an information window appears displaying the analysis statistics.
12. Click Done. Mechanica closes the dialog box.
Hard Point Reports

Evaluating FEM Hard Point Reports
After you run an analysis on your meshed model using a finite element analysis
program, you can generate a report of a selected quantity at one or more hard
points on your model, provided you obtain your results from an .frd file. To obtain
results from an .frd file, you must use the File>Open FEM Results command or run
a FEM solver online and look at the results available immediately after the run
completes. You cannot generate hard point reports if you select Analysis>Results
instead of using one of these two methods.
Mechanica can report values based on the following:
• type of result—Structure or Thermal quantities such as von Mises stress, heat

flux, strain energy, for example
• side of the shell elements the analysis results data were calculated from—top,
bottom, average of both, or both. This type of reporting is available for
structural and modal analyses only.
Mechanica reports values for the selected quantity in all three translational and
rotational directions at each of the hard points you select. Hard point reports are
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useful for recording the exact analysis data for the quantity you choose across all the
hard points in your model.
You specify the statistics you want using the Postprocessing Report dialog box.
You can request that Mechanica output hard point reports to an information window
on your screen, to a readable ASCII text file, or to both the screen and a file.
To Display or Output Hard Point Reports

You can display or output hard point reports from your run provided you obtain your
hard point reports if you select Analysis>Results instead of using one of these two
methods.
2. Select Report from the RESULTS menu.
The Postprocessing Report dialog box appears.

list.
6. If the model includes shell elements, select the shell side for the report from
the Shell Side options.
7. From the Reference menu, select either the entire model or specific hard
points.
and indicate the type.
o If you want to display the report in an information window on your
screen, select Screen.
o If you want to output the report to a file, select File and type a file
name in the associated text box.
box.
10. Click the Report button. If you selected Screen or Both as an output
method, an information window appears displaying the hard point report.
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Supported FEA Solvers

The following table lists FEA solvers that are currently supported by Mechanica in
FEM mode.
Solver Version
ANSYS 8.0
MSC/NASTRAN 2004
To Generate an Edge Graph

You can generate a graph of results on a model edge provided you obtain your
results available immediately after the run completes. You cannot generate edge
graphs if you select Analysis>Results instead of using one of these two methods.
2. Select Info from the RESULTS menu.
The Postprocessing Info dialog box displays.

list.
7. If the model includes shell elements, select the shell side for the parameter
8. From the Reference menu, click the selector arrow to select a single edge or
a contiguous series of edges.
o If you want to display the edge graph in an information window on
your screen, select Screen. The edge graph appears in a graph
window on your screen accompanied by the Print dialog box, which
enables you to print the graph to a printer or plotter.
o If you want to output the statistics to a file, select File and type a file
name in the associated text box. Mechanica outputs the graph
information to a .dat file, which you can display in a Microsoft Excel
spreadsheet.
box.
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To Display or Output Parameters

If you want to display or output parameters for your results, you must obtain your
parameters if you select Analysis>Results instead of using one of these two
methods.
2. Select Parameters>Show Param from the RESULTS menu.
The FEM PARAMS menu appears.

o If you want to display the parameters in an information window on
your screen, select Screen.
o If you want to save the parameters to a file, select File.
o If you want both displayed and stored versions of the parameters,
select Both.
The SEL PARAM menu appears.
4. Use the SEL PARAM menu to select the parameters that you want to display
or save.
5. Complete the selection process and close the SEL PARAM menu and display
or save the parameter information.
To Delete Parameters
You can delete a model's obsolete FEA results-based parameters as desired. If you
do so, be sure to delete or edit any relation that references deleted parameters.
If you want to create or delete parameters for your results, you must obtain your
results available immediately after the run completes. You cannot create or delete
parameters if you select Analysis>Results instead of using one of these two
methods.
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2. Select Parameters>Delete Param from the RESULTS menu.
The SEL PARAM menu appears.
3. Use the SEL PARAM menu to select the parameters to delete.

4. Complete the selection process and close the SEL PARAM menu. Mechanica
deletes the selected parameters.
Shell Side
If your model's mesh comprises shell elements, you can generate analysis statistics,
hard point reports, and parameters based on a specific area:
• Top — Generate analysis statistics, reports, or parameters based on the top

side of the shell elements.
• Bottom — Generate analysis statistics, reports, or parameters based on the
bottom side of the shell elements.
• Average — Generate analysis statistics, reports, or parameters based on the
average value of the top and bottom sides of the shell elements.
• Both — Generate analysis statistics, reports, or parameters based on both
the top and bottom sides of the shell elements.
Outputting FEM Analysis Statistics

You can output analysis statistics using the Report command on the RESULTS
menu. When you select this command, the Postprocessing Info dialog box
appears. The Results user interface, if active, closes and the Pro/ENGINEER user
interface again becomes visible, showing a meshed view of your model.
Tip: To reactivate the Results user interface, select the Visualize command on
the RESULTS menu when you finish outputting analysis statistics.
The Postprocessing Info dialog box contains these items:
• Analysis — Select one or more of the model's analyses. If you select multiple
analyses, Mechanica outputs the statistics for all the analyses in a single
report or graph.
• Mode — Select one or more modes. This option is only available for modal
analysis statistics.
• Result — Select one of the result quantities available for the Structure or
Thermal analysis.
• Component — Select one of the components available for the quantity you
selected. If you want to generate an edge graph, you can select multiple
components. In this case, all the entities you select in the Reference field
must be edges.
• Shell Side — For shell models, select the shell side for which to generate
statistics.
• Reference — Select the whole model or click the selector arrow to specify
one or more geometric entities for which to generate statistics. The geometric
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entities you can select from are surfaces, edges, vertices, and hard points. If
your model is an assembly, you can also select individual parts.
• Coord System area — Select a coordinate system to use as a reference for
showing results. Also, specify its type as follows:
o Cartesian — Cartesian coordinate system (X, Y, Z).
o Cylindrical — Cylindrical coordinate system (R, Theta, Z).
o Spherical — Spherical coordinate system (R, Theta, Phi).
• Output to area — Select the way you want Mechanica to present the output.
o Screen — Presents the specified analysis statistics in an information
window on your screen.
o File — Routes the specified analysis statistics to an ASCII file whose
name and path you specify in the associated text box.
o Both — Provides both screen and file output.
Use the four buttons at the bottom of the dialog box to indicate the type of analysis
statistics you want to review. These buttons are as follows:
• Edge Graph — Displays an edge graph for an edge or connected chain of

edges you specified in the Reference field. This button becomes inactive if
you select anything other than connected edges in the Reference field.
• Statistics — Displays the analysis statistics as specified on the dialog box.
This button becomes inactive if you select more than one component in the
Component field.
• Point Data — Displays analysis statistics for a specific point on the model.
When you click this button, Mechanica asks you to select a single point on
your model. You can select an existing point or click any location on your
model to get data for that location.
The Point Data button becomes inactive for certain quantities. It also
becomes inactive if you select multiple components in the Component field.
• Done — Closes the dialog box.
Output of Statistics and Reports for Thermal

Analyses
The FEM mode postprocessor supports the output statistics and hard point reports
for thermal analyses based on these quantities:
• Temperature
• Heat Flux
• Temperature Gradient
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Output of Statistics and Reports for Structural

or Modal Analyses
The FEM mode postprocessor supports the output statistics and hard point reports
for structural or modal analyses based on these quantities:
• Stress
• Strain
• Thermal Strain
• Displacement
• Reaction Force
Limitations of Averaging in Results

Mechanica can average result quantities across element boundaries, but only where
it is a logical extension of the results. Derivative values will not be averaged in the
following instances:
• If the properties on all sides of an element boundary are not homogeneous.

The software does not check the actually properties, but the names of the
properties. In other words, even if ShellProp1 and ShellProp2 are identical ,
Mechanica will not average the values across the shells' common edge.
• If more than two elements are connected. For example, if there is a beam
along the edge of two shells, then the software will not average derivative
quantities across that edge.
• If there is a discontinuity in the shell edges. That is, two shells must meet at
a common line or plane for the quantities to be averaged. this also applies to
beams.
Graphing Statistics
You can generate analysis statistics for the entire model or for selected surfaces,
edges, vertices, or points. If you select an edge or connected series of edges as a
reference on the Postprocessing Info dialog box, you also can display a graph of
the quantity as measured at those edges.
To help you compare edge behavior, you can select components for your quantity.
When you select multiple components, the resulting graph shows each component's
curve in a different color, and provides a legend to help you distinguish the
components.
You can specify whether you want Mechanica to display the edge graph on your
screen, output the edge data to a file, or both. When Mechanica displays your edge
graph on-screen, it provides a dialog box that lets you output the graph to any of
several printer types. If you choose to output the edge graph data to a file,
Mechanica generates a .dat file which you can open and format in a Microsoft Excel
spreadsheet.
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FEA Parameter Types

The FEM mode postprocessor supports the following parameter types:
• Maximum
• Minimum
• Average
• Variance
• Point of max
• Point of min
• Value (at a specific location on the model)
Outputting Hard Point Reports

You can output hard point reports using the Report command on the RESULTS
menu. When you select this command, the Postprocessing Report dialog box
appears. The Results user interface, if active, closes and the Pro/ENGINEER user
the RESULTS menu when you finish outputting hard point reports.
The Postprocessing Report dialog box contains these items:
• Analysis — Select one or more analyses. If you select multiple analyses,

Mechanica outputs the hard point data for all the analyses in a single report.
• Mode — Select one or more modes. This option is only available for modal
analyses.
• Result — Select one of the result quantities available for the Structure or
Thermal analysis.
statistics.
• Reference — Select the whole model to get a report for all hard points in the
model or click the selector arrow to specify individual hard points.
the report. Also, specify its type as follows:
• Output to area — Select the way you want Mechanica to present the output.
o Screen — Presents the report in an information window on your
screen.
o File — Routes the report to an ASCII file whose name and path you
specify in the associated text box.
o Both — Provides both screen and file output.
Use the Report button at the bottom of the dialog box to generate the hard point
report. The report lists the values for each hard point, as measured in reference to
the coordinate system you selected. The report provides a value for each
translational and rotational axis.
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Creating Statistics, Parameters, or Reports

from Shell Elements
You can gather statistics, define parameters, and generate hard point reports from
the top or bottom sides of shell elements. The top side of a shell element is defined
as the surface facing in the direction of the element's positive normal vector, and is
indicated by a yellow arrow originating from it. The shell element's positive normal
vector is calculated by applying the right-hand rule to the shell element's nodes.
Stresses and strains on the top side of shell elements can differ from those on the
bottom side of shell elements because of the effects of shell element bending.
Defining Parameters Based on Results

You can define parameters using the Parameters>Define Parameter command on
the RESULTS menu. When you select this command, the Define Parameter dialog
box appears. The Results user interface, if active, closes and the Pro/ENGINEER user
the RESULTS menu when you finish working with parameters.
The Define Parameter dialog box contains these items:
• Name — Enter a name for the parameter.

• Type — Select the parameter type.
• Analysis — Select one or more of the model's analyses. If you select multiple
analyses, Mechanica creates the parameter based on all the analyses.
• Mode — Select one or more modes. This option is only available for modal or
dynamic frequency analysis statistics.
• Result — Select one of the result quantities available for the analysis.
• Component — Select one of the components available for the quantity you
selected. You can select multiple components.
statistics.
• Reference — Select the whole model or click the selector arrow to specify
one or more same-type geometric entities for which to define the parameter.
the parameter. Also, specify its type as follows:
Generating Point Data

You can generate analysis statistics for the entire model or for selected parts,
surfaces, edges, vertices, or hard points. In addition, you can use the Point Data
button on the Postprocessing Info dialog box to gather information on model
locations not directly associated with a geometric entity in the mesh. For example,
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you can review a quantity at locations in the middle of elements. When it generates
a Point Data report, Mechanica interpolates the point value for the selected location
in relation to the corner nodes of the element where the point is located.
Be aware of these guidelines when preparing to generate Point Data reports:
• You can obtain point data for all Thermal quantities.

• You can generate point data for only two Structure quantities—displacement
and reaction force.
• You cannot select multiple components for the quantity.
You can specify whether you want Mechanica to display the Point Data report on
your screen, to output the report to a file, or both. Since you typically use Point
Data reports for on-the-fly examination of your model, displaying the report on your
screen is the most common of these choices.
To Annotate a Result Window

Steps 4 through 8 of this procedure are optional.
1. Select Insert>Annotation.
The Note dialog box appears.
2. Enter the annotation text in the text box.

3. Click the Note Location button, and then click the mouse on the result
window where you want to place the annotation.
The text you entered appears in the result window.
4. To include leader lines, click , and then click the point on your model
where you want the leader line to start.
Mechanica draws the leader line from the point you click to the closest corner
of the annotation.
5. To display or turn off the leader arrow at the end of the leader line, select or
clear the Display Leader Arrow check box.
6. To draw a circle, square, or multiline shape on the result window, select ,
, or and use your mouse to create the desired shape.

7. To make changes to the font, text box, leader, arrow, or mouse sketch styles,
click the Style button.
The Note Style dialog box appears.
8. When you finish making all changes to the annotation and styles, click OK.
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To Save a Result Window

This procedure assumes you are in the File menu.
1. Select Save As.
The Save Result Windows dialog box appears.
2. Enter a name on this dialog box for the file in which you want Mechanica to
save your result window definitions.
Mechanica automatically gives the file an .rwd extension.
To Edit a Result Window

1. Select Edit>Result Window.
The Result Window Definition dialog box appears with the selections you
previously made for this result window.
2. Change your previous selections as desired.
To Format a Fringe, Contour, Vector, Model, or

Animation Result Window
This procedure assumes that you have defined and displayed one or more result
windows. Note that all toggles mentioned below are on by default.
1. Select the result windows you want to format.
Tip: If you want to apply the same window format to more than one
result window, press the SHIFT key and click each of the windows you
want.
2. Select Format>Result Window.
Mechanica displays the Format Result Window dialog box.
3. Select a window background from the Background Color option list.

4. If you want to toggle titles at the bottom of the selected result windows, click
Title.
5. If you want to toggle a descriptive label at the top left corner of the selected
result windows, click Label.
6. If you want to toggle the view coordinate system (WCS) for the selected
result windows, click WCS.
7. If you want to toggle legends for the selected windows, click Legend.
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Note: If you do not turn legends on, it is more difficult to interpret

color values for your model, and you might need to use the Dynamic
Query command to gain an understanding of your results. There are
no legends for model displays or unfringed animations.
8. If you have selected a contour result window only and want to toggle contour
labels, click Contour Labels.
9. Click OK.
To Customize Annotation Styles

This procedure assumes that you clicked the Styles button on the Note dialog box.
The steps in this procedure are optional.
1. To change the font, select a font from the Style option menu.
2. To change the size of the font, enter a number in the Height scroll box.
3. To change the color of the font, click and select a color.
4. To surround the text with a border, select Draw Border.
5. Select Background, Solid, or None from the Color Fill Type option list.
6. If you chose Solid, click and select a color.
7. To create the leader line:
o Select the leader line thickness from the option menu.
o Click to select the leader line color.
o Click the desired button in the Arrow Style area to select the leader
arrow appearance.
8. Select the thickness of the mouse sketch lines from the option menu and click
to select a color for the lines.
9. Click OK to return to the Note dialog box.
Adjusting Color Scale for Fringe, Contour, and

Vector Legends
Use the color scale controls on the Format Legend dialog box to determine the
coloring of your model and how many levels the legend contains. You can adjust the
following:
• Levels — Use to select or enter the number of levels you want in the legend.
This, along with Minimum and Maximum, determines the amount of detail
in your plot. You can select any number between 1 and 9.
• Color Spectrum — Use to select the color spectrum you want. You can select
Structural, Thermal, Huescale, Grayscale, Colorset1, Colorset2,
Rainbow, Red Yellow Green, Fatigue, or Mechanica Classic.
• Invert Color Scale — Use to invert the color spectrum you have chosen. For
example, an inverted Structural spectrum uses red as a minimum value and
dark blue as a maximum—the opposite of the normal Structural spectrum.
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Controlling Animations
Mechanica provides commands that let you control how an animation progresses.
You can execute these commands either from the View menu or through toolbar
buttons. The animation controls are:
• Start — Start an animation. This command initializes the animation at the

frame currently active in the result window. The animation moves without
pause through the remaining steps in the animation. The animation repeats
until you stop it.
• Stop — Stop an animation. This command halts the animation at the current
frame.
• Step Forward — Move forward through an animation frame by frame.
• Step Back — Move backward through an animation frame by frame.
• Animation Playback Speed Control — Speed up or slow down an
animation by moving the slider on the toolbar in the appropriate direction.
This option is not available on the View menu.
Adjusting Fringe, Contour, and Vector

Legends
Use Format>Legend to adjust the appearance and range of values for a fringe,
contour, and vector plot. When you select this command, Mechanica displays the
Format Legend dialog box. The Format Legend dialog box includes:
• Maximum — Use to set the maximum value for the legend. You must select
a value that lies between the maximum and minimum of the quantity as
determined by the analysis or study. These values appear as the default
values in the Format Legend dialog box's Maximum and Minimum text
boxes. Depending on how you set the maximum and minimum, Mechanica
may redistribute the intervening scale.
The maximum and minimum values you enter in the Format Legend dialog
box determine how the shading will be graded for your model. You can use
these values to get a better idea of how a particular range of values is
distributed over your model.
• Minimum — Use to set the minimum value for the legend. You must select a
value that lies between the maximum and minimum of the quantity as
determined by the analysis or study.
• Color Scale — Use the controls in this area to determine the color spectrum
of your model and how many levels the legend contains.
• Show View Min/Max — Use to toggle the minimum and maximum values
shown in the result window label on and off. The minimum and maximum
values appear in gray on the legend. Toggling this control off streamlines the
appearance of your result window.
• Show Legend — Use to toggle the legend on and off.
In addition to adjusting the minimum and maximum values, you can also adjust
individual legend values through the Edit>Legend Value command.
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Regardless of which method you used to adjust a legend, you can return a legend to
its original state through the Utilities>Reset Legend command.
Examining Model Interiors for Fringe and

Contour Plots
Mechanica provides two tools—cutting surfaces and capping surfaces—that let you
get information on how the interior of your model behaves. You can access these
tools by using Insert>Cutting/Capping Surfs to invoke the Results Surface
Definition dialog box, a dialog box that enables you to define the placement and
nature of cutting and capping surfaces.
You can create cutting and capping surfaces on:
• a non-animating fringe plot

• a non-animating contour plot with at least one solid element
Cutting surfaces and capping surfaces differ in these regards:
• A cutting surface is a plane that slices your model and trims both the top and
bottom away. You can define more than one cutting surface for your model.
• A capping surface is a plane that slices your model and trims either the top or
bottom away. You can only define one capping surface for your model.
Here is an illustration of the difference:
The left result window above shows a model with multiple cutting surfaces. The most
valuable of these is the first from the bottom, which indicates how far the high stress
(red) area intrudes into the interior of the model. The right result window shows the
same model with a capping surface that removes the upper two thirds of the model.
Cutting and capping surfaces are particularly useful for thick models, models that
may have significant variations of interior stress, or models that may undergo
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unseen deformations. Consider zooming in on areas of interest for cutting or capping

surfaces to get a more exact idea of how quantities behave inside your model.
If you find that a cutting or capping surface is not giving you the information you
need, you can modify or delete it.
Example: Comparing Animation Stages for the

Same Model
To compare animation stages, use Insert>Result Window to define and display
the basic animation result window. Then, select the animation result window and use
Edit>Copy to replicate the result definition until you have one definition for each
frame you are interested in.
Tip: You may want to change the result window title for each replication so
you will be able to distinguish one result window from the next. To do so,
enter a new title on the Result Window Definition dialog box.
Be sure all animation result windows are displayed. Select the first window and use
View>Step Forward to find the first frame you are interested in. Select the second
window and use Step Forward to find the next frame you are interested in. Repeat
this process for all result windows until you have set all the result windows to
different stages.
Here is an example of a comparison between Step 9 and Step 15 for the same
model, showing the different deformations for the two steps:
You can use animation comparisons like the one above to help determine when areas
of the model move into higher quantity ranges and when certain deformations begin
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to take place. Since you can also see this behavior by simply stepping through an
animation, you may find that this type of comparison is primarily useful for
generating formal reports.
Example: Comparing Mode Animations for the

Same Model
To compare modes, define and display animation result windows for each mode you
are interested in studying. Be sure to specify the same number of frames for each
result definition. The closer you make the definitions, the better the correlation and
synchronization between the animations.
For each animation result window, select Format>Legend and ensure that all the
result windows have the same format and number of legends. Then, select all the
animation result windows. To do so, use the SHIFT key and mouse to select the
windows you want.
Use View>Step Forward and View>Step Back to move the animations through
the frames. Compare the animations frame by frame to note the different patterns of
stress induced by each mode.
Here is an example of a comparison between Mode 10 and Mode 6 for the same
model, showing the different deformations of the two modes as well as the stress
distribution for the two modes:
Note: Both windows use the same number of frames and show the same
frame of the animation, forming the basis of comparison.
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Determining the Minimum and Maximum

Locations for a Quantity
Mechanica provides several commands that show you where minimum and maximum
values for the quantity are located. Use the following commands on the Info menu
to determine minimums and maximums:
• View Max — Use to find the location of the quantity maximum for the model
view in the result window. If you rotate your model, move it, or change its
size, you need to select the View Max command again to obtain a new
maximum.
• View Min — Use to find the location of the quantity minimum for the model
view in the result window. If you rotate your model, move it, or change its
size, you need to select the View Min command again to obtain a new
minimum.
• Model Max — Use to find the location of the quantity maximum for the
model as a whole. If Mechanica does not display a value, you may need to
rotate your model to find where the value lies.
• Model Min — Use to find the location of the quantity minimum for the model
as a whole. If Mechanica does not display a value, you may need to rotate
your model to find where the value lies.
When you select any of these commands, Mechanica marks each location with a
small gray triangle icon and displays the value next to the icon. A triangle pointing
up indicates a maximum. A triangle pointing down indicates a minimum. If the plot
has a maximum or minimum at multiple locations, Mechanica marks one location and
displays a message box telling you there are more.
When you have finished reviewing a value, you can clear it from the result window
for better model visibility.
Modifying and Deleting Cutting and Capping

Surfaces
Use these commands on the Edit menu to modify or delete cutting and capping
surfaces:
• Cutting Surf and Capping Surf — Use to modify the position or orientation
of a specific cutting surface or capping surface in your result window.
• Delete Cutting Surf and Delete Capping Surf — Use to delete a specific
cutting surface or capping surface in your result window.
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Copying and Deleting Result Windows

Once you create a result definition, you may want to copy it as a means of efficiently
replicating result windows for a study. You may also find that you want to delete a
result window you defined. To perform these tasks, you use commands from the
Edit menu:
• Edit>Copy — Use to make a copy of the definition of the currently selected

result window. Mechanica assumes that the definition you are creating
through the Copy command is for the same design study. It also assumes
that the new definition references the same analysis, mode, and load
combination as the original definition.
Thus, when you select this command, Mechanica prompts you for a new result
window name, and then immediately opens the Result Window Definition
dialog box. You can change any settings that you want. Once you enter a
window name on the Create Result Window dialog box, you cannot cancel
this operation, so if you decide you do not want the copy, display and select
the copy. Then, use Edit>Delete to delete it.
One use of the Copy command is to create a result window that acts as a
simple template for other result window definitions you want to create for the
same design study. If you use Copy this way, Mechanica is able to skip some
of the definition steps, making the general process of defining result windows
quicker.
• Edit>Delete — Use to delete the selected result window. If no result window

is currently selected, the Selection dialog box appears and you can select
one or more result windows from the list to delete.
Clearing Query Tags from a Result Window

During extensive model querying, your model may become cluttered with query
tags. Query tags consist of triangular point marks and associated value labels. Once
you have studied the queried values, you may want to restore your model view to its
original appearance. To do so, use the following commands on the View menu:
• Clear Query Tags — Use to delete query tags one by one. This function can
be useful if you just want to remove some of the tags. For example, you may
want to generate a report with only some of the query tags still in place.
• Clear All Query Tags — Use to delete all query tags at once. This function
can be useful if you want to clear your model view as efficiently as possible.
Comparing Animations
Comparing animations helps you make important decisions about your model or
models. One of the most common reasons you compare animations is to help you
determine which of several models shows the most desirable behavior pattern for the
quantity, mode, and so forth.
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You can also compare animations of the same model to:
• Learn how the animated shapes compare with the original model shape. Use
the View>Overlay toggle to superimpose a wireframe of the original model
over the animation of the model. The Overlay command is only available for
unfringed animations.
• Learn how the model behaves for different analysis conditions. In this case,
you animate the same model using different load sets, constraint sets, or
analysis types to get a better idea of overall reaction to multiple
environments.
• Learn how the model behaves for different modes. This shows you which
modes are likely to be a problem and how a quantity distributes at the same
stage for different modes. To learn more, see Example: Comparing Mode
Animations for the Same Model.
• Learn how the model behaves at different stages of the animation. This shows
you how a quantity distributes at different times or how resonance behaves
over time. To learn more, see Example: Comparing Animation Stages for the
Same Model.
Displaying Element IDs, Node IDs, and Result

Values (FEM mode)
For fringe, contour, and vector result windows, you can display element IDs, node
IDs, and result values for your model. Viewing values for individual elements
provides you the ability to closely examine the behavior of a quantity by studying
individual values in the areas of interest.
You display the information by using the following commands in the Info menu:
• Display Element IDs — Turn element IDs on and off for a result window.
• Display Node IDs — Turn node IDs on and off for a result window.
• Display Result Values — Turn a display of node values on and off for a
result window. This command is only available for the following quantities:
o Displacements
o Rotations
o Reactions
o Temperatures
Note Style Dialog Box

When you click the Style button on the Note dialog box, the Note Style dialog box
appears with the following options:
• Font — Use this area to define the font for your annotation. You can define
the following:
o Style — Select the font style for your annotation. Click the color
button to define the color of the font.
o Height — Enter the font height in the scroll box.
• Text Box — Use this area to define the text box properties:
o Draw Border — Surround the annotation text with a box.
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o Color Fill Type — Select from Background, Solid, or None. If you

select Solid, click the color button to define the color of the text box.
• Leader — Use this area to define the appearance of the leader and arrow.
You can define the following:
o Color and Thickness — Select the leader thickness from the option
menu and click the color button to define the leader color.
o Arrow Style — Click one of the style buttons to define the arrow
style.
• Mouse Sketch — Define the color and thickness of the mouse sketch lines.
Click the Preview button to view your changes as you make them, or click OK to
Reviewing and Altering Result Windows

Once you create result definitions, you can use several commands to review or alter
a definition. To perform these tasks, you use commands from the Info and Edit
menus:
• Info>Review Result Window — Review the key specifications in the result

definition for the selected result window. Mechanica displays a version of the
following message box based on your result definition:
You cannot edit the information in this box. If you need more details on the
definition, use Edit>Result Window to see the original version of the
Result Window Definition dialog box.
• Edit>Result Window — Review and change the result window definition

through the Result Window Definition dialog box. This command does not
enable you to change analyses, mode number, or load combination. To
change these items, use Edit>Change.
If no result window is currently selected, the Selection dialog box appears.

This dialog box allows you to select an existing result window.
You can also copy and delete result windows.
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Format Result Window Dialog Box

When you select Format>Result Window, the Format Result Window dialog box
appears. Use this dialog box to define the visual characteristics of the highlighted
result windows. The Format>Result Window command is not available for graphs.
The options available on the Format Result Window dialog box depend on the
display type for your result window. For example, if you select Format>Result
Window for a fringe plot, the active options include such items as coordinate
systems, title, legend, and so forth. But, the active options would not include an item
like contour labels, which is only available for contour plots.
The Format Result Window dialog box includes the following toggles and option
menus:
• Background Color — Controls the background color for the result window.
• Title — Displays a title at the bottom of the result window.
• Label — Displays a result description in the upper left corner of the result
window. The contents of this area depend on the type of analysis and result
window.
• Coordinate Systems — Displays the view coordinate system (VCS) of the
model in the lower left corner of the result window.
• Legend — Displays the result window legend. This option is not available for
e Model display type or unfringed animations.
• Display Triad — Displays the triad icon in the lower left corner of the result
window.
• Contour Labels — Displays the contour labels for contour result displays. If
you want to reset contour labels, use Utilities>Relabel Contour.
• Loads — Displays load icons where they are present
• Constraints — Displays constraints icons where they are present.
• Annotations — Displays annotations you define.
You can use the Format>Result Window command to control the display format
for multiple windows at once. To do so, use the SHIFT key and left-click to select the
windows you want. Then select Format>Result Window. Mechanica tailors the
Format Result Window dialog box to include only characteristics that are common
to all of the selected windows.
Querying Quantities for Fringe Plots and

Linearized Stress Analyses
Mechanica provides two commands that let you determine a quantity at a particular
location or locations on your model. One command operates for unanimated fringe
plots and the other is specific to plots generated from linearized stress analyses. Use
these commands on the Info menu for specific queries:
• Dynamic Query — Use to find quantity values at any point on your model.
You can use this command to pinpoint exact locations or to study a
continuously updated quantity as you use your mouse to scan your model.
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If you use the command to label a series of locations on your model with their
calculated values, you may want to clear these values from the result window
after you study them to restore a clean model view.
• Linearized Stress Query — Use to review a report of extrapolated values

linearized between two points you select. The report gives you information on
the membrane, bending, peak, and total stresses relative to a coordinate
system defined by the two points. You can base the report on a variety of
standard measures like von Mises stress or component stress.
Displaying Result Windows

Use View>Display or the Display button on the toolbar to display the result
windows you select from the Display Result Window dialog box. You can display
up to 16 result windows at once. After you select Display, the dialog box disappears,
and Mechanica displays the result windows you selected in the work area.
If you want to change aspects of how the model appears in a result window, you can
adjust the view. If you are looking at a graph result window generated for a function
load, only some of the view controls are available.
Saved Views
Use the View>Saved Views menu option or the Saved Views button on the
toolbar to change the orientation of your model to a saved view or to save the
current view.
When you select the View>Saved Views menu option, the Saved Views dialog
box appears with the following options:
• Saved view list — Lists the views you save in Pro/ENGINEER or results.
• Set — Repositions your model to the orientation of the saved view that you
select from the list.
• Save — Saves the current orientation of your model. To save the view, type a
name that is 31 characters or less in the text box and select Save. The view
appears on the Saved Views list.
When you select the Saved Views button on the toolbar, an alphabetical list of
saved views appears. Select a view from the list to reorient your model in the result
window.
Before You Use the Results Command

You should know the following information when you use Analysis>Results:
• You do not need to save your current model when you activate
results.
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• You do not need the original model to access results, only the study
directory containing the results from a run. For Results, Mechanica opens
a copy of the model it makes when you start a run.
• Save your result windows before exiting Mechanica if you want to use
them again. Mechanica does not keep result windows between results
sessions.
Use the File>Save command in the Results user interface to save result
windows and either the File>Open command or the Insert>Results
Window from File command to re-use saved result windows.
Mechanica saves the result window definitions in an .rwd file. If you define a
result window for a design study, save it, and then rerun the same design
study, the original result window definition may no longer be valid. You can
change result window definitions for a particular design study whether or not
you change anything about the design study just by modifying the values and
settings you use when you define the result window.
• You can use results from previous versions of Mechanica. Mechanica

automatically converts old results for use with the current release.
Comparing Results
For many models, one of the most valuable understandings you can have is how the
quantities you are interested in compare with each other. While you can perform this
comparison by studying the legends and scales for the various result windows or by
looking at the measures in your analysis Summary file, Mechanica provides tools to
make comparing results easier.
The Results user interface provides functionality that lets you tie the scale of one
result window to that of another.
To tie scales for two result windows, use Utilities>Tie and its subcommands. The
method for tying graphs together is slightly different from the method for tying
fringe, contour, and vector plots.
Shading Your Model

For fringe, contour, and vector result windows, use the View>Shade toggle to turn
shading on and off for your model. The default for the toggle is the On state.
In most cases, the shaded view improves the overall appearance of the result
window. However, for viewing flat-surface models at certain angles, you may need to
turn shading off to get an accurate idea of what your plot looks like. This is because
shading is based on reflected light, and a flat surface viewed straight on reflects
minimal color. Thus, you do not see correct demarcation between the various legend
values. When you turn shading off, the model shows demarcations correctly.
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Probing Graphs
After you initially evaluate your results and adjust your result windows for efficient
viewing, you can examine your results more closely by probing specific aspects of
the result window. You can study a segment of your graph to get a more exact
impression of the values in that area.
These detailed probes can help you get a more exact idea of how your model
behaves at certain key points in the graph. For example, if you are working with the
results of a dynamic time, frequency, or random response analysis, you may want to
segment the graph around some of the resonant peaks so that you can study the
peaks in more detail, as shown below.
The result window on the left is a full graph of displacement in the Z direction for a
dynamic frequency analysis. The result window on the right is a segmented version
of the first graph, showing the details of the point values from 1.0 on the frequency
scale, and capturing the displacement peak. Note that this example also segments
the graph at 0.01 along the displacement measure scale to provide easier
interpretation of the point values on the graph.
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Probing Fringe, Contour, and Vector Plots

After you initially evaluate your results and adjust your result windows for efficient
viewing, you can examine your results more closely by probing specific aspects of
the result window. You can:
• determine where the quantity minimum and maximum lie

• check values at specific locations of interest
• study how the quantity behaves in the interior of your model
These detailed probes help you decide how well your model behaves as a whole,
whether the model needs to be improved, and, if so, where the improvements should
take place.
Using Maximum and Minimum Legend Values

to Get More Details
The maximum and minimum values you enter in the Format Legend dialog box
determine how the shading will be graded for your model. You can use these values
to get a better idea of how a particular range of values is distributed over your
model.
For example, if you enter a new maximum that lies halfway between the calculated
minimum and maximum for the quantity, Mechanica shades all areas that fall above
that value red, assuming you are using the Structural color spectrum. The software
linearly re-scales the values that lie between the new minimum and maximum. As a
result, you will be able to see a more detailed fringe of the lower ranges of your
model.
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To see the difference between a default view and various alternate settings for the
legend minimum and maximum, study this illustration:
Note that with the maximum set low, you see much more detail on the lower half of
the original range than you do in the original model. On the other hand, you can get
more definitive information on the upper half of the original range, with the minimum
set high. For example, were you to zoom in on the left hole for the version that
shows the minimum set high, you would see a more exact representation of the
stress distribution around the high stress area at the bottom of the hole.
Tip: You can also control the level of detail in your plots by specifying either
fewer or more legend levels.
Orientation Dialog Box

When you select View>Spin/Pan/Zoom, the Orientation dialog box appears. Use
this dialog box to control the view angle, position, and size of your model within the
result window. Spin/Pan/Zoom can be used for single or multiple windows.
The Orientation dialog box includes:
• Fixed View buttons — Use to quickly orient your model to any of several
standard views, including isometric, trimetric, front, back, left, right, top, and
bottom.
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• Pan controls — Use to move your model horizontally and vertically within
the window. To pan your model, enter values in the Horizontal and Vertical
text boxes. Negative values move your model to the left and down. Positive
values move your model to the right and up. If you want to see the effects of
panning live, use the Horizontal and Vertical slider controls instead of the
text boxes.
• Zoom controls — Use to increase and reduce the size of your model within
the window. To increase model size, enter positive values in the Zoom text
box. To reduce the size, enter negative values. If you want to see the effects
of zooming live, use the Zoom slider control instead.
• Refit button — Use to fit your model in the window. This button counteracts
the Zoom controls.
• Center button — Use to center your model in the window. This button
counteracts the Pan controls.
• Spin controls — Use to spin your model about the model spin center or the
screen center. If you use the model center as your spin reference, the model
spins about the X, Y, and Z axes. If you use the screen center as your spin
reference, the model spins about the horizontal, vertical, and center axes of
the screen.
To spin your model, enter positive or negative values in the three text boxes.
If you want to see the effects of zooming live, toggle the Dynamic Update
box on and then use the Spin slider controls.
Controlling Result Window Appearance

You can control various characteristics of result window and model appearance, from
the view angle to the model size to the color of the window. These characteristics fall
into two categories:
• Model view — Model view is the view angle, size, and position of your model
as it appears in the result window. You can find controls for manipulating the
model view on the View menu. All model view controls operate over single or
multiple windows.
Model view controls on the View menu include:
o Repaint — Use Repaint to restore a clean appearance to all displayed

result windows. This command removes any unnecessary clutter or
spurious highlighting. For quick access, the toolbar includes a Repaint
button, or you can press CTRL-R.
o Default — Use Default to return your model to its default position.
For quick access, the toolbar includes a Default button, or you can
press CTRL-D.
o Refit — Use Refit to fit the model to the size of the selected result
windows. For quick access, the toolbar includes a Refit button.
o Saved Views — Use Saved Views to change the orientation of your
model to a saved view or to save the current view. The Saved Views
list includes views you saved in Pro/ENGINEER or Mechanica results.
For quick access, the toolbar includes a Saved Views button.
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o Spin/Pan/Zoom — Use Spin/Pan/Zoom to open the Orientation

dialog box, which lets you set the model view angle and size. For quick
access, the toolbar includes Zoom In and Zoom Out buttons on the
toolbar to help size your model. You can also press the CTRL key while
holding down the middle mouse button to move the model around
within the window.
Note: For information on using Zoom and Refit when displaying a

graph, see Segmenting a Graph.
• Window format — Window format is the format of a result window—whether

it includes a caption, whether it includes a legend, the background color, and
so forth. You control window format using the Format>Result Window
command and the View menu.
Window format controls include:
o Format>Result Window — Use the Format Result Window dialog

box to select and deselect various window characteristics.
o View menu — Use the View menu to overlay the undeformed model
over an animation or to shade your model.
How Mechanica Handles Your Working Model

A working model is the model displayed in the Mechanica work area before you click
the Analysis>Results command. A results model is the model in the design study
you select for results viewing.
Mechanica maintains two separate workspaces—the main Mechanica work area and
the Results user interface. These two workspaces are independent of each other in
system memory. If you activate the Results user interface while a model is displayed
in the Mechanica work area, the model remains untouched.
Both the working model and results model exist in system memory during your
results session. When you close the Results user interface, the working model will be
in the same state you left it.
To Modify a Cutting Surface

Use this procedure to modify an intersecting cut through your model.
1. Select Edit>Cutting/Capping Surfs. Depending on how many cutting

surfaces you created for the result window, Mechanica performs one of these
actions:
o If you created only one cutting surface, the Results Surface
Definition dialog box appears.
o If you created multiple cutting surfaces, Mechanica instructs you to
select a cutting surface. Once you select a surface, the Results
Surface Definition dialog box appears.
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2. To redefine the surface definition method, select a method from the Define
By option menu.
3. If you changed your surface definition method to Three Points, use the
selector arrow to select three points.
4. If you changed your surface definition method to UCS, use the selector arrow
to select the desired coordinate system.
5. If you want to redefine the reference plane orientation, select XY, YZ, or ZX,
as appropriate.
6. If you want to change the cutting surface depth, use one of the following
methods:
o Manually change the depth by entering a new value in the Depth
entry box.
o Dynamically change the depth by clicking Dynamic and dragging the
mouse to increase or decrease the depth. Click the middle mouse
button when you are finished repositioning the cutting surface.
Mechanica updates the Depth value on the Results Surface Definition

dialog box to reflect your change.
To Create a Cutting Surface

Use this procedure to create an intersecting cut through your model.
1. Select Insert>Cutting/Capping Surfs.
The Results Surface Definition dialog box appears.
2. Select Cutting Surface from the Type option menu.

3. Select the method for defining the surface from the Define By option menu.
4. If you selected Three Points as your surface definition method, use the
5. If you selected UCS as your surface definition method, use the selector arrow
6. For all surface definition methods except Isosurfaces, select XY, YZ, or ZX
as the reference plane.
7. Enter the depth of the cut along the axis normal to the plane. If you want
Mechanica to calculate the value you enter as a percentage rather than an
absolute value, select the % check box.
To Create a Capping Surface

Use this procedure to make a solid cut through your model.
1. Select Insert>Cutting/Capping Surfs.
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2. Select Capping Surface from the Type option menu.

3. Select the method for defining the surface from the Define By option menu.
4. If you selected Three Points as your surface definition method, use the
5. If you selected UCS as your surface definition method, use the selector arrow
6. For all surface definition methods except Isosurfaces, select XY, YZ, or ZX
as the reference plane.
7. Select Above or Below to indicate which side of the capping surface
Mechanica should trim.
8. Enter the depth of the cut along the axis normal to the plane. If you want
Mechanica to calculate the value you enter as a percentage rather than an
absolute value, select the % check box.
To Set Titles
You can toggle the title of a result window on or off. The title appears centered at the
bottom of the window.
1. Select Format>Result Window. Mechanica displays the Format Result

Window dialog box.
2. Select Titles to turn the title on or off. Mechanica toggles the title.
Any change you make to the title stays with the result window until you edit the
window definition or close your result window.
To Untie Multiple Result Windows

Use this procedure if you want to untie a group of result windows so that they no
longer share a common range. This procedure assumes you are in the Utilities
menu.
1. Select Untie. Mechanica restores the original range for the current window if
the range was altered when you tied the window. Mechanica redraws the
display if the range has changed.
2. To untie any other windows you tied to the current window, repeat step 1 for
each window you want to untie.
To Tie Multiple Result Windows

Use this procedure if you want to tie a group of contour, fringe, graph, and/or vector
windows together so that they all share a common range. This procedure assumes
you are in the Results user interface.
1. Select the first result window.

2. Select Utilities>Tie.
3. When the Tie submenu appears, select from:
o Legend
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o Graph Quantity
o Graph Location
o Graph Both
The options available on the Tie submenu depend on the result window type.
4. Select the second result window.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to tie the first result window to each other window you
want to include in the group. By the time you reach the last window in the
group, all windows should be tied to the first window.
All windows in the group share a common range. For fringe, vector, and contour
plots, changing the legend values of the first window changes the legend value of all
the tied windows.
To Set Labels
You can toggle the labels displayed on a result window on or off. The labels are the
lines of information shown in the upper left of each window.
1. Select Format>Result Window. Mechanica displays the Format Result

Window dialog box.
2. Select Labels to turn on or off. Mechanica toggles the label that appears in
the upper left corner of your result window.
Any change you make to the labels stays with the result window until you edit the
window definition or close your result window.
To Query for Linearized Stress

This procedure assumes you are in the Info menu.
1. Select Linearized Stress Query.

2. Select two locations on your model.
The line connecting the locations defines the X axis.
3. For 3D models, enter a third location to define the positive Y axis.
Mechanica displays a Cartesian UCS with the origin at the midpoint of the line
between point 1 and point 2.
The Linearized Stress Report dialog box appears, displaying the results.
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To Generate a Report for Linearized Stress

This procedure assumes you are in the Linearized Stress Report dialog box.
1. Select Generate Report.
The Generate Query Report dialog box appears.
2. Enter a file name for the report.
Mechanica writes the data in tabular form to the file you specified and adds
the extension .qrt to the name.
To Export a File in VRML

1. Select File>Export>Direct VRML.
2. If you have multiple result windows, select one result window. You can export
only one fringe plot at a time. The Export VRML dialog box appears.
3. Enter a name for the target VRML file. The file is saved with a .wrl extension.
4. Select a location to store the VRML file.
5. Click Save to export the VRML file.
To Tie Multiple Graph Result Windows,

Procedure 1
This procedure assumes you clicked either the Graph Quantity or Graph Location
commands for tying a group of windows.
1. Find the result window containing the graph with the maximum value and the
graph with the minimum value on the axis you want to tie.
2. If the same graph has both the maximum and minimum values, tie that graph
to each other window.
3. If two different graphs have the maximum and minimum values, tie those two
graphs together. Then tie either graph to the remaining windows in your
group.
If you want to tie both axes, carry out the above procedure for both the Graph
Quantity and Graph Location commands.
To Modify a Capping Surface

Use this procedure to modify a solid cut through your model.
1. Select Edit>Cutting/Capping Surfs.
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2. To redefine the surface definition method, select a method from the Define
By option menu.
3. If you changed your surface definition method to Three Points, use the
4. If you changed your surface definition method to UCS, use the selector arrow
5. If you want to redefine the reference plane orientation, select XY, YZ, or ZX,
as appropriate.
6. If you want to redefine which side of the capping surface Mechanica trims,
select Above or Below, as appropriate.
7. If you want to change the cutting surface depth, use one of the following
methods:
o Manually change the depth by entering a new value in the Depth
entry box.
o Dynamically change the depth by clicking Dynamic and dragging the
mouse to increase or decrease the depth. Click the middle mouse
button when you are finished repositioning the cutting surface.
Mechanica updates the Depth value on the Results Surface Definition

dialog box to reflect your change.
To Segment a Graph
This procedure assumes you have selected a graph results window.
1. Select the Segment Graph command.

2. Select the first graph segment point.
3. Select the second point.
Mechanica redraws the graph.
4. If necessary, you can do one of the following for the next step:
o Segment the graph further.
o Use Full Graph to restore the original graph.
To Export a File as an MPEG

Use File>Export>MPEG to save your animation as an MPEG file.
1. Select a result window from the option menu.

2. Select Export>MPEG from the File menu.
The MPEG Export dialog box appears.
3. Enter the path and name for the target MPEG file by typing it or using the
Browse button. The software automatically adds a .mpg extension to the
path.
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4. Select an output setting. If you choose Custom, you must also define the
frames per second, height, and width, or accept the default settings.
5. Set the compression.
6. Set the duration as either the number of frames, or seconds.
7. Click Export. The file is saved.
To Export a File in HTML

In performing the following procedure, be aware that certain steps—creating a
browser heading, adding a title block and introduction, and creating a conclusion—
are optional.
1. Select File>Export>HTML Report.
The HTML Report dialog box appears.
2. Enter the path for the target HTML file by typing in the name. The software
automatically adds an .htm extension to the path.
3. Enter a browser title.
4. Enter a title for your report.
5. Configure the Title Block.
6. Enter text for the Introduction.
7. Configure the inclusion of modeling information and VRML for the results
window(s).
8. Enter a Conclusion for your web report.
9. Click Export.
Mechanica saves the file with a .htm extension.
To Edit the Legend

This procedure assumes you are in the Edit menu.
1. Select Legend Value.

2. Select a value from the legend.
Mechanica displays a dialog box.
3. Enter a new value.
If you enter a new minimum or maximum value, Mechanica may ask if you
want to redistribute levels.
4. To keep the new minimum or maximum value, enter y.
To Create a Graph Report

1. Click File>Export>Graph Report.
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The Export To Text dialog box appears.
2. Enter a path and file name.

3. Click OK.
Mechanica creates a file with a .grt extension.
To Create an Excel Graph Report

1. Click File>Export>Excel.
The Export To Excel dialog box appears.
2. Enter a path and file name.

3. Click OK.
Mechanica creates a file with a .xls extension.
To Tie Multiple Graph Result Windows,

Procedure 2
This procedure assumes you clicked the Graph Quantity, Graph Location, or
Graph Both command for tying a group of windows.
1. Tie the first result window to each other window you want to include in the
group.
2. Tie the second result window to each other window you want to include in the
group except the first window.
3. Repeat this sequence for each window. By the time you reach the last window
in the group, all windows should be tied to each other.
If you use this method, you would use the appropriate Graph command six times to
tie a group of four result windows.
Strategy: Displaying Graphs with Logarithmic

Scales
The most common reason you switch from a linear to a logarithmic scale is to better
visualize graph values for dynamics results. In this case, you need to use logarithmic
scales to get an accurate picture of how your model responds to frequency-
dependent conditions.
Here is an example of the same graph shown with linear and logarithmic scales. The
graph is a plot from a dynamic frequency response analysis run on a cantilever
beam. The graph plots the magnitude of the displacement versus frequency.
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In the graph on the left, both the X and Y axes use linear scales. Here all the values
are compacted along the X and Y axes, making it difficult to see any changes in the
response. In the graph on the right, with logarithmic X and Y axes, you can see
much more detail. Here it is easy to see that the displacement varies widely at low
frequencies, decreasing smoothly once the frequency increases sufficiently.
Logarithmic axes are especially helpful when you plot a very large range of values.
If you decide to return a graph to its original state, use the Format Graph dialog
box to re-enter the original settings.
Customizing Graph Display Settings

You can use the bmgr_pref_file config.pro option to customize various settings for
your graphs. The settings you can define in this file include the axis and graph line
weights, label fonts, tick mark types, grid styles, and so forth.
With this option turned on, Pro/ENGINEER uses settings stored in a user-created
graph preferences text file to determine how to render your graphs. Customizing
your graph in this way can help you ensure the exact graph display characteristics
you want each time you view a graph. You can also save yourself the time of
manually reformatting each graph through the Graph Window Options dialog box.
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If you want to change the appearance of your customized graph, you are still free to
do so through the Format>Graph command.
You can create a graph preferences file manually or automatically:
• Automatic method — Before selecting the Analysis>Results command,

select Tools>Options and activate the bmgr_pref_file option, being sure to
specify a file name for the graph preferences file. When you next format a
graph result window, Mechanica adds a Set Default button to the Graph
Window Options dialog box. Use the Graph Window Options dialog box to
make all desired changes to your graph appearance and click the Set Default
button to save these settings. Mechanica then creates a text file with the
name you specified and stores the settings from the dialog. The next time you
create a graph result window, Mechanica uses the text file to determine the
appearance of the graph.
• Manual method — Create a text file that contains the settings you want.
Once you create the file, you add the bmgr_pref_file option to your config.pro
file, making sure to set the option to the file name of your graph settings file.
To help you create a valid graph settings file, here is a sample file, showing the
items you can set and what some of the possible values might be.
X_Axis_Color 5.019608e-01f,5.019608e-01f,1.000000e+00f
X_Axis_DisplayLabel 1
X_Axis_GridColor 5.019608e-01f,5.019608e-01f,0.000000e+00f
X_Axis_GridEnabled 1
X_Axis_GridStyle 2
X_Axis_LabelColor 1.000000e+00f,1.000000e+00f,1.000000e+00f
X_Axis_LabelEnabled 1
X_Axis_LabelFont graphtool_font
X_Axis_LabelFontHeight 1.500000e-01f
X_Axis_Thickness 4
X_Axis_TickColor 1.000000e+00f,1.000000e+00f,1.000000e+00f
X_Axis_TickFont graphtool_font
X_Axis_TickFontHeight 1.000000e-01f
X_Axis_TickHorizontal 1
Y_Axis_Color 1.000000e+00f,0.000000e+00f,0.000000e+00f
Y_Axis_DisplayLabel 1
Y_Axis_GridColor 5.019608e-01f,5.019608e-01f,0.000000e+00f
Y_Axis_GridEnabled 1
Y_Axis_GridStyle 2
Y_Axis_LabelColor 1.000000e+00f,1.000000e+00f,1.000000e+00f
Y_Axis_LabelEnabled 1
Y_Axis_LabelFont graphtool_font
Y_Axis_LabelFontHeight 1.500000e-01f
Y_Axis_Thickness 2
Y_Axis_TickColor 1.000000e+00f,1.000000e+00f,1.000000e+00f
Y_Axis_TickFont graphtool_font
Y_Axis_TickFontHeight 1.000000e-01f
Y_Axis_TickHorizontal 1
Managing Graphs
When you select the Format>Graph command, Mechanica displays the Graph
Window Options dialog box. Use this dialog box to define the visual characteristics
of the graph display window. For example, you can change the background color of
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the window or the color of the x and y axes to improve the overall appearance of
your graph. You can also specify new axis labels or adjust the scale for the graph to
have a better view. The dialog box contains the following tabs:
• Y Axis — Use to modify the appearance of the graph's y axis, its label and
grid lines, and to change the scale for the graph.
• X Axis — Use to modify the appearance of the graph's x axis, its label and
grid lines, and to change the scale for the graph.
• Data Series — Use to control the appearance of data series for the graph
you select and to toggle the legend.
• Graph Display — Use to control the display of the graph's title and to change
the background color of the window.
You can customize the basic settings for graph displays and, consequently, for this
dialog box by using the bmgr_pref_file config.pro option to set graph defaults.
Querying for Linearized Stress

Use Info>Linearized Stress Query to display linearized stress values.
After you select Linearized Stress Query or Query, Mechanica prompts you to
select two locations. For each location, select a point, an edge, or the intersection of
two plotting grid lines. Mechanica labels them points 1 and 2.
The line connecting the first two locations defines the X axis. For 3D models, you
enter a third location to define the positive Y axis.
Mechanica displays a Cartesian UCS with the origin at the midpoint of the line
between point 1 and point 2.
The Linearized Stress Report dialog box then appears, displaying the results.
Graph Report
Use this command to write the graph data to a text file. After you select
File>Export>Graph Report, you enter a path and file name in the Export To Text
dialog box.
When you click Save, Mechanica creates a text file with a .grt extension. This file
contains header information consisting of the graph quantity, an indication of
selected geometry, axis designations, and so forth. Immediately after the header
information, Mechanica lists the graph values for each axis in vertical format.
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Dynamic Query
Show the value of the result window's quantity at locations you select. You can query
one location or multiple locations:
• One location — Drag the cursor over the location. While you drag, a dialog
box shows the value at each location the cursor crosses. To cancel, click the
Done button.
Tip: Some locations may be difficult to select at certain views. If you

have trouble selecting a query location, try changing the view and
selecting the location again.
• Multiple locations — Click the left mouse button at a location. Mechanica

marks the location with a diamond-shaped icon and displays the value above
the icon. To cancel, click the Done button.
Relabel Contour
Use this command to change the number of lettered labels that appear on the
contour plot. The command is Utilities>Relabel Contour. You specify label density
on the Result Window Definition dialog box.
Labels are only visible for the contour plot if you select the Labels toggle on the
Format Result Window dialog box
When you define the result window, you set the initial state of labels. See Contour
Results Display for information.
When you select the Relabel Contour or Relabel command, Mechanica prompts
you to enter a new value for label density. The density is an integer from 1 to 10.
Use lower numbers to get more labels.
Results Surface Definition Dialog Box

When you select Insert>Cutting/Capping Surfs, the Results Surface Definition
dialog box appears. Use this dialog box to define cutting and capping surfaces in
your model.
The dialog box includes these items:
• Type — Select Cutting Surface or Capping Surface, as applicable.
You can create only one capping surface for your result window. If you create
a capping surface in a result window, the Insert>Cutting/Capping Surfs
command becomes inactive until you delete the capping surface.
You can create multiple cutting surfaces for your result window. Once you
create one cutting surface, Mechanica deactivates the Type option menu, and
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from that point forward you can add cutting surfaces only. If you delete all
your cutting surfaces, you will again be able to create capping surfaces.
• Define By — Select the method for defining the surface.

• Plane — Select the plane the surface lies in. This area does not appear if you
define your cutting or capping surface as an isosurface.
• Location — For capping surfaces only, select one of these option buttons:
o Above — Cap the model above the capping surface. In this case,
Mechanica fringes the model below the capping surface and hides the
fringe display above the capping surface.
o Below — Cap the model below the capping surface. In this case,
Mechanica fringes the model above the capping surface and hides the
fringe display below the capping surface.
• Depth — Enter the depth of the cutting or capping surface along the axis
normal to the plane. You can enter depth as an absolute value or select the
% check box to treat the value as a percentage.
• Dynamic — Use your mouse to dynamically change a surface's depth and
update its visualization.
• Apply — Preview the cutting/capping surface without closing the dialog box.
Once you select this button, the Dynamic button becomes active.
Titles
Use this command to turn on and off the title of a result window, or to edit the text
of the title. The title appears centered at the bottom of the window. You can include
a title and a subtitle in this block.
When you select Titles, you also select a result window if you are displaying more
than one. Mechanica then toggles the title display in that result window.
To edit the title, use the Edit>Result Window command.
Any change you make to the title with this command stays with the result window
until you either edit the window definition or close the Results user interface.
If you have the title block displayed when you print your work area, it appears in the
printed copy.
Printing Result Windows

Use the File>Print command or the File>Export>Image command to print result
windows or export an image from a part or assembly. The Export Image dialog box
is identical to the Print dialog box.
When you select Print or Image, the Print dialog box appears. The Print dialog
box contains the following items:
• Output Format — Select the format you want to use to print.

• Paper — Select the size, height, and width of your page.
• Quality
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o Resolution — Select 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, or 600 dots per inch
from the option menu.
o Image Depth — Select 24 bit or 8 bit from the option menu.
• Plot Format
o Spin image — Select the orientation of the plot, landscape or portrait.
o Zoom factor — Select a scaling factor for the print in HPGL2 or
Postscript formats.
o Offset — Enter values to move the plot away from the x or y axes of
the paper.
• Copies — Select the number of copies from the option menu.
• Output Options
o To File — Select this check box to print to a file. Type the name of the
destination file or use the Browse button to select the desired file.
o To Printer — Select this check box to send the file to a printer. Enter
the command that you want Mechanica to use to print directly to the
specified printer.
o Delete Temporary Plot Files — Select Never, Immediately, or
Dialog.
Labels
Use this check box to turn labels on and off in a result window. The labels are the
lines of textual information shown in the upper left corner of each window.
Selecting the Label check box toggles the display of labels in the result window or
multiple windows you select.
Any change you make to the labels with this command stays with the result window,
stored in the .rwd file, until you edit the window definition or exit the Results user
interface.
Each result window contains one or more of these labels, depending on how you
define the window:
• the selected quantity and its units, and any scale factor you specified for a
graph
• the maximum value in a contour, fringe, or vector plot
• the minimum value in a contour, fringe, or vector plot
• the maximum displacement value for a deformed model unless the quantity is
stress or strain
• the scale of deformation for structural analyses
• the mode number and, if available, frequency, for modal analyses
• the buckling load factor for buckling analyses
• the load set, if available, for static, dynamic, and thermal analyses
Contour Labels
Use this command to turn on or off lettered labels on the contour plot. Use the
Format>Result Window command. Select or clear the Contour Labels box on the
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Format Result Window dialog box. The Contour Labels box is active only if you
selected Label Contours when you defined the result window.
Select Labels to toggle the labels on or off. When Labels is active, Mechanica
displays a series of labels along each contour curve. The labels are capital letters.
Labels are especially useful if you are printing black and white hard copy. Otherwise,
the contour colors generally provide enough information.
Overlay
Use to superimpose the undeformed model over the animation. Select this command
to turn the overlay display on or off.
When you first access the View menu, Overlay is active unless you deselected the
Overlay option when you defined the result window.
Excel
Use this command to write the graph data to a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. This
command is only available if you select a single graph result window.
After you select File>Export>Excel, Mechanica displays the Export To Excel

dialog box. Enter a path and file name on the dialog box. When you click OK,
Mechanica creates a file with an .xls extension. The file contains a pictorial rendition
of the graph as well as a numeric table of graph results at given intervals. Following
is a sample spreadsheet.
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HTML Report
Use File>Export>HTML Report to publish results on the web. You can export
multiple graphic results at a time using this command. If the results are animated,
Mechanica adds a movie icon to the bottom of the report. Click this icon to view the
animation in MPEG form.
After you select HTML Report, the Export HTML dialog box appears. This dialog
box enables you to specify a title and enter introductory remarks, comments, and a
conclusion for your web report. In the Item area, select the window you wish to
annotate, then enter your comments in the Comment section in the Content area.
Height and width measurements of the result graphics appear for all size options
except Current View. In this case, results are the same size as they appear in the
Mechanica result window.
Tie Multiple Graph Result Windows

If you want to tie a group of graph windows together so that they all share a
common interval, you must tie each window in the group to each other window in
the group.
There can be no existing ties between any of the windows. You can use one of the
following for tying a group of windows:
• Use the Graph Quantity or Graph Location command.

• Use the Graph Quantity, Graph Location, or Graph Both command.
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Linearized Stress Report

Use this dialog box to view linearized stress results for a result window:
At the top of the dialog box, Mechanica displays the WCS coordinates of the locations
you selected.
The middle area of the dialog box displays the values of your selected stress quantity
at the three locations, or two in the case of 2D models. It also lists the maximum of
the values. These results are in terms of the local coordinate system.
For information on how Mechanica calculates these values, see Linearized Stress
Value Calculation.
The dialog box also contains these items:
• Component — Select the specific type of linearized stress quantity results

you want Mechanica to display.
• Generate Report — Save the results to a file.
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Generate Report for Linearized Stress Results

Use the Generate Report button to save the results in a text file. When you click
the button, Mechanica displays a dialog box in which you enter a file name for the
report.
Mechanica writes the data in tabular form to the file you specified, and adds the
extension .qrt to the name.
Defining Reference Planes for Cutting or

Capping Surfaces
Use the Plane area on the Results Surface Definition dialog box to select the
plane that you want Mechanica to use as a reference when creating the cutting or
capping surface. You can select from among:
• XY — Create a cutting or capping surface parallel to the XY plane of the

coordinate system, screen view, or three-point grid you selected. In this case,
Mechanica calculates the depth of the cut or cap in the direction of the Z axis
starting with the model geometry nearest the coordinate system origin.
• XZ — Create a cutting or capping surface parallel to the XZ plane of the
Mechanica calculates the depth of the cut or cap in the direction of the Y axis
• YZ — Create a cutting or capping surface parallel to the YZ plane of the
Mechanica calculates the depth of the cut or cap in the direction of the X axis
Dynamic Cutting and Capping Surface

Displays
Use the Dynamic button on the Results Surface Definition dialog box to
dynamically change a cutting or capping surface's depth. This button is only active if
you are modifying an existing cutting or capping surface.
When you click the Dynamic button, Mechanica closes the Results Surface
Definition dialog box. You can then use your mouse to dynamically move the
cutting or capping surface to different areas of your model. To do so, depress the left
mouse button and move the mouse as follows:
• To raise the cutting or capping surface — move the mouse upward in the
positive Y screen direction.
• To lower the cutting or capping surface — move the mouse downward in
the negative Y screen direction.
Mechanica repositions the cutting or capping surface according to your mouse

movements, but retains the original angle of the surface. When you finish positioning
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the cutting or capping surface, click the middle mouse button to return to the
Results Surface Definition dialog box. The dialog box's Depth field now reflects
the change you made in the cutting or capping surface location.
Defining Cutting or Capping Surface Depth

Use the Depth area of the Results Surface Definition dialog box to define the
depth of the cutting or capping surface relative to the geometry or values in the
model. Mechanica determines depth differently depending on the option you select in
the Define By option menu.
• WCS, Three Point, UCS, and Screen — For absolute values, Mechanica
calculates the depth by measuring the value you enter along the axis normal
to the reference plane, using the model geometry nearest the reference entity
as a starting point.
For percentage values, Mechanica measures the percentage along the axis
normal to the reference plane, with the exact position determined by the
distance between the widest portion of your model along that axis normal.
• Isosurfaces — For absolute values, enter a value in the legend range for the
result window. Mechanica displays the isosurface nearest that value.
For percentage values, Mechanica uses the top and bottom values in the
legend range to convert the percent you enter to a specific legend value. The
software then displays the isosurface nearest the calculated legend value.
Defining Cutting or Capping Surface

References
Use the Define By field on the Results Surface Definition dialog box to indicate
the references for cutting or capping surfaces. You can select from:
• WCS — Create the cutting or capping surface relative to the WCS.

• Three Points — Create the cutting or capping surface relative to an XY plane
established when you select three points. The Three Points option provides
you with a high degree of flexibility in how you define the cutting or capping
angle relative to your model's geometry.
When you select this option, Mechanica adds a selection area to the dialog
box. Use the selector arrow in this area to select the points. Mechanica treats
the points as follows:
o First Point — Establishes the point of origin for the coordinate system
o Second Point — Establishes the direction of the X axis
o Third Point — Establishes the direction of the Y axis
• UCS — Create the cutting or capping surface relative to a coordinate system
you defined for the model. The UCS you select must be Cartesian.
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When you select this option, Mechanica adds a selection area to the dialog
box. Use the selector arrow in this area to select the UCS.
• Screen — Create the cutting or capping surface relative to the angle at which
you are currently viewing the model in the result window.
• Isosurface — Create the cutting or capping surface based on the nearest
isosurface. This option is only available for fringe plots.
The Isosurface option behaves differently depending on whether you are

working with cutting surfaces or capping surfaces:
o Cutting Surface — Mechanica displays the single isosurface whose

range is nearest the value you specify in the Depth field.
o Capping Surface — Mechanica displays the single isosurface whose
range is nearest the value you specify in the Depth field. It also
fringes the model above or below the isosurface range, depending on
the location you select.
MPEG Export Dialog Box

When you select File>Export>MPEG, the MPEG Export dialog box appears. You
use this dialog box to control the quality of the MPEG file. The dialog box includes:
• File Selection Button — Select a path and name for the MPEG file.
• Output Settings — Controls the size and quality of the image using specific
standards. You can select from four pre-set options, or use the custom
selection.
o NTSC Web
o NTSC CDROM
o PAL Web
o PAL CDROM
o Custom — Selecting Custom allows you to edit the FPS, Height, and
Width options.
• Image Quality — Use this area to control the quality of the animation.
o FPS — Specifies the number of pictures per second for the animation.
Generally, the more frames per second, the smoother the animation
will appear. The maximum value is 30.
o Compression — Controls the file compression. The default is 0.75.
The higher the number, the higher the quality of the picture.
• Image Size — Use this area to define the size of the generated MPEG in
pixels.
o Height — Control the height of the animation.
o Width — Control the width of the animation.
• Duration — Use this area to control the length of the animation. You can
define the duration in two ways:
o Number of Frames — Define the duration of the animation by a
specific number of frames.
o Seconds — Define the duration of the animation by a specific amount
of time.
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Log Scale
Use the Log Scale check box on the X Axis and Y Axis tabs of the Graph Window
Options dialog box to change the values on the graph's X or Y axis to a logarithmic
scale.
After you select Log Scale for an axis, Mechanica converts the values on the
appropriate axis to log base 10. If you then deselect the check box, the values return
to a linear scale.
Following are the limitations of these commands:
• You cannot convert an axis to a log scale if the axis contains any non-positive
values.
• You cannot change the scale of a graph that is tied to another graph.
• You cannot tie two graphs that are not using the same scale on both axes.
For example, if graph 1 uses log scale on the x axis and linear scale on the y
axis, and graph 2 uses linear scale on both axes, you cannot tie them in any
way. If you change the x axis on graph 2 to log scale, you can then tie the
graphs.
Linearized Stress Value Calculation

Mechanica calculates the linearized stress values with respect to a local coordinate
system with the X axis aligned with the line from location 1 to location 2 and the
origin at the midpoint of the line from location 1 to location 2.
Mechanica first calculates the total local coordinate stress components at each point.
It then calculates membrane, bending stress, peak stress, and total stress as
follows:
• Membrane and bending stress values are obtained from numerical integration
along the line between location 1 and location 2 as follows:
where:
is any local stress component
L is the distance from location 1 to location 2
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• Total stress is the value calculated by Mechanica, and the peak stress is
defined by:
Peak = Total – (Membrane + Bending)
Peak, Total, and Bending Stresses vary along the line from location 1 to location 2;
however, membrane stress remains constant.
Mechanica then processes the component values of these stresses at each point to
obtain principal and von Mises stresses, using the standard formula for principal and
von Mises stress.
Note: The formula for peak and total stress applies for each component of
stress, but not for the principal or von Mises stress.
For axisymmetric models, similar formulas are used, with correction terms to
account for the offset of the neutral bending axis from the midpoint.
Component for Linearized Stress Results

Use the Component option menu to select the specific type of linearized stress
quantity results you want Mechanica to display on the Linearized Stress Report
dialog box. You can then view linearized stress values for different locations in your
model, using the same component option.
These stress quantities apply to 2D shells, 2D solids, 2D plates, and 3D solids.
You can select from these options:
• Max Principal — the most positive principal stress

• Min Principal — the least positive principal stress
• Max Prin – Min Prin — the difference between the most positive and least
positive principal stress
• Von Mises — a combination of all stress components
• Local XX — normal stress along the local X axis
• Local YY — normal stress along the local Y axis
• Local ZZ — normal stress along the local Z axis
• Local XY — shear stress in the local XY plane
• Local XZ — shear stress in the local XZ plane
• Local YZ — shear stress in the local YZ plane
• ZZ — normal stress along the local Z axis for 2D shells and 2D solids. This
stress component is always 0 for 2D plates.
Graphtool Window
You use the Graphtool window to view and manage different types of graphs. In
Mechanica, the Graphtool can draw functions or graph various analysis results.
After you display your graph, you can interact with it in several ways. To find out the
x and y values for any graph point, click on this point and a message box appears
showing the values.
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To work with the graph and manage its appearance, use toolbar buttons or the
following menu commands:
• File
o Export Excel — This option is available on Windows platforms only.
Use it to save the graph data as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. When
you click this command, Mechanica displays the Export To Excel
dialog box. Enter a path and a file name on the dialog box. When you
click OK, Mechanica creates a file with a .xls extension. The file
contains a pictorial rendition of the graph as well as a numeric table of
graph results at given intervals.
o Export Text — Save the graph data as a text file. When you click this
command, Mechanica displays the Export To Text dialog box. Enter a
path and a file name on the dialog box. When you click OK, Mechanica
creates a file with a .grt extension.
o Print — Send your graph to a printer.
o Exit — Close the Graphtool window.
• View
o Toggle Grid — Display grid lines for your graph or turn them off.
o Repaint — Refresh the view of your graph, removing all temporarily
displayed information.
o Refit — Restore a graph to its original state. Use this command after
you zoom in on a particular graph segment to return to an
unsegmented state. Mechanica automatically redraws the complete
graph in the current window.
o Zoom In — Zoom in on the graph to get a close-up view. This
command is especially useful when your graph contains too many
points, 100 or more. Zooming in on certain points helps you to display
a specific segment of interest.
• Format
• Graph — Open the Graph Window Options dialog box to manage
your graph and its display window.
X Axis and Y Axis Tabs

Use the X Axis and the Y Axis tabs on the Graph Window Options dialog box to
customize the appearance of the x and y axes, specify new axis labels, and adjust
the scale for the graph. The tabs display the following fields:
• Graph — This field appears on the Y Axis tab only and displays a list of
subgraphs when they are available. Mechanica uses subgraphs to plot
multiple sets of data that share a common x axis but have different y axes.
From the list, select a subgraph for which you want to customize the y axis.
• Axis Label — Use the input field to edit an axis label. The label is a textual
line that appears next to each axis. You can change the style, color, and size
of the label's font by clicking the Text Style button. Use the Display Axis
Label check box to turn the axis label on or off.
• Range — Change the range of the axis. You can use this area to reset
minimum and maximum values so that the window displays a specified
segment of the graph.
• Tick Marks — Set the number of major and minor tick marks on the axis.
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• Tick Labels — Change the alignment of value labels for the major tick
marks. If you want to change the style, color, and size of the font, click the
Text Style button.
• Grid Lines — Select the style for the grid lines. If you want to change their
color, click the color selection button.
• Axis — Modify the thickness of the axis. Click the color selection button if you
want to change the axis color.
• Scaling — Use this area to adjust the scale for your graph:
o Log Scale — Change the values on the axis to a logarithmic scale.
Using a logarithmic scale can provide you with additional information
that you may not be able to see on a normal scale.
o Scale — This field appears on the Y Axis tab only. You can use it to
change the scale of the y axis.
Segmenting a Graph
When your graph has too many points and looks crowded, you can segment it to
display a specific section of interest. Segmenting a graph is especially useful for
dynamic time, frequency, or random response analysis results, which may contain
100 or more points in Structure. You can use one of the following methods to
segment your graph:
• Zoom In — Use the View>Zoom In command on the graph results window

to get a close-up view of a specific graph segment you select.
• Change the Axis Range — Reset minimum and maximum values for the
graph range to define a segment you want to display. The x minimum should
display the x coordinate that is at the left edge of the graph segment, the x
maximum at the right edge, the y maximum at the top edge, and the y
minimum at the bottom edge. Mechanica then redraws the graph to show the
specified segment.
After you finish studying a particular graph segment, you can restore a graph to its
original, unsegmented state. Use the View>Refit command. After you select the
command, Mechanica automatically redraws the complete graph in the current
window.
Legend Value
Use this command on the Edit menu to change one or more of the values on the
legend along the right side of a fringe, fringe animation, contour, or vector result
window.
If no result window is currently selected, the Selection dialog box appears and you
can select one or more result windows from the list to edit.
The legend shows the colors used in the plot and the range connected to each color.
Mechanica calculates the level of each fringe boundary by distributing the levels
linearly from minimum to maximum.
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After you select the command, select a value from the legend. Then enter a new
value.
For more information about entering new values, see Guidelines for Changing Legend
Values.
If you enter a new minimum or maximum value, Mechanica may ask if you want to
redistribute levels.
Mechanica regenerates the plot to take the new levels into account.
Redistribute Levels
If you enter a minimum value greater than the level above it, or a maximum value
less than the level below it, Mechanica prompts:
Do you want to redistribute levels linearly from first to last <y>?
To keep the new minimum or maximum value, you must enter y. Mechanica cannot
use the new value without redistributing levels.
Direct VRML
Use File>Export>Direct VRML to export files in VRML format. You can export one
non-animating discrete colored fringe plot (excluding p-level plots) at a time using
this command.
After you select this command, the Export VRML dialog box appears. If there is re
than one fringe plot available, you are prompted to select one.
Tip: You should minimize the number of graphical entities required to

visualize the results. This reduces download time and improves graphics
performance.
Mechanica can export fringes as VRML 1.0 or VRML 2.0 format files. You can use a
config.pro option to control the VRML format Mechanica uses as well as whether the
VRML report will include feature edges.
Tie — Contour, Fringe, Graph, or Vectors

Result Windows
Use to set a common range for two or more contour, fringe, graph, or vector plots
currently displayed. This feature makes it easier to visually compare different result
windows. You can also alter characteristics of the parent window for fringe, vector,
and contour plots and Mechanica will alter those characteristics for all of the tied
windows. For example, changing the legend values of the parent window changes
the legend values of all the tied windows.
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You can tie two windows only if they meet certain criteria. You can find the Tie
command on the Utilities menu. The Tie command invokes a submenu containing
the Legend command, which you use to tie fringe, contour, and vector plots. The
submenu also contains three commands for tying graphs.
Mechanica sets up a new range that works for both result windows. This may involve
changing one or both plots. Mechanica redraws either plot for which the ranges have
changed.
MPEG
Export MPEGs to produce animated reproductions of your results. This feature can be
used to help create presentations. The software offers the option of saving the
animation of a single window as an MPEG file for just this reason. You can access this
command using the File>Export>MPEG command.
This command opens the MPEG Export dialog box. This dialog box enables you to
specify a title and to determine the size and quality of the animation export. You can
choose from five available options. The options are:
• NTSC Web
• NTSC CDROM
• PAL Web
• PAL CDROM
• Custom
The height, width, and number of frames per second are controlled by the option
selected. You can only edit these options if you choose Custom.
Default
Select the Default command to set the view of your model back to the default
orientation.
A model appears in its default view orientation when it is first created, but a
retrieved model appears in the orientation in which it was last saved.
You can resume the default view at any time.
Graphic Size
Select one of the following graphic sizes:
• Current View — Results are the same size as they appear in the Mechanica
results window.
• ISO A7 — 74 x 105 mm
• ISO A6 — 105 x 148 mm
• ISO A5 — 148 x 210 mm
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View Menu on Results Window Toolbar

Use the View menu to change the view of your model with the following commands:
• Repaint — Repaint a view to remove all temporarily displayed information.

Repainting redraws the screen but does not regenerate the model.
• Default — Set the view to the default orientation.
• Refit — Refit your model so it is fully visible on the screen.
• Spin/Pan/Zoom — Change the position or size of your model.
Graph Display Tab

Use the Graph Display tab on the Graph Window Options dialog box to specify
the graph's Label and change the background color of the window. The following
fields appear on the tab:
• Label — Edit the graph's label, which appears in the upper left corner of the
graph window. If you want to change the style, color, and size of the font,
click the Text Style button. Use the Display Label check box to display the
label or remove it from the window.
• Background Color — Modify the background color. Click the Edit button to
customize the blended background color. If you deselect the Blended
Background check box, click the color selection button to change the
background color.
• Selection Color — Change the color you use to highlight points on your
graph.
Orientation Dialog Box

Select the Spin/Pan/Zoom command to change the position of your model by
using the Orientation dialog box. The dialog box contains the following items:
• Fixed Views — Changes the view to one of the following:

o Isometric — Changes the view to an isometric view.
o Trimetric — Changes the view to a trimetric view.
o Front, Back, Left, Right, Top, Bottom — Changes the view to the
named position.
• Pan — Modifies the location of the model relative to the display window by
moving the frame of reference horizontally or vertically.
• Zoom — Modifies the size of the model relative to the display window by
moving in or out relative to the screen. Use the slider or counter to increase
or decrease the size.
• Refit — Redisplays the model so it is fully visible on the screen.
• Center — Displays your model relative to the center.
• Spin — Orients the model by spinning it about a specified spin center.
• Dynamic update — Enables you to view changes to your model as you make
adjustments to it.
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File Menu on Results Window Toolbar

When reviewing a graph of a function load, use the File menu to perform the
following tasks:
• Print — Print an output file containing a picture of an object.

• Export — Export components or objects in your model to other formats. The
following commands appear on the Export menu:
o Image — Export an image of a part or assembly.
o Direct VRML — Export an object directly to VRML.
o HTML Report — Export an HTML report.
• Exit Results — Closes the result window.
Export VRML Dialog Box

This dialog box appears if you select File>Export>Direct VRML. The dialog box
includes these items:
• Look In— Shows the path to the current directory and the list of files in that
directory is shown below.
• Name— Displays the name of the VRML file to be exported.
• Type — Lists all files that end in .wrl, the type for VRML files.
Export HTML Setup Dialog Box

This dialog box appears if you click Setup and enables you to control the format of
the HTML page. The setup dialog box includes the following items:
• Graphic Format — Use JPEG File Interchange Format for a fringe plot or if
your results have many colors. The more colors your results have, the more
useful the JPEG format is.
• Graphic Size — Select the current view, ISO A7, ISO A6, or ISO A5.
• Alignment — Select Landscape or Portrait, if available.
• Height — This text box displaying the height of the graphic cannot be edited.
• Width — This text box displaying the width of the graphic cannot be edited.
Export HTML Dialog Box

This dialog box appears if you select File>Export>HTML Report. The dialog box
includes these items:
• HTML Report Name — Specify the file name, including path, to which you
want to save the .htm file.
• Browser Title (optional) — Enter the title that will appear on the title bar of
the browser.
• HTML Report Title (optional) — Enter the title that will appear at the top of
the report.
• Item — This menu lists the windows selected for inclusion in the report. In
addition to the windows, a Title Block, Introduction, and Conclusion section
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are listed as well. Selecting on any one of these brings up the attributes for
that window in the content layout to the right of the list.
o Title Block (optional) — Controls the appearance of the table of
contents, as well as other descriptors.
o Introduction (optional) — Enter an introduction you want included in
the report.
o Results Windows — Include modeling information and VRML. Use
the Select button to choose which modeling entities to include for
each window.
o Conclusion (optional) — Enter a conclusion you want included in the
report.
• Preferences — Controls the options for the appearance of the HTML file.
• Export — Export the .htm file to the directory specified in the HTML Report
Name text box.
Guidelines for Changing Legend Values

Follow these guidelines for changing the values on a fringe, contour, or vector
legend:
• For any level except the minimum and maximum levels, you cannot change
the value to a number greater than the next level up or less than the next
level down.
If you want to set a new value that would violate this rule, start from the top
or bottom level and change each level in turn to make room for the new
value.
• The minimum value must always be less than the maximum value.
Alignment
The alignment options are available only if you selected Current View for the
graphic size.
The two options are:
• Landscape — Select this option to orient the graphic along the horizontal
axis. The graphic is wider than it is high.
• Portrait — Select this option to orient the graphic along the vertical axis. The
graphic is higher than it is wide.
Data Series Tab

Use the Data Series tab on the Graph Window Options dialog box to change the
appearance of data series. Mechanica can display multiple data series that share
common x and y axes in a single graph window.
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Use the following fields to work with the data series:
• Graph — Select a graph or subgraph whose data series you want to

customize.
• Data Series — Use the input field to edit the label for the selected data
series. To change the color of the graph's points and lines, click the color
selection buttons. You can also modify the points' style and interpolation and
the lines' thickness.
• Legend — Use this area to toggle the legend. If you want to change the
style, color, and size of the font, click the Text Style button.
Untie — Contour, Fringe, Graph, or Vectors

Result Windows
Use this command to remove any ties you previously established for the current
window. This command is available for these result window types:
• graph — The command undoes ties you created with the Tie>Graph Both,
Tie>Graph Quantity, or Tie>Graph Location commands.
• fringe, contour, and vector plots — The command undoes ties you created
with the Tie>Legend command.
When you select Untie, Mechanica restores the original range for the current window
if the range was altered when you tied the window. Mechanica redraws the display if
the ranges have changed.
To untie any other windows you tied to the current window, access the Control
menu for each window separately and then select Untie.
Tie Graph Windows

These three commands are not active for graphs you display through the Function
Definition dialog box. They are active for result window graphs, but they do not
invoke prompts or take actions when only one graph is on the screen.
Use these commands to more closely compare two different result window graphs:
• Graph Quantity — Ties the quantity data on the Y axes of two graphs.
• Graph Location — Ties the location data on the X axes of two graphs.
• Graph Both — Ties the data on both axes of two graphs.
After you select one of the Tie commands, select another graph result window.
Mechanica sets up a new interval for the data on each axis that works for both result
windows. This may involve changing one or both graphs. Mechanica redraws either
graph for which the interval has changed.
For more information on these commands, see Guidelines for Tying Graphs.
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For a description of how to tie a group of graph windows together so that they all
share a common range, see Tie Multiple Graph Result Windows.
General Guidelines for Tying Result Windows

Follow these guidelines when tying two result windows:
• The result windows you plan to tie must be of the same type. You can tie the
legends for fringe, vector, and contour plots together. You can also tie the
scales of graph plots to each other. However, you cannot tie a graph to a
fringe, contour, or vector plot.
• You cannot tie values for unfringed animations or model result windows
because there are no values to tie.
• If you are working with fringe, contour, and vector plots, the quantities must
be in the same general category. For example, you can tie a von Mises stress
fringe plot to a maximum principal stress fringe plot, but not to a
displacement fringe plot.
• If you are working with graphs, there are a number of special guidelines to
bear in mind.
Guidelines for Tying Graphs

Follow these guidelines when tying two graphs:
• Both graphs must have the same location category for the X axis and the
same quantity category for the Y axis, no matter which command you select.
For example:
o In Structure, you can tie a graph using Stress XX for the quantity to a
second graph using Max Prin Stress, but not to a second graph using
Disp Mag or Measure as the quantity.
o In Thermal, you can tie a graph using Temp Gradient X for the
quantity to a second graph using Temp Gradient Mag, but not to a
second graph using Flux Mag or Measure as the quantity.
• If Iteration is the location, you cannot use the Tie Loc or Tie Both
commands.
• If two graphs use different types of values on either axis—that is, if one is
linear and one is logarithmic—you cannot tie them. See the description of the
Log Scale check boxfor more information.
Spin
Spin orients the model by spinning it about a specified spin center. The Spin area
• Spin center button — Click this button to spin your model using the spin
center axis.
o X — Use the slider or counter to spin the model about its x axis.
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o Y — Use the slider or counter to spin the model about its y axis.
o Z — Use the slider or counter to spin the model about its z axis.
• Screen center button — Click this button to spin your model using the
screen center axis.
o H — Use the slider or counter to spin the model about its horizontal
axis.
o V — Use the slider or counter to spin the model about its vertical axis.
o C — Use the slider or counter to spin the model about its center.
Refit
Select the Refit command or click the Refit button on the toolbar to refit the model
to the screen so that you can see the entire model. A refitted model uses 80 percent
of the screen. You can also refit the model by clicking Refit on the Orientation
dialog box
Paper
Size — Select one of the following page sizes from the option menu:
F (40.0 x 28.0 in.)
E (44.0 x 34.0 in.)
D (34.0 x 22.0 in.)
C (22.0 x 17.0 in.)
B (17.0 x 11.0 in.)
A (11.0 x 8.5 in.)
A0 (1189 x 841 mm)
A1 (841 x 594 mm)
A2 (594 x 420 mm)
A3 (420 x 297 mm)
A4 (297 x 210 mm)
Variable in Inch
Variable in mm
Height — Select the page height from the option menu. This option is available if
you select the Variable in Inch or Variable in mm option for size.
Width — Select the page width from the option menu. This option is available if you
select the Variable in Inch or Variable in mm option for size.
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Pan
Pan modifies the location of the model relative to the display window by moving the
frame of reference horizontally or vertically. The Pan area contains two items:
• H (horizontal setting) — Use the slider or counter to move the frame of

reference to the left or right.
• V (vertical setting) — Use the slider or counter to move the frame of
reference into or out of the screen.
Output Format
Use this option to specify the format that you want Mechanica to use when printing
to a file.
You can use the following output formats for Windows:
• Microsoft Print Manager — Prints a file to one of the available printers.

Select a printer from the list. This format generates raster plots.
• Microsoft Print Manager (Vector) — Prints a file to one of the available
printers. The files generated for vector plots are usually smaller than those for
raster plots. Use this print format, for example, for pen plotters that cannot
use raster fonts. Vector printouts are best used for printing text or wireframe
images. You cannot use a vector format for a shaded image.
You can use the following output formats for both Windows and UNIX:
• PostScript (Vector) — Prints a PostScript file for any printer that supports
the PostScript page description language.
• HPGL2 (for exporting plots only) — Prints a file in the Hewlett-Packard
Graphics Language. This format is used to print on a plotter or printer that
supports HPGL2. Use it for graphs and contour plots. Some plotters might not
fill solid areas such as shaded areas or fringe plots properly. When the plotter
does fill solid areas, the fill might damage the paper or plotter pens.
Using HPGL2 format to produce a fringe plot produces an extremely large plot
file. It is strongly recommended that you use a contour plot instead.
• BMP (for exporting images only) — Prints a bit-mapped image.

• Encapsulated PostScript — Prints a file that you can include within another
PostScript file. You cannot print this type of file without printing a PostScript
file.
You can use the following additional output formats for UNIX only:
• JPEG — Prints a file in the Joint Photographic Experts Group format.

• TIFF — Prints a file in the Tagged Image File Format. Only black and white
output is available. Color .tif files cannot be produced, even though there is a
color button selection. If possible, you should use .jpg. Both color and black
and white .jpg files can be produced.
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If you do not have sufficient disk space when you output a file, such as a PostScript
file, Mechanica may terminate.
Common Facilities
Working With Normals
Surface Normals
Use the Normal>Surface command to display the normal direction for each surface
and to change the direction for one or more surfaces. This command appears for 3D
models.
Because Mechanica sets the normal direction separately for each surface when you
create it, the direction of the normals for adjoining surfaces may end up in opposite
or inconsistent directions.
See Normal Direction for Surfaces and Shells for information on how Mechanica
creates and uses normal directions.
When you select Surface, magenta arrows appear displaying the normal direction
for each surface in your model. Mechanica also displays a utility menu with the
following commands:
• Fix
• Flip
Mechanica checks whether you have fixed surface normals at certain points in the
modeling process.
Normal Direction for Surfaces and Shells

The normal is always perpendicular to a surface or shell, except if a surface belongs
to one and only one volume. These surfaces already have a natural consistent
normal that points out of the volume.
If your shell model is a midsurface compressed model, the normal direction is from
the red side to the yellow side of the midsurface.
For 3D models, if a solid face lies on a surface or shell, the surface or shell
determines the normal direction of the face. If a solid face is not coincident with a
surface or shell, the normal direction of the solid face always points away from the
center of the solid.
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The normal direction has these two purposes:
• Pressure loads always oppose the normal of a surface, midsurface shell, or

any other element. However, for quilts, pressure load direction always
coincides with the shell normal.
• The top of a surface or shell is always in the normal direction. The surface or
shell displayed on the screen represents the midsurface of the element. You
can view results for stress quantities at the top or bottom of a surface or
shell.
Specifying Y Direction for Beams

When you create a beam, Mechanica sets the beam length as the X axis of the beam
action coordinate system. You determine how the beam action coordinate system
relates to the WCS by specifying the Y direction on the Beam Definition dialog box.
See Beam Coordinate Systems for more information.
If you reference two geometric entities such as two points, or a point and a surface,
for the beam length, the positive X direction goes from the first entity selected to the
second. If you reference an edge or curve, Mechanica displays a purple arrow
pointing in the positive direction when you select the edge or curve. If you want to
reverse the positive X direction, select the edge or curve again.
The illustration shows a beam with a square cross-section defined along a curve that
parallels, but is opposite in sign to, the WCS X axis. The software uses the beam X
axis and the Y direction you specify on the Beam Definition dialog box to define an
XY plane for the beam action coordinate system. It then defines a Z axis
perpendicular to the XY plane, and completes the coordinate system using the right-
hand rule.
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Shell Normals
Use the Surfaces selector arrow on the Shell Definition dialog box to display the
normal direction for each shell and to change the direction for one or more shells.
Because Mechanica sets the normal direction separately for each shell when you
create it, the direction of the normals for adjoining shells may end up in opposite or
inconsistent directions.
See Normal Direction for Surfaces and Shells for information on how Mechanica
creates and uses normal directions.
You can fix or flip the shell normals if your shell is not part of a volume, or part of a
shell pair in a midsurface compressed model. When you use the Surfaces selector
arrow to select the shell on your model, a magenta arrow appears displaying the
normal direction. Do one of the following to fix or flip the normal direction:
• Select the shell, and then select the shell again to flip the direction of the
arrow that shows the normal direction.
• On the SIM SELECT menu, select Fix Normals or Flip Normals.
Mechanica checks if you have fixed normals at certain points in the modeling
process.
To reverse the normal direction of a compressed midsurface, use the MODIFY PAIR
Menu.
Working with Functions

Functions for Native Mode
Functions Dialog Box
Use this dialog box to create a new function or to copy, review, or delete a selected
function. The type of function you can define depends upon the area of Mechanica
where you are working. If you are working in FEM mode, see Functions Dialog Box
for FEM Mode.
The dialog box lists all functions of the specified type in your model. The dialog box
also contains the following items:
• New — Click this button to create a function. The Function Definition dialog
box appears.
There is no limit to the number of functions you can create for a given model.
• Copy — Click this button to copy the function you select from the list. The
Copy Function dialog box appears, displaying the name of the selected
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function. Use the default or enter a name for the copy, then click OK.
Mechanica adds the new name to the list. You cannot copy a system function.
• Edit — Click this button to edit or review the function you select. The
Function Definition dialog box appears, containing the values you entered
for the selected function. You cannot review a system function.
• Delete — Click this button to delete the currently selected function. You
cannot delete a system function.
If a description was entered for a selected function, it appears in the Description

area below the list of functions.
Function Definition Dialog Box

Use this dialog box to create or edit a function. The Function Definition dialog box
• Name — Use the default or enter a function name.

• Description (optional) — Enter a description of the function.
• Coordinate system (not available for time-dependent functions) — Click the
selector arrow to select a coordinate system to reference your function.
• Type — Select the type of function you want to create or review. Depending
on your selection, the dialog box changes to display additional options:
o Symbolic — Enables you to enter a symbolic expression for the

function.
o Table (not available for time-dependent functions or in FEM mode) —
Enables you to enter data from a table for the function.
• Definition — Use this area to define your function using a symbolic

expression or table data.
• Available function components — Click this button to display the
Symbolic Options dialog box.
• Review — Click this button to display the Graph Function dialog box. You
can use this form to define the independent variables and values for your
selected function.
Following is an example of a function:
if (time<10), sin (pi*time/5), 0)
Symbolic Function Type

If you select Symbolic as the type for your function, you enter an algebraic
expression in the Symbolic entry box. Click the Available Function Components
button to access the Symbolic Options dialog box. This dialog box contains the
following:
• independent variables, which correspond to the axes of the selected

coordinate system.
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• constants, operators, and functions, which you can also find on the Symbolic
Options dialog box.
The expression cannot include another function or refer to the same function.
Following is an example of a function:
if (time<10, sin (pi*time/5), 0)
For all functions, if you click the independent variable in the Variables box and the
other symbols in their respective boxes, Mechanica places them in the Symbolic
entry box. You can also type in the expression, using the Valid Symbols table as a
guide.
Note: For material properties, the only valid independent variable is

temperature.
Independent Variables
The Variables box displays the name of the independent variable or variables
available for the type of function you are defining. You can use these independent
variables as part of the expression that defines the function.
Valid Symbols
You can use the following symbols when defining a symbolic function:
Functions Definitions
sin(x), cos(x), standard trigonometric functions

tan(x)
asin(x) arc sine in range – /2 to /2
acos(x) arc cosine in range 0 to
atan(x) arc tangent in range – /2 to /2
atan2(y,x) arc tangent of y/x in range – to
ln(x) natural (base e) logarithm
log(x) base 10 logarithm
abs(x) absolute value. If x>0 returns x, otherwise –x.
sqrt(x) square root
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min(x,y) returns the minimum of x and y. If x<y returns x,

otherwise y.
max(x,y) returns the maximum of x and y. If x>y, returns x,

otherwise y.
sign(x,y) sign transfer of y to x. If y<0 returns

–abs(x), otherwise abs(x).
mod(x,y) remainder function, that is x–int(x/y)*y where int()

means "integer part of". The sign of the result is always
the same as the sign of x.
if(c,x,y) "if" test, or switching function. If expression c (the

"condition") returns non-zero (true) then the if function
returns x, otherwise (if c=0.0) it returns y. Read like this:
if c then x else y.
bound(x,lo,hi) limits x to be between bounds lo and hi. If x<lo returns

lo, if x>hi returns hi, otherwise, returns x. lo must be <hi.
dead(x,lo,hi) provides a "dead zone" when x is between lo and hi. If

x<lo returns x–lo, if x>hi, returns x–hi, otherwise returns
0.
ceil(x) "ceiling" function, rounds toward positive infinity
floor(x) rounds toward negative infinity
near(x,y,delta) "nearness" test. Returns 1.0 (true) if x is within delta of y.

If abs(x–y)<delta returns 1.0, otherwise returns 0.0.
Constants:
pi = 3.14159...
e = 2.71828...
Arithmetic Operators:
+ add
– subtract, unary minus, negate
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* multiply
/ divide
^ exponentiate
Logical Operators (these operators return 1.0 for true, 0.0 for false):
! unary "not"
== equal
!= not equal
< less than
> greater than
<= less than or equal to
>= greater than or equal to
&& logical and
|| logical or
Grouping Operators:
() parentheses, grouping
Table Function Type

If you select Table as your function type, you need to:
• select an independent variable from the Value option menu
Mechanica displays the name of the independent variable in this column. This
is the independent variable you can use as part of the expression that defines
the function.
• enter at least one value for the independent variable in the independent
variable column, which is on the left side of the table
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Values in this column must be in either increasing or decreasing sequence, and

you cannot use a single number more than twice.
• specify a function value in each row of the Value column. Enter a

corresponding value for each dependent variable in this column.
• specify an interpolation method for the variables
You can use these buttons with the table:
• Add Row — adds up to 50 rows

• Delete — removes all rows you indicated
• Clear All — clears all values from both columns
Interpolation Method
Use this option to select the interpolation method for each variable. The first option
menu specifies a method for the independent variable, and the second option menu
for the dependent variable. Each option menu contains these two options:
• Linear — Mechanica linearly interpolates the variable between values.

• Log — Mechanica linearly interpolates the log of the variable between values.
Graph Function Dialog Box

Use this dialog box to specify settings for a graph of a function you are defining.
Select an independent variable. Mechanica displays the Graph At entry box with an
equal sign and displays this variable as the Range Limits for Variable.
Enter a number in the Graph At entry box. You can also enter the word current for
any independent variable that is a parameter. You can enter min, max, or current for
any independent variable that is an independent parameter.
Mechanica graphs the value of the equation versus the selected independent variable
at the values of the remaining independent variables entered in the entry boxes.
The dialog box also contains:
• Range Limits for Variable x, y, or z — Specify the range you want to

include on the graph by entering a lower and upper limit value for the
independent variable. These limits should define a segment of the graph that
enables you to visualize the function. For example, the limits could
correspond to the time or frequency range you use in defining the analysis.
• Graph — Click this button to display the graph. Mechanica opens the
Graphtool window and displays the graph.
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To Create a Function
Use this procedure to create a function in Mechanica. This procedure assumes you
are in the Function Definition dialog box.
1. Use the default or enter a function name.

2. Enter a description of the function. This step is optional.
3. Use the default or select a coordinate system. (This option is not available for
time-dependent functions.)
4. Select the type of function you want to create—Symbolic or Table.
Functions for FEM Mode

Functions Dialog Box (FEM mode)
Use this dialog box to create a new function or to copy, edit, or delete an existing
function.
The dialog box lists all functions of the specified type in your model. The dialog box
also contains the following items:
• New — Opens the Function Definition dialog box where you can create a
new function. There is no limit to the number of functions you can create for a
given constraint.
• Copy — Opens the Copy Function dialog box where you can copy the
function you select from the list of functions. Use the default or enter a name
for the copy. When you close the dialog box, Mechanica adds the new name
to the list. You cannot copy a system function.
• Edit — Opens the Function Definition dialog box where you can edit or
review the function you select. You cannot edit or review a system function.
• Delete — Deletes the currently selected function. You cannot delete a system
function.
If a description exists for a selected function, it appears in the Description area

below the list of functions.
Function Definition Dialog Box (FEM mode)

Use this dialog box to create a new function or to edit or review an existing function.
The Function Definition dialog box contains the following items:
• Name — Use the default name or enter a new name for the function.
• Description (optional) — Enter a description of the function.
• Coordinate system — Click the selector arrow to select a coordinate system
for your model.
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• Definition — Use this area to define your function using an algebraic

expression, that can contain only the following:
o An independent variable listed on the Symbolic Options dialog box.
Click the Available Function Components button to access the
dialog box.
o The constants, operators, and functions listed on the Symbolic
Options dialog box.
The expression cannot include another function or refer to the same function.
The following is an example of a function:
if (pi<10), sin (pi*pi/5), 0)
For all functions, if you click the independent variable in the Variables box and
the other symbols in their respective boxes, Mechanica places them in the
Symbolic entry box. You can also type in the expression, using the Valid
Symbols table as a guide.
Independent Variables
The Variables box displays the name of the independent variable or variables
available for the type of function you are defining. You can use these independent
variables as part of the expression that defines the function.
Valid Symbols (FEM mode)

You can use the following symbols when defining a symbolic function:
abs(x) absolute value. If x > 0 returns x, otherwise –x.
acos(x) arc cosine in range 0 to
asin(x) arc sine in range – /2 to /2
atan(x) arc tangent in range – /2 to /2
ceil(x) "ceiling" function, rounds toward positive infinity
cos(x) standard trigonometric function (the argument x is in

radians)
floor(x) rounds toward negative infinity
ln(x) natural (base e) logarithm
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log(x) base 10 logarithm
sin(x) standard trigonometric function (the argument x is in

radians)
sqrt(x) square root
tan(x) standard trigonometric function (the argument x is in

radians)
sinh(x) hyperbolic trigonometric function
cosh(x) hyperbolic trigonometric function
tanh(x) hyperbolic trigonometric function
exp(x)
if(c, x, y)
Constants:
pi = 3.14159...
Arithmetic Operators:
+ add
– subtract, unary minus, negate
* multiply
/ divide
^ exponentiate
Logical Operators (these operators return 1.0 for true, 0.0 for false):
! unary "not"
== equal
!= not equal
< less than
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> greater than
<= less than or equal to
>= greater than or equal to
& logical and
| logical or
Grouping Operators:
() parentheses, grouping
To Create a Function (FEM mode)

This procedure assumes you are in the Function Definition dialog box.
1. Use the default or enter a function name.

2. Enter a description of the function (optional).
3. Click on the selector arrow to select the coordinate system you want the
constraint to be relative to.
4. Enter an expression in the Definition text box.
5. Click OK to return to the Functions dialog box.
To Create a Table Function

This procedure assumes you are in the Function Definition dialog box.
1. Select Table.
2. Select an independent variable from the Value option menu. The independent
variables correspond to the coordinate system axes.
3. Click Add Row.
4. Enter the number of rows you want to add. You can add rows to any location
in the table by entering a value in Start At.
5. Enter a value for the independent variable in each row of the independent
variable column. The values in this column must be in either increasing or
decreasing order, and you cannot use a single number more than twice.
6. Specify a corresponding value for the dependent variable in each row of the
Value column.
7. Specify an interpolation method for the variables.
If you select Table, you can also import an ASCII file containing the table values.
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To Create a Symbolic Function

This procedure assumes you have completed the preliminary steps in the Function
1. Select Symbolic.
2. Click Available Function Components to display the Symbolic Options
dialog box.
3. Build your symbolic expression by clicking a variable and the appropriate
constant, operator, and function. Clicking an item in any field displays the
item in the Symbolic entry box on the Function Definition dialog box.
Alternately, you can type a function into the entry box using the options
shown on the Symbolic Options dialog box.
Use of Function Definitions

You can use the function definition utility to define equations that relate one quantity
in Mechanica to another. For example, if you want to apply a load to your model, you
can create an equation that describes the spatial distribution of the load.
The following table lists the dialog boxes for which you can define functions:
Command Product Independent Dependent

variable variable
Dynamic Time Structure time amplitude

Analysis
Definition time or frequency base excitation
frequency damping
coefficient
Dynamic Structure frequency amplitude

Frequency
Analysis frequency phase
Definition
frequency damping
coefficient
time or frequency base excitation
Dynamic Structure frequency load set power

Random Analysis spectral density
Definition
frequency damping
coefficient
time or frequency base excitation
Dynamic Shock Structure frequency base excitation

Analysis
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Command Product Independent Dependent

variable variable
Definition
Material Structure (native temperature Young's modulus

mode only)
temperature Poisson's ratio
temperature coefficient of
thermal expansion
Force/Moment Structure coordinates (WCS spatial variation of

Load or UCS) force/moment load
Pressure Load Structure coordinates (WCS spatial variation of

or UCS) pressure load
Global Structure (FEM coordinates (WCS spatial variation of

Temperature mode only) or UCS) global temperature
Load load
Structural Structure (FEM coordinates (WCS spatial variation of

Temperature mode only) or UCS) structural
Load temperature load
Constraint Structure (FEM coordinates (WCS translation and

mode only) or UCS) rotation directions
Convection Thermal (native time bulk temperature

Condition mode only)
Thermal (FEM coordinates (WCS spatial variation of

mode only) or UCS) convection
coefficient and
bulk temperature
Radiation Thermal (FEM coordinates (WCS spatial variation of

Condition mode only) or UCS) emissivity and
ambient
temperature
Prescribed Thermal coordinates (WCS spatial variation of

Temperature or UCS) temperature
Heat Load Thermal coordinates (WCS spatial variation of

or UCS) heat load
Thermal (native time heat load

mode only)
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Additional Information
Background Information
Long-Term Limitations
When you work with Mechanica, you should be aware of various limitations that
affect the way the product operates. To learn about limitations, read the following:
Topic
General Limitations
Model and Analyses Limitations
General Limitations
Following is a list of general limitations:
• If your model is any of the following, you cannot enter Mechanica:

o A part or assembly in a geometry or graphics simplified
representation.
o An assembly simplified representation that contains one or more
components in geometry or graphics simplified representations.
For each of these model types, the Applications>Mechanica command is

inactive. To learn more about simplified representations, see the Assembly
and Welding functional area in the Pro/ENGINEER Help Center.
• If you use the Set Working Directory command on the Pro/ENGINEER

File menu to change directories during a Mechanica session, be aware that
Mechanica may still refer to the original directory for certain operations.
For example, assume you have a study results directory named study in two
different directories—a and b. If you were working in directory a and decided
you wanted to review the study results in directory b, you would normally use
the Set Working Directory command to switch directories. However,
although Mechanica switches directories, it still sees the study results
directory that resides in directory a, and these would be the results the
software would display unless you specifically select directory b when defining
your result windows.
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Model and Analyses Limitations

Following is a list of limitations that covers the models and analyses:
• There are limitations in the ability of Mechanica and Pro/ENGINEER to share

materials.
• Native mode and FEM mode of Mechanica share some, but not all, modeling
entities.
• For assemblies, you cannot apply loads or constraints to a merged surface
unless you first define a region to separate the unmerged portion of the
surface.
• Native mode does not support variable-thickness shell modeling.
• You cannot define compressed shell midsurfaces for structural assemblies
unless you first start Mechanica from part mode and predefine pairs for each
of the parts in the assembly. You then leave part mode and start Mechanica
from assembly mode to add modeling entities and analyze the assembly as a
whole.
• You cannot create beam–face links.
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Icons Used in Mechanica
When you create most modeling entities, Mechanica adds icons to your model in the
work area to indicate the presence of the entity and its associations. The following
topics illustrate and briefly describe most of the icons used in the Mechanica work
area. This discussion does not cover beam section icons. You can learn about beam
section icons by reading the online help for the beam section you are interested in.
Topic
Icons Common to Structure and Thermal
Icons Specific to Structure
Icons Specific to Thermal
Icons Common to Structure and Thermal

Refer to the following topics for descriptions of icons and default graphic
representations that are common to Structure and Thermal:
Topic
Coordinate Systems
Connections
Constraints
Material Orientations
Coordinate Systems
Following are the icons Mechanica uses to represent coordinate systems. Mechanica
displays coordinate systems in yellow. If you designate a coordinate system as the
current coordinate system, Mechanica highlights this coordinate system in green.
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World Coordinate System or Cartesian User Coordinate System
This icon appears when you create a Cartesian coordinate system.

This icon also represents the WCS. The icon changes orientation,
but not scale, in response to view changes.
Cylindrical User Coordinate System
This icon appears when you create a cylindrical coordinate

system. The icon changes orientation, but not scale, in response
to view changes.
Spherical User Coordinate System
This icon appears when you create a spherical coordinate system.

The icon changes orientation, but not scale, in response to view
changes.
Connections
Following are the graphic representation Mechanica uses for connections:
Welds
This icon appears when you create an end or perimeter weld

between components in an assembly. The icon changes
orientation, but not scale, in response to view changes.
Spot Welds
This icon appears when you create a spot weld between entities.
The size of the disks in this icon depend on the diameter you
specify for the spot weld. The icon changes orientation in response
to view changes. Spot welds are only available in native mode.
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Interfaces
This icon appears when you create an interface between

components in an assembly. The version without dots represents a
free interface while the version with dots represents a bonded
interface. The icon changes orientation, but not scale, in response
to view changes.
Rigid Connections
This icon appears when you create a rigid connection between

components in an assembly. The icon changes orientation, but not
scale, in response to view changes. Rigid connections are only
available in native mode.
Rigid and Weighted Links
This icon appears when you create a rigid or weighted link

between components in an assembly. The icon changes
orientation, but not scale, in response to view changes. Rigid and
weighted links are only available in FEM mode.
Constraints
Structure and Thermal have only one type of constraint in common—cyclic
symmetry. Following is the default icon Mechanica uses for cyclic symmetry:
This icon appears at each location where you apply a cyclic

symmetry constraint. The icon does not change orientation or
scale in response to view changes.
Material Orientations
Following is the graphic representation Mechanica uses for material orientation.
This icon appears when you review the material orientation of a

surface, shell, or part. The icon changes orientation, but not scale,
in response to view changes.
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Icons Specific to Structure

Refer to the following topics for descriptions of icons and default graphic
representations that are specific to Structure:
Idealizations
Following are the default icons Structure uses for mass and spring idealizations:
Masses
This weight shape represents a mass concentrated at a point. The

mass icon does not change orientation or scale in response to view
changes.
Springs (advanced and simple)
This coil represents a spring between two points. The icon changes
orientation, but not scale, in response to view changes. Note that
the spring orientation is indicated by arrow vectors at one end of
the icon.
Springs (to ground)
This coil, extending at one end to a point and at the other end to
ground, represents a spring connected to ground. The icon does
not change orientation or scale in response to view changes.
Gaps (point to entity)
This icon appears when you define a gap between a point and
another entity. The arrow branches indicate gap orientation and
the "x" indicates the reference point. The icon changes orientation,
but not scale, in response to view changes. Gaps are only available
in FEM mode.
Gaps (surface to surface)
This icon appears when you define a gap between two surfaces.
The icon changes orientation, but not scale, in response to view
changes. Gaps are only available in FEM mode.
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Connections
Structure has only one connection that it does not share with Thermal, namely
contacts. Following is the default icon Structure uses for contact regions:
This icon appears when you define a contact region between two
curves in a 2D model or between two surfaces in a 3D model. The
icon does not change orientation or scale in response to view
changes. Contacts are only available in native mode.
Constraints
Following are the default icons that Structure uses for constraints:
Constraints
This icon appears at each location where you apply a constraint.

The icon does not change orientation or scale in response to view
changes.
This icon shows which degrees of freedom you constrained. Two

rows of boxes appear at the base of the triangle, with each box
representing a degree of freedom. The top row of boxes
represents displacement degrees of freedom, and the bottom row
of boxes represents rotational degrees of freedom.
Boxes corresponding to degrees of freedom that you constrained

or for which you prescribed a displacement are filled. Boxes
corresponding to degrees of freedom that you designated as free
are empty.
For example, this icon indicates that displacement in the x and y

directions are constrained and rotation about the z axis is also
constrained.
Mirror Symmetry Constraints
This icon appears at each location where you apply a mirror

symmetry constraint. The icon does not change orientation or
scale in response to view changes.
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Along Surface Constraints
This icon appears at each location where you apply an Along

Surface constraint. The icon does not change orientation or scale
in response to view changes. Along Surface constraints are
available in FEM mode only.
Loads
Following are the default icons that Structure uses for loads:
Force Loads
This icon, with a single arrowhead, appears on an entity to which

you apply a force load. The icon changes orientation, but not
scale, in response to view changes.
Moment Loads
This icon, with a double arrowhead, appears on an entity to which

you apply a moment load. The icon changes orientation, but not
scale, in response to view changes.
Total Load At Point
This icon appears on an entity to which you apply a force or

moment load, associate the load to entities, and specify Total
Load At Point as the distribution method. Mechanica displays the
icon as a yellow arrow pointing in the direction of the force vector.
It does not change orientation or scale in response to view
changes. Total Load At Point distributions are only available in
native mode.
Gravity Loads
This icon appears when you apply a gravity load to your model.
The vector changes orientation, but not scale, in response to view
changes. Structure places this icon at the WCS origin.
Centrifugal Loads (Velocity)
This icon appears when you apply a centrifugal velocity load to

your model. The icon changes orientation, but not scale, in
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response to view changes.
Centrifugal Loads (Acceleration)
This icon appears when you apply a centrifugal acceleration load to

your model. The icon changes orientation, but not scale, in
Global Temperature Loads
This icon appears when you apply a global temperature load to

your model. The icon does not change orientation or scale in
response to view changes. Structure places this icon at the WCS
origin.
MEC/T Temperature
This icon appears when you apply a MEC/T temperature load to

your model. The icon does not change orientation or scale in
response to view changes. Structure places this icon at the WCS
origin. MEC/T temperature loads are only available in native mode.
External Temperature
This icon appears when you import an externally calculated or

measured temperature load to your model. Structure places this
icon near the WCS origin.
Structural Temperature
This icon appears distributed across the entity when you create a
structural temperature load. Structural temperature loads are only
available in FEM mode.
Pressure Loads
When you apply a pressure load, this arrow-type icon appears

normal to shells, faces, and surfaces, or perpendicular to edges or
2D shells. The icon changes orientation, but not scale, in response
to view changes.
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Icons Specific to Thermal

Following are the default icons specific to Thermal for prescribed temperatures,
convection conditions, and heat loads:
Prescribed Temperatures
This icon appears on an entity for which you prescribe a

temperature. This icon does not change orientation or scale in
This icon appears on an entity for which you define a convection

condition. This icon does not change orientation or scale in
Radiation
This icon appears on an entity for which you define a radiation

boundary condition. This icon does not change orientation or scale
in response to view changes. Radiation boundary conditions are
available in FEM mode only.
Heat Loads
This icon appears on an entity to which you apply a heat load. It

does not change orientation or scale in response to view changes.
The sign on the icon indicates whether the load magnitude is

positive or negative, that is, a heat source or a heat sink. For
spatially varying loads, which may change sign, the sign on the
icon corresponds to the sign of the entry for Q, which multiplies
the interpolation.
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Bibliography
This document contains a bibliography of information on topics relevant to

Mechanica. The bibliography is divided into the following sections:
Topic
General Finite Element
Fatigue
P-method
Optimization
Mechanics
Formulas and Numerical Results
Heat Transfer
General Finite Element

Bathe, Klaus-Jurgen. Finite Element Procedures in Engineering Analysis. Englewood
Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1982.
Bonet, Javier, and Richard D. Wood. Nonlinear Continuum Mechanics for Finite
Element Analysis. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1997.
Hughes, Thomas J.R. The Finite Element Method: Linear Static and Dynamic Finite
Element Analysis. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1987.
Kardestuncer, H., and Norrie, D. H., eds. Finite Element Handbook. New York:
McGraw-Hill, 1987.
Zienkiewicz, O.C. The Finite Element Method. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1988.
Fatigue
Baumel, A. and Seeger, T. "Materials Data for Cyclic Loading, Supplement 1."
Materials Science Monographs, 61. Pub: Elsavier.
Morrow, J. "Fatigue Design Handbook." Advances in Engineering. Vol. 4. Society of

Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, PA. (1968): Sec 3.2, pp 21–29.
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Smith, K. N., Watson, P., and Topper, T. H. "A Stress-Strain Function for the Fatigue
of Metals." Journal of Materials. Vol. 5, No. 4, (1970): 767–778.
p-Method
Babuska, I., and Suri, M. "The p- and h-p Versions of the Finite Element Method, an
Overview." Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering. 80 (1990): 5–
26.
Babuska, I., and Szabo, B. "On the Rates of Convergency of the Finite Element
Method." International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering. 18 (1982):
323–341.
Babuska, I., Szabo, B., and Katz, I. N. "The p-Version of the Finite Element Method."
Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics. (1981): 515–545.
Szabo, B. "Geometric Idealizations in Finite Element Computations." Communications

in Applied Numerical Methods. 4 (1988): 393–400.
Szabo, B. "Mesh Design for the p-Version of the Finite Element Method." Computer
Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering. 55 (1986): 181–197.
Szabo, Barna, and Ivo Babuska. Finite Element Analysis. New York: Wiley, 1991.
Szabo, B., and Sahrmann, G. "Hierarchic Plate and Shell Models Based on p-
Extension." International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering. 26 (1988):
1855–1881.
Optimization
Bennett, J.A., and M.E. Botkin. The Optimum Shape. New York: Plenum, 1986.
Haug, Edward J., and Jasbir S. Arora. Applied Optimal Design. New York: Wiley,
1979.
Haug, Edward J., Kyung K. Choi, and Vadim Komkov. Design Sensitivity Analysis of
Structural Systems. London: Academic Press, 1986.
Vanderplaats, Garret N. Numerical Optimization Techniques for Engineering Design.

New York: McGraw-Hill, 1984.
Wismer, David A., and R. Chatterly. Introduction to Nonlinear Optimization. New

York: North-Holland, 1983.
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Mechanics
Gere, James M., and Stephen P. Timoshenko. Mechanics of Materials. 2nd ed.
Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole Engineering Division, 1984.
Jones, Robert M. Mechanics of Composite Materials. Washington, D.C.: Scripta Book

Company, 1975.
Popov, E. P. Introduction to Mechanics of Solids. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall,

1968.
Reddy, J. N. Energy and Variational Method in Applied Mechanics. New York: John
Wiley & Sons, 1984.
Shigley, Joseph Edward Mechanical Engineering Design. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-
Hill, 1977.
Timoshenko, S. P., and J.N. Goodier. Theory of Elasticity. New York: McGraw-Hill,
1970.
Tsai, Stephen W. Composites Design. 4th ed. Dayton, OH: Think Composites, 1988.
Tsai, Stephen W., and H. Thomas Hahn. Introduction to Composite Materials.

Westport, CT: Technomic Publishing Co., 1980.
Ugural, A. C. Stresses in Plates and Shells. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company,
1981.
Formulas and Numerical Results

Blevins, Robert D. Formulas for Natural Frequency and Mode Shape. New York: Van
Nostrand Reinhold Co., 1979.
Roark, Raymond J., and Warren C. Young. Formulas for Stress and Strain. 5th ed.
New York: McGraw-Hill, 1975.
Heat Transfer
Holman, J. P. Heat Transfer. 6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1986.
Incropera, Frank P., and David P. Dewitt. Fundamentals of Heat Transfer. New York:
Wiley, 1981.
Kreith, Frank, and Mark S. Bohn. Principles of Heat Transfer. 4th ed. New York:
Harper & Row, 1986.
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The Database
Database Considerations
To support the many activities it performs, Mechanica adds information to existing

Pro/ENGINEER files and creates database files in the directory that stores your
Pro/ENGINEER part or assembly.
To learn about Mechanica database files, how the software maintains the database,
and other related issues, read the following:
Topic
Native Mode Files
Using Pro/ENGINEER File Commands
FEM Database Considerations
Support for Pro/INTRALINK and Windchill
In reading this material, bear in mind that you do not need an in-depth
understanding of the Mechanica database in order to work with your model. Treat
these discussions as background information only.
Native Mode Files

For native mode, the software creates many files as it proceeds through the menus
and commands. Some of these files store part or assembly information, including
simulation information, others store mesh and results information, while still others
store a record of the session.
The following files contain most of your model data and results data:
• Model files — Mechanica stores simulation information in Pro/ENGINEER .prt

files (part mode) and .asm files (assembly mode).
• Model with mesh files — When you run an analysis or design study,
Mechanica creates a study directory and copies the .prt or .asm file to that
directory. In the course of the run, the software generates a separate model
file that includes geometry, simulation entities, and the mesh generated
during the run. This type of model file is called .mdb (part mode) or .mda
(assembly mode).
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The most important thing to bear in mind is that these files are paired—.prt
files with .mdb files and .asm files with .mda files.
Following is a brief summary of the purpose of each file:
• .prt file — This file stores information about part geometry and all simulation
entities for the part.
• .mdb file — The content of this file depends on whether or not you have
actually run an analysis or design study. When you begin a run or create a
mecbatch file, the .mdb file contains a subset of simulation entities such as
measures, materials, analysis definitions, and so forth. Once the analysis or
design study begins to run, Mechanica updates this file to include the model
mesh.
• .asm file — This file stores information about assembly geometry and all
simulation entities for the assembly.
• .mda files — As with the .mdb file, the content of these files depends on
whether or not you have actually run an analysis or design study. When you
begin a run or create a mecbatch file, the .mda file contains a subset of
simulation modeling entities for your assembly. Once the analysis or design
study begins to run, Mechanica updates this file to include model mesh.
To help prevent data loss and enable you to return to a prior model if you encounter
problems, the software creates .prt or .asm backups each time you perform a save
through the Pro/ENGINEER File menu. The backup files are as follows:
• .prt and .asm files — an earlier version of the file. For the most recent
backup, use the file with the next-to-highest number, although you can also
access an earlier version of the part or assembly by opening files with lower
numbers.
• Session files — Each session of Pro/ENGINEER or Mechanica generates one
session record, or playback file in case you need to replay a session.
Pro/ENGINEER and Mechanica use a trail.txt.X (where X is an interger) file to
store session records. The software starts a new trail.txt.X file at the
beginning of each session, incrementing the integer to create a unique
identity.
To learn more about the file structure and some of the guidelines you should observe
as you work with these files, read the following:
Topic
Overview of File Creation
Starting a New Model
Moving to Independent Mode
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Overview of File Creation

To give you an understanding of when Mechanica creates files, the following
discussion guides you through the Mechanica process from a file creation
perspective, as started from part mode.
Note: File creation is similar for assembly mode, so simply substitute

appropriate file extensions to see how file creation takes place in assembly
mode.
1. When you open Pro/ENGINEER, the software creates a trail file, trail.txt.x,
which tracks your actions in Pro/ENGINEER. The software stores this file in
the current directory.
2. When you create and save a part, Pro/ENGINEER saves the geometry,
relations, and so forth in a part (.prt) file, which it stores in the pro directory
(where pro is the directory that contains the Pro/ENGINEER part).
3. After you enter Mechanica, the software stores Mechanica entities that you
add to the part—modeling entities, analysis definitions, and design study
definitions—in the .prt file. It stores this data each time you save the model.
4. When you run an analysis or design study, Mechanica creates a study
directory (where study is the name of your design study). The software then
copies the .prt file into this directory, creates an .mdb file, and merges the
simulation information from the .prt file into the .mdb file.
The .mdb file that appears in the study directory carries the study name.
However, the .prt file that appears in the study directory carries the original
name of the part.
As Mechanica runs the analysis or design study, it updates the .mdb file by
adding mesh data. Mechanica uses this information to display model results.
Starting a New Model

If you need to start a fresh model for the part or assembly, you can use the New
Simulation Model command on the File menu. This command deletes the
simulation information in the .prt or .asm file, eliminating most modeling entities for
the part or assembly.
Note: Do not use the New Simulation Model command if you are trying to
delete individual modeling entities. Reserve this command for situations
where your model requires deep-level cleanup.
Moving to Independent Mode

If you decide to work with your model in independent mode, use the
File>Independent Mechanica command to start a separate Mechanica user
interface. Mechanica merges all model information—whether your model is a part or
assembly—into an .mdb file that becomes your independent mode model file. This
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operation creates a complete Mechanica database file that you can no longer use in
integrated mode.
Using Pro/ENGINEER File Commands

Following is a list of actions Mechanica takes when you use the model management
commands on the Pro/ENGINEER File menu. Mechanica takes these actions only if
the current Mechanica model is associated with the Pro/ENGINEER part or assembly
being saved, erased, and so forth.
Note: While Mechanica is active, the only commands you can select from the
list below are Save, Save a Copy, Backup, and Delete. To use the other
commands, you must select a different Pro/ENGINEER application.
File
menu
option Action taken by Mechanica
Erase This command provides two options—Current and Not Displayed.

Both options close the Mechanica model without saving.
Delete This command provides two options—Old Versions and All Versions.
Delete All Versions closes and deletes the Mechanica model. If there
is no Mechanica model in memory but one exists on disk, the software
deletes that model.
Delete Old Versions has no effect in Mechanica.

Save Saves the Mechanica model.
Save A Saves the Mechanica model under the new name. The name of the
Copy Mechanica model in memory does not change. If there is no Mechanica
model in memory but a file of that name exists, the software copies the
file to a new name matching the new Pro/ENGINEER part.
Backup If you have accessed Mechanica at least once during the current
Pro/ENGINEER session, saves a backup of the Mechanica model in a
directory you specify.
FEM Database Considerations

As you perform the three phases of finite element modeling (preprocessing,
processing, and postprocessing), a number of different files are added to the
Pro/ENGINEER database. This section lists and describes these files.
To learn more about FEM files, read the following:
Topic
Files Output to FEA Programs
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Miscellaneous FEM Mode Database Files
By default, all files you create by using Mechanica FEM mode have the format
"modelname.ext," where modelname is the name of the current model and ".ext" is
a three-character extension indicating the file type.
Files Output to FEA Programs

Following is a list of files that are output by Mechanica FEM mode meshing for export
to an offline finite element analysis program or by FEM mode postprocessing directly
to an online finite element analysis program.
File Description
modelname.ans ANSYS output file
modelname.nas MSC/NASTRAN output file
modelname.fnf FEM Neutral output file
Miscellaneous FEM Mode Database Files

Following is a list of various files that are generated in FEM mode during the finite
element modeling process.
File Description
modelname.bde File listing problem mesh elements that fail a requested quality
check
modelname.fmp File containing mesh data of a part
modelname.fma File containing mesh data of an assembly
modelname.frd File containing model mesh and results data
modelname.inf File listing a definition of your model and finite element results
statistics
modelname.plt Plot file output from postprocessing
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Support for Pro/INTRALINK and Windchill

Integrated mode and FEM mode Mechanica support direct access of certain files to an
active Pro/INTRALINK workspace. These include Mechanica part and assembly model
files, and files associated with meshing in integrated mode and FEM mode.
Mechanica also supports access to Windchill. Other files that you generate in
Mechanica, and which are discussed elsewhere in this document and in Files Created
by Mechanica, including result files, study directories,and property library files, are
not supported for Pro/INTRALINK or Windchill access.
To learn more about file support, read the following:
Topic
Model Files
Meshing Files
FEM Mode Meshing Files
Support for Windchill
Model Files
• When you enter Mechanica, model files, .prt and .asm, are read from the
active workspace.
• If your active workspace does not contain a Mechanica model, but there is a
model on disk in the current working directory, it will be read from disk and
checked into the workspace.
In either case, when you save your model, Mechanica writes it to the active
workspace. The software also automatically creates a Pro/INTRALINK dependency
between a Mechanica model and its associated Pro/ENGINEER model when it saves
the model to your active workspace.
Mechanica reads certain auxiliary files from the workspace, such as those containing
temperature fields for structural analysis. These files are not written to the
workspace, so you must either check these files out of common space or import
them into a workspace before Mechanica can access them directly.
Meshing Files
If you are working in Pro/INTRALINK, the following points apply to your AutoGEM
.mmp and .mma files in Mechanica.
• Associating files — There is no dependency established between a part or

assembly file and a mesh file when you import them from a directory into
your workspace. To establish an association:
1. Import both files into your workspace.
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2. Open the .prt or .asm file in your workspace.

3. Select AutoGEM>Create to open the AutoGEM dialog box.
4. Select File>Load Mesh on the AutoGEM dialog box to open the mesh
file (.mmp or .mma).
5. Select File>Save Mesh on the AutoGEM dialog box to save the mesh
file in your workspace.
6. Check the part or assembly files and the mesh files into the
commonspace.
• Saving files — If you have checked out a part or assembly from
commonspace into a workspace, when you select the File>Save Mesh
command on the AutoGEM dialog box to save a new mesh file, the .mmp or
.mma file is saved into the same workspace.
If you retrieved the mesh file from commonspace, when you select the
File>Save Mesh command on the AutoGEM dialog box, the software checks
the mesh file out and then saves it to the same workspace.
• Retrieving files — Here are the rules that Mechanica uses to determine
which mesh file to retrieve when you open a mesh file and a part file in your
Pro/INTRALINK workspace.
o If you check out both the mesh file and the model file from
commonspace into your workspace at the same time, and then open
Mechanica, the software tries to check out the latest version of the
mesh file that is compatible with the model file. If it cannot find an
appropriate version of the mesh file, it uses the version of the mesh
file that is specified by the user configuration.
o If you check out a model file from commonspace into your workspace
without simultaneously checking out a mesh file, open Mechanica, and
then use the AutoGEM dialog box to retrieve a mesh file, the software
will try to find a compatible mesh file. If no appropriate file is
available, Mechanica displays an error message.
o If you check out a mesh file from commonspace into your workspace
without checking out a model file, the software automatically checks
out an associated model file.
FEM Mode Meshing Files
If you are working in Pro/INTRALINK, the same rules apply to saving and retrieving
your FEM mode .fmp and .fma files as discussed above for .mmp and .mma files.
If you work with hierarchical meshes, when you check out an assembly from a
workspace, the software checks out both the meshes saved for the parts and the
meshes saved for the assembly.
Support for Windchill
If you are working in Windchill, the following points apply to your AutoGEM .mmp
and .mma files in Mechanica.
• When you create a mesh file, it is added to the same Windchill document as
the Mechanica model file.
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• When you retrieve a part or assembly file from a Windchill cabinet, the latest
version of the .mmp or .mma file corresponding to the model file is also
retrieved.
• If you update a .mmp or .mma file, the version number of the Windchill
document is incremented.
The behavior when you retrieve or save .fma and .fmp files is identical to that for the
.mmp and .mma files.
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Files Created by Mechanica
This document lists files created by Mechanica and explains their purpose. Each of
the following topics covers a different type of file:
Topic
Engine Files
Library Files
Results Files
AutoGEM Files
FEM Mode Files
Miscellaneous Files
Engine Files
Refer to the following topics for information on different categories of engine files:
Topic
mecbatch
Engine Input Files
Temporary Engine Files
Engine Output Files
mecbatch
The mecbatch command executes from your operating system the run of one or
more design studies you previously included in a batch file. When you create a batch
file, you can specify a name for the batch file or use the default name mecbatch
(mecbatch.bat on Windows). Mechanica places the file in the directory from which
you started Mechanica.
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Engine Input Files

Mechanica creates the following engine input files when you start a run of an analysis
or design study (study represents the name of the design study you are running):
study.mdb Contains a snapshot of the model database for your part
at the time you start the analysis or design study.
study.mda Contains a snapshot of the model database for your

assembly at the time you start the analysis or design
study.
meshed_stdmdl.mdb A transient file that enables Mechanica to reuse a mesh

from an analysis or design study you had run previously.
If you run the analysis or study as part of the Mechanica
session, this file exists as a temporary conduit for the
mesh and is deleted as soon as the analysis or study is
underway. However, for batch runs, Mechanica does not
delete this file.
study.lok An empty file that locks the directory for results viewing
when analysis or design study is running. The file is
automatically deleted as soon as results are available.
Mechanica places the files in a directory called study, and places study in the
directory for output files you specify through the Run>Settings command on the
Analsyses and Design Studies dialog box.
Temporary Engine Files

During a design study run, Mechanica creates a series of temporary files with .tmp
and .bas extensions. Mechanica places these files in a directory called study.tmp
(study represents the name of the design study you are running). The software
places study.tmp in the directory for temporary files you specify through the
Run>Settings command on the Analsyses and Design Studies dialog box.
Mechanica deletes the study.tmp directory when the run finishes successfully.
If you stop a run in progress or Mechanica terminates a run because of an error,

these files are automatically saved. Mechanica prompts you to delete any temporary
files left over from a previous run when you start a new run of the same design
study.
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Engine Output Files

The Structure engine creates the following engine output files when you run a design
study. These files are placed in one of three directories:
• the study directory created during a run (where study is the name of the
design study you run)
• the analysis subdirectory of the study directory (where analysis is the name
of the analysis in that study)
• the step#### subdirectory of the study directory (where the four pound
signs (####) represent the number of the master interval defined for the
dynamic structural or transient thermal analysis in four-digit format)
The Structure engine creates the following files:

dpiupdtl.mdb Contains a snapshot of the model database if the engine
replaced elements that became invalid during a global
sensitivity study. If this happens, Mechanica uses the
dpiupdtl.mdb file (rather than the study.mdb file) when you
review results.
study.cnv Contains multi-pass and single-pass convergence information.
For multi-pass adaptive, this file contains the final p-order of

each edge and a list of edges and elements for which
convergence was not achieved. Mechanica also lists the errors in
edge displacements and strain energies, or temperatures and
energy norms, depending on the type of analysis.
For single-pass adaptive, this file contains the final p-order of

each edge.
For transient thermal analyses, there are multiple .cnv files

displaying p-orders at every master interval where results are
saved. These are stored in the step#### directory.
study.dia Communicates an error code to the user interface in the event

of a non-recoverable condition during the engine run.
study.d## Contains displacements or temperatures, depending on the

analysis type. The two pound signs (##) represent the load set
or mode number in two-digit format.
study.err Contains the engine input echo along with non-recoverable

conditions encountered during run time.
study.g## Contains plotting data for global sensitivity. Mechanica reports

values of measures at each design parameter step. The two
pound signs (##) represent the design parameter number in
two-digit format.
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study.hst Contains information about model updates during an

optimization or a sensitivity design study.
study.l## Contains plotting data for local sensitivity. Two points give a
linear sensitivity plot for each measure versus the selected
design parameters. The two pound signs (##) represent the
design parameter number in two-digit format.
study.mcd Contains data used to formulate results windows, including layer

information.
study.neu Contains the connectivity of the grid.
study.opt Contains plotting data for optimization. Mechanica reports

values of measures at every step of the optimization.
study.pas Contains information similar to the study.stt file but is more

detailed.
study.pnu Contains the connectivity information of the geometric element

model.
study.res Contains values of measures for each analysis pass.
study.rpt Contains information about a run, including values of measures,

warning messages, and, for optimization design studies,
information about parameters and goal and limit quantities at
each step of the optimization.
You can access this file through the Info>Status command on

the Analyses and Design Studies dialog box, or print out the
file through your operating system.
study.rst Contains the state of the last pass for a multi-pass adaptive
analysis. Mechanica uses this file if you decide to restart an
analysis that you had previously stopped.
study.solution Contains information on solutions generated during an analysis.

The study.solution file is in binary and is intended for internal
engine use only.
Mechanica refers to this file when performing analyses that rely

on the solution of a previously run analysis. For example, to
preform a buckling analysis, you must specify a previously run
static analysis that the Structure engine uses to determine the
BLF. During the buckling analysis run, the Structure engine
locates and refers to the study.solution file generated by the
static analysis you specified when you defined the buckling
analysis.
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study.stt Contains the start and completion times of major steps in the
engine run. You can access this file through detailed summary
you can review using the Info>Status command on the
study.s## This file contains the stress/strain distribution or the fluxes and
temperature gradients, depending on the analysis type.
The two pound signs (##) represent in two-digit format the

load set or mode number.
study.ter Contains a summary of your model as it is seen during the

engine run expressed in ASCII. The summary includes such
items as loads, constraints, materials, and so forth.
study.t## Contains plotting data for dynamic structural and transient

thermal analyses. Measure values of response points are
reported at successive time steps. The two pound signs (##)
represent the load set or mode number in two-digit format.
Mechanica also creates the following engine output files for structural analyses only:
study.a## Contains the rotations. The two pound signs (##) represent
the load set or mode number, in two-digit format.
study.b## Contains the laminate stress/strain distribution calculated for a

static, modal, dynamic time, dynamic frequency, dynamic
random, dynamic shock, or buckling analysis. Mechanica
calculates all quantities at the h-node locations and reports
values with respect to the global rectangular coordinate
system. The two pound signs (##) represent the load set
number in two-digit format.
study.f## Contains plotting data for frequency response. Measure values

are reported at successive frequency steps. The two pound
signs (##) represent the load set number in two-digit format.
study.fatigue## Contains the results for a fatigue analysis. Mechanica

calculates all quantities at the h-node locations lying on the
external surface of the model and reports values with respect
to the global rectangular coordinate system. The two pound
signs (##) represent the load set number in two-digit format.
study.h## Contains the displacement phases from a dynamic frequency

analysis. The two pound signs (##) represent the load set
study.i## Contains the velocity phases from a dynamic frequency

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study.j## Contains the acceleration phases from a dynamic frequency

study.k## Contains the rotation phases from a dynamic frequency

study.m## Contains the rotational velocity phases from a dynamic

frequency analysis. The two pound signs (##) represent the
load set number in two-digit format.
study.q## Contains the rotational acceleration phases from a dynamic

load set number in two-digit format.
study.r## Contains reactions on constrained points and edges for static

deformation or mode of vibration. The two pound signs (##)
study.ss## Contains the stress components distribution from a fatigue

analysis expressed in ASCII. The two pound signs (##)
represent the load set number in two-digit format.
study.coe Contains information that the engine uses if you run a dynamic
analysis using the Use Previous Modal or Dynamic
Analysis option.
study.v## Contains the velocity in a dynamic time or dynamic frequency

analysis. The two pound signs (##) represent the load set or
mode number in two-digit format.
study.w## Contains the acceleration in a dynamic time or dynamic

load set or mode number in two-digit format.
study.x## Contains the angular velocity in a dynamic time or dynamic

study.y## Contains the angular acceleration in a dynamic time or

dynamic frequency analysis. The two pound signs (##)
study.p## Contains maximum/minimum principal stress directions in

static, modal, dynamic time, dynamic frequency, shock or
buckling analysis. The two pound signs (##) represent the
1008
study.n## Contains shell stress/strain results in static, modal, dynamic

time, dynamic frequency, shock, or buckling analysis. The two
pound signs (##) represent the load set or mode number in
two-digit format.
study.buc Contains static analysis solution information needed to

reconstruct element stress during buckling analysis.
study.mor Contains the material orientation information.
study.c## Contains plotting data for contact analysis. Mechanica reports

values of measures at each load increment. The two pound
signs (##) represent the load set or mode number in two-digit
format.
Mechanica also creates the following engine output file for thermal analyses only:
study.tld Contains information that the engine uses for structural analyses
containing a thermal temperature load or temperature-
dependent material properties.
Library Files
Mechanica creates and adds to the following library files when you place a material
set, beam section set, shell property sets, or spring stiffness set in the library with
the Add To Library button on the appropriate dialog box:
mmatl.lib Contains material sets.
beam_section.bsf Contains the definition of a beam section you create (where

beam_section is the name of the beam section). The beam
library contains one .bsf file for each beam you create.
mshlprp.lib Contains shell property sets.
mspstf.lib Contains spring stiffness sets.
A default material library resides in the lib subdirectory of the Mechanica home
directory.
When you start a Mechanica product, Mechanica searches for library files in the
following directories, in this order:
• the lib subdirectory in the Mechanica home directory

• the text subdirectory in the Mechanica load point
• the current directory (the directory from which you started Mechanica)
1009
• your home directory
Mechanica uses the first copy of the appropriate configuration or library file it finds.
If you choose to add a material, beam section, spring stiffness, or shell property to
the library, Mechanica creates a new version of the appropriate library file as follows:
• If Mechanica finds the file in the current directory or your home directory,
Mechanica replaces the existing file with the new version.
• If Mechanica finds the file in the lib subdirectory or does not find the file,
Mechanica places the new file in your home directory.
Results Files
Individual Mechanica products create the following results files (file represents the
name you assign to the file):
file.rwd Contains the result window definitions you create and save.
file.grt Contains in tabular form the XY values for a results graph you
create for all Mechanica products. You create this file when you
generate a graph report.
AutoGEM Files
Mechanica creates the following files when you use AutoGEM:
model.agm Contains information about the most recent AutoGEM operation
you executed for the current model. You can access the AutoGEM
log file regardless of whether AutoGEM completed successfully or
unsuccessfully, or you interrupted it.
Mechanica saves the AutoGEM log file as model.agm (where model

is the name of your model). Mechanica overwrites these files with
each successive AutoGEM session. If you want to save a particular
AutoGEM session, you can rename it through the operating
system.
untitled.agm Mechanica saves the AutoGEM log file as untitled.agm if you have
not named your model. Mechanica overwrites these files with each
successive AutoGEM session. If you want to save a particular
AutoGEM session, you can rename it through the operating
system.
1010
FEM Mode Files

Mechanica FEM mode creates the following output files that you can export to an FEA
program to perform a finite element analysis:
model.ans Contains your model's mesh data in ASCII format. Use this output
file with the ANSYS solver.
model.nas Contains your model's mesh data in ASCII format. Use this output
file with the MSC/NASTRAN solver.
model.fnf Contains information about an entire finite element model. Use the
FEM Neutral output file to exchange data between Pro/ENGINEER
and FEA programs.
In addition, Mechanica FEM mode creates the following files during the finite element
modeling process.
model.bde Lists problem mesh elements that fail a requested quality check.
model.fmp Contains mesh data of a part. Mechanica creates this file in the
current directory while generating the finite element mesh of your
model.
model.fma Contains mesh data of an assembly. Mechanica creates this file in

the current directory while generating the finite element mesh of
your model.
model.frd Contains model's mesh and results data. Mechanica creates this file
while performing a finite element analysis of your model.
model.inf Lists a definition of your model and finite element results statistics.
model.plt Contains plot file output from postprocessing.
1011
Miscellaneous Files
Mechanica creates the following files when you start the product:
mech_trl.txt.X Contains playback information of your actions in Mechanica.
(where X is an Mechanica automatically creates this file in the current directory
interger) when you start the program. The software starts a new
mech_trl.txt.X file whenever you begin a new Mechanica
session.
Customer support can use this file to diagnose any problems you
might have while running Mechanica.
1012
Information Transfer
Transferring Entities From Integrated Mode to

Independent Mode
This document describes how to transfer geometry, loads and constraints, and points
out what to consider before you use the File>Independent Mechanica command
to transfer a model from integrated mode to independent mode Mechanica.
To learn about transferring these entities, read the following:
Topic
Transferring Geometry
Geometry Transfer Limitations
Transferring Loads and Constraints
Import Considerations
What Does Not Transfer
Transferring Geometry
To learn about transferring geometry, read the following:
Topic
Transferring Geometric Entities
Importing Geometry into Mechanica
1013
Transferring Geometric Entities

The following table lists each Pro/ENGINEER geometric entity that transfers to
Mechanica, and the equivalent entity in independent mode Mechanica:
Pro/ENGINEER Mechanica
arc arc
Bspline NURBS
Bspline surface NURBS surface
cone revolved surface
Coons patch Coons surface
cylinder ruled surface
face trimmed surface
fillet surface NURBS surface
surface of revolution revolved surface
line line
planar surface planar surface
ruled surface ruled surface
spline piecewise Bezier curve
spline surface piecewise Bezier surface
tab cylinder ruled surface
torus revolved surface
cylindrical spline surface Bezier surface
1014
If you transfer a Pro/ENGINEER part containing surface pairs, one midsurface

transfers into independent mode Mechanica for each surface pair. The midsurface
translates to the same type of surface in Mechanica as the original Pro/ENGINEER
surfaces in the surface pair would. For example, a planar surface pair in
Pro/ENGINEER transfers to a single planar surface in Mechanica.
You can also transfer datum points, curves, and surfaces from Pro/ENGINEER to
Mechanica. For datum surfaces, you can transfer datum surfaces created using
Pro/SURFACE or import them from an IGES file.
Importing Geometry into Mechanica

When you import geometry into independent mode Mechanica, you should be aware
of various factors that can affect how your geometry imports. To learn about
importing geometry, read the following:
Topic
Internal and External Geometry
General Rules
Internal and External Geometry

When geometry is first imported from Pro/ENGINEER, independent mode Mechanica
marks it as external. Mechanica treats this geometry differently than geometry that
originated in Mechanica (internal geometry) or that was imported from other MCAD
systems.
You cannot edit or delete external geometry. Mechanica displays an error message if
you select external geometry to edit or delete. You can only modify external
geometry through external design parameters.
If you want to change external geometry in Mechanica, you need to save your model
in Mechanica or, if you are working with a linked mode model from Release 2000i or
earlier, use the Applications>Pro/ENGINEER>Unlink MCAD Model independent
mode command to unlink the model from Pro/ENGINEER.
General Rules
Keep the following points in mind when importing your model into independent mode
Mechanica:
• When you import a surface, the defining curves may be trimmed away. You
can check a surface's defining curves by reviewing a surface through the
Entity command on the Review menu.
You can return defining curves to your model using the Untrim Surface
command on the Edit>Geometry menu.
1015
• After you import midsurface geometry into Mechanica, you should use the
Review>Boundary Curves command to make sure there are no unintended
cracks in your model. Cracks can occur if any curves and surfaces do not
maintain their associations.
• When you import an assembly that contains mated surfaces, Mechanica
merges the two surfaces into a single surface.
If you create contacts for two parts with mated surfaces, Mechanica treats the
two parts as separate, unmerged entities and places contacts on all surfaces
it considers valid for the contact. Should you then decide to work with the
model in independent mode, Mechanica eliminates any superfluous contacts
when it merges the surfaces during import.
• During import, Mechanica makes all surface normals consistent. For surfaces
that are part of the boundary of a single volume, the normals are always set
outward.
Geometry Transfer Limitations

Following is a list of limitations that affect the way that the interface transfers
geometry:
• Pro/ENGINEER models holes as negative masses. The holes can be located

outside the enclosing solid. This can result in negative values for the mass
and moments of inertia of the part.
Because this is not physically possible, Mechanica assigns default values for
mass and inertia matrices to the part when you transfer it.
• Mechanica approximates fillet surfaces imported from Pro/ENGINEER as

NURBS surfaces.
• Mechanica approximates cylindrical spline surfaces in Pro/ENGINEER with
Bezier surfaces.
• When you transfer midsurface geometry from Pro/ENGINEER to Mechanica,
circles created in Pro/ENGINEER may transfer to arcs in Mechanica.
• If two datum surfaces overlap without a common trimming curve, Mechanica
does not create associations between the two surfaces during import.
Transferring Loads and Constraints

If you create loads and constraints in the integrated mode of Mechanica and then
start the full Mechanica product to use independent mode, the loads and constraints
transfer to Structure.
For information on creating loads, see About Loads, and for information on creating
constraints, see About Structure Constraints or About Thermal Boundary Conditions.
1016
Import Considerations
Before you transfer your part or assembly to Mechanica, you should be aware of the
following:
• Some of the geometry you import into Mechanica may not have the accuracy
that Mechanica requires. In these cases, Mechanica uses the geometry's
topological data to construct a valid model.
If you delete any of the geometry that Mechanica has transformed, you may
not be able to recreate it accurately because Mechanica's geometry creation
facilities are not the same as those of Pro/ENGINEER.
• When you import geometry, Mechanica highlights, but does not merge, partly
coincident curves so you can carry out any needed edits.
• When you import a part, you cannot use some of the Mechanica commands
on the Geometry>Model>Design Variables, and Edit>Geometry menus.
These commands are displayed as inactive. If you save your model in
Mechanica or unlink the model from Pro/ENGINEER, these commands become
available again.
• Mechanica provides a Settings dialog box that you use to define the
characteristics of geometry imported from an MCAD product. This dialog box
defines such characteristics as the tolerance Mechanica applies in determining
whether to merge geometry, the maximum surface aspect ratio, and so forth.
If you are not satisfied with the results of an MCAD import, varying these
settings can improve the quality of the import. To access the Settings dialog
box, use the File>Import>Settings command.
• If you import intricate geometry, Mechanica attempts to delete surfaces that

have an aspect ratio greater than 100:1 and a width less than 1/1000th of
the model size. If you have very small surfaces that are larger than this,
Mechanica will not delete them but may not be able to use AutoGEM
efficiently.
To specify a larger aspect ratio than the default just described, use the
File>Import>Settings command to redefine the maximum surface aspect
ratio.
• If a gap in your model is bigger than 1/1000th of the model size, Mechanica
may not trim the surface at the gap. If it cannot trim the surface, Mechanica
will not create a volume in your model.
• At times, two distinct nodes, edges, or faces in a single Pro/ENGINEER part
are so close together that they must merge in Mechanica. When such a merge
occurs, the .mnl file will contain one of the following warning messages
(where name is the number of the entity or of the nodes, edges, or faces):
Curve name is a boundary curve.
or
1017
Curve name is partially coincident with another curve.
Although the resulting model is a valid volume in Mechanica, the two nodes,
edges, or faces are associated to each other, preventing the model from
behaving as you intended it to.
What Does Not Transfer

The following aspects of your part do not transfer from integrated mode to your
independent mode Mechanica model:
• Colors you assign to entities in Pro/ENGINEER

• Mass properties (Structure gets density values from Mechanica material
properties, rather than from Pro/ENGINEER density definitions)
1018
FEM Neutral Format File
This document describes how to use FEM Neutral Format files, with which you can
exchange data between Mechanica and FEA programs. To learn about FME Neutral
Format files, see the following:
Topic
About the FEM Neutral Format
Defining an Object
Sections of a FEM Neutral Format File
About the FEM Neutral Format

Use the FEM Neutral Format to create concise model descriptions by using the
hierarchical file structure and references to data that is already defined.
A FEM Neutral Format file contains information about an entire Finite Element Model,
including the following data:
• Definitions of element types and their topology

• Description of FEM topology (that is, nodes and elements)
• Properties
• Applied loads and constraints
• Calculated results
Currently, Pro/ENGINEER outputs a FEM Neutral Format file containing information

only about the model's mesh and loads/constraints. After you run a solver on the
model, you must convert the solution results into FEM Neutral Format before the
model is retrieved in Mechanica.
Note: Pro/ENGINEER uses FEM Neutral Format revision 3.
Consider the following conventions when you create your FEM Neutral Format file:
• FEM Neutral Format files have the extension .fnf.

• A FEM Neutral Format file has the following characteristics:
o It is an ASCII file consisting of lines.
o Each line contains 80 characters or less.
o You can continue longer lines by using sub-lines.
o End each sub-line with a backslash character (\), except for the last
one.
• The FEM Neutral Format is case-insensitive.
1019
• Lines starting with a pound sign (#) as well as empty lines are treated as
comments and are skipped (except for the first line).
Information in a FEM Neutral Format file is organized into sections. Each section
describes its own class of objects. The order of sections in the FEM Neutral Format
file is critical because information from the earlier-defined sections may be required
in the sections that follow. You can skip some of the sections that are not relevant to
the model description.
Note: The FEM Neutral Format is backward-compatible.
A FEM Neutral Format file must start with an identification line used to recognize the
FEM Neutral Format. The identification line format follows.
#PTC_FEM_NEUT n <flags>
where:
n revision number of the FEM Neutral Format file (corresponds to the revision
number of the specification). The default is 3.
flags reserved for future use.
An identification line can appear as follows:
#PTC_FEM_NEUT 1
Include the creation date as a comment:
#DATE Wed Mar 22 13:56:07 EET 2000
Defining an Object
Define each object in a FEM Neutral Format file with "instructions." An instruction line
starts with a percent sign (%). It consists of fields separated by spaces and/or
tabulations.
An instruction line includes the following components:
• instruction keyword indicating an instruction, for example, statistics

• obj_id integer handle of the object (this ID is not necessarily consecutive)
• key string definition used for a general definition of an object or another
string specifying a feature of the object
• data object description (for example, placement, node ID, or element type)
The format of an instruction is as follows:
%instruction <obj_id key> [: data ...]
1020
Follow these general guidelines for writing instructions:
• Standard abbreviations may be used instead of full names of keywords. You

can also define and use your own aliases.
• There may be cases when you need to skip a fieldfor example, when a
particular field in an instruction is not applicable, or you want to use the
system default for this field. To skip a field, enter an asterisk (*) in place of
the data to be skipped. In this document, descriptions of the fields that can
be replaced with an asterisk (*) are enclosed within angle brackets (< >),
and the fields that can be omitted are enclosed in square brackets ([ ])
• You can skip the final fields in an instruction by simply omitting them.
• Non-empty lines that begin with anything other than an asterisk (*) or a
percent sign (%) are illegal and will generate an error.
You can define an object using one instruction or a group of instructions. If you use a
group of instructions, follow these guidelines:
• If the object contains more than one instruction, you must combine the
objects together as a group.
• You must assign the same instruction keyword obj_id to all instructions in the
group.
• You must assign the key definition (DEF) to the first instruction in the group.
To learn about the instructions and items you will work with in defining a FEM
Neutral Format file, see the following:
Topic
List of Available Sections
List of Available Instructions
Special Instructions
Definitions of Some Fields Used in Instructions
List of Available Sections

Sections in a FEM Neutral Format file must appear in the following order:
• HEADER General information about the file and FEM model.

• ELEM_TYPES Definition of element types.
• COORD_SYSTEMS Definition of coordinate systems.
• MATERIALS Definition of materials used in the model.
• PROPERTIES Definition of element properties used in the model.
• MESH Definition of the model's nodes and elements.
• MESH_TOPOLOGY Definition of the model's surfaces and edges.
• LOADS Description of applied load/constraint sets.
• ANALYSIS Definition of analysis types.
• RESULTS Description of solution results of the model.
1021
List of Available Instructions

The following table lists supported instructions, their standard abbreviations, and
sections in which they may appear.
Instruction Name Abbreviation Section Name
START_SECT STS
END_SECT ENS
END END outside a section
ALIAS ALS before using an alias
TITLE TTL HEADER
STATISTICS STT HEADER
ELEM_TYPE ETP ELEM_TYPE
COORD_SYS CS COORD_SYSTEMS
MATERIAL MAT MATERIALS
ELEM_PROP EP PROPERTIES
ELEM_END_PROP EEP PROPERTIES
NODE ND MESH
ELEM EL MESH
EDGE EDG MESH_TOPOLOGY
SURFACE SRF MESH_TOPOLOGY
LOAD_TYPE LTP LOADS
CON_CASE CC LOADS
LOAD LD LOADS
SOLUTION SLU ANALYSIS
1022
Instruction Name Abbreviation Section Name
RESULT_TYPE RTP RESULTS
RESULT RES RESULTS
In this document, abbreviations are shown in parentheses. For example:

RESULT_TYPE (RES).
Special Instructions
FEM Neutral Format files include special instructions. To learn about these special
instructions, see the following topics:
Topic
Start and End of a Section
End Instruction
Defining Aliases
Start and End of a Section

Each section starts with the instruction START_SECT (STS) and ends with the
instruction END_SECT (ENS).
A section will appear as follows:
%START_SECT : section_name
...
%END_SECT
END Instruction
The END instruction appears as follows:
%END
The END instruction is optional. In a FEM Neutral Format file, all lines appearing after
END are skipped.
1023
Defining Aliases
The ALIAS (ALS) instruction is used to define aliases.
You can define an alias for any keyword (instruction or key) and use it instead of the
full name or abbreviation.
Note: Do not create an alias with the name reserved for keywords and
standard abbreviations: this results in an error.
If several aliases are defined for a keyword, only the last one is considered valid. You
can use only alphanumeric aliases.
An alias is defined as follows:
%ALIAS : keyword alias
where:
keyword = full name or its abbreviation.
alias = user-defined alias.
A Typical Alias
%ALIAS : CON_CASE C
%ALIAS : EL FEM_ELEMENT
Definitions of Some Fields Used in

Instructions
FEM Neutral Format instructions can include any of several fields, depending on the
instruction. To learn about some of these fields, see the following topics:
Topic
Referencing IDs
Value Types
Referencing IDs
Use the following format to reference IDs of various geometry objects:
• elem_id ID of an element in the model (any positive number).

• node_id ID of a node in the model (any positive number).
1024
• node_in_el_id ID of a node in an element (in the range from 1 to

num_nodes, where num_nodes is the number of element nodes). The order
of nodes in the element is defined in the ELEM_TYPE instruction.
• edge_in_el_id ID of an edge in an element (in the range from 1 to
num_edges, where num_edges is the number of element edges). The order of
edges in the element is defined in the ELEM_TYPE instruction.
• face_in_el_id ID of a face in an element (in the range from 1 to num_faces,
where num_faces is the number of element faces). The order of faces in the
element is defined in the ELEM_TYPE instruction.
Value Types
Value_type appears in instructions describing applied loads/constraints and obtained
results. Typically, the format is as follows:
data_type <MASKABLE>
where:
data_type is one of the following:
• SCALAR (SCL)
• VECTOR_2 (VEC2) a vector with two components
• VECTOR (VEC) a vector with three components
• VECTOR_6 (VEC6) a vector with 6 components
• TENSOR (TNS)
MASKABLE indicates that the instruction may have skipped (not defined)
components. MASKABLE can be defined for VECTOR_6 only.
For TENSOR, defined in the XYZ coordinates, the order of the components is the
following:
TX, TY, TZ, TXY, TYZ, TXZ
and the tensor is defined as:
T(X,Y,Z) = TX*X*X + TY*Y*Y + TZ*Z*Z + 2*TXY*X*Y + 2*TYZ*Y*Z + 2*TXZ*X*Z
The statement "Value corresponds to the given Value_type" means that the value is
one of the following:
• 1 scalar if data_type in Value_type is SCALAR

• 2 scalars if data_type in Value_type is VECTOR_2
• 3 scalars if data_type in Value_type is VECTOR
• 6 scalars if data_type in Value_type is VECTOR_6 or TENSOR
1025
Sections of a FEM Neutral Format File

For the list of sections in a FEM Neutral Format file, refer to List of Available
Sections.
Currently, Pro/ENGINEER outputs a FEM Neutral format file containing all sections
except RESULTS.
A solver should create a file that contains all the information from the input file
"model.fnf," and append to this information the ANALYSIS and RESULTS sections.
You then end up with a file that contains all the information originally defined in the
input file, as well as the ANALYSIS and RESULTS data.
The solution results are expected to be in exact correspondence with model

definitions.
To learn about these sections and the instructions they can contain, see the following
topics:
Topic
HEADER Section
ELEM_TYPES Section
COORD_SYSTEMS Section
MATERIALS Section
PROPERTIES Section
MESH Section
MESH_TOPOLOGY Section
LOADS Section
ANALYSIS Section
RESULTS Section
HEADER Section
The HEADER section can contain the TITLE (TTL) and STATISTICS (STT) instructions.
1026
TITLE (TTL) Instruction

This instruction appears as follows:
%TITLE : Model_name
where:
Model_name is the name of the described model.
A Typical Title
%TITLE : bracket
STATISTICS (STT) Instruction

The STATISTICS (STT) instruction provides information about the number of element
types, coordinate systems, materials, element properties, nodes, and elements in
the model.
This instruction has the following format:
%STATISTICS : num_elem_types num_coord_systems num_materials\
num_properties num_nodes num_elements
where:
num_elem_types number of element types.
num_coord_systems number of coordinate systems.
num_materials number of materials used in the model.
num_properties number of defined properties.
num_nodes number of nodes in the model.
num_elements number of elements in the model.
A Typical Statistic
%STATISTICS : 2 1 2 5 21 33
ELEM_TYPES Section
The ELEM_TYPES section contains the ELEM_TYPE (ETP) instruction.
1027
ELEM_TYPE (ETP) Instruction

An element type description defines a topological scheme of an element. It consists
of lines containing data about:
• an element as an entity a line with the key DEF

• each edge lines with the key EDGE
• each face lines with the key FACE
ELEM_TYPE Instruction with the DEF Key

The ELEM_TYPE instruction with the key DEF has the following format:
%ELEM_TYPE id DEF : Class Type <Sub_type> Num_corner_nodes \
Num_edges Num_faces
where:
Class is one of the following:
• SOLID (SOL) for tetrahedral elements

• SHELL (SHL) for triangle or quad elements
• BAR for elements with 2 nodes (for example, BEAM elements)
• POINT (PNT) for elements with 1 node (MASS or To Ground SPRING
elements)
Type is defined as shown in the following table of supported element types.
Class Supported Types
SOLID TETRA (TET)
SHELL TRIANGLE (TRI),
QUAD (QUA)
BAR SPAR,
BEAM,
GAP,
ADV_BEAM (ADB),
SPRING (SPR),
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Class Supported Types
ADV_SPRING (ADS)
POINT MASS, TO GROUND SPRINGS
Sub_type can be LINEAR (LIN) or PARABOLIC (PAR). The default is LINEAR. This field
must be skipped if Class is BAR or POINT.
Typical ELEM_TYPE Instructions
%ELEM_TYPE 1 DEF : SOLID TETRA PARABOLIC 4 6 4
%ELEM_TYPE 3 DEF : SHELL QUAD LINEAR 4 4 2
%ELEM_TYPE 4 DEF : SHELL TRIANGLE PARABOLIC 3 3 2
%ELEM_TYPE 7 DEF : BAR GAP * 2 1 0
%ELEM_TYPE 8 DEF : POINT MASS * 1 0 0
ELEM_TYPE Instruction with the EDGE Key

Note: The number of ELEM_TYPE instructions is equal to Num_edges given in
the ELEM_TYPE instruction with the key DEF.
The format of the ELEM_TYPE instruction with the key EDGE is as follows:
%ELEM_TYPE id EDGE : edge_id Edge_placement
where:
id same as in the DEF line.
Edge_placement lists the ID's of the element's end nodes and the ID of the mid-node
(for PARABOLIC sub_type only) in the following format:
node_in_el_id_1 node_in_el_id_2 <midnode_in_el_id>
ELEM_TYPE Instruction with the FACE Key

Note: The number of these instructions is equal to Num_faces, given in the
ELEM_TYPE instruction with the key DEF.
The format is the following:
%ELEM_TYPE id FACE : face_id Face_placement
1029
where:
id same as in the DEF line.
Face_placement consists of the ID's of the element's face edges in the

counterclockwise direction, if looked at from the end of the positive normal to the
face. The format is the following:
edge_in_el_id_1 edge_in_el_id_2 ...
Example of the ELEM_TYPE Instruction

%ELEM_TYPE 2 DEF : SHELL TRIANGLE PARABOLIC 3 3 2
%ELEM_TYPE 2 EDGE : 1 1 2 4
COORD_SYSTEMS Section
The COORD_SYSTEMS section contains the COORD_SYS (CS) instructions.
COORD_SYS (CS) Instruction

A description of a coordinate system includes five lines with the following keys: DEF,
X_VECTOR, Y_VECTOR, Z_VECTOR, ORIGIN.
COORD_SYS Instruction with the DEF Key

%COORD_SYS cs_id DEF [: <name> <type>]
where:
cs_id ID of the coordinate system (starting with 1).
name (optional) name of the coordinate system.
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type is one of the following:
• CARTESIAN (CAR)default
• CYLINDRICAL (CYL)
• SPHERICAL (SPH)
COORD_SYS Instruction with the X_VECTOR

Key
%COORD_SYS cs_id X_VECTOR : X_vect0 X_vect1 X_vect2
where:
X_vect0, X_vect1, and X_vect2 global coordinates of the X-vector of the described
coordinate system.
The abbreviated form for X_VECTOR is X.
COORD_SYS Instruction with the Y_VECTOR

Key
%COORD_SYS cs_id Y_VECTOR : Y_vect0 Y_vect1 Y_vect2
where:
Y_vect0, Y_vect1, and Y_vect2 global coordinates of the Y-vector of the described
coordinate system.
The abbreviated form for Y_VECTOR is Y.
COORD_SYS Instruction with the Z_VECTOR

Key
%COORD_SYS cs_id Z_VECTOR : Z_vect0 Z_vect1 Z_vect2
1031
where:
Z_vect0, Z_vect1, and Z_vect2 global coordinates of the Z-vector of the described
coordinate system.
The abbreviated form for Z_VECTOR is Z.
COORD_SYS Instruction with the ORIGIN Key

%COORD_SYS cs_id ORIGIN : Orig0 Orig1 Orig2
where:
Orig0, Orig1, and Orig2 global coordinates of the origin of the described coordinate
system. The abbreviated form for ORIGIN is ORG.
MATERIALS Section
The MATERIALS section contains the MATERIAL (MAT) instruction.
MATERIAL (MAT) Instruction

The instruction MATERIAL with the key DEF specifies the material name and type.
Each additional MATERIAL instruction contains a key indicating the name of the
material property to be defined in this instruction.
The following material properties are supported:
• YOUNG_MODULUS (YNG)
• POISSON_RATIO (PSN)
• SHEAR_MODULUS (SHR)
• MASS_DENSITY (DNS)
• THERMAL_EXPANSION_COEFFICIENT (TEC)
• THERM_EXPANSION_REF_TEMPERATURE (TER)
• STRUCTURAL_DAMPING_COEFFICIENT (SDP)
• STRESS_LIMIT_FOR_TENSION (SLT)
• STRESS_LIMIT_FOR_COMPRESSION (SLC)
• STRESS_LIMIT_FOR_SHEAR (SLS)
• THERMAL_CONDUCTIVITY (THC)
• EMISSIVITY (EMS)
• SPECIFIC_HEAT (SHT)
1032
MATERIAL Instruction with the DEF key

%MATERIAL id DEF: mat_name <mat_type>
where:
id material ID (starting with 1).
mat_name name of the material (up to 32 characters).
mat_type type of material. Currently, the system supports only one type:
ISOTROPIC (default).
MATERIAL Instruction with the MAT_PROP

Key
%MATERIAL id MAT_PROP : data
where:
id material ID (same as in the DEF line).
Mat_prop one of the names of material properties (refer to MATERIAL (MAT)

Instruction).
data depends on Mat_prop. For all currently supported properties, there is one scalar
value.
Note: Material properties that are not defined are assumed to be zeros.
Typical Material Instructions
%MATERIAL 1 DEF : ALUM ISOTROPIC
%MATERIAL 1 YOUNG_MODULUS : 1.900000E+07
%MATERIAL 1 POISSON_RATIO : 2.100000E-01
%MATERIAL 1 SHEAR_MODULUS : 7.850000E+06
%MATERIAL 1 MASS_DENSITY : 2.830000E-01
%MATERIAL 1 THERMAL_EXPANSION_COEFFICIENT : 6.780000E+00
1033
%MATERIAL 1 THERMAL_CONDUCTIVITY : 1.000000E-02
PROPERTIES Section
The PROPERTIES section may contain the following instructions:
• ELEM_PROP (EP)
• ELEM_END_PROP (EEP)
ELEM_PROP (EP) Instruction

The ELEM_PROP instruction defines element properties. The key (except when DEF)
is the name of the property.
For beam elements with additional end properties, the key REF can be used to
reference instructions, defining the appropriate end properties (that is,
ELEM_END_PROP).
The supported element properties (keys of the ELEM_PROP instruction) are listed in
the following table.
Property Name Abbreviation Used for
THICKNESS THI SHELL elements
CROSS_SECTION_AREA XSA BEAM and ADV_BEAM

elements
MASS_VALUE MAS MASS elements
MOMENT_OF_INERTIA INE Moment of inertia in an

elemental coordinate
system for BEAM and
MASS elements
GAP_VALUE GV GAP elements
NORMAL_STIFFNESS NST GAP elements
SLIDE_STIFFNESS SST GAP elements
EXTENSIONAL_STIFFNESS EST SPRING elements
TORSIONAL_STIFFNESS TST SPRING elements
VECTOR_STIFFNESS VST ADV_SPRING elements
1034
Property Name Abbreviation Used for
DAMPING DMP ADV_SPRING elements
STRESS_RECOVERED SRV For ADV_BEAM

elements, it may be
one of: YES or NO.
SHEAR_STIFF_FACTOR_IN_XZ_PLANE SSZ ADV_BEAM elements
SHEAR_STIFF_FACTOR_IN_XY_PLANE SSY ADV_BEAM elements
SHEAR_RELIEF_COEFF_IN_XZ_PLANE SRZ ADV_BEAM elements
SHEAR_RELIEF_COEFF_IN_XY_PLANE SRY ADV_BEAM elements
ELEM_PROP Instruction with the DEF key

%ELEM_PROP id DEF: elem_type_id <name>
where:
id ID of the set of properties.
elem_type_id ID of ELEM_TYPE for which the properties are defined.
name name of this set of properties (if it is named).
ELEM_PROP Instruction with the PROP_NAME

Key
%ELEM_PROP id PROP_NAME : data
where:
id ID of the set of properties being defined.
PROP_NAME one of the property names (refer to ELEM_PROP (EP) Instruction). The
property name has to be valid for a given ELEM_TYPE, referenced in the line DEF.
1035
data depends on the PROP_NAME:
• For MASS_VALUE, GAP_VALUE, NORMAL_STIFFNESS, SLIDE_STIFFNESS,

EXTENSIONAL_STIFFNESS, TORSIONAL_STIFFNESS, and
CROSS_SECTION_AREA, data is one scalar value.
• For THICKNESS, data is num_nodes scalar values, one per element node;
values are in the order of node ID's within the element (num_nodes is the
number of corner nodes for ELEM_TYPE, referenced in the line DEF).
• For MOMENT_OF_INERTIA, data is a one-vector (three scalars) value.
• For VECTOR_STIFFNESS and DAMPING, data is a one-vector (three scalars)
value, defined in the coordinate system, referenced in the description of the
element.
Typical ELEM_PROP Instructions
%ELEM_TYPE 2 DEF : SHELL TRIANGLE LINEAR 3 3 2
...
%ELEM_TYPE 3 DEF : BAR SPAR * 2 1 0
...
%ELEM_PROP 1 DEF : 2
%ELEM_PROP 1 THICKNESS : 0.5 0.6 1.0
...
%ELEM_PROP 2 CROSS_SECTION_AREA : 0.01
ELEM_PROP Instruction with the REF Key

%ELEM_PROP id REF: node_in_el_id end_prop_id
where:
node_in_el_id is the node ID number inside the element.
end_prop_idrefers to the corresponding ELEM_END_PROP instruction.
1036
ELEM_END_PROP (EEP) Instruction

The ELEM_END_PROP instruction defines properties for the ends of a bar element.
Keys for this instruction (except when DEF) are the names of the properties.
Keywords, indicating property names, are listed in the following table.
Property name Abbreviation Used for
CROSS_SECTION_AREA XSA BEAM and

ADV_BEAM
elements
PIN_FLAG PIN ADV_BEAM

elements
MOMENT_OF_INERTIA_ABOUT_Z_AXIS MIZ ADV_BEAM

elements
MOMENT_OF_INERTIA_ABOUT_Y_AXIS MIY ADV_BEAM

elements
AREA_PRODUCT_OF_INERTIA API ADV_BEAM

elements
TORSION_STIFFNESS_PARAMETER TSP ADV_BEAM

elements
NONSTRUCT_MASS_PER_UNIT_LENGTH NML ADV_BEAM

elements
Y_COORD_OF_POINT_C YCC ADV_BEAM

elements
Z_COORD_OF_POINT_C ZCC ADV_BEAM

elements
Y_COORD_OF_POINT_D YCD ADV_BEAM

elements
Z_COORD_OF_POINT_D ZCD ADV_BEAM

elements
Y_COORD_OF_POINT_E YCE ADV_BEAM

elements
Z_COORD_OF_POINT_E ZCE ADV_BEAM
1037
Property name Abbreviation Used for
elements
Y_COORD_OF_POINT_F YCF ADV_BEAM

elements
Z_COORD_OF_POINT_F ZCF ADV_BEAM

elements
NONSTR_MASS_MOMENT_PER_UNIT_LEN NMU ADV_BEAM

elements
WARPING_COEFFICIENT WRC ADV_BEAM

elements
Y_COORD_OF_GRAVITY_CENTER YGC ADV_BEAM

elements
Z_COORD_OF_GRAVITY_CENTER ZGC ADV_BEAM

elements
Y_COORD_OF_NEUTRAL_AXIS YNA ADV_BEAM

elements
Z_COORD_OF_NEUTRAL_AXIS ZNA ADV_BEAM

elements
All of the end properties listed above are scalars.
ELEM_END_PROP Instruction with the DEF

Key
%ELEM_END_PROP id DEF: elem_type_id <name>
where:
id ID of the set of properties.
elem_type_id ID of the ELEM_TYPE for which this set is defined.
name name of this set of properties (if it is named).
1038
ELEM_END_PROP Instruction with the

PROP_NAME
%ELEM_END_PROP id PROP_NAME : data
where:
id is the ID of the set of properties being defined.
PROP_NAME is one of the keys listed above. The property name must be valid for a
given ELEM_TYPE, referenced in the line DEF.
data depends on the PROP_NAME.
Typical ELEM_END_PROP Instructions
%ELEM_TYPE 3 DEF : BAR BEAM * 2 1 0 ...
%ELEM_PROP 2 REF : 1 5
%ELEM_PROP 2 REF : 1 7
%ELEM_PROP 2 MOMENT_OF_INERTIA : 0. 0. 0.
...
%ELEM_END_PROP 5 DEF : 3
%ELEM_END_PROP 5 CROSS_SECTION_AREA : 0.1
...
%ELEM_END_PROP 7 DEF : 3
%ELEM_END_PROP 7 CROSS_SECTION_AREA : 0.21
...
MESH Section
The MESH section may contain the following instructions:
• NODE (ND)
• ELEM (EL)
1039
NODE (ND) Instruction

%NODE node_id DEF : placement <cs_id>
where:
node_id node ID in the model (starting with 1).
placement vector of the node coordinates.
cs_id ID of the coordinate system used for constraints applied to this point. If
skipped, the default coordinate system is used.
Typical Node Instructions
%NODE 1 DEF : 0.8 -0.88 9. 2
%NODE 2 DEF : 0. 1. 2.
ELEM (EL) Instruction

%ELEM elem_id DEF : elem_type_id <material_id> <prop_id> placement
where:
elem_id is the ID of the element in the model (starting with 1).
elem_type_id refers to the ELEM_TYPE description.
material_id refers to the MATERIAL description (not required for MASS, SPRING, and
ADVANCED SPRING elements).
prop_id refers to the ELEM_PROP description (may not be defined for some
elements).
placement describes element placement, depends on the ELEM_TYPE.
Element Placement
node1_id node2_id ... [cs_id] [offsets]
1040
For SOLID and SHELL elements, placement is a list of node_id's for all element
nodes. Corner nodes should be listed first in the order referenced in ELEM_TYPE;
then mid-nodesin the order of element edges. The format is as follows:
node1_id ... nodeN_id
where:
N num_nodes for linear elements from the corresponding ELEM_TYPE definition, or

(num_nodes + num_edges) for parabolic elements.
For MASS and To Ground SPRING elements, placement is defined as follows:
node_id <cs_id>
where:
node_id ID of the element node.
cs_id ID of the elemental coordinate system. For MASS elements, cs_id is required
only if inertia is defined for the element; that is, Prop_id is defined, and it references
a set of properties with the MOMENT_OF_INERTIA line.
For SPAR, GAP, SPRING elements, placement is:
node1_id node2_id
where:
node1_id, node2_id IDs of its end nodes.
For BEAM, ADV_BEAM elements, placement is defined as follows:
node1_id node2_id cs_id <offset1 offset2>
where:
cs_id ID of the elemental coordinate system.
offset1 vector representing the offset of the first bar end from node1 in the
elemental coordinate system.
offset2 vector representing the offset of the second bar end from node2 in the
elemental coordinate system.
The default for offset1 and offset2 is a zero vector.
1041
For ADV_SPRING element, placement is:
node1_id node2_id cs_id
where:
cs_id ID of the elemental coordinate system.
Refer to the following example:
%ELEM_TYPE 5 DEF : BAR BEAM * 2 1 0
...
...
%COORD_SYS 3 DEF : * CARTESIAN
%COORD_SYS 3 X_VECTOR : 0. 1. 0.
%COORD_SYS 3 Y_VECTOR : 1. 0. 0.
%COORD_SYS 3 Z_VECTOR : 0. 0. -1.
%COORD_SYS 3 ORIGIN : 0.88 -99. -1.5
...
...
%ELEM_PROP 2 CROSS_SECTION_AREA : 0.01 0.021
%ELEM_PROP 2 MOMENT_OF_INERTIA : 0. 0. 0.
...
...
%MATERIAL 1 DEF : ALUM ISOTROPIC
%MATERIAL 1 YOUNG_MODULUS : 1.900000E+07
%MATERIAL 1 POISSON_RATIO : 2.100000E-01
...
1042
...
...
%NODE 7 DEF : 0.88 -99. -1.5 .88 -99. -1.5
%NODE 8 DEF : 0.88 0. -1.5 .88 0. -1.5
%ELEM 10 DEF : 5 1 2 7 8 3 0.1 0. 0. 0. 0. 0.
MESH_TOPOLOGY Section
The MESH_TOPOLOGY section may contain the following instructions:
• EDGE (EDG)
• SURFACE(SRF)
EDGE (EDG) instruction with the DEF Key

%EDGE edge_id DEF: <num_nodes>
where:
edge_id ID of the edge.
num_nodes number of nodes on the edge.
EDGE (EDG) instruction with the NODES Key

%EDGE edge_id NODES: <corner_node_id>
where:
corner_node_id list of corner node IDs along the edge. The length of the list is
num_nodes.
SURFACE (SRF) instruction with the DEF Key

%SURFACE surface_id DEF: <num_faces>
1043
where:
surface_id ID of the surface.
num_faces number of faces lying on the surface.
SURFACE (SRF) instruction with the FACES

Key
%SURFACE surface_id FACES: <elem_id face_id>
where:
elem_id face_id list of element and face ID pairs. The length of the list is num_faces.
LOADS Section
The LOADS section may contain the following instructions:
• LOAD_TYPE (LTP)
• CON_CASE (CC)
LOAD_TYPE (LTP) Instruction

%LOAD_TYPE id DEF: Name Placement_type Value_type
where:
Name is the name of the load/constraint. It can be one of the following:
• PRESSURE (PRE)
• FORCE (FOR)
• MOMENT (MOM)
• DISPLACEMENT (DSP)
• TEMPERATURE (TEM)
• ACCELERATION (ACC)
• ANG_VELOCITY (AVE)
• CONVECTION (CNV)
• RADIATION (RAD)
• HEAT_FLUX (HFL)
• HEAT_SOURCE (HSR)
• FREQ_RANGE (FRQ)
• NUM_MODES (MNU)
• INIT_GUESS (ING)
1044
Placement_type can be one of the following: BODY, ELEM, ELEM_FACE, ELEM_EDGE,

NODE.
Typical LOAD_TYPE Instructions
%LOAD_TYPE 1 DEF : DISPLACEMENT NODE VECTOR_6 MASKABLE
%LOAD_TYPE 3 DEF : FORCE NODE VECTOR
%LOAD_TYPE 5 DEF : ACCELERATION BODY VECTOR
%LOAD_TYPE 7 DEF : TEMPERATURE NODE SCALAR
CON_CASE (CC) Instruction

%CON_CASE id DEF : name <num_steps>
where:
name name of the analysis.
num_steps number of steps for time-dependent analyses (reserved for future use).
The system default is 1.
A Typical CON_CASE Instruction
%CON_CASE 1 DEF : Case1
Instruction LOAD (LD)

%LOAD id DEF : load_type_id con_case_id <step>\
<cs_type> <cs_id> <mask>
%LOAD id VAL : <placement> value
where:
load_type_id refers to LOAD_TYPE.
con_case_id refers to CON_CASE containing this load/constraint. If this analysis is

time-dependent and the load/constraint is included in one step, specify the case
number starting with 1.
1045
cs_type indicates whether the value is defined in the global coordinate system
(GCS), local nodal coordinate system (NCS), or local elemental coordinate system
(ECS). For SCALAR values, cs_type should be skipped. The default is GCS.
cs_id refers to the definition of coordinate system.
mask string of 0's or 1's, used to define mask for MASKABLE values (refer to
LOAD_TYPE (LTP) Instruction).
placement depends on the corresponding LOAD_TYPE.
value corresponds to the Value_type, defined in LOAD_TYPE. For MASKABLE loads, it

contains only values for components with 1's.
Placement
If Placement_type in LOAD_TYPE is:
• BODY then placement is absent.

• ELEM then placement is elem_id.
• ELEM_FACE then placement is elem_id face_in_el_id.
• ELEM_EDGE then placement is elem_id edge_in_el_id.
• NODE then placement is node_id.
Refer to the following example:
%NODE 5 DEF : 0.88 -99. -1.5
...
%NODE 15 DEF : 11. -11. 0.11
...
%LOAD_TYPE 3 DEF : DISPLACEMENT NODE VECTOR_6 MASKABLE
...
%LOAD 1 DEF : 3 1 * GCS * 111000
%LOAD 1 VAL : 5 0. 0. 0.
%LOAD 1 VAL : 15 3. 4. 5.
ANALYSIS Section
The ANALYSIS section may contain the SOLUTION (SLU) instruction.
1046
SOLUTION Instruction with the Key DEF

%SOLUTION id DEF : type <sub_type>
where:
type type of analysis. It can be either STRUCTURAL, THERMAL, or MODAL.
sub_type either STATIC (default for the type STRUCTURAL) or STEADY_STATE

(default for the type THERMAL).
SOLUTION Instruction with the Key

CON_CASES
%SOLUTION id CON_CASES : con_case_ids
where:
con_case_ids IDs of analyses (refer to the CON_CASE instructions) to be solved in

this run of the solver.
Typical SOLUTION Instructions
%SOLUTION 1 DEF : STRUCTURAL STATIC
%SOLUTION 1 CON_CASES : 1 3 4 7
RESULTS Section
The RESULTS section may contain the following instructions:
• RESULT_TYPE (RTP)
• RESULT (RES)
RESULT_TYPE (RTP) Instruction

%RESULT_TYPE id DEF : Name Placement_type Value_type
1047
where:
Name is the name of the result. It can be one of the following:
• DISPLACEMENT (DSP)
• STRESS (STR)
• STRAIN (STN)
• REACTION_FORCE (RF)
• ERROR_ESTIMATE (ERR)
• THERMAL_STRAIN (THS)
• TEMPERATURE (TEM)
• HEAT_FLUX (HFL)
• HEAT_GRADIENT (HGR)
• MODE_FREQUENCY (FRQ)
Placement_type one of the following types:
• ELEM is the elemental result (currently it may be only ERROR_ESTIMATE).

• ELEM_NODE is the non-averaged data, defined for every node of an element
(for example, STRESS, STRAIN, THERMAL_STRAIN, HEAT_FLUX,
HEAT_GRADIENT)
• NODE is the nodal data (for example, DISPLACEMENT, REACTION_FORCE,
TEMPERATURE).
• BODY is the whole model result (currently it may be only
MODE_FREQUENCY).
The following table lists Solid Element Result Types.
Placement_type Result_type
NODE DISPLACEMENT, REACTION_FORCE, STRESS, STRAIN,

TEMPERATURE, HEAT_FLUX, HEAT_GRADIENT
ELEM ERROR_ESTIMATE
ELEM_NODE STRESS, STRAIN, THERMAL_STRAIN, HEAT_FLUX,

HEAT_GRADIENT
BODY MODE_FREQUENCY
The following table lists Shell Element Result Types.
NODE DISPLACEMENT, REACTION_FORCE, STRESS, STRAIN,

TEMPERATURE, HEAT_FLUX, HEAT_GRADIENT
1048
ELEM ERROR_ESTIMATE
ELEM_NODE STRESS, STRAIN, THERMAL_STRAIN, HEAT_FLUX,

HEAT_GRADIENT
BODY MODE_FREQUENCY
ELEM_FACE ERROR_ESTIMATE (For different values on both sides)
FACE_NODE STRESS, STRAIN (For different values on both sides)
Refer to the following examples:
%RESULT_TYPE 1 DEF : DISPLACEMENT NODE VECTOR_6
%RESULT_TYPE 3 DEF : STRESS ELEM_NODE TENSOR
%RESULT_TYPE 4 DEF : ERROR_ESTIMATE ELEM SCALAR
RESULT (RES) Instruction

%RESULT id DEF : result_type_id con_case_id <step/mode> <cs_type>
%RESULT id VAL : placement value
where:
result_type_id refers to RESULT_TYPE.
con_case_id refers to the analysis for which the results were obtained. If a analysis
has steps, the number of steps must be specified.
step/mode is the time step or mode number for dynamic and modal analyses.
cs_type indicates whether a value is defined in the global coordinate system (GCS),
local nodal coordinate system (NCS), or local elemental coordinate system (ECS). For
SCALAR values, it should be skipped. The default is GCS.
placement depends on Placement_type, defined in the RESULT_TYPE.
value corresponds to Value_type, defined in RESULT_TYPE.
1049
Placement of Results
The following table lists possible placements depending on Placement_type given in
the RESULT_TYPE instruction.
Placement_type Placement
ELEM elem_id
ELEM_FACE elem_id face_in_el_id
ELEM_NODE elem_id node_in_el_id
FACE_NODE elem_id face_in_el_id node_in_el_id
NODE node_id
BODY none
%ELEM_TYPE 1 DEF : SHELL TRIANGLE LINEAR 3 3 2
%RESULT_TYPE 1 DEF : DISPLACEMENT NODE VECTOR_6
%RESULT_TYPE 2 DEF : STRESS FACE_NODE TENSOR\ ECS
%RESULT_TYPE 3 DEF : ERROR_ESTIMATE ELEM SCALAR
%ELEM 5 DEF : 1 ....
# Displacement
%RESULT 1 DEF : 1 1
# in node17
%RESULT 1 VAL : 17 1. 2. 3. 0. 0. 0.
1050
# in node 25
%RESULT 1 VAL : 25 11. 22. 33. 0. 0. 0.
...
# Stress
%RESULT 20 DEF : 2 1 * ECS
# in SHELL element #5, face 1 (top), node #1
%RESULT 20 VAL : 5 1 1 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 -0.6
# in SHELL element #5, face 2 (bottom), node #1
%RESULT 20 VAL : 5 2 1 ...
# in SHELL element #5, face 2 (bottom), node #3
%RESULT 20 VAL : 5 2 3 ...
...
# Error Estimate
%RESULT 50 DEF : 3
# on element #5, Face 1 (Top)
%RESULT 50 VAL : 5 1 0.5
# on element #5, Face 2 (Bottom)
%RESULT 50 VAL : 5 2 0.05
1051
Specialized Information
Understanding Fatigue Analysis
This document provides background information on fatigue and describes the

methodology used in Mechanica fatigue analysis. It covers the following topics:
Topic
History of Fatigue
Physics of Fatigue
The E-N Approach
• Strain Cycles
Includes the effect of mean residual stresses, hysteresis loop capture and
rainflow cycle counting.
• Factors that Affect Fatigue Life
Includes Component Size, Loading Type, Surface Finish, Surface Treatment
(that is, Mechanical Treatments, Plating, and Thermal Treatments), and Effect
of Surface Treatments on Endurance Limit.
The solver technology integrated with Mechanica fatigue analysis is provided by

nCode International. Fatigue analysis requires a Fatigue Advisor license from PTC.
History of Fatigue
The majority of component designs involve parts subjected to fluctuating or cyclic
loads. Such loading induces fluctuating or cyclic stresses that often result in failure
by fatigue. About 95% of all structural failures occur through a fatigue mechanism.
The damage done during the fatigue process is cumulative and generally
unrecoverable, due to the following:
• It is nearly impossible to detect any progressive changes in material behavior

during the fatigue process, so failures often occur without warning.
• Periods of rest, with the fatigue stress removed, do not lead to any
measurable healing or recovery.
It was well-known that wood or metal could be made to break by repeatedly bending
it back and forth with a large amplitude. But, it was then discovered that repeated
stressing can produce fracture even when the stress amplitude is apparently well
within the elastic range of the material. When fatigue failures of railway axles
1052
became a widespread problem in the middle of the nineteenth century, this drew
attention to cyclic loading effects. This was the first time that many similar
components had been subjected to millions of cycles at stress levels well below the
monotonic tensile yield stress. Between 1852 and 1870 the German railway engineer
August Wöhler set up and conducted the first systematic fatigue investigation.
Some of Wöhler's data are for Krupp axle steel and are plotted, in terms of nominal
stress (S) vs. number of cycles to failure (N), on what has become known as the S-N
diagram. Each curve on such a diagram is still referred to as a Wöhler line.
Note: 1centner = 50 kg, 1 zoll = 1 inch, 1 centner/zoll2 ~ 0.75 MPa
At about the same time, other engineers began to concern themselves with problems
of failures associated with fluctuating loads in bridges, marine equipment, and power
generation machines. During the first part of the twentieth century, more effort was
placed on understanding the mechanisms of the fatigue process rather than just
observing its results. This activity finally led, in the late fifties and early sixties, to
the development of the two approaches, one based on linear elastic fracture
mechanics, LEFM, to explain how cracks propagate, and the so-called Coffin-Manson
local strain methodology to explain crack initiation. Through this understanding,
modern designers and engineers have been able to create more fatigue-resistant
components without relying solely on experimentation. From a practical point of
view, this has been a much more profitable approach.
1053
Physics of Fatigue
Since 1830, it has been recognized that metal under a repetitive or fluctuating load
will fail at a stress level lower than required to cause failure under a single
application of the same load.
The following diagram shows a simple component subjected to a uniform sinusoidally

varying force. After a period of time, a crack can be seen to initiate on the
circumference of the hole. This crack will then propagate through the component
until the remaining intact section is incapable of sustaining the imposed stresses and
the component fails.
The physical development of a crack is generally divided into 2 separate stages.

These relate to the crack initiation phase (Stage I) and the crack growth phase
(Stage II). Fatigue cracks initiate through the release of shear strain energy. The
following diagram shows how the shear stresses result in local plastic deformation
along slip planes. As the loading is cycled sinusoidally, the slip planes move back and
forth like a pack of cards, resulting in small extrusions and intrusions on the crystal
surface. These surface disturbances are approximately 1 to 10 microns in height and
constitute embryonic cracks.
1054
A crack initiates in this way until it reaches the grain boundary. At this point the
mechanism is gradually transferred to the adjacent grain
When the crack has grown through approximately 3 grains, it is seen to change its
direction of propagation. Stage I growth follows the direction of the maximum shear
plane, or 45° to the direction of loading. During Stage II the physical mechanism for
fatigue changes. The crack is now sufficiently large to form a geometrical stress
concentration. A tensile plastic zone is created at the crack tip as shown in the
following diagram. After this stage, the crack propagates perpendicular to the
direction of the applied load.
As the physical mechanism for fatigue is divided into two stages, the methods of
analysis are also conventionally divided into two stages. Stage I is typically analyzed
using the local strain (or E-N) approach, while Stage II is analyzed using a fracture
mechanics based approach.
A complete fatigue prediction could therefore use a combination of both methods:
Total Life = Life to initiation + Life taken to propagate crack to failure
1055
However, most engineering components spend most of their time at either one stage
or the other. In this case, it is normal to conservatively consider only one stage. For
example, in most ground vehicle designs, life is typically governed by time to
initiation. Components are relatively stiff and the materials fairly brittle. Once the
crack has initiated, it takes a relatively short time to propagate to failure.
By contrast, many aerospace applications use flexible components made of very

ductile materials. In this case, cracks propagate relatively slowly and so the fracture
mechanics approaches are usually more appropriate.
The physical nature of fatigue was not widely understood during the early days.
August Wöhler therefore took a more pragmatic view of fatigue analysis. The method
he developed later became known as nominal stress (or S-N) fatigue analysis. This
did not differentiate between the Stage I and II growth methods and instead related
the nominal stress range to the time taken to complete failure.
Though S-N analysis is still widely used in test-based fatigue analysis, it has one
major drawback for CAE applications. Fatigue initiation is driven by local plastic
strains, but S-N analysis uses elastic stress as the input. Therefore, S-N analysis is
unsuitable for performing CAE analysis on components containing local areas of
plasticity. For this reason local strain (or E-N) methods are more universally suitable.
Mechanica fatigue analysis uses the E-N method.
The E-N Approach

In a fatigue test, hourglass-shaped specimens of different material types are
subjected to various types of cyclic loading, such as: small-scale bending, torsion,
tension, and compression. The E-N approach uses these tests to measure fatigue life.
The results are plotted in terms of strain (E) vs. cycles to failure (N) on an E-N
diagram. A typical E-N diagram is illustrated below for a low alloy steel and an
aluminum alloy.
1056
Mechanica uses a generic set of fatigue properties to model low alloy steels,
unalloyed steels, aluminum alloys, and titanium alloys. These generic properties
have been compiled by Baumel Jr. and Seeger and are known as the Uniform
Material Law. While they cannot be expected to give accurate fatigue lives for
practical purposes, they are ideal for determining whether a component is likely to
suffer from fatigue problems, and whether a more detailed analysis is needed before
commissioning. For more information on the Uniform Material Law, see Materials
Science Monographs, 61, "Materials Data for Cyclic Loading, Supplement 1."
The following discussion covers two aspects of fatigue theory that are critical to an
understanding of the how Fatigue Advisor measures fatigue:
Topic
Strain Cycles
Factors That Affect Fatigue Life
Strain Cycles
Before looking in more detail at the E-N procedure, it helps to understand the three
different types of cyclic strains that contribute to the fatigue process. The following
diagrams and descriptions explain each separate type.
The first figure illustrates a fully-reversed strain cycle with a sinusoidal form. This is
an idealized loading condition typically found in rotating shafts operating at constant
speed without overloads. This is also the type of strain cycle used for most fatigue
tests. For this kind of cycle, the maximum ( max) and minimum ( min) strains are of
equal magnitude but opposite sign. Usually tensile strain is considered to be positive
and compressive strain negative. The strain range, r, is the algebraic difference
between the maximum and minimum strains in a cycle.
r = max – min
The strain amplitude, a, is one half the strain range.
a = r /2=( max – min) /2
1057
The second figure illustrates the more general situation where the maximum and
minimum strains are not equal. In this case, they are both tensile and define a mean
offset, m = ( max + min) / 2, for the cyclic loading.
As mentioned above, most basic fatigue data are collected using fully-reversed loads.
Therefore, these data are not directly applicable for strain cycles with a non-zero
mean ( m 0). In order to predict more realistic life estimates for strain cycles with
tensile or compressive mean stress, results of the tests conducted using fully-
reversed loads are corrected. The choice of corrective approach to use depends on
whether the mean stress is primarily tensile or compressive.
The reason for this can be seen in the following plot which schematically illustrates
the effect of mean stress on the strain-life (E-N) curve. Viewed conceptually, tensile
mean stress acts to pull open a crack while compressive mean stress works to keep
it closed. Typically the effects are concentrated at the long life end of the diagram,
with tensile mean stress reducing life and compressive mean stress extending it.
1058
Since the tests required to calculate E-N curves for a range of mean stresses are
quite expensive, several empirical relationships have been developed to model the
effect of mean stress. Of all the proposed methods, two have been most widely
accepted:
• The Smith, Watson, Topper Approach

• The Morrow Correction
For loading sequences which are predominantly tensile in nature, the Smith, Watson,
Topper approach is more conservative and is therefore recommended. In the case
where the loading is predominantly compressive, particularly for wholly compressive
cycles, the Morrow correction can be used to provide more realistic life estimates.
Mechanica uses both methods and the most appropriate method is automatically
chosen. For more information on the Smith, Watson, Topper approach, see "A
Stress-Strain Function for the Fatigue of Metals", Journal of Materials, Vol. 5, No. 4,
1970. For more information on the Morrow correction, see "Fatigue Design
Handbook", Advances in Engineering, Vol. 4, Society of Automotive Engineers, 1968.
The next figure illustrates a more complex, variable amplitude loading pattern that is
closer to the cyclic strains found in real structures.
1059
For variable amplitude loading it is necessary to extract the fatigue damaging cycles
from the signal and then evaluate the damage carried out by each cycle. The total
damage is the sum of the damage caused by each individual cycle. Each fatigue cycle
is extracted by a process known as hysteresis loop capture. The loci of the stress and
strain are plotted as shown in the following diagram.
When a stress-strain hysteresis loop is closed, then the strain range and mean stress
are returned and the damage calculated using the E-N curve modified for mean
stress correction. This analysis is carried out over the whole strain time signal until
all the cycles have been extracted and the total damage evaluated. A very efficient
algorithm has been developed to perform cycle extraction known as: Rainflow Cycle
Counting. This is the algorithm that Mechanica uses.
Mechanica normally uses a linear elastic solution to determine the pseudo-elastic

strains in a component. In other words, the solution ignores plasticity. Before
proceeding with the fatigue analysis, these strains are automatically converted into
non-linear elastic-plastic strains using Neuber's relationship.
Factors that Affect Fatigue Life

As mentioned above, the E-N curve is derived from strain control tests based on
hourglass-shaped specimens.
A standardized, fully reversed fatigue test is used to determine a base-line E-N

relationship for a polished specimen, approximately 6 mm in diameter. While the
fatigue or endurance limit measured in this test is denoted by 'e, a component in
service has lower limit, e, that reflects modifications to a specimen outside of the
laboratory. For steels in particular, several empirical relationships account for the
variation in e as a result of the following:
• Component size, Csize
1060
• The type of loading, Cload

• The effect of notches, Cnotch
• The effect of surface finish, Csur < 1 (promotes crack growth)
• The effect of surface treatment, Csur >1 (inhibits crack growth)
To account for these effects, specific modifying factors are typically applied to the
test result so that:
e = 'eCnotchCsizeCloadCsur . . .
where reciprocal of the product, CnotchCsizeCloadCsur , is collectively known as the

fatigue strength reduction factor Kf:
Kf = 1 / (CnotchCsizeCloadCsur . . .)
It is very important to remember that all the modification factors are empirical,
conservative and generally only applicable to steel. They provide little or no
fundamental insight into the fatigue process itself other than providing approximate
trends. In particular they should not be used in areas outside their measured
applicability.
Read the following to learn more about the factors that influence fatigue life:
Topic
The Influence of Component Size
The Influence of Loading Type
The Influence of Surface Finish
The Qualitative Influence of Surface Treatment
The Quantitative Effect of Surface Treatments on the Endurance Limit
The Influence of Component Size

Fatigue in metals results from the nucleation and subsequent growth of crack-like
flaws under the influence of an alternating stress field. The theory is that failure
starts at the weakest link, the most favorably orientated metal crystal for example,
and then grows through less favorably orientated grains until final failure. Intuitively,
it would seem reasonable to suppose that the larger the volume of material
subjected to the alternating stress, the higher the probability of finding the weakest
link sooner. Actual test data do confirm the presence of a size effect particularly in
the case of bending and torsion.
The stress gradient built up through the section, in bending and to a lesser extent in
torsion, concentrates more than 95% of the maximum surface stress in a thin layer
of surface material. In large sections, this stress gradient is less steep than in
smaller sections. So the volume of material available that could contain a critical flaw
1061
will be greater, leading to a reduced fatigue strength. The effect is small for axial
tension where the stress gradient is absent. The value for Csize is estimated from one
of the following.
If the diameter of the test specimen shaft is d < 6 mm:
Csize = 1
If the diameter of the test specimen shaft is 6 mm < d < 250 mm
Csize = 1.189d-0.097
The effect of size is particularly important for the analysis of rotating shafts such as
might be found in vehicle powertrains.
For situations where components do not have a round cross section, the following
equation calculates an equivalent diameter, deq, for a rectangular section under
bending with width (w) and thickness (t):
deq2 = 0.65wt
The Influence of Loading Type

Fatigue data measured using one type of cyclic loading, axial tension for example,
may be "corrected" to represent the data that would have been obtained had the test
been performed using some other loading methodology such as torsion or bending.
The standardized rotating bend test calls for tests to be carried out under conditions
of fully reversed bending.
In moving from one loading condition to another, the values of Cload to be used with
the endurance limit, e are detailed below:
Measured Target C load

Loading Loading
Axial to Bending 1.25
Axial to Torsion 0.725
Bending to Torsion 0.58
Bending to Axial 0.8
Torsion to Axial 1.38
Torsion to Bending 1.72
Thus, using the values from this table, if an axial tension load produces a strain of
e, the strain produced under a bending load would be 1.25 e.
1062
In addition to influencing the endurance limit, loading conditions can also influence
the Basquin slope, b, which is used when plotting the E-N curve on log-log scale.
This effect is usually taken into account by modification of the strain at 103 cycles,
3, as well as e. The following factors are used to define C'load, the 3 modification
factor:
Measured Target C' load

Loading Loading
Axial to Torsion 0.82
Bending to Torsion 0.82
Torsion to Axial 1.22
Torsion to Bending 1.22
The Influence of Surface Finish

A very high proportion of all fatigue failures nucleate at the surface of components so
that surface conditions become an extremely important factor influencing fatigue
strength. Various surface conditions are usually judged against the polished
laboratory specimen standard. Normally, scratches, pits, machining marks, and so
forth, influence fatigue strength by providing additional stress raisers that aid the
process of crack nucleation.
The diagram below shows that high strength steels are more adversely affected by a
rough surface finish than softer steels. For this reason, the surface finish correction
factor, Csur < 1, is strongly related to tensile strength. Here the surface finish
correction factor categorizes finish in qualitative terms such as polished, machined,
and forged.
1063
Note that some of the curves presented in this figure include effects other than just
surface finish. For example, the forged and hot rolled curves include the effect of
decarburization.
Other diagrams present the surface finish correction factor in a more quantitative
way by using a quantitative measure of surface roughness such as RA (the root mean
square) or AA (the arithmetic average). The following diagram shows the effect of
surface roughness on the surface finish correction factor.
1064
Values of surface roughness associated with each of the manufacturing processes are
readily available in handbooks, as in the example below:
Type of Finish Surface

(Microns) Roughness
Lathe-formed 2.67
Partly hand polished 0.15
Hand Polished 0.13
Ground 0.18
Superfinished 0.18
Ground and polished 0.05
The Qualitative Influence of Surface

Treatment
As in the case of surface finish, surface treatment can greatly influence fatigue
strength, particularly the endurance limit. The net effect of the treatment is to alter
the state of residual stress at the free surface.
1065
Residual stresses arise when plastic deformation is not uniformly distributed

throughout the entire cross section of the component being deformed. In the
preceding figures, a metal bar has a surface that is being deformed in tension by
bending.
• At time T=1, bending moment M1 is being applied and is in the elastic range.
• At time T=2, the bending moment has increased to M2, the yield stress (Sy)
has been reached, and the surface undergoes plastic deformation.
• When the external force is removed, the regions that were plastically
deformed prevent the adjacent elastic regions from complete elastic recovery
to the unstrained condition. In this way, the elastically deformed regions are
1066
left in residual tension, and the plastically deformed regions are in a state of
residual compression. The result is the stress distribution at time T=3.
For many purposes, residual stress can be considered identical to the stresses
produced by an external force. Thus, the presence of a compressive residual stress
at the surface of a component will effectively decrease the probability of fatigue
failure.
The preceding figure illustrates the superposition of applied and residual stresses.
• The top schematic shows an elastic stress distribution in a beam under

bending moment M with no residual stress.
• In the center schematic, a typical residual stress distribution associated with a
mechanical surface treatment such as shot peening is detailed. Note that the
1067
compressive stress at the surface is compensated by an equivalent tensile

stress over the interior of the cross section.
• In the bottom schematic, the distribution due to the algebraic summation of
the applied stress (caused by bending moment M) and residual stress is
shown. Note that the maximum tensile stress at the surface has been reduced
by the amount of the residual stress. Also, the peak tensile stress has now
been moved to the interior of the beam. The magnitude of this stress will
depend on the gradient of the applied stress and the residual stress
distribution. Under these conditions, subsurface crack initiation becomes a
possibility.
Surface treatments are divided broadly into mechanical, thermal, and plating
processes. The first two processes provide a compressive layer. The plating process
provides a tensile residual stress. Following is detailed description of each process:
• Mechanical Treatments — The main commercial methods for introducing

residual compressive stresses are cold rolling and shot peening. Although
some alteration in the strength of the material occurs as a result of work
hardening, the improvement in fatigue strength is due mainly to the
compressive surface stress. Surface rolling is particularly suited to large parts
and is frequently used in critical components such as crankshafts and the
bearing surface of railway axles. Bolts with rolled threads typically possess
twice the fatigue strength of conventionally machined threads.
Shot peening, which consists of firing fine steel or cast iron shot against the
surface of a component, is particularly well suited to processing small mass
produced parts.
It is important to remember that cold rolling and shot peening have their
greatest effect at long lives. At short lives they have little or no effect.
As with other modifying factors, correction factors can be used to account for
the effect of these mechanically induced compressive stresses by adjusting
the endurance limit e. Typically the factor associated with peening is about
1.5 to 2.0.
• Thermal Treatments — Thermal treatments are processes that rely on the

diffusion of either carbon (carburizing) or nitrogen (nitriding) onto and into
the surface of a steel component. Both types of atoms are interstitial, that is
they occupy the spaces between adjacent iron atoms, thereby increasing the
strength of the steel and causing a compressive residual stress to be left on
the surface through volumetric changes.
Carburizing is typically a three-step process:
o packing the steel components within boxes which contain

carbonaceous solids
o sealing to exclude the atmosphere
o heating to about 900 degrees Celsius for a period of time that depends
on the depth of the case required
1068
Alternatively components may be heated in a furnace in the presence of a hot

carburizing gas such as natural gas. This process has the advantage that it is
quicker and more accurate. In addition, the carburizing cycle may be followed
up by a diffusion cycle with no carburizing agent present. This allows some of
the carbon atoms to diffuse further into the component and thus reduces
gradients.
The nitriding process is very similar in nature to gas carburizing except that
ammonia gas is used and the components are soaked at lower temperatures.
Typically 48 hours at about 550 degrees Celsius will provide a nitrided case
depth of about 0.5 mm. Nitriding is particularly suited to the treatment of
finished notched components such as gears and slotted shafts. The
effectiveness of the process is illustrated in the following table:
Endurance Limit
(MPa)
Geometry Not Nitrided

Nitrided
Un-notched 310 620
Semicircular notch 175 600
V notch 175 550
• Plating — Chrome and nickel plating of steel components can decrease the
endurance limit by more than half, due to the creation of tensile residual
stresses at the surface. These tensile stresses are a direct result of the plating
process itself. As in the case of mechanically induced surface stresses, the
effect of plating is most pronounced at the long life end of the spectrum and
also with higher strength materials.
Introducing a compressive residual stress prior to the plating process such as

shot peening or nitriding can reduce the harmful effects of plating. Annealing
components after plating, thereby relieving the tensions, is an alternative
approach.
1069
The Quantitative Effect of Surface Treatments

on the Endurance Limit (Steels)
The effect of surface treatment depends on the surface finish. The increase in
endurance limit stress due to the surface treatment is given in the following table:
Increase in Endurance Limit
Finish Shot Peened Cold Rolled Nitrided
Polished +15% +50% +100%
Ground +20% +0% +100%
Machined +30% +70% +100%
Hot Rolled +40% +0% +100%
Cast +40% +0% +100%
Forged +100% +0% +100%
Whatever correction was made by the surface finish, applying a surface treatment
will have a subsequent effect based on the preceding table. For example, if
machining reduces the endurance limit by 30%, then from the table it can be seen
that cold rolling will recover the loss by increasing the limit 70%.
1070
Shell Property Equations
This document provides a very brief description of how the mechanical properties of
shells are represented mathematically in Mechanica. This document also defines the
terminology used to describe shell properties and shell results within Mechanica.
This document is divided into the following sections:
Topic
Overview
Formulae for Calculating Shell Properties
List of Symbols
Bibliography
Overview
The formulae given in this document express the fundamental relationships between
shell forces, moments, strains, curvature changes, and shell properties and results.
These formulae are provided to unambiguously define the conventions used to
describe the various modeling and results data for shells.
You specify properties that define the mechanical behavior of laminate shells on the
laminate stiffness version of the Shell Property Definition dialog box. See About
Shell Properties for more information. At the point for which you want to see results,
you define the following properties relative to the material orientation:
• shell extensional stiffnesses

• shell transverse shear stiffnesses
• shell extensional-bending coupling stiffnesses
• shell bending stiffnesses
• shell resultant thermal moment coefficients
• shell resultant thermal force coefficient
• mass per unit area
• rotary inertia per unit area
You can review the following results quantities with respect to the material
orientation at the point of interest or with respect to a coordinate system. See
Relative Results for more information.
• rotation of shell midsurface about the X and Y axes

• midsurface strain
1071
• curvature change of the shell midsurface

• shell resultant moment
• shell resultant force
• shell transverse shear force
• stress
• displacement of the shell midsurface
See the List of Symbols for the symbols that represent these terms.
These formulae and their descriptions are not meant to be a tutorial for the analysis
of shells. More detailed information concerning the modeling of laminated or
orthotropic shells may be found in the texts by Jones (1), Reddy (2), Tsai (3), Ugural
(4) and others. The Bibliography describes these texts.
The figures and equations presented in this section are given for flat shells, or plates.
The engineering concepts presented here generalize to curved shells, but the
mathematical descriptions of curved shells are more complicated and will not be
given.
Formulae for Calculating Shell Properties

A shell is a section of your Mechanica model that is thin in comparison to its width
and length. It is computationally efficient to model the thin regions of your structure
with shells. This efficiency results, in part, from a basic assumption concerning the
behavior of shells. That is, that the mechanical behavior of a shell can be
approximated by describing the mechanical behavior of the midsurface of the shell.
Thus, the displacement of a shell can be described by the displacement and rotation
of its midsurface, the straining of a shell can be described by the straining and
curvature changes of its midsurface, and the equilibrium of a shell can be described
by the equilibrium of stresses integrated through the thickness of the shell.
The figure below shows a flat rectangular shell, the edges of which are aligned with
the X and Y axes of a Cartesian coordinate system. The XY plane of this coordinate
system is halfway between the top and bottom surfaces of the shell; that is, the
midsurface of the shell is at z=0. The shell has thickness t, so that the top surface is
at z = t/2 and the bottom surfaces is at z = –t/2, as the following figure illustrates:
1072
As mentioned above, it is assumed that the displacement of any point (x, y, z) in the
shell can be expressed in terms of the displacement and rotation of the point (x, y,
0) on the midsurface of the shell. Specifically, it is assumed that:
where:
• are the components of displacement in the x, y, and z directions,

respectively
• are the components of displacement of the midsurface
• are the (small) rotations of the midsurface about the x and y axes,
respectively
Similarly, the strain components and of any point (x,y,z) can be expressed
in terms of the midsurface (or membrane) strains ( ) and curvature
changes ( ) as:
Note that Equation (A.2) contains the tensor shear strain components, and ,
and not the engineering shear strain components, which are twice the values of the
tensor shear strain components.
For flat shells, the tensor shear strain components are:
and
1073
The shell resultant forces ( ), the shell resultant moments ( ),

and the shell transverse shear forces ( ) are obtained by integrating the stress
components through the thickness of the shell. The shell
resultant forces are given by:
The shell resultant moments are given by:
The shell transverse shear forces are given by:
The following figure illustrates the sign conventions employed for the resultant forces
and moments, and transverse shear forces. Note that a positive moment, ,
induces positive strain, , in the top half of the shell (z > 0) and negative strain in
the bottom half of the shell (z < 0).
1074
1075
The relationship between the shell resultants, and the midsurface strains and
curvature changes are given by:
and:
In equation (A.6), the quantities (where i,j = 1, 2, 6) are called the shell
extensional stiffnesses, the quantities are called the bending stiffnesses, the
quantities are called the extensional-bending coupling stiffnesses, and the
quantities (where k,l = 4,5) are called the transverse shear stiffnesses. The
quantities and are the transverse shear strains on the midsurface. The
quantities and are the resultant thermal forces and moments respectively.
The shell stiffness and thermal resultants introduced in Equations (A.6) and (A.7) are
defined by integrating the material properties of the shell through the thickness of
the shell. The extensional, bending, and extensional-bending stiffnesses are given
by:
and:
1076
and:
where are the reduced stiffnesses of the material.
The transverse shear stiffness is given by:
where:
• are (non-reduced) stiffnesses of the material, and

• are the shear correction coefficients, which for a homogeneous shell are
often taken to be .
Note that if the material of the shell is distributed symmetrically about the
midsurface, then the integral in Equation (A.9) vanishes and the extensional-bending
coupling stiffnesses are identically zero.
The resultant thermal forces and moments are given by:
and:
where:
• are the coefficients of thermal expansion of the material, and

• is the change in temperature from the stress-free state.
1077
If the change in temperature is uniform through the thickness of the shell, then the
in Equations (A.12) and (A.13) may be removed from the integral, resulting in
Equations (A.14) and (A.15):
where are called the shell resultant thermal

coefficients, which are given by:
The mass properties for shells are also obtained by integrating the material property
data through the thickness of the shell. The mass per unit area, , is given by:
where is the density of the material.
The rotary inertia per unit area, , is given by:
1078
List of Symbols
The following table defines the symbols used in this document:
Symbol Definition
coefficients of thermal expansion
(i,j = 1,2,6) shell extensional stiffness
(k,l = 4,5) shell transverse shear stiffness
(i,j = 1,2,6) shell extensional-bending coupling stiffness
rotation of shell midsurface about the X and Y

axes
(k,l = 4,5) material stiffness
(i,j = 1,2,6) shell bending stiffness
temperature change
strain
midsurface (or membrane) strain
curvature change of the shell midsurface
(k,l = shear correction coefficients

4,5)
shell resultant moment
shell resultant thermal moment
shell resultant thermal moment coefficient
shell resultant force
shell resultant thermal force
shell resultant thermal force coefficient
1079
Symbol Definition
shell transverse shear force
(i,j = 1,2,6) material reduced stiffness
mass per unit area
rotary inertia per unit area
stress
t shell thickness
displacement
displacement of the shell midsurface
x, y midsurface coordinates
z coordinate perpendicular to the shell

midsurface
Bibliography
1. Jones, Robert M. Mechanics of Composite Materials. Washington, DC: Scripta
Book Company, 1975.
2. Reddy, J.N. Energy and Variational Method in Applied Mechanics. New York:
John Wiley & Sons, 1984.
3. Tsai, S. W. and H. T. Hahn Introduction to Composite Materials. Westport,
CT: Technomic Publishing Co., 1980.
4. Ugural, A. C. Stresses in Plates and Shells. New York: McGraw-Hill Book
Company, 1981.
1080
Verification Guide
Verification Overview
Mechanica is a family of design analysis products. The main products are Structure
and Thermal. Several optional modules are tightly integrated with these main
products.
Mechanica documentation is written for mechanical engineers. It assumes a working

knowledge of mechanical engineering theory, terminology, and practice. However,
you do not need any specialized knowledge of design analysis to use Mechanica
software or its documentation.
Read the following topics for information on using this book, Verification Guide, and
for an overview of the documentation available for the current release of Mechanica.
This preface covers:
Topic
Using This Guide
References
Using This Guide

The Verification Guide uses a series of problems, based on finite element models and
mechanism analysis models for which analytic solutions are known, to demonstrate
the accuracy and efficiency of Mechanica in the design analysis process.
Mechanica's results are compared to those obtained using traditional analysis codes
such as ANSYS, NASTRAN, and NAFEMS, or to theory. A number of problems are
drawn from the well-known MacNeal-Harder finite element problem set.
The models used in this guide are located on the Mechanica CD-ROM. You can use
the models to rerun the studies on your platform. See msengine for information on
running the studies.
There is a separate section in this guide for models verified by each of the Mechanica
analysis types: Structure, Thermal, Vibration, Buckling, and Nonlinear. There is also
a section for Structure optimization models.
1081
Organization
Here are the topics covered in this guide:
Structure Models
Static Analysis Describes several static analysis problems and

compares results.
Modal Analysis Describes several modal analysis problems and

compares results.
Thermal Models
Steady State Thermal Describes steady state thermal analysis problems

Analysis and compares results.
Transient Thermal Analysis Describes transient thermal analysis problems and

compares results.
Vibration Models
Dynamic Time Response Describes a dynamic time response analysis problem

Analysis and compares results.
Dynamic Frequency Describes a dynamic frequency response analysis

Response Analysis and compares results.
Dynamic Shock Response Describes a dynamic shock response analysis

Analysis problem and compares results.
Buckling Models
Buckling Analysis Describes a buckling analysis problem and compares

results.
1082
Nonlinear Models
2D and 3D Contact Models Describes 2D and 3D contact problems and

compares results.
Prestress Modal Analysis Describes a prestress modal analysis problem and

compares results.
Large Deformation Analysis Describes a large deformation analysis problem and

compares results.
Optimization Models
Optimization Analysis Describes an optimized static structural model.
The results in this guide are from the current release of Mechanica running on the
Sun workstation.
If you are running these programs on a different platform, your results and what you
see on the screen may differ slightly from the results and graphics in this document.
We have not discovered any significant differences in any results on the different
platforms that we support.
Identification System
The verification problems are identified by their study name. For example, mvsm003
indicates that this is the third Structure modal analysis problem in the Verification
Guide. The study names are determined by the following convention:
• First two alphabetic characters:
mv — Mechanica Verification
• Third alphabetic character:
s — Structure
t — Thermal
o — Optimization
1083
• Fourth alphabetic character:

o Structure
m — Modal
s — Static
l — Laminate
t — Dynamic Time Response
f — Dynamic Frequency Response
k — Dynamic Shock Response
b — Buckling
c — Contact
d — Large Deformation
p — Prestress
o Thermal
s — Steady-State
t — Transient
o Optimization
o — Optimization
o Three digit numeral:
001 — Sequential problem number
Use these design study names if you want to run a study or review results.
1084
Results Conventions
This section describes the conventions used in the results table included for each
problem. Following is an example of a results table:
MSC/ %
Theory NASTRAN Structure Difference
Radial Deflection @ 2.8769e– 2.8715e–3 2.8725e– 0.18%

Load 3 3
(m=disp_x_radial)
Convergence %: 0.5% on Local Disp and SE Max P: 7 No.

Equations:
33
Refer to the following information for an explanation of each column in the results
table:
• Column 1 — Displays the results quantity of interest.

• Column 2 — Displays the theoretical results, which are taken from the
"Reference" listed on the first page of each model summary.
• Column 3 (optional) — Displays results from other programs, in this case
NASTRAN.
• Column 4 — Displays Mechanica results.
• Column 5 — Displays the percentage difference between the Mechanica
results and the theoretical answer.
Beneath the results quantity name, in parentheses, is additional information you can
use to view the results on your system. In this area, you will find one or more pieces
of information (xxxx is the name of the measure, analysis, or load; x is the mode
number):
• measure name, denoted by (m=xxxx)

• analysis name, denoted by (a=xxxx)
• load name, denoted by (l=xxxx)
• mode number (for modal analysis), denoted by (mode=x)
When multiple analyses, loads, or measures exist in a study, the analysis name and
load name, measure name, or mode number are listed.
1085
You can use this information in two ways. You can view or print out the study.rpt file
in a shell, or you can view the information in the summary file for the design study.
To display the summary file, open the model with the same name as the study,
select Run from the Main menu, then select Status. Next, select Summary from the
Design Study Status dialog box and find the measure name.
For verification problems, the bottom line of the table displays the convergence
percentage and the type of convergence, the maximum p-level order reached at
convergence, and the number of equations required for convergence. For Structure
models, the convergence option Local Edge Disp & Local Strain Energy is abbreviated
as Local Disp and SE in this guide. For Thermal models, the convergence option Local
Temp and Energy Norm is abbreviated Local Temp and EN.
Installation Instructions
The verification models are on the Pro/ENGINEER CD-ROM you received. The models
are in the ms_verf.23 directory. You install the Mechanica verification models with
your Mechanica installation.
References
Following is a list of references used in this guide:
• Barlow, J., and Davies, G.A.O. Selected FE Benchmarks in Structural and

Thermal Analysis. UK: NAFEMS, Revision 2, October, 1987.
• Chahjes, A. Principles of Structural Stability Theory. Prentice-Hall, 1974.
• Cameron, A.D., Casy, J.A., and Simpson, G.B. Benchmark Tests for Thermal
Analysis (Summary). UK: NAFEMS, August, 1986.
• Imai, Kanji. Configuration Optimization of Trusses by the Multiplier Method.
LA: University of California, UCLA-ENG-7842.
• Kane, T.R., and Levinson, D.A. Dynamics: Theory and Application. NY:
McGraw-Hill, 1985.
• Kreith, F. Principles of Heat Transfer. 2nd ed. PA: International Textbook Co.,
1959.
• Love, A.E.H. A Treatise on the Mathematical Theory of Elasticity. 4th ed. NY:
Dover Publications, 1944.
• MacNeal, R.H., and Harder, R.L. "A Proposed Standard Set of Problems to
Test Finite Element Accuracy." Finite Elements in Analysis and Design I.
Elsevier Science Publishers, 1985.
• MacNeal-Schwendler Corporation. MSC/NASTRAN Verification Problem
Manual. MSC/NASTRAN Version 64, January, 1986.
• Meriam, J.L. Engineering Mechanics, Vol. 2: Dynamics. NY: John Wiley and
Sons, Inc. 1978.
• Noor, A.K., and Mathers, M.D., "Shear-Flexible Finite-Element Models of
Laminated Composite Plates and Shells." NASA TN D-8044. Langley Research
Center, Hampton, VA. December, 1975.
• Roark, R. J., and Young, W. Formulas for Stress and Strain. 5th ed. NY:
McGraw-Hill, 1982.
• Schneider, P. J. Conduction Heat Transfer. 2nd ed. MA: Addison-Wesley
Publishing Co., Inc., 1957.
1086
• Shigley, J.E., and Uicker, J.J. Theory of Machines and Mechanisms. NY:
McGraw-Hill. 1980.
• Swanson Analysis Systems, Incorporated. ANSYS Verification Manual.
• Thomson, W.T. Theory of Vibration with Applications. NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
2nd printing, 1981.
• Timoshenko, S. Strength of Materials, Part II, Advanced Theory and
Problems. 3rd ed. NY: D. Van Nostrand Co., Inc. 1956.
• Timoshenko, S., and Young, D.H. Vibration Problems in Engineering. 3rd ed.
NY: D. Van Nostrand Co., Inc. 1955.
Additional references pertaining to specific problems are listed where applicable.
1087
Static Analysis Problems
This chapter contains static analysis problems and Structure's results. In a Static
analysis, Structure calculates deformations, stresses, and strains on your model in
response to specified loads and subject to specified constraints. Structure also
automatically calculates all predefined measures. This list of measures differs based
on the analysis type.
This chapter contains the following models:
Topic
mvss001: 2D Axisymmetric Cylindrical Shell

mvss002: 2D Axisymmetric Flat Circular Plate
mvss003: 2D Plane Stress Cantilever Plate
mvss004: 2D Plane Strain Thick-Walled Cylinder
mvss005: 2D Axisymmetric Thick-Walled Cylinder
mvss006: 3D Cantilever Beam
mvss007: 3D Beam with Multiple Constraints
mvss008: 3D Beam with Parallelogram-Shaped Shell Elements
mvss009: 3D Beam with Trapezoidal-Shaped Shell Elements
mvss010: 3D Curved Beam Modeled with Shells
mvss011: 3D Simply Supported Rectangular Plate
mvss012: 3D Clamped Rectangular Plate
mvss013: 3D Hemispherical Shell
mvss014: 3D Cantilever Beam Twisted by 90
mvss015: 3D Scordelis-Lo Roof
mvss016: 2D Axisymmetric Cylinder/Sphere
mvss017: 2D Tapered Membrane with Gravity Load
mvss018: 3D Z-Section Cantilevered Plate
mvss019: 3D Cylindrical Shell with Edge Moment
mvss020: Beam Sections
mvss021:Thick-Walled Cylinder Under Internal Pressure
mvss022: Thin-Walled Spherical Vessel Under Its Own Weight
mvsl001: Static Analysis of Composite Lay-up
mvss001: 2D Axisymmetric Cylindrical Shell

Analysis
Type: Static
Model Type: 2D Axisymmetric
Comparison: NASTRAN No. V2411
1088
Reference: • P.E. Grafton and D.R. Strome, "Analysis of

Axisymmetrical Shells by the Direct Stiffness Method,"
AIAA Journal, 1(10): 2342-2347.
• J.W. Jones and H.H. Fong, "Evaluation of NASTRAN,"
Structural Mechanics Software Series, Vol. IV (N. Perrone
and W. Pilkey, eds.), 1982.
Description: Find the radial deflection at the loaded end of a cantilever

cylinder that is modeled axisymmetrically.
Note: Element B is optional, but has been included here to increase the
accuracy of results in the area local to the loaded end and to reduce
computation time.
Specifications
Element Type: 2D shell (2)
Units: IPS
Dimensions: length: 6
radius: 5
thickness: 0.01
1089
Material Properties: Mass Density: 0 Poisson's Ratio: 0.3
Cost Per Unit Mass: 0 Thermal Expansion: 0
Young's Modulus: 1e7 Conductivity: 0
Constraint: placed on point A: fixed in all DOF
Load: placed on point C: FX = 1
Distribution: N/A
Spatial Variation: N/A
Comparison of Results Data
MSC/ %
Radial Deflection @ 2.8769e– 2.8715e–3 2.8725e– 0.15%

Load 3 3
(a=disp_x_radial)

Equations:
33
mvss002: 2D Axisymmetric Flat Circular Plate

Analysis
Type: Static
Comparison: ANSYS No. 15
1090
Reference: Timoshenko, S. Strength of Materials, Part II, Advanced Theory

and Problems. 3rd ed. NY: D. Van Nostrand Co., Inc. 1956, pp.
96, 97, and 103.
Description: A flat circular plate, modeled axisymmetrically, is subjected to

various edge constraints and surface loadings. Determine the
maximum stress for each case.
Specifications
Units: IPS
Dimensions: radius: 40
thickness: 1
1091
Constraints: Location Degrees of Freedom
clamped placed on point B: fixed in all DOF
simple placed on point B: fixed in TransX and TransY
Loads: Location/Magnitude: Distribution: Spatial Variation:
clamped placed on edge A-B: FY = –6 per unit area uniform
simple placed on edge A-B: FY = –1.5 per unit area uniform
%
Theory ANSYS Structure Difference
Maximum Stress 7200 7152 7200 0.0%

(m=max_prin_mag,
a=clamped)

Equations:
15
Maximum Stress –2970 –2989 29701 0.0%
(m=max_prin_mag,
1092
a=simple)

Equations:
16
1
Sign of result is dependent upon direction of load.
mvss003: 2D Plane Stress Cantilever Plate

Analysis
Type: Static
Model Type: 2D Plane Stress
Comparison: NASTRAN No. V2408A
Reference: Singer, Ferdinand L. Strength of Materials. Harper & Row, 1962,

Art. 52, p. 133.
Description: Find the bending stress at the fixed end for a cantilever plate
subjected to an in-plane shear load.
1093
Specifications
Element Type: 2D plate (1)
Units: IPS
height: 0.6
thickness: 0.1
Young's Modulus: 1.07e7 Conductivity: 0
Constraints: placed on edge A-B: fixed in TransX, TransY
Loads: placed on edge C-D: FY load per unit length = –200
Distribution: per unit length
Spatial Variation: uniform
The theoretical results are based on elementary beam theory. Structure models the
actual physical structure, capturing the singular stresses present at the constrained
corners. Setting Poisson's ratio equal to zero reduces the model to its elementary
form.
1094
MSC/ %
Bending Stress @ 6.0e4 5.5190e4 6.0121e4 0.20%

Node A
(m=max_stress_xx)

Equations:
22
mvss004: 2D Plane Strain Thick-Walled

Cylinder
Analysis
Type: Static
Model Type: 2D Plane Strain
Comparison: The MacNeal–Harder Accuracy Tests
Reference: MacNeal, R.H., and Harder, R.L. "A Proposed Standard Set of
Problems to Test Finite Element Accuracy." Finite Elements in
Analysis and Design I. Elsevier Science Publishers, 1985.
Description: A thick-walled cylinder, modeled symmetrically, is loaded with

unit internal pressure. Find the radial displacement at the inner
radius for three nearly incompressible materials.
1095
Specifications
Element Type: 2D solid (1)
Units: IPS
Dimensions: outer radius: 9.0
inner radius: 3.0
Material Properties: Mass Density: 0 Poisson's Ratio:
Cost Per Unit Mass: 0 • 0.49 (case 1)

• 0.499 (case 2)
Young's Modulus: 1000 • 0.4999 (case 3)
Thermal Expansion: 0
Conductivity: 0
Constraints (UCS): placed on edges A-B & C-D:
fixed in all DOF except TransR
1096
Loads: placed on edge A-D: pressure load = 1
Distribution: per unit length
Theory Structure % Difference
Radial Displacement @ Inner 5.0399e– 5.0395e– < 0.01%

Radius (case 1) 3 3
(m=rad_disp)
Convergence %: 0.2% on Local Disp and SE Max P: 6 No. Equations:

38
Radial Displacement @ Inner 5.0602e– 5.0555e– 0.09%

Radius (case 2) 3 3
(m=rad_disp)

38
Radial Displacement @ Inner 5.0623e– 5.0577e– 0.09%

Radius (case 3) 3 3
(m=rad_disp)
1097

46
mvss005: 2D Axisymmetric Thick-Walled

Cylinder
Analysis
Type: Static
Reference: Crandall S.H., Dahl N.C. , and Larnder T.J. An Introduction to

the Mechanics of Solids. 2nd ed. NY: McGraw-Hill Book Co.,
1972, pp. 293-297.
Description: Find the stress at radii r = 6.5" and r = 11.5". A thick-walled

cylinder is modeled axisymmetrically and subjected to internal
pressure.
1098
Specifications
Units: IPS
Dimensions: inner radius: 6
height: 8
thickness: 6
Material Properties: Mass Density: 0 Poisson's Ratio: 0
Constraints (UCS): placed on edges A-D & B-C: fixed in TransY and RotZ
Loads: placed on edge A-B: pressure load = 10
Distribution: per unit area
MSC/ %
@ Stress Radial –8.03 –8.05 –7.9721 0.72%
r= (m=r6_5_radial)
6.5
1099
Stress Hoop 14.69 14.73 14.69 0.0%
(m=r6_5_hoop)
@ Stress Radial –.30 –.30 –.26636 2.98%
r= (m=r11_5_radial)
11.5
Stress Hoop 6.96 6.96 6.96 0.0%
(m=r11_5_hoop)
Convergence %: 0.1% on Local Disp Max P: 4 No. Equations: 54

and SE
mvss006: 3D Cantilever Beam

Analysis
Type: Static
Model Type: 3D
Reference: Roark, R.J., and Young, W.C. Formulas for Stress and Strain.
NY: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1982, p. 96.
Description: A cantilever beam is subjected to a load at the free end. Find

the deflection at the free end and the bending stress at the
fixed end.
1100
Specifications
Element Type: beam (1)
Units: IPS
Beam Properties: Area: 0.310 J: 0.0631
IYY: 0.0241 IZZ: 0.0390
Shear FY: 10001 Shear FZ: 10001
CY: 0.5 CZ: 0.375
Constraints: placed on point A: fixed in all DOF
Loads: placed on point B: FY = 100
1101
Distribution: N/A
1
Structure beams consider shear; however, the represented theoretical problem
does not. The values for shear factor compensate for this.
MSC/ %
Deflection @ Tip 2.3077 2.3077 2.3077 0.0%
(m=max_disp_y)
Bending Stress @ Fixed 38461 38461 38461 0.0%

End
(m=max_beam_bending)

Equations:
24
mvss007: 3D Beam with Multiple Constraints

Analysis
Type: Static
Model Type: 3D
Reference: Timoshenko, S. Strength of Materials, Part I, Elementary Theory

and Problems. 3rd ed. NY: D. Van Nostrand Co., Inc., 1955,
p. 98, Problem 4.
Description: A standard 30" WF beam, supported as shown below, is loaded
1102
on the overhangs uniformly. Find the maximum bending stress

and deflection at the middle of the beam.
Specifications
Units: IPS
Beam Properties: Area: 50.65 J: 7893
IYY: 1 IZZ: 7892
Shear FY: 0.8333 Shear FZ: 0.8333
CY: 15 CZ: 15
1103
Constraints Location Degrees of Freedom
placed on point B: fixed in all DOF except RotY and RotZ
placed on point D: fixed in TransY and TransZ
Loads: Location/Magnitude: Distribution: Spatial

Variation:
placed on edge A-B: FY = – per unit uniform

833.33 length
uniform
placed on edge D-E: FY = – per unit
833.33 length
%
Max Bending Stress @ 11400 11404 11404 0.03%

Middle
(m=max_beam_bending)
Max Deflection @ Middle 0.182 0.182 0.182 0.0%
(m=disp_center)

Equations:
96
1104
mvss008: 3D Beam with Parallelogram-

Shaped Shell Elements
Analysis
Type: Static
Model Type: 3D
Description: A straight cantilever beam, constructed of parallelogram-shaped

elements, is subjected to four different unit loads at the free
end, including
• extension
• in-plane shear
• out-of-plane shear
• twisting loads
Find the tip displacement in the direction of the load for

each case.
1105
Specifications
Element Type: shell (3)
Units: IPS
width: 0.2
thickness: 0.1
Constraints: placed on edge A-D: fixed in all DOF
extension placed on edge B-C: FX = 1 total load uniform
in_plane placed on edge B-C: FY = –1 total load uniform
out_plane placed on edge B-C: FZ = 1 total load uniform
twist placed on point E: MX = 1 total load N/A
1106
Tip Disp. in Direction of 3e–5 2.998e–5 0.06%

Load
(l=extension,
m=max_disp_x)
Tip Disp. in Direction of –0.1081

Load
–0.1078 0.27%
(l=in_plane,
m=max_disp_y)
Tip Disp. in Direction of 0.4321 0.4310 0.27%

Load
(l=out_plane,
m=max_disp_z)

Load
(l=twist,
m=max_rot_x)
Convergence %: 0.9% on Local Disp Max P: 6 No. Equations:

and SE 396
1
There is a typographical error in Table 3 (p. 10) of MacNeal-Harder for the twist
load on a straight beam. It should read 0.03408.
1107
mvss009: 3D Beam with Trapezoidal-Shaped

Shell Elements
Analysis
Type: Static
Model Type: 3D
Description: A straight cantilever beam, constructed of trapezoidal-shaped

elements, is subjected to four different unit loads at the free
end, including
• extension
• in-plane shear
• out-of-plane shear
• twisting
Find the tip displacement in the direction of the load for

each case.
1108
Specifications
Units: IPS
width: 0.2
thickness: 0.1
extension placed on edge B-C: FX = 1 total load uniform
in_plane placed on edge B-C: FY = –1 total load uniform
twist placed on point E: MX = 1 total load N/A
1109
Tip Disp. in Direction of 3e–5 2.998e–5 0.08%

Load
(l=extension,
m=max_disp_x)
Tip Disp. in Direction of –0.1081 –0.1078 0.32%

Load
(l=in_plane,
m=max_disp_y)
Tip Disp. in Direction of 0.4321 .4307 0.32%

Load
(l=out_plane,
m=max_disp_z)

Load
(l=twist,
m=max_rot_x)

and SE 492
1
There is a typographical error in Table 3 (p. 10) of the McNeal-Harder reference for
the twist load on a straight beam. It should read 0.03408.
1110
mvss010: 3D Curved Beam Modeled with

Shells
Analysis
Type: Static
Model Type: 3D
Description: A curved beam, spanning a 90 arc, is fixed at one end and free
at the other. If the beam is subjected to in-plane and out-of-
plane loads at the free end, find the tip displacement in the
direction of the load for both cases.
1111
Specifications
Units: IPS
inner radius: 4.12
thickness: 0.1
in_plane placed on edge B-C: FY = 1 total load uniform
Tip Displacement in 0.08734 0.08834 1.14%

Direction of Load
(l=in_plane, m=tip_disp_y)
1112

Direction of Load
(l=out_plane, m=tip_disp_z)
Convergence %: 0.3% on Local Disp and Max P: 6 No. Equations:

SE 234
mvss011: 3D Simply Supported Rectangular

Plate
Analysis
Type: Static
Model Type: 3D
Description: A flat plate is simply supported on all four edges. One quarter of
the plate is modeled using symmetry. The plate is loaded with
two different loads, including uniform pressure and a point load
at the center. Find the displacement at the center of the plate.
1113
Specifications
Units: IPS
width: 1
thickness: 0.0001
placed on edges A-D, C-D: fixed in TransX, TransY, and TransZ
placed on edge A-B: fixed in TransY, RotX, and RotZ
placed on edge B-C: fixed in TransX, RotY, and RotZ
pressure placed on all shells: total load per unit area uniform
pressure = 1e–4
point placed on B: FZ = 1e–4 N/A N/A
1114
Displacement @ Center –12.97 –12.97 0.0%
(l=pressure,
m=disp_z_cen)
Displacement @ Center 16.96 16.80 0.94%
(l=point,
m=disp_z_cen)

and SE 465
mvss012: 3D Clamped Rectangular Plate

Analysis
Type: Static
Model Type: 3D
Description: One quarter of a rectangular plate, clamped on four edges, is

modeled using symmetry. The plate is loaded with two different
loads, including uniform pressure and a point load at center.
Find the displacement at the center of the plate.
1115
Specifications
Units: IPS
width: 1
thickness: 0.0001
placed on edges A-D, D-C: fixed in all DOF
placed on edge A-B: fixed in TransY, RotX, and RotZ
1116
placed on edge B-C: fixed in TransX, RotY, and RotZ
pressure placed on all shells: per unit area uniform
pressure = 1e–4
point placed on B: FZ = 1e–4 N/A N/A
(l=pressure,
m=measure1)
(l=point,
m=measure1)
Convergence %: 1.1% on Local Max P: 9 No. Equations:

Disp and SE 823
1117
mvss013: 3D Hemispherical Shell

Analysis
Type: Static
Model Type: 3D
Description: One quarter of an open hemisphere is modeled with symmetry

and loaded with alternating point loads at 90 intervals on the
equator. Find the radial displacement at any load point.
1118
Specifications
Units: IPS
(using a one-quarter model) arc span: 90o
thickness: 0.04
placed on curve A-C: fixed in TransP, RotR, and RotT
placed on curve G-E: fixed in TransP, RotR, and RotT
placed on point D fixed in TransT
Loads: Location/Magnitude: Distribution: Spatial Variation
placed on point C: FR = –1 N/A N/A
placed on E: FR = 1 N/A N/A
1119
Radial Displacement @ 0.0924 0.0933 0.97%

Load
(m=disp_rad)

Disp and SE 965
mvss014: 3D Cantilever Beam Twisted by 90

Analysis
Type: Static
Model Type: 3D
Description: A cantilever beam, twisted by 90 , is subjected to in-plane and

out-of-plane loads at the free end. Find the tip displacement in
the direction of the load for each case.
1120
Specifications
Element Type: solid (2)
Units: IPS
width: 1.1
thickness: 0.32
angle of twist 90o (from fixed to free end)
1121
Constraints: placed on root surface: fixed in all DOF

Variation:
in_plane placed on free end surface: FY = total load uniform

1
out_plane placed on free end surface: FZ = total load uniform

1

Direction of Load
1122
(l=in_plane, m=disp_tip_y1)

Direction of Load
(l=out_of_plane,
m=disp_tip_z1)
Convergence %: 0.8% on Local Disp and Max P: 6 No. Equations:

SE 303
mvss015: 3D Scordelis-Lo Roof

Analysis
Type: Static
Model Type: 3D
Description: A Scordelis-Lo roof is one-quarter of an arched roof modeled

using symmetry and loaded uniformly. Find the vertical
displacement at the midpoint of the straight side (of the whole
roof).
1123
Specifications
Units: IPS
(using a one-quarter model) radius: 25
arc span: 40
thickness: 0.25
1124
(UCS) placed on curve A-B: fixed in TransZ, RotR, and RotT
(UCS) placed on curve A-D: fixed in TransT, RotZ, and RotR
(UCS) placed on curve C-D fixed in TransR and TransT

Variation:
placed on face A-B-C-D: FZ = – per unit area uniform

90
1125
Vertical Displacement @ 0.3024 0.3008 0.53%

Point B
(m=disp_z_mid)

and SE 148
mvss016: 2D Axisymmetric Cylinder/Sphere

Analysis
Type: Static
Reference: NAFEMS, LSB1, No. IC 39
Description: An axisymmetric cylinder and half-sphere vessel is loaded with

uniform internal pressure. Find the hoop stress on the outer
surface at point D.
1126
Specifications
Units: MNS
thickness: 0.025
Material Properties: Mass Density: 0.007 Poisson's Ratio: 0.3
Young's Modulus: 210000 Conductivity: 0
1127
constraint1 placed on point A: fixed in TransX and RotZ
placed on point E: fixed in TransY
Loads: Location/Magnitude:
load1 placed on all 2D shell elements: internal pressure = 1
Theory Structure1 % Difference
Szz on outer surface 38.5 38.62 0.3%

Disp and SE 72
1
You cannot view the results information in the summary file. To view the results,
you must define a result window for the Stress ZZ (Bottom), and query the value at
1128
point D.
mvss017: 2D Tapered Membrane with Gravity

Load
Analysis Static
Type:
Model Type: Plane Stress
Description: A tapered membrane has uniform acceleration in the global X

direction. Find the direct stress Sxx at point B.
1129
Specifications
Units: MNS
Dimensions: thickness: 0.1
constraint1 placed on curves A-B, B-C: fixed in TransX
placed on point B: fixed in TransX, TransY
Loads: Location/Magnitude:
load1 Global acceleration: GX=9.81
1130
Stress XX at point B 0.247 0.247 0%
(m=measure1)

and SE 136
mvss018: 3D Z-Section Cantilevered Plate

Analysis Static
Type:
Model Type: 3D
Description: A Z-section cantilevered plate is subjected to a torque at the

free end by two uniformly distributed edge shears. Find the
direct stress Sxx at the mid-plane of the plate.
1131
Specifications
Units: MNS
thickness: 0.1
1132
constraint1 placed on curves A-B, B-C, and fixed in TransX, TransY, and
C-D: TransZ
Loads: Location/Magnitude: Distribution Spatial Variation
load1 placed on curve E-F: FZ=0.6 total load uniform
placed on curve G-H: FZ=–0.6 total load uniform
Sxx at mid-surface at –108.8 –110.05 1.1%

point M
1133

Disp and SE 870
1
you must define a result window for the measure Stress XX (Top and Bottom), and
query the value at point M. Then average the top (–114.9) and bottom (–105.2)
values.
mvss019: 3D Cylindrical Shell with Edge

Moment
Analysis Static
Type:
Model Type: 3D
Description: A cylindrical shell in 3D space is loaded with a uniform normal

edge moment on one edge. Find the outer surface tangential
stress at point E.
1134
Specifications
Units: MNS
thickness: 0.01
1135
constraint1 placed on curve A-B: fixed in all DOF
placed on curves A-D and B-C: fixed in TransZ, RotX, and RotY
Loads: Location/Magnitude: Distribution Spatial

Variation
load1 placed on curve C-D: force per unit uniform

MZ=0.001 length
Sxx on outer surface 60.0 59.6 .67%
1136
at point E

Disp and SE 66
1
you must define a result window for measure Stress XX (Top) with Face Grid on, and
query the value at point E.
mvss020: Beam Sections

Analysis Static
Type:
Model Type: 3D
Comparison: Theory
5th Edition. NY: McGraw–Hill Book Co. 1982, p. 64.
Description: A cantilever beam is subjected to transverse loads in Y and Z

and axial load in X . Find the deflection at the free end, the
bending stress at the fixed end, and the axial stress along the
beam.
1137
This Beam Sections model contains the following element types and corresponding
results:
Topic
Square Beam
Rectangle Beam
Hollow Rectangle Beam
Channel Beam
I-Section Beam
L-Section Beam
Diamond Beam
Solid Circle Beam
Hollow Circle Beam
Ellipse Beam
Hollow Ellipse Beam
Note: In all cases, the displacement results are dependent upon the direction of the
load. Thus, in this problem, all the results listed as Deflection at Tip may be
interpreted as positive or negative.
1138
Square Beam
Specifications
Element Type: Square Beam
Units: IPS
Dimensions: a: 0.25
IYY: 0.000325521 IZZ: 0.000325521
CY: 0.125 CZ: 0.125
Load: Location: Magnitude:
1139
axial placed on point B FX=100
transverse y placed on point B FY=100
transverse z placed on point B FZ=100
1
Comparison of Results Data (Square Beam)
Deflection at Tip:
Load Measure Name Theory Structure % Difference
axial sq_d_x 1.6e–3 1.6e–3 0%
transverse y sq_d_y 9.216e1 9.215996e1 0%
transverse z sq_d_z 9.216e1 9.215996e1 0%
1140
Stress:
axial sq_s_ten 1.6e3 1.6e3 0%
transverse y sq_s_bnd 1.152003e6 1.151999e6 0%
transverse z sq_s_bnd 1.152003e6 1.151999e6 0%
Convergence:
Load Lcl Disp Max No.

& SE P Equations
axial 0% 4 264
transverse
1141
y 0% 4 264
transverse 0% 4 264
z
Rectangle Beam
Specifications
Element Type: Rectangle Beam
Units: IPS
Dimensions: b: 1
d: 0.25
IYY: 0.0208333 IZZ: 0.00130208
CY: 0.125 CZ: 0.5
1142
1
Comparison of Results Data (Rectangle Beam)
Deflection at Tip:
1143
axial rct_d_x 4.0e–4 4.0e–4 0%
transverse y rct_d_y 2.304e1 2.304e1 0%
transverse z rct_d_z 1.44 1.44 0%
Stress:
axial rct_s_ten 4.0e2 4.0e2 0%
transverse y rct_s_bnd 2.880e5 2.880e5 0%
transverse z rct_s_bnd 7.200e4 7.200e4 0%
1144
Convergence:

& SE P Equations
axial 0% 4 264
transverse 0% 4 264
y
transverse 0% 4 264
z
Hollow Rectangle Beam

Specifications
Element Type: Hollow Rectangle Beam
Units: IPS
1145
Dimensions: b: 1
bi: 0.875
d: 0.25
di: 0.125
IYY: 0.013855 IZZ: 0.00115967
CY: 0.125 CZ: 0.5
1146
1
Comparison of Results Data (Hollow Rectangle Beam)
Deflection at Tip:
axial hrct_d_x 7.112e–4 7.111e–4 0.02%
transverse y hrct_d_y 2.5869e1 2.5869e1 0%
transverse z hrct_d_z 2.1653 2.1653 0%
Stress:
1147
axial hrct_s_ten 7.112e2 7.111e2 0.02%
transverse y hrct_s_bnd 3.2337e5 3.2337e5 0%
transverse z hrct_s_bnd 1.0826e5 1.0826e5 0%
Convergence:
Load Lcl Max No. Equations

Disp & P
SE
axial 0% 4 264
transverse y 0% 4 264
transverse z 0% 4 264
1148
Channel Beam
Specifications
Element Type: Channel Beam
Units: IPS
Dimensions: b: 1
di: 1
t: 0.125
tw: 0.125
IYY: 0.0369466 IZZ: 0.0898438
Shear FY: 10001 Shear FZ: 10001a
CY: 0.625 CZ: 0.645833
1149
1
Comparison of Results Data (Channel Beam)
Deflection at Tip:
axial chnl_d_x 2.6667e–4 2.6667e–4 0%
transverse y chnl_d_y 3.339e–1 3.339e–1 0%
1150
transverse z chnl_d_z 8.1198e–1 8.1198e–1 0%
Stress:
axial chnl_s_ten 2.6667e2 2.6667e2 0%
transverse y chnl_s_bnd 2.087e4 2.087e4 0%
transverse z chnl_s_bnd 5.244e4 5.244e4 0%
Convergence:

& SE P Equations
axial 0% 4 264
1151
transverse 0% 4 264
y
transverse 0% 4 264
z
I-Section Beam
Specifications
Element Type: I-Section Beam
Units: IPS
Dimensions: b: 1
di: 1
t: 0.125
tw: 0.125
1152
IYY: 0.0209961 IZZ: 0.0898438
CY: 0.625 CZ: 0.5
1
1153
Comparison of Results Data (I-Section Beam)
Deflection at Tip:
axial I_d_x 2.6667e–4 2.6667e–4 0%
transverse y I_d_y 3.3391e–1 3.3391e–1 0%
transverse z I_d_z 1.4288 1.4288 0%
Stress:
axial I_s_ten 2.6667e2 2.6667e2 0%
1154
transverse y I_s_bnd 2.0870e4 2.0870e4 0%
transverse z I_s_bnd 7.1442e4 7.1442e4 0%
Convergence:

& SE P Equations
axial 0% 4 264
transverse 0% 4 264
y
transverse 0% 4 264
z
1155
L-Section Beam
Specifications
Element Type: L-Section Beam
Units: IPS
Dimensions: b: 1
d: 1
t: 0.125
tw: 0.125
IYY: 0.0105794 IZZ: 0.0423177
CY: 0.789352 CZ: 0.433047
1156
1
Comparison of Results Data (L-Section Beam)
Deflection at Tip:
axial L_d_x 4.0e–4 4.0e–4 0%
transverse y L_d_y 7.0892e–1 7.0892e–1 0%
1157
transverse z L_d_z 2.8357 2.8357 0%
Stress:
axial L_s_ten 4e2 4e2 0%
transverse y L_s_bnd 5.5611e4 5.5959e4 0.62%
transverse z L_s_bnd 1.228e5 1.228e5 0%
Convergence:

& SE P Equations
1158
axial 0% 4 264
transverse 0% 4 264
y
transverse 0% 4 264
z
Diamond Beam
Specifications
Element Type: Diamond Beam
Units: IPS
Dimensions: b: 0.25
d: 0.25
1159
IYY: 8.13802e–5 IZZ: 8.13802e–5
CY: 0.125 CZ: 0.125
1
1160
Comparison of Results Data (Diamond Beam)
Deflection at Tip:
axial dmnd_d_x 3.2e–3 3.2e–3 0%
transverse y dmnd_d_y 3.6864e2 3.6864e2 0%
transverse z dmnd_d_z 3.6864e2 3.6864e2 0%
Stress:
axial dmnd_s_ten 3.2e3 3.2e3 0%
transverse y dmnd_s_bnd 4.608e6 4.608e6 0%
1161
transverse z dmnd_s_bnd 4.608e6 4.608e6 0%
Convergence:

& SE P Equations
axial 0% 4 264
transverse 0% 4 264
y
transverse 0% 4 264
z
1162
Solid Circle Beam

Specifications
Element Type: Solid Circle Beam
Units: IPS
Dimensions: r: 0.25
IYY: 0.00306796 IZZ: 0.00306796
CY: 0.25 CZ: 0.25
Constraints:
placed on point A: fixed in all DOF
1163
1
Comparison of Results Data (Solid Circle Beam)
Deflection at Tip:
axial crcl_d_x 5.093e–4 5.093e–4 0%
transverse y crcl_d_y 9.77848 9.77848 0%
transverse z crcl_d_z 9.77848 9.77848 0%
1164
Stress:
axial crcl_s_ten 5.093e2 5.093e2 0%
transverse y crcl_s_bnd 2.44462e5 2.44462e5 0%
transverse z crcl_s_bnd 2.44462e5 2.44462e5 0%
Convergence:

& SE P Equations
axial 0% 4 264
transverse
1165
y 0% 4 264
transverse 0% 4 264
z
Hollow Circle Beam

Specifications
Element Type: Hollow Circle Beam
Units: IPS
Dimensions: ri: 0.25
IYY: 0.00287621 IZZ: 0.00287621
CY: 0.25 CZ: 0.25
1166
Constraints:
placed on point A: fixed in all DOF
1
Comparison of Results Data (Hollow Circle Beam)
Deflection at Tip:
axial hcr_d_x 6.7906e–4 6.7906e–4 0%
1167
transverse y hcr_d_y 1.04304e1 1.04304e1 0%
transverse z hcr_d_z 1.04304e1 1.04304e1 0%
Stress:
axial hcr_s_ten 6.7906e2 6.7906e2 0%
transverse y hcr_s_bnd 2.6076e5 2.6076e5 0%
transverse z hcr_s_ten 2.6076e5 2.6076e5 0%
Convergence:
1168
& SE P Equations
axial 0% 4 264
transverse 0% 4 264
y
transverse 0% 4 264
z
Ellipse Beam
Specifications
Element Type: Ellipse Beam
Units: IPS
Dimensions: a: 1
b: 0.25
1169
IYY: 0.19635 IZZ: 0.0122718
CY: 0.25 CZ: 1
1
1170
Comparison of Results Data (Ellipse Beam)
Deflection at Tip:
axial elps_d_x 1.2732e–4 1.2732e–4 0%
transverse y elps-d_y 1.527887e–1 1.527887e–1 0%
transverse z elps_d_z 2.4446 2.4446 0%
Stress:
axial elps_s_ten 1.273239e2 1.27324e2 0%
transverse y elps_s_bnd 1.527887e4 1.527884e4 0%
1171
transverse z elps_s_bnd 6.11155e4 6.111573e4 0%
Convergence:

& SE P Equations
axial 0% 4 264
transverse 0% 4 264
y
transverse 0% 4 264
z
1172
Hollow Ellipse Beam

Specifications
Element Type: Hollow Ellipse Beam
Units: IPS
Dimensions: a: 1
b: 0.25
ai: 0.875
IYY: 0.081253 IZZ: 0.00507832
CY: 0.25 CZ: 1
1173
1
Comparison of Results Data (Hollow Ellipse Beam)
Deflection at Tip:
axial hel_d_x 5.4325e–4 5.4325e–4 0%
transverse y hel_d_y 3.6922e–1 3.6922e–1 0%
transverse z hel_d_z 5.9075 5.9075 0%
1174
Stress:
axial hel_s_ten 5.4325e2 5.4325e2 0%
transverse y hel_s_bnd 3.6922e4 3.6922e4 0%
transverse z hel_s_bnd 1.4769e5 1.4769e5 0%
Convergence:

& SE P Equations
axial 0% 4 264
transverse
1175
y 0% 4 264
transverse 0% 4 264
z
mvss021:Thick-Walled Cylinder Under

Internal Pressure
Analysis Static
Type:
Model Type: 3D
NY: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 5th edition, Table 32, Case 1.
Description: A thick-walled cylinder subjected to an internal pressure is free

to expand in all directions. Obtain maximum radial and
circumferential stresses.
1176
Specifications
Element Type: tets (133)
Units: IPS
Ro: 6
Ri: 4
1177
Cost Per Unit Mass: 0 Thermal Expansion: 1.25e–05
Young's Modulus: 1.06e7 Conductivity: 9.254
constraint1 placed on point A: fixed in TransX, TransY, and TransZ
placed on point B: fixed in TransY
placed on point D: fixed in TransY and TransZ
Loads: Location/Magnitude: Distribution Spatial

Variation
pressure placed on all internal surfaces: — total load/unit uniform

pressure = 1000 area
1178
yy along edges C-E & F-G 2600 2630 1.2%
xx along edges C-E & F-G 1000 1003 0.03%
Multi-Pass Convergence %: The analysis Max P: 7 No. Equations:

converged to within 0.2% on measures. 12411
mvss022: Thin-Walled Spherical Vessel Under

Its Own Weight
Analysis Static
Type:
Model Type: 3D — Cyclic Symmetric
NY: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 5th edition, Table 29, Case 3c.
Description: A thin-walled half-spherical vessel is subjected to its own weight

(gravity load). Obtain the hoop stress at points A and B.
1179
Specifications
Element Type: shells (3)
Units: IPS
Dimensions: R: 10
1180
constraint1 Edges @ =0& = 90: cyclical symmetry
Edge @ z = 0: fixed in TransZ
Placed on point C @ fixed in TransR, TransT, and TransZ

r = 10, = 0, z = 0:
Load: Direction: Magnitude:
gravity x 0.0
y 386.4
z 0.0
%
Theory Structure Difference
zz at point A: 1 0.989 1.1%
1181
tt at point B: -1 -0.983 1.7%
Multi-Pass Adaptive Convergence %: The analysis Max P: 9 No.

converged to within 4.9% on Local Displacement and Equations:
Element Strain Energy. It converged to 1.7% on Global 773
RMS Stress.
mvsl001: Static Analysis of Composite Lay-up

Analysis Static with Orthotropic Material Properties
Type:
Model Type: 3D
Comparison: Theory
Reference: Noor, A.K. and Mathers, M.D., "Shear-Flexible Finite-Element

Models of Laminated Composite Plates and Shells." NASA TN D-
8044; Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va. Dec. 1975.
Description: Determine maximum resultant bending moment and transverse

deformation in a clamped, nine-layered, orthotropic square
plate.
1182
Specifications
Units: IPS
Dimensions: length: 2.5
width: 2.5
thickness: 0.5
Shell Properties:
1183
Extensional Stiffness A11=10.266 A12=0.1252 A16=0
A22=10.266 A26=0
A66=0.3
Extensional–Bending B11=0 B12=0 B16=0

Coupling Stiffness
B22=0 B26=0
B66=0
Bending Stiffness D11=0.25965 D12=0.0026082 D16=0
D22=0.1681 D26=0
D66=0.00625
1184
Transverse Shear A55=0.275004 A45=0 A44=0.275004

Stiffnesses
Mass per Unit Area 7.2915e–5
Rotary Inertia per Unit Area 1.5191e–5
Thermal Resultant Coefficients:
Force N11=0 N22=0 N12=0
Moment M11=0 M22=0 M12=0
Stress Recovery CZ Ply Orientation Material

Locations (Degrees)
Location Reported for 0.25 0 trniso1

"Top" in Results
Location Reported for –0.25 0 trniso1

"Bottom" in Results
1185
Material Properties:
Mass Density: 0.00014583 Cost Per Unit Mass: 0
Young's Moduli E1=4e1 E2=1 E3=1
Poisson's Ratio Nu21=0.25 Nu31=0.25 Nu32=0
Shear Moduli G21=0.6 G31=0.6 G32=
E2/[2*(1+Nu32)]
Coefficients of a1=0 a2=0 a3=0

Thermal Expansion
Constraints: • symmetry constraints on edges B-C and C-D

• clamped on edges A-B and A-D
Loads:
uniform pressure load over the entire surface = 1
1186
Displacement 11.596 11.596 0%
Bending Moment1 1.4094 1.40638 0.21%
Convergence %: 0.2 % on local displacement and Max P: 5 No.

element strain energy and 0.5% on global RMS stress. Equations:
223
1
To verify this Mechanica result, create a query result window for the quantity —
Moment:Shell Resultant:XX. Show the result window and query for the value in the
upper left corner of the model. This is obtained using View:Model Min. The absolute
value of this negative number is greater than the value reported using View:Model
Max and is reported here.
1187
Modal Analysis Problems
This chapter contains modal analysis problems and Mechanica's results. In a modal
analysis, Structure calculates the natural frequencies and mode shapes of your
model. Structure also automatically calculates all predefined measures. This list of
measures differs based on the analysis type.
This chapter contains the following modal problems:
Topic
mvsm001: 2D Plane Strain Shell Cantilever Plate
mvsm002: 2D Plane Stress Cantilever Plate
mvsm003: 2D Plane Strain Solid Cantilever Plate
mvms004: 2D Axisymmetric Radial Vibration of an Annulus
mvsm005: 3D Radial Vibration of a Ring
mvsm006: 3D Cantilever Wedge-Shaped Plate
mvsm007: 3D Cantilever Cylindrical Shell
mvsm008: 3D Solid Wedge-Shaped Plate
mvsm009: 3D In-Plane Vibration of a Pin-Ended Cross
mvsm010: 3D Annular Plate Axisymmetric Vibration
mvsm001: 2D Plane Strain Shell Cantilever

Plate
Analysis
Type: Modal
Comparison: Theoretical Results
1188
Reference: Roark, R.J. and Young, W.C. Formulas for Stress and Strain.
NY: McGraw-Hill Book Co. 1982. pp. 576–578.
Description: Find the fundamental frequency of a cantilever plate modeled as

Specifications
Units: MKS
Dimensions: width: 2
thickness: 0.01
Constraint: placed on point A: fixed in all DOF
1189
Fundamental 2.1393 2.1375 0.08%

Frequency (Hz)
(mode=1)
Convergence %: 0.4% on Max P: 4 No.

Frequency Equations: 12
mvsm002: 2D Plane Stress Cantilever Plate

Analysis
Type: Modal
Model Type: 2D Plane Stress
Reference: Roark, R.J. and Young, W.C. Formulas for Stress and Strain.
Description: Find the fundamental frequency for the lateral vibration of a

cantilever plate.
1190
Specifications
Units: IPS
width: 4
thickness: 0.1
Material Properties: Mass Density: 7.28e–4 Poisson's Ratio: 0.3
Constraint: placed on edge A-B: fixed in TransX and TransY
1191
Fundamental 101.326 100.99 0.33%

Frequency (Hz)
(mode=1)

mvsm003: 2D Plane Strain Solid Cantilever

Plate
Analysis
Type: Modal
Reference: Roark, R.J., and Young, W.C. Formulas for Stress and Strain,
Description: Find the fundamental frequency of a cantilever plate modeled as

1192
Specifications
Units: IPS
width: 4
Constraint: placed on edge A-B: fixed in TransX, TransY, and RotZ
1193
Fundamental 106.219 106.50 0.26%

Frequency (Hz)
(mode=1)

mvsm004: 2D Axisymmetric Radial Vibration

of an Annulus
Analysis
Type: Modal
Reference: Timoshenko, S., and Young, D.H. Vibration Problems in

Engineering. 3rd ed. NY: D. Van Nostrand Co., Inc. 1955. p.
425, Art. 68.
Description: Find the fundamental frequency for the radial vibration of an

annulus modeled axisymmetrically.
1194
Specifications
Units: IPS
Dimensions: inner radius: 99.975
outer radius: 100.025
height: 0.05
Material Properties: Mass Density: 7.3e–4 Poisson's Ratio: 0
Constraints: placed on edge A-B: fixed in TransY and RotZ
placed on edge C-D: fixed in TransY and Rot Z
1195
%
Radial 322.64 322.64 322.64 0.0%

Frequency (Hz)
(model=1)
Convergence %: 0.0% on Max P: No. Equations: 10

Frequency 2
mvsm005: 3D Radial Vibration of a Ring

Analysis
Type: Modal
Model Type: 3D
Reference: Love, A.E.H. A Treatise on the Mathematical Theory of Elasticity.

4th ed. NY: Dover Publications. 1944. p. 452, Art. 293b.
Description: Determine the first and second modal frequencies for the radial
vibration of a ring modeled as a one-quarter model.
1196
Specifications
Units: IPS
Beam Properties: Area: 0.01 J: 1.008e–3
IYY: 1e–3 IZZ: 8.33e–6
CY: 1 CZ: 1
1197
Constraints: placed on point A: fixed in all DOF except TransX
placed on point B: fixed in all DOF except TransY
Mode 1 625.65 624.43 0.19%

Frequency (Hz)
Mode 2 3393.06 3369.13 0.70%

Frequency (Hz)

mvsm006: 3D Cantilever Wedge-Shaped Plate

Analysis
Type: Modal
Model Type: 3D

392, Art. 62.

cantilever, wedge-shaped plate.
1198
Specifications
Units: IPS
width: 4
thickness: 1
Constraint: placed on edge A-B: fixed in all DOF
1199
%
Frequency 259.16 260.99 259.15 0.004%

(Hz)
(mode=1)

Frequency 4
mvsm007: 3D Cantilever Cylindrical Shell

Analysis
Type: Modal
Model Type: 3D
Comparison: Theoretical results
Reference: Roark, R.J., and Young, W.C. Formula for Stress and Strain. NY:
McGraw-Hill Co. 1982. p. 576.
Description: A cantilever cylindrical shell is modeled as a half cylinder using

symmetry. Find the fundamental frequency.
1200
Specifications
Units: IPS
radius: 1
thickness: 0.1
1201
Constraint: placed on edge A-B: fixed in all DOF
placed on edge A-C, B-D: fixed in TransX, RotY, and RotZ
Frequency (Hz) 62.05 62.08 0.05%
(mode=1)
Convergence %: 0.3% on Max P: 6 No. Equations:

Frequency 246
mvsm008: 3D Solid Wedge-Shaped Plate

Analysis
Type: Modal
Model Type: 3D

392, Art. 62.

cantilever, wedge-shaped plate.
1202
Specifications
Units: IPS
width: 4
depth: 1
Constraint: placed on face A-B-C-D: fixed in all DOF
1203
%
Fundamental 259.16 260.99 259.25 0.03%

Frequency (Hz)
(mode=1)

Frequency 4
1204
mvsm009: 3D In-Plane Vibration of a Pin-

Ended Cross
Analysis
Type: Modal
Model Type: 3D
Reference: NAFEMS, SBNFA (November 1987), Test 1.
Description: Determine the first to eighth modal frequencies for the in-plane
vibration of a cross with a pin joint at points A, B, C, & D.
1205
Specifications
Units: NMS
Beam Properties: Area: 0.015625 J: 4.069e–5
IYY: 2.0345e–5 IZZ: 2.0345e–5
CY: 0.0625 CZ: 0.0625
Constraints: placed on points A, B, C, D: fixed TransX, TransY, TransZ
placed on beams A-O, B-O, C-O, D-O: fixed in TransZ
Mode 1 Frequency 11.336 11.324 0.11%

(Hz)
1206
Mode 2 & 3 17.709 17.637 0.4%

Frequency (Hz)
Mode 4 Frequency 17.709 17.665 0.2%

(Hz)
Mode 5 Frequency 45.345 45.155 0.4%

(Hz)
Mode 6 & 7 57.390 56.692 1.2%

Frequency (Hz)
Mode 8 Frequency 57.390 57.002 0.7%

(Hz)
Convergence %: 3.4% on Max P: 8 No. Equations:

Frequency 157
mvsm010: 3D Annular Plate Axisymmetric

Vibration
Analysis
Type: Modal
Model Type: 3D
Reference: NAFEMS, SBNFA (November 1987), Test 53.
Description: Determine the first to fifth modal frequencies for the

axisymmetric vibration of an annular plate.
1207
Specifications
Units: NMS
outer radius: 6
height: 0.6
1208
constraint1 placed on surfaces ABCD, BCNO, ADMP, fixed in TransT, RotR,

ABMN, CDPO, MNOP and RotZ
placed on curve MP fixed in TransZ
Modal 1 18.583 18.551 0.17%

Frequency (Hz)
Modal 2 140.15 138.22 1.4%

Frequency (Hz)
Modal 3 224.16 224.16 0%

Frequency (Hz)
1209
Modal 4 358.29 355.80 0.7%

Frequency (Hz)
Modal 5 629.19 620.43 1.4%

Frequency (Hz)
Convergence %: 1.3 on Max P: 9 No. Equations:

Frequency 1044
1210
Steady-State Thermal Analysis Problems
This chapter contains thermal analysis problems and Thermal's results. In a steady-
state thermal analysis, Thermal calculates the thermal response of your model to
specified heat loads and subject to specified constraints. Thermal also automatically
calculates all predefined measures that apply to a model.
Topic
mvts001: 3D Cooling Fin with Beam Element
mvts002: 2D Plate with Convection
mvts003: 2D Axisymmetric Cylinder with Prescribed Flux
mvts004: 2D Axisymmetric Hollow Cylinder with Central Heat Source
mvts005: 2D Unit Depth Two-Layer Wall Temperatures
mvts006: 3D Cooling Fin with Solid Elements
mvts007: 3D Solid Cylinder Temperature Distribution
mvts008: 3D Shell with Prescribed Temperature
mvts001: 3D Cooling Fin with Beam Element

Analysis
Type: Steady-State Thermal
Model Type: 3D
Reference: Kreith, F. Principles of Heat Transfer. 2nd ed. PA: International

Textbook Co., 1959.
Description: A cooling fin of square cross-sectional area is surrounded by
1211
fluid, with one end maintained at a certain temperature, and the

other end insulated. Find the temperature at the insulated tip, B.
Specifications
Units: Hr Ft Btu F
IYY: 0 IZZ: 0
CY: 0 CZ: 0
1212
Cost Per Unit Mass: 0 Thermal Expansion:

0
Young's Modulus: 0
Conductivity: 25
Prescribed Location/Magnitude:
Temperatures:
therm_constr1 placed on point A: 100
Convection Conditions: Location/ Bulk Temperature:

Film Coefficient:
therm_constr1 placed on curve A-B: 0

0.333332
Theory ANSYS Thermal % Difference
Temperature at Tip B 68.594 68.618 68.583 0.16%

(m=tip_temp)
Convergence %: 0.0% on Local Temp and Max P: No.

Energy Index 5 Equations: 5
mvts002: 2D Plate with Convection

Analysis
Model Type: 2D Plate
Reference: NAFEMS, FEBSTA, No. T4
1213
Description: A plate with uniform thickness is insulated on one side and

surrounded by fluid on two other sides. The fourth side is
maintained at a certain temperature. Find the temperature at
point E.
Specifications
Units: Hr M W C
width: 0.6
1214
Material Properties: Mass Density: 0.08 Poisson's Ratio: 0
Cost Per Unit Mass: 0 Thermal Expansion:

0
Young's Modulus: 0
Conductivity: 52
Temperatures:
Convection Conditions: Location/ Bulk

Film Coefficient: Temperature:
therm_constr1 placed on curves C-D, B-E, C-E: 0

750
Theory Thermal % Difference
Temperature at Point E 18.3 18.3 0.0%

(m=pt_e_temp)
Convergence %: 1.0% on Local Temp and Max P: No. Equations:

Energy Index 9 79
mvts003: 2D Axisymmetric Cylinder with

Prescribed Flux
Analysis
1215
Reference: NAFEMS, BMTTA(S), No. 15(i)
Description: A cylinder has a prescribed heat flux around part of the

boundary. The bottom side is maintained at a certain
temperature and the top is insulated. Find the temperature at
point E.
Specifications
Units: Hr M W C
outer radius: 0.1
height: 0.05
1216
Prescribed Temperatures: Location/Magnitude:
Heat Loads Location/Magnitude Distribution Spatial Variation
therm_load1 placed on curve C-E: 500000 heat/time uniform

per unit area
Temperature at Target Point E 213.6 213.1 0.2%

(m=target_pt_temp)
Convergence %: 0.0% on Local Temp and Energy Max P: No. Equations:

Index 8 72
mvts004: 2D Axisymmetric Hollow Cylinder

with Central Heat Source
Analysis
1217
Reference: NAFEMS, BMTTA(S), No. 15 (iii)
Description: A hollow cylinder has a prescribed heat flux over the central part
of the inner surface; the ends are insulated. The top, bottom,
and outer surfaces are maintained at a uniform temperature.
Find the temperature at point G.
Specifications
Units: Hr M W C
1218
outer radius: 0.1
height: 0.14
Therm_constr1 placed on curves A-B, B-C, C-D: 0
Heat Loads Location/Magnitude Distribution Spatial Variation
Therm_load1 placed on curve E-F: 500000 hear/time uniform

per unit area
Temperature at Target Point G 59.82 59.85 0.05%

(m=target_pt_temp)

Index 9 133
1219
mvts005: 2D Unit Depth Two-Layer Wall

Temperatures
Analysis
Model Type: 2D Unit Depth

Textbook Co., 1959.
Description: A two-layer wall is surrounded by heated fluid on both the inner

and outer surfaces; the ends are insulated. Find the
temperatures at the inner and outer surfaces.
1220
Specifications
Units: Hr Ft Btu F
Dimensions: thickness of layer 1: 0.75
thickness of layer 2: 0.416666
Young's Modulus: 0 Conductivity:
• layer 1 (K1): 0.8

• layer 2 (K2): 0.1
Convection Conditions: Location/Film Coefficient: Bulk Temperature:
Therm_constr1 placed on curve A-B: 12 3000
placed on curve C-D: 2 80
Temperature at Inner Surface 2957 2957.2 2957.2 N/A
(m=inner_temp_1)
Temperature at Outer Surface 336 336.7 336.7 0.2%

(m=outer_temp_1)
Convergence %: 0.0% on Local Temp and Energy Max P: No.

Index 2 Equations: 13
1221
mvts006: 3D Cooling Fin with Solid Elements

Analysis
Model Type: 3D

Textbook Co., 1959.
Description: A cooling fin of square cross-sectional area is surrounded by

fluid with one end maintained at a certain temperature, and the
other end insulated. Find the temperature at the insulated tip
(surface EFGH).
1222
Specifications
Units: Hr Ft Btu F
width: 0.083333
height: 0.083333
Material Mass Density: 1 Poisson's Ratio: 0

Properties:
Cost Per Unit Mass: 0 Thermal
Expansion: 0
Young's Modulus: 0
Conductivity: 25
Temperatures:
thermal_constr1 placed on surface ABCD: 100
Convection Location/Magnitude: Bulk

Conditions: Temperature:
therm_constr1 placed on all outer surfaces except 0

surfaces ABCD and EFGH: 1
1223
Temperature at Tip 68.592 68.618 68.533 0.09%

(m=tip_temp_1)

Index 9 303
mvts007: 3D Solid Cylinder Temperature

Distribution
Analysis
Model Type: 3D
Reference: Schneider, P. J. Conduction Heat Transfer. 2nd ed. MA:

Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., Inc., 1957.
Description: A short, solid cylinder is subjected to prescribed temperatures

over all surfaces. Find the temperature distribution in the
cylinder.
1224
Specifications
Element Type: solid 1(2)
Units: Hr Ft Btu F
height: 0.5
Young's Modulus: 0 Conductivity: 1.0
Temperatures:
1225
therm_constr1 placed on surface EMN (top): 40
placed on surfaces AKL (bottom) and KLMN (outer

surface): 0
Point A 0 0 0.0 0.0%

(m=node_1_temp)
Point B 6.8 7.4427 6.8533 0.8%

(m=node_11_temp)
Point C 15.6 16.361 15.3693 1.5%

(m_node_21_temp)
Point D 26.8 27.411 26.5707 0.9%

(m_node_31_temp)
Point E 40 40 40.0 0.0%

(m=node_41_temp)
Convergence %: 1.4% on Local Temp and Max P: No.

Energy Index 9 Equations:
622
mvts008: 3D Shell with Prescribed

Temperature
Analysis
Model Type: 3D
Reference: NAFEMS, BMTTA(S), No. 9 (i)
1226
Description: A plate has a prescribed temperature distributed evenly around

its boundary. No internal heat is generated. Find the
temperature at point E.
Specifications
Element Type: Shell (10)
Units: Hr M W C
width: 0.4
thickness: 1
1227
placed on curves A-D, C-D, B-C: 0
Temperature at Target Point E 260.5 260.6 0.04%

(m=target_pt_temp)

Index 9 198
1228
Transient Thermal Analysis Problems
This chapter contains transient thermal analysis problems and Thermal's results. In a
transient thermal analysis, Thermal calculates the thermal response of your model to
heat loads that change with time and that are subject to specified constraints.
Thermal also automatically calculates all predefined measures that apply to a model.
This section contains the following models:
Topic
mvtt001: 3D Solid Transient Heat Flow
mvtt002: 3D Solid Plate with Convection
mvtt001: 3D Solid Transient Heat Flow

Analysis
Type: Transient Thermal
Model Type: 3D
Comparison: Theory
Reference: Holman, J.P. Heat Transfer. 5th ed. McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc.,
1981. Example 4.2.
Description: A large solid cylinder of steel is at an initial uniform temperature

of 35 C. One end is then exposed to a constant surface heat flux
of 3.2e5 W/m2. Find the temperature after 30 s at a depth of
2.5 cm from the heated end.
1229
Specifications
Element Type: tet (167) Units: smW C
Dimensions: radius 0.25 length 6.5
Properties:
Mass Density 8000 kg/m3
Thermal Expansion 1.4e-5 m2/s
Conductivity 45 W/m C
Specific Heat 401.79 J/kg C
1230
Prescribed Temps: Location/Magnitude:
therm_constr1 everywhere: 35 C
therm_load1 placed on surface ABDC: 320000 W/m2
Point E 79.3 79.05 0.31%

(m=temp_2_5)
Single-Pass Adaptive Max P: No. Equations:

Convergence 6 3046
mvtt002: 3D Solid Plate with Convection

Analysis
Type: Transient Thermal
Model Type: 3D
Comparison: Theory
Reference: Holman, J.P. Heat Transfer. 5th ed. McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc.,
1981. Example 4.5.
Description: A plate of steel is at an initial uniform temperature of 200 C. All

exposed surfaces of the plate are then suddenly subjected to a
1231
convection condition of 70 C with a heat transfer coefficient of

525 W/m2 C. Find the temperature after 60 s at a depth of 1.25
cm from one of the exposed faces.
Specifications
Element Type: solid (48) Units: smW C
Dimensions: width: 0.3 height: 0.3 thickness: 0.05
Properties:
Mass Density 2700 kg/m3
Specific Heat 900 J/kg C
Conductivity 215 W/m C
1232
Prescribed Temps: Location/Magnitude:
therm_constr1 placed on all exposed surfaces
• thermal transfer coefficient: 525 W/m2 C

• bulk temperature: 70 C
Initial temperature entire body at 200 C
Point A 147.7 144.12 2.42%

(m=pnt_1_25cm)
Single-Pass Adaptive Max P: No.

Convergence 4 Equations:
964
1233
Dynamic Time Response Analysis Problem
This chapter contains a dynamic time response analysis problem and Mechanica's
results. In a dynamic time response analysis, Structure calculates the response of
your model to time-varying loads. Structure also automatically calculates all
predefined measures. This list of measures differs based on the analysis type.
mvst001: 3D Mass-Spring-Damper System

Analysis
Type: Dynamic Time Response
Model Type: 3D
Reference: Thomson, W.T. Vibration Theory and Applications. NJ: Prentice-

Hall, Inc. 2nd printing, 1965. p. 99, Article 4.1.
Description: A mass-spring system is subjected to an impact load, and

thereafter undergoes free vibration. Determine the deflection at
time t = 0.1 sec for a damped and undamped system.
1234
Specifications
Element Type: mass (1), spring (1)
Units: IPS
Dimensions: spring length: 10 (arbitrary)
Mass Properties:
M: 0.5 Mxx: 0 Mxy: 0 Mxz: 0
Myy: 0 Myz: 0 Mzz: 0
Spring Properties: (extensional stiffness)
Kxx: 200 Kxy: 0 Kxz: 0
Kyy: 0 Kyz: 0 Kzz: 0
1235
placed on point B: fixed in all DOF except TransY
Loads: placed on point B: FY = 10
Distribution: N/A
%
Theory ANSYS Structure1 Difference
Max Deflection @ t = 0.1 0.909297 0.90693 0.9093 < 0.01%

(a=undamped)
Max Deflection @ t = 0.1 0.3418 0.34252 0.3418 0.0%

(a=damped, damping=70%)
Convergence %: 0.0% on Frequency Max P: No.

N/A Equations: 1
1
you must define a displacement result window and query the result at t = 0.1.
1236
Dynamic Frequency Response Analysis

Problem
This chapter contains a dynamic frequency response analysis problem and

Structure's results. In a dynamic frequency response analysis, Structure calculates
the amplitude and phase of displacements, velocities, accelerations, and stresses in
your model in response to a load oscillating at different frequencies. Structure also
automatically calculates all predefined measures. This list of measures differs based
on the analysis type.
mvsf001: Harmonic Response of a Two-Mass

Spring System
Analysis
Type: Dynamic Frequency
Model Type: 3D
Reference: Thomson, W. T. Vibration Theory and Applications. Prentice-

Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, N. J., 2nd Printing, 1965.
Description: Determine the response of the two-mass-spring system when

excited by a harmonic force acting on mass at point B.
1237
Specifications
Element Type: mass (2), spring (3)
Units: IPS
Dimensions: spring length: 1 (arbitrary)
Mass Properties:
M: 0.5 Mxx: 0 Mxy: 0 Mxz: 0
Myy: 0 Myz: 0 Mzz: 0
Spring Properties: (extensional stiffness)
Kxx: 200 Kxy: 0 Kxz: 0
Kyy: 0 Kyz: 0 Kzz: 0
1238
Constraints: Location: Degrees of Freedom:
constraint1 placed on points A and D fixed in all DOF
placed on points B and C fixed in all DOF except TransX
load1 placed on point B: FX = 200 N/A N/A
Structure
1
Loc. Theory ANSYS % Diff.
Frequency = 1.5 Hz point 0.8227/ 0.8227/ 0.8227/0 0%

Disp/phase at A, B A 0 0
(m=dispx_2, 3/
phase_2, 3) point 0.4627/ 0.4627/ 0.4627/0 0%
B 0 0
Frequency = 4.0 Hz point 0.5115/ 0.5115/ 0.5115/18 0%

Disp/phase at A, B A 180 180 0
(m=dispx_2, 3/
phase_2, 3) point 1.2153/ 1.2153/ 1.215/180 0%
B 180 180
Frequency = 6.5Hz point 0.5851/ 0.5851/ 0.5851/18 0%

Disp/phase at A, B A 180 180 0
(m=dispx_2, 3/
phase_2, 3) point 0.2697/ 0.2697/ 0.2697/0 0%
B 0 0
Convergence %: 0% on Frequency & Local Disp Max P: 1 No.

Equations: 2
1
you must define a measure result window and view the graph.
1239
Dynamic Shock Response Analysis Problem
This chapter contains a dynamic shock response analysis problem and Mechanica's
results. In a dynamic shock response analysis, Structure calculates maximum values
of displacements and stresses on your model in response to a base excitation with a
specified response spectrum. Structure also automatically calculates all predefined
measures. This list of measures differs based on the analysis type.
mvsk001: Seismic Response of a Beam

Structure
Analysis
Type: Dynamic Shock
Model Type: 3D
Reference: Biggs, J. M. Introduction to Structural Dynamics. McGraw-Hill

Book Co., New York, 1964.
Description: A simply supported beam is subjected to a vertical motion of

both supports. The motion is defined in terms of a seismic
displacement response spectrum. Determine the fundamental
displacement and the corresponding maximum bending stress.
1240
Specifications
Units: IPS
height: 14
Beam Properties: Area: 273.9726 J: N/A
IYY: 333.333 IZZ: 333.333
CY: 7 CZ: 7
Material Mass Density: Poisson's Ratio: 0.3

Properties: 0.00073
Thermal Expansion: 0
Cost Per Unit Mass:
0 Conductivity: 0
Young's Modulus:
3e7
1241
Constraints: Location: Degrees of Freedom:
constraint1 placed on point A fixed in TransY and TransZ
placed on point B fixed in TransX, TransY,

TransZ
placed on point C fixed in TransZ, RotX, RotY
Response Frequency: Displacement:

Spectrum:
resp_spectrum1 0 0.44
10 0.44
%
Frequency 6.0979 6.0974 6.0953 0.04%
Max. 0.560 0.553 0.560 0%

Displacement
(m=disp_max)
Max. Bending 20158 20156 20138 0.1%

Stress
Convergence %: 0.0% on Frequency Max P: 6 No.

Equations:
70
1242
Buckling Analysis Problems
This chapter contains buckling analysis problems and Structure's results. In a

buckling analysis, Structure calculates buckling load factors and mode shapes that
determine the critical magnitudes of load at which a 3D structure will buckle.
Structure also automatically calculates all predefined measures. This list of measures
differs based on the analysis type.
Topic
mvsb001: Linear Buckling of a Laterally Unrestrained Frame
mvsb002: Buckling Analysis of Composite Lay-up
mvsb001: Linear Buckling of a Laterally

Unrestrained Frame
Analysis
Type: Buckling
Model Type: 3D
Comparison: MSC/NASTRAN
Reference: Cahajes, A. Principles of Structural Stability Theory. Prentice-

Hall, 1974, p. 180.
Description: A simple inverted U-shaped frame, clamped at points A and B.

Point loads are applied at the top of each vertical column.
Determine the critical buckling load.
1243
Specifications
Element Type: beams
Units: IPS
Beam Properties: Area: 10 J: 1e20
IYY: 1e20 IZZ: 1.907e–4
CY: 1 CZ: 1
1244
Constraints: placed on points A, B: fixed in all DOF
MSC/ % %
Theory NASTRAN Difference Structure Difference
Mode 106.097 106.386 0.3% 106.073 0.02%

1
Convergence %: 0.4 % on Buckling Load Max P: 4 No.

Factor Equations:66
mvsb002: Buckling Analysis of Composite

Lay-up
Analysis
Type: Buckling Transversely Isotropic
Model Type: 3D
Comparison: MSC/NASTRAN
Reference: Jones, R.M., Mechanics of Composite Material, Hemisphere

Publishing Corp., 1975, pp 260-261.
Description: A four-layered transversely isotropic square plate is simply-

supported and subjected to an in-plane load. Determine the
buckling load factor.
1245
Specifications
Element Type: shell
Units: IPS
width: 10
thickness: 0.1
Shell Properties:
Ply lay-up: 0/90/90/0 Thickness of each ply: 0.025
Extensional A11=1.54e06 A12=18,779 A16=0

Stiffness
A22=A11 A26=0
1246
A66=37,500
Extensional– B11=0 B12=0 B16=0

Bending Coupling
Stiffness
B22=0 B26=0
B66=0
Bending Stiffness D11=2,198.75 D12=15.6495 D16=0
D22=367.762 D26=0
D66=31.25
Transverse Shear A55=27,585 A45=0 A44=17,925

Stiffnesses
Material Properties:
Mass Density: 0.002 Cost Per Unit Mass: 0
Young's Moduli E1=3e7 E2=750,000 E3=750,000
Poisson's Ratio Nu21=0.25 Nu31=0.25 Nu32=0
Shear Moduli G21=375,000 G31=375,000 G32=
E2/[2*(1+Nu32)]
Coefficients of a1=0 a2=0 a3=0

Thermal Expansion
Constraints: • Fixed in out of plane (z-direction) translation along all

outer edges (AB, BC, CD, and DA).
• Fixed in translation in all directions at point D
• Fixed in x & z-direction translation at point A
Loads: In-plane force/unit length load=1:
• in +x-direction along edge DA

• in -x-direction along edge BC
1247
Buckling Load Factor 268.73 267 0.6%
Convergence %: 1.0 % on buckling Max P: 6 No. Equations:

load factor. 455
1248
2D-3D Contact Analysis Problems
This chapter contains 2D and 3D contact problems and Mechanica's results. In a

contact analysis, Mechanica calculates deformations, stresses, and strains on your
model in response to specified loads and subject to specified constraints. Mechanica
also automatically calculates all predefined measures. This list of measures differs
based on the analysis type.
This chapter contains the following contact problems:
Topic
mvsc001: 2D Contact-Hertz Contact

Analysis
Type: 2D Contact
Model Type: Plane Strain
Comparison: Theory
Reference: Roark, R.J. and Young, W. Formula for Stress and Strain. NY;
Description: A half model of two cylinders of unit depth in contact. Modeled

using 2D contact. Determine the maximum stress and contact
area.
1249
Specifications
Element Type: 2D solid
Units: IPS
Dimensions: R1: 1
R2: 1
Material Mass Density: 0 Poisson's Ratio: 0.3

Properties:
Constraints: fixed in all but y on vertical edges; fixed in all but x on
1250
bottom edge
Loads: -1000 on top element edges (symmetry):

Total Load=-2000
Contact Area 0.0481 0.0483 0.42%
Maximum Stress 26450 26545.44 0.36%

(m=contact_max_press)
Convergence %: 1.1 % on Contact Area and Max P: 9 No. Equations:

Contact Pressure 865

Analysis
Type: 3D Contact
Model Type: 3D
Comparison: Theory
Reference: Roark, R.J. and Young, W. Formula for Stress and Strain. NY;
Description: A quarter section of two hemispheres in contact. Determine the

maximum stress and contact area.
1251
Specifications
Element Type: 2D solid
Units: IPS
Dimensions: R1: 2
R2: 3
Material Mass Density: 1 Poisson's Ratio: 0.3

Properties:
Constraints: fixed in all but y on xz face; fixed in all but x on yz face; fixed
on bottom edge
1252
Loads: -25000 on top element faces (symmetry):

Total Load=-100000
Contact Area 0.0507 0.0482 4.9%
Maximum Stress 740285 753247.2 1.75%

(m=contact_max_pres)
Convergence %: 0.9 % on Contact Area and Max P: 7 No. Equations:

Contact Pressure 1391
1253
Large Deformation Analysis Problem
This chapter contains a large deformation analysis problem. In a large deformation

analysis, Structure calculates the deformations, stresses, and strains that occur as a
result of a load that produces a large deformation where the model's deformed
configuration differs appreciably from its original configuration.
In addition to a set of standard results, Structure also automatically calculates all

predefined measures. This list of measures differs based on the analysis type.
mvsd001: Hinged Right-Angle Frame Under a

Single Nonconservative Force
Analysis
Type: Large Deformation Analysis
Model Type: 3D
Reference: Argyris, J.H., and Symeonidis, Sp., "Nonlinear Finite Element

Analysis of Elastic Systems Under Nonconservative Loading
Natural Formulation Part I. Quasistatic Problems," Computer
Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering, 26 (1981),
pp75–123.
Description: A hinged, right-angle frame is constrained in translation at the

upper right and lower left corners. It is subjected to a
nonconservative downward load 96 cm from the upper right
constraint. The load is simulated using a pressure load applied
over a small area. Calculate the lateral and vertical
displacements at the load application point.
1254
Specifications
Units: cm, N
width: 3 depth: 2
1255
Constraints: at upper right and lower left corners: fixed in translation

Variation:
vertical 15 kN over 3 cm2 applied at 96 cm pressure uniform

from the upper right constraint
Displacements at the load

application point Theory Structure % Difference
Lateral Displacement (x) 3.5 3.79 8.3%
Vertical Displacement (y) 17.0 17.39 2.3%
Convergence: SPA Max P: 7 No. Equations:

4152
RMS Stress Error Estimates: 0.4 %
1256
Prestress Modal Analysis Problem
This chapter contains a prestress modal problem. In a prestress modal analysis,

Mechanica calculates the natural frequencies and mode shapes of your model.
Mechanica also automatically calculates all predefined measures. This list of
measures differs based on the analysis type.
mvsp001: Prestress Modal Analysis of a

Stretched Circular Membrane
Analysis
Type: Prestress Modal
Model Type: 3D
Comparison: ANSYS

Engineering, 3rd Edition. D. Van Nostrand Co., Inc., New York,
1955.
Description: Determine the first three radially symmetric, out of plane,

natural frequencies of a circular membrane. Use stiffness
calculated from static analysis where membrane is loaded
radially. Edges are simply supported.
1257
Specifications
Element Type: plate
Units: IPS
thickness: 0.01
Constraints: edge simply supported
Loads: radial load of 100 lb/in
1258
%
Theory ANSYS Difference Structure % Difference
Mode 94.406 94.471 0.07% 94.437 0.03%

1
Mode 216.77 217.38 0.28% 217.07 0.14%

6
Mode 339.85 342.98 0.92% 341.297 0.45%

15
Convergence %: 0.3 % on Frequency Max P: 9 No.

Equations:
978
Note: Results are only for radially symmetric modes—modes 1, 6, and 15 of

the solution. These are out-of-plane modes, in other words; they appear in
the profile view.
1259
Optimization Analysis Problem
This chapter contains an optimization problem. In an optimization of a static

analysis, Structure finds the optimal values of the parameters in your model to
achieve a specific design goal (for example, to minimize mass).
mvoo001: Five-Bar Configuration Problem

Analysis
Type: Static
Model Type: 3D
Reference: Imai, Kanji. Configuration Optimization of Trusses by the

Multiplier Method. LA: University of California, UCLA-ENG-7842.
Description: A five-bar truss has the following conditions for optimization: the
cross-section area for bars AB, CD, BE, and CE are kept the
same; bar BC has an independent cross-section area, and the
load applied on point E is 20000 psi. Find the minimum weight of
the truss with the maximum tensile stress in the model under
20000 psi.
1260
Specifications
Units: IPS
Dimensions: length A-B, C-D: 240
length B-C: 480
length B-E, C-E: 339.41
IYY: 0 IZZ: 0
CY: 1 CZ: 1
1261
Material Properties: Mass Density: 0.1 Poisson's Ratio: 0
constraint1 all beams fixed in RotX, RotY, and RotZ
points A and D fixed in all DOF
Loads: Location/Magnitude Distribution Spatial Variation
load1 point E: -20000 uniform N/A
Design Location: Min to Max: Current:

Variables:
x length of bar BC 480 to about 0 480
y length of bars AB and CD 240 to about 0 240
dvar_1 placed on bars AB and CD 0.1 to 10 0.1
dvar_2 placed on bar BC 0.1 to 10 0.1
dvar_4 placed on bar BE and CE 0.1 to 10 0.1
1262
Optimization Parameters
Optimization Goal: Minimize the total mass of the truss
Limits: Quantity Magnitude
measure8 tensile stress over bar BC < 20000
measure9 tensile stress over bar CE < 20000
measure10 tensile stress over bar CD < 20000
measure18 tensile stress over bar BC > -20000
measure19 tensile stress over bar CE > -20000
measure20 tensile stress over bar CD > -20000
%
Theory Structure Difference
Goal — minimize 63.5 63.59 0.1%

total mass
Convergence %: 1%
1263
Glossary for Mechanica
This Glossary contains brief definitions of some mechanical engineering terms and
Mechanica terms. For more complete definitions of the mechanical engineering
terms, consult a mechanical engineering textbook.
One or two bold letters in parentheses indicate that the definition applies only to
those Mechanica products. The possible letters are S (Structure) or T (Thermal).
Otherwise, the definition applies to all three Mechanica products.
A
analysis
An examination of your model through which Mechanica determines how the

model behaves under specified conditions. You run an analysis as part of a
standard or other design study.
Structure calculates your model's response to a set of loads and constraints.

See also these analysis types: buckling, contact, dynamic frequency
response, dynamic random response, dynamic shock response, dynamic time
response, modal, prestress modal, prestress static, and static.
Thermal calculates your model's response to a set of heat loads that are
subject to specified prescribed temperatures and/or convection conditions.
See also steady-state thermal.
animation
A dynamic display of mode shapes, static displacement results, a variety of

fringed results, and shape changes for a sensitivity or optimization study in
both products.
applied flux (T)
A prescribed rate at which heat energy is applied.
1264
associativity
How any entity (such as geometry, load, boundary condition) in Mechanica

relates to any other entity. If one entity is related to a second entity, the
definition of the first entity depends on the definition of the second. For
instance, if a load is associated with a point and that point moves, the load
also moves.
AutoGEM (Automatic Geometric Element Modeling)
Mechanica's automated process for generating geometric elements on a

model. AutoGEM generates elements that comply with all element creation
rules and that provide accurate results when Mechanica analyzes your model.
axisymmetric model
A two-dimensional model for which the geometry, loads, deformations,

prescribed temperatures, and convection conditions are symmetric about an
axis of rotation. For example, you can use an axisymmetric model type for a
cylindrical or spherical structure, such as a storage tank.
beam
See beam element, flexible beam.
beam element
A one-dimensional entity used to represent part or all of a structural

component that has a length much greater than its other two dimensions. The
beam element axis lies on a curve or edge. In Structure, you describe the
cross section by a set of section properties and an orientation. See also CY,
CZ, IYY, IZZ, J, orientation, shear FY and FZ, and theta.
bearing load (S)
A load that approximates the pressure applied to a 3D surface or 2D circle by

a rigid pin or axle passing through a hole.
1265
boundary condition (T)
See convection condition and prescribed temperature.
boundary condition set (T)
A grouping of convection conditions and/or prescribed temperatures placed on

a single model. You typically include a boundary condition set as part of an
analysis.
boundary edge
An edge associated with only one shell or solid, unless the edge is associated
with a solid and a shell coincident with a face of that solid. See also boundary
face.
boundary face
A face that belongs to only one solid element. See also boundary edge.
buckling analysis (S)
An analysis that calculates the critical magnitudes of load at which a structure

will buckle, and the model's stresses, strains, and deformations in response to
loads and constraints that do not vary in time.
buckling load factor (S)
A quantity obtained by running a buckling analysis in Structure. The buckling

load factor multiplied by the applied load yields the buckling load.
bulk temperature (T)
In convective heat transfer through a surface, the temperature of the fluid far
from the surface.
1266
C1 continuous curve or surface
A mathematical description of a curve or surface. A curve or surface is C1

continuous if both the direction and the magnitude of its first derivatives vary
continuously everywhere on the curve or surface.
C2 continuous curve or surface
A mathematical description of a curve or surface. A curve or surface is C2

continuous if both the direction and the magnitude of its second derivatives
vary continuously everywhere on the curve or surface.
centrifugal load (S)
An inertial body load that results from rotation about an axis, directed radially
out from the axis.
check button
A square button on a dialog box. From a group of check buttons, you can
select one or more.
com_x, com_y, com_z (S)
The location of the center of mass in relation to the WCS origin.
conductivity (T)
The physical property of a material that, for a given temperature gradient,

governs the rate at which heat energy is transferred within the material.
1267
constraint (S)
An external limit on the movement of a structure or part of a structure. You

can constrain your model in any of the six degrees of freedomtranslation or
rotation about any of the three coordinate directions.
constraint set (S)
A grouping of constraints placed on a single model. You typically include a

constraint set as part of an analysis.
contact analysis (S)
A nonlinear analysis in which Structure calculates the contact area at each

contact region in a model, and the model's stresses, strains, and
deformations in response to loads and constraints that do not vary in time.
contour plot
A type of result display that superimposes a set of curves on the model. Each
curve has a color that represents a constant value of a specified scalar
quantity. You also have the option of labeling contour plots for black-and-
white printing.
Examples of scalar quantities include stress, displacement, temperature, or

flux components.
convection condition (T)
A boundary condition you can specify on the convective heat exchange

between a moving fluid and geometric and/or element entities within your
model.
convergence
The method Mechanica uses to find a solution to an analysis, based on your

requirements and restrictions. There are two main convergence methods in
Mechanica: multi-pass adaptive and single-pass adaptive.
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coordinate system
A generic term for a system of coordinates enabling you to define precise

locations of entities. Mechanica uses a default world coordinate system. In
addition, you can create three types of user coordinate systemsCartesian,
cylindrical, and spherical.
You can specify orientation of a beam or spring by defining its local coordinate
system. See also local coordinate system, user coordinate system, view
coordinate system, and world coordinate system.
critical damping (S)
Amount of damping below which oscillation occurs. See also damping

coefficient.
current body
The body that is active and available for modification. You are always using
the current body.
current directory
The directory from which you started Mechanica.
current model
The model you currently have open on the screen. Mechanica allows you to
open only one model at a time. See also model.
CY (S)
The distance off a beam's neutral axis in the local Y direction at which you
direct Structure to report bending stresses.
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cyclic symmetry
A type of constraint that you create by making cuts in a model at two

symmetric surfaces. Subsequent analyses can be done on the symmetric
surfaces only, which can significantly reduce the analysis time.
CZ (S)
The distance off a beam's neutral axis in the local Z direction at which you
direct Structure to report bending stresses.
damping coefficient (S)
The percentage of critical damping of a mode in a dynamic frequency

response, random response, or time response analysis. A damping coefficient
of 100% means the model is critically damped and does not vibrate freely. A
damping coefficient of 1% means the amplitude decays by about 6% over a
period of oscillation. See also critical damping.
degrees of freedom
A means of expressing the potential motion of a mechanical system.
design study
An examination of your model using one or more analyses you previously

defined (standard study). A design study may also use an analysis to examine
alternatives to your design (optimization and sensitivity studies). See also
global sensitivity study, local sensitivity study, optimization study, and
standard study.
dialog box
A separate window, invoked by a command, in which you enter values and

other information.
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dimension parameter
A range of values you associate with a Pro/ENGINEER dimension. As the

parameter value changes during a shape review, shape animation, sensitivity
study, or optimization study, Mechanica also regenerates the associated
dimension in both the Pro/ENGINEER and Mechanica versions of the model.
You use dimension parameters to change your model's shape.
displacement (S)
The movement of a point on the model, measured as the change in position

relative to the point's location on the undeformed model. Displacements are
calculated by default during an engine run.
dynamic frequency response analysis (S)
An analysis that calculates the amplitude and phase of displacements,

velocities, accelerations, and stresses in your model in response to a load
oscillating at different frequencies.
dynamic random response analysis (S)
An analysis that calculates the power spectral densities and RMS values of
displacements, velocities, accelerations, and stresses in your model in
response to a load of specified power spectral density.
dynamic shock response analysis (S)
An analysis that calculates maximum values of displacements and stresses in

your model in response to a base excitation with a specified response
spectrum.
dynamic time response analysis (S)
An analysis that calculates displacements, velocities, accelerations, and

stresses in your model at different times in response to a time-varying load.
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element
An entity based on your model's geometry that Mechanica uses to analyze

your model. Types of elements include beams, shells, solids, 2D shells, 2D
solids, and 2D plates. Structure also has mass and spring elements.
You create elements by using AutoGEM, Mechanica's automatic element

generation technology. AutoGEM creates elements for your model at the start
of every analysis. You can also manually start AutoGEM during your modeling
session to evaluate and refine your mesh. See also AutoGEM or geometric
element modeling.
Encapsulated PostScript
A PostScript file you can include in another PostScript file. Encapsulated

PostScript files are used to place illustrations in a PostScript document. You
cannot print out an Encapsulated PostScript file on its own. See also
PostScript file.
energy norm (T)
A scalar quantity that is proportional to the integral over the element of the
flux squared. It is analogous to element strain energy in a static structural
analysis. You can create measures for this and use it for a convergence
quantity.
enforced displacement (S)
A known displacement you prescribe on part of your model when you create a
constraint.
entity
A general term for anything in a model, including points, curves, springs,

beams, and so forth. There are also entities specific to each productfor
example, loads and constraints in Structure and convection conditions and
heat loads in Thermal.
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entry box
A box on a dialog box in which you enter data. You make an entry box active
by moving your mouse cursor over the box and pressing the left mouse
button.
extensional stiffness (S)
A spring stiffness constant that equals the ratio of spring force to

displacement along a principal coordinate axis.
film coefficient (T)
In convective heat transfer through a surface, the constant of proportionality

between the flux through the surface and the difference between the surface
temperature and the bulk temperature.
flux (T)
The rate at which heat energy is transferred per unit area.
frequency response analysis (S)
See dynamic frequency response analysis.
fringe plot
A type of result display that superimposes a set of colored regions on the

model. Each color represents a different range of values of a specified scalar
quantity, such as stress, displacement, temperature, or flux.
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G1 continuous curve or surface
A mathematical description of a curve or surface. A curve or surface is G1

continuous if the direction, but not necessarily the magnitude, of its first
derivatives varies smoothly everywhere on the curve or surface.
G2 continuous curve or surface
A mathematical description of a curve or surface. A curve or surface is G2

continuous if the direction, but not necessarily the magnitude, of its second
derivatives varies smoothly everywhere on the curve or surface.
GEA
See geometric element analysis.
GEM
See geometric element modeling.
GEO
See geometric element optimization.
geometric element analysis (GEA)
Mechanica's technology for analyzing a model by analyzing its geometric

elements to the polynomial order required to achieve the level of accuracy
you specify.
geometric element modeling (GEM)
Mechanica's technique for defining a model for analysis by breaking it up into

elements that you associate directly with the geometry. See also element.
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geometric element optimization (GEO)
A process that helps you determine the best balance between design
constraints and performance by automatically varying design parameters that
are associated with a geometric element model. See also optimization.
global sensitivity study
A design study in which Mechanica calculates the changes in your model's

measures when you vary a parameter over a specified range. Mechanica does
this by calculating measure values at regular intervals in a parameter's range.
You can vary more than one parameter simultaneously. See local sensitivity
study, optimization study, and standard study.
gravity load (S)
A body load that represents the effect of a uniform gravitational field or the
inertial load of constant acceleration.
heat capacity (T)
A property that indicates the ability of a material to absorb heat from the
external surroundings. It represents the amount of energy required to
produce a unit temperature rise.
heat load (T)
A thermal load you can place on specific locations on your model to study the
effects of internal heat generation or applied flux. If you specify a positive
heat load, the load is adding heat to the model, making the load a heat
source. If you specify a negative heat load, the load is removing heat from
the model, making the load a heat sink. You can group heat loads into load
sets. See also heat sink and heat source.
heat sink (T)
A prescribed rate of heat energy lost. See also heat load.
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heat source (T)
A prescribed rate of heat energy generated. See also heat load.
HPGL
Hewlett-Packard Graphics Language, a page description format you can use to

print on a plotter or printer that supports HPGL.
inertia (Iy, Iz) (S)
Factors that you specify for the second moment of area for a beam element.
Along with Young's modulus, these properties describe stiffness in bending
about a beam's principal Y and Z axes.
isotropic
Describes a material with an infinite number of planes of material symmetry,

making the properties equal in all directions. You enter a single value for each
property. You can assign isotropic materials to any element type.
IYY (S)
A beam cross section's second moment of area describing stiffness in bending

about the local Y axis.
IZZ (S)
A beam cross section's second moment of area describing stiffness in bending

about the local Z axis.
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J (S)
A beam cross section's effective second polar moment of area describing

stiffness in torsion. For circular cross sections, the effective second polar
moment of area is equal to the actual second polar moment of area.
Large Deformation Analysis
An option you can select to compute large deformation results for static
structural analyses only, using nonlinear equations. This is only available for
3D, 2D plane strain, and 2D plane stress model types.
limit
A value or range of values for a specified measure that Mechanica must

respect during an optimization study.
list box
A list of items on a dialog box with a scroll bar to its right.
load (S)
A force you place on your model. You can specify the direction and magnitude
of the force. See also bearing load, centrifugal load, gravity load, pressure
load, and temperature load
load set
A grouping of structural loads or heat loads placed on a single model. You can
include load sets in most analysis types. Mechanica calculates results
separately for each load set, unless you use the Sum Sets option for a
dynamic analysis.
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local sensitivity study
A design study in which Mechanica calculates the sensitivity of your model's

measures to slight changes in one or more parameters. Mechanica calculates
the slope of the sensitivity curve between two sample points. See also global
sensitivity study, optimization study, and standard study.
mass element (S)
An element that represents a concentrated mass and concentrated moment of

inertia at a particular point of a model.
mass properties
Properties calculated from a model's geometry and material properties. The

mass properties for the full model are included in the summary file when you
run a design study with certain types of analyses.
material damping
A material property that allows you to model the dissipation of energy,

caused by friction, heat exchange, or deformation, that occurs during a
contact event.
material orientation
The principal material directions, relative to the current coordinate system,

associated with the surfaces, volumes, shells, solids, 2D solids, or 2D plates
in your model. You can specify both the coordinate system axis with which
each principal material direction is aligned and an angle of rotation for those
directions. See also orientation.
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material properties
Properties of the material you assign to geometry or elements. The following

table indicates the material properties for each product:
Material Property Product
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion S
Conductivity T
Cost per Unit Mass S, T
Mass Density S, T
Poisson's Ratio S
Shear Modulus S
Young's Modulus S
See also isotropic, orthotropic, and transversely isotropic.
material set
A set of material properties. Material sets can reside in a material library and
can be assigned to one or more entities in your model.
maximum magnitude principal stress (S)
The principal stress value having the maximum magnitude. For example, if
the maximum principal stress is 100 but the minimum principal stress is 200,
the principal stress with the greatest magnitude is the minimum principal
stress (200).
maximum principal stress (S)
The most positive principal stress in the model.
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maximum shear stress
The maximum shear stress (also known as Tresca stress), is defined as one
half of the largest difference in the principal stresses at a given point.
MCAD
Mechanical computer-aided design, a type of software you can use to draw a

mechanical model design. Pro/ENGINEER is an example of an MCAD program.
measure
A scalar quantity of interest that Mechanica calculates in a design study. You

can set up measures to monitor specific aspects of your model's performance.
For instance, you might want to know the stress tangent to a fillet for the
later calculation of fatigue.
You can use measures as convergence criteria for an analysis or for an

optimization study goal or limit. You also use measures to measure sensitivity
to parameter changes in a local or global sensitivity design study.
During a design study, Mechanica calculates results for the measures that are
valid for each analysis in the study. For example, a stress measure is
calculated for a static analysis but not for a modal analysis.
menu
A list of commands you can execute.
menu item
A command or submenu listed on a menu.
message box
A box Mechanica displays that contains a message or a question.
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minimum principal stress (S)
The least positive principal stress in the model.
modal analysis (S)
An analysis in which Structure calculates the natural frequencies and mode

shapes of your model.
mode tracking (S)
During an optimization that includes a modal analysis, you can direct the
Structure engine to follow a particular mode through the optimization, even if
that mode's frequency becomes greater than or less than a neighboring
mode's frequency.
model
Your representation on the computer of a structure or object. You can

associate analyses and design studies with a model.
modeling
The process of simplifying and abstracting a structure, object, or physical

system so that it can be represented mathematically and studied with the aid
of a computer.
Model Tree window
A window that graphically shows features of a model, including simulation

features (datum points, coordinate systems, datum curves, surface regions,
and volume regions).
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model type
The dimensional treatment you want Mechanica to apply for your model. The
available model types are 3D, 2D plane strain, 2D plane stress, or 2D
axisymmetric.
modified Mohr theory
A theory used for predicting the failure of brittle materials. It is a variant of

the Coulomb-Mohr theory modified to better predict fracture in brittle
materials.
moment of inertia (S)
An inertial constant that equals the ratio of applied moment to the resulting
angular acceleration about an axis.
multi-pass adaptive convergence
The point during a run at which the results for the last calculation for an
analysis differ from the results for the preceding calculation by less than a
specified percentage. The quantities Mechanica uses to make this comparison
depend on the convergence option you select when defining the analysis.
Mechanica increases the polynomial order along each edge of the model until
either convergence or the maximum polynomial order has been reached. See
also polynomial order.
net heat flux (T)
A measure that Thermal calculates by finding the total amount of heat that
flows through one or more of the boundaries of one or more elements. For
example, in 3D models, Thermal can calculate the net heat flux for the
endpoints of beams, the edges of shells, the faces of solids, or a combination
of these.
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optimization study
A design study in which Mechanica adjusts one or more parameters to best

achieve a specified goal or to test feasibility of a design while respecting
specified limits. See also global sensitivity study, local sensitivity study, and
standard study.
orientation (S)
A property of beams and two-point springs. Orientation is a vector with three

WCS components. This vector specifies the beam's or spring's local Z axis
relative to the WCS. See also material orientation.
orthotropic
Describes a material with symmetry relative to three mutually perpendicular

planes. You can assign orthotropic properties to surfaces and parts.
parameter space
The representative space, internal to Mechanica's code, in which Mechanica

represents geometric entities. Mechanica simultaneously represents all
geometry by two methodsthe actual 2D or 3D representation of your model,
and the 1D, 2D, or 3D parametric representation that Mechanica uses to
manipulate geometric entities.
Mechanica performs many operations on geometric entities in parameter

space and then maps the entities back to 3D space. As a result, the
appearance of an entity may differ significantly from its parametric
representation.
phase (S)
The angle by which an output quantity is out of phase with the force that
prompted the response. A negative angle means that the output quantity lags
behind the force.
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p-level
The highest polynomial order to which Mechanica performs calculations on a

given edge during a run of a design study. See also polynomial order.
plotting grid
The locations at which Mechanica calculates values for displacement, stress,

temperature, flux, and other quantities. Mechanica places a grid across each
element and calculates a value at each location where two grid lines cross, or
where a grid line intersects an element edge.
You can determine the size of the grid when you define an analysis by
specifying how many intervals along each element edge Mechanica uses to
create the grid. The grid size affects the level of detail of the results.
Poisson's ratio (S)
The ratio of lateral contraction to longitudinal extension when a material is

under tension. You specify Poisson's ratio when you define material
properties.
polynomial order
When Mechanica runs a design study, it calculates the value of specified

quantities at successively higher polynomial orders for each edge until it
reaches convergence or the maximum polynomial order. Mechanica uses
functions that may range from linear to a 9th order polynomial, although you
can specify a subset of that range when you define an analysis. See also
convergence and p-level.
PostScript file
A file written in the PostScript language, a page description language. You can
create color or black-and-white files in PostScript format from Mechanica to
print out on PostScript printers.
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p-pass
A single analysis calculation by the Structure engine with each element edge
set to a particular polynomial order. After each p-pass, Mechanica updates the
polynomial orders of the edges for the next p-pass. The process continues
until either convergence or the maximum polynomial order is reached.
prescribed temperature (T)
A temperature boundary condition that you specify for a geometric or model

entity. Thermal determines the temperature at every location on your model
for which you have not prescribed a temperature. You can add prescribed
temperatures to new or existing constraint sets.
pressure load (S)
A load that acts normal to a surface and has units of force per unit area.
prestress modal analysis (S)
An analysis that calculates natural frequencies and modes of a prestressed

model. The stress stiffness is calculated using stresses from a previous static
analysis, then added to the elastic stiffness to create a combined stiffness.
The combined stiffness is then used in place of the elastic stiffness for the
modal analysis.
prestress static analysis (S)
An analysis that calculates deformations, stresses, and strains of a

prestressed model. The stress stiffness is calculated using stresses from a
previous static analysis, then added to the elastic stiffness to create a
combined stiffness. The combined stiffness is then used in place of the elastic
stiffness for the static analysis.
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Mechanica
A family of design analysis products that enable you to simulate and optimize
the structural and thermal performance of your designs before you build
prototypes. The two main Mechanica products are as follows:
• Structure a structural design analysis tool

• Thermal a thermal design analysis tool
These two products are integrated, so that you can access either product
from inside a single user interface.
Your installation may also include the optional Vibration module, a vibration
analysis tool integrated with Structure.
prompt
A request for a single input that appears on the command line.
properties
See CY, CZ, IYY, IZZ, J, mass properties, material properties, orientation,
shear FY and FZ, shell properties, theta.
push button
A button on a dialog box that enables you to select an action that Mechanica
performs. Typical push buttons include OK or Cancel.
Q (T)
The heat rate you apply to selected entities when you create a heat load.
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radio button
A diamond-shaped or circular button on a dialog box. From a group of radio

buttons, you can select only one.
random response analysis (S)
See dynamic random response analysis.
reaction forces (S)
The forces present at constrained edges or points. See also resultant.
resultant (S)
You can define a resultant force or resultant moment measure. Structure

calculates the resultant force measure by integrating the total traction forces
acting on one or more of the boundaries of one or more elements.
Structure calculates the resultant moment measure by integrating the product

of a moment arm and the traction forces acting on one or more of the
boundaries of one or more elements.
In 3D models, Structure can calculate a resultant measure for the endpoints

of beams, the edges of shells, the faces of solids, or a combination of these.
The value of a resultant measure is equal to the sum of the resultants for all
of the entities selected.
result window
A single display of a design study result. A result window contains one

quantity, such as stress or displacement, defined over a location, such as an
edge or the entire model, in a specific graphic display, such as a graph or
fringe plot.
1287
right-hand rule
A method for determining the direction of the positive Z axis relative to the
positive X and positive Y axes. If your right hand is in front of you with the
palm up, your thumb pointing to the right represents the positive X axis, and
your index finger pointing straight ahead represents the positive Y axis. If you
then bend your middle finger up by 90 , it represents the direction of the
positive Z axis.
rigid body modes (S)
Modes that have no strain associated with them.
rotation (S)
The local change in orientation at a location on the model relative to the

undeformed model.
run
During a run, the engine performs the calculations needed to provide results
for a specified design study.
sensitivity study
A "what if" design study where Mechanica uses parameters to study variations
in the design of your model to help you find the best design. See also global
sensitivity study and local sensitivity study.
shape history
An animation sequence showing the changing shape of your model during

each step of an optimization or global sensitivity design study. You also use a
shape history result window definition to save the optimized version of a
model.
1288
shear FY and FZ (S)
The ratio of a beam's effective "shear area" to its true cross-sectional area for
shear in the Y direction (for shear FY) or in the Z direction (for shear FZ).
Structure uses these factors to improve the accuracy of calculations involving
beams.
shell element
A three- or four-sided entity used to represent part or all of a structural

component that has a thickness much smaller than its other two dimensions.
Mechanica displays the shell element midsurface.
shell properties
The properties you assign to a shell depend on its type. For a homogeneous
shell, which consists of a single material whose properties do not vary
through the shell's thickness, you assign a thickness.
For a laminated shell, which consists of one or more materials whose

properties may vary through the shell's thickness, you specify laminate
stiffness properties.
shock response analysis (S)
See dynamic shock response analysis.
simulation features
Features that you can create in the Mechanica environment that allow you to
focus on a portion of your model that the feature will simulate. Simulation
features are only visible in the Mechanica environment, and include datum
points, coordinate systems, datum curves, surface regions, and volume
regions.
single-pass adaptive convergence
A method Mechanica uses to find a solution to your analysis. Mechanica runs

a first pass with the polynomial order set to 3, estimates stress errors, raises
the polynomial order of each element to a higher level based on the
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magnitude of the local stress errors, and then carries out a second solution
using the updated polynomial orders. The results of this second solution are
output as the final results.
singularity
A region of the model where the results are theoretically infinite for any
physical quantity, such as displacement, stress, temperature, or heat flux.
Singularities usually result from point loads, point constraints, and reentrant
corners.
solid element
A cubical, tetrahedral, or wedge-shaped entity you use in Mechanica to

represent a part or all of a three-dimensional structural component.
spatial variation
The process by which Mechanica spatially varies a Structure load or a Thermal

heat load. You can direct Mechanica to vary a load or heat load linearly,
quadratically, or cubically along an edge, curve, face, or surface.
specific heat (T)
The heat capacity per unit mass. See heat capacity.
spline
A continuous curve that is typically composed of several polynomial

segments.
spring (S)
An idealization that represents an elastic spring connection between two

points or an elastic spring connection to ground at a single point.
1290
standard study
A study in which Mechanica calculates results for one or more analyses. You
can specify different parameter settings for the analysis. See design study,
global sensitivity study, local sensitivity study, and optimization study.
static analysis (S)
An analysis in which Structure calculates a model's stresses, strains, and

deformations in response to loads that do not vary in time, where the model
is also subject to constraints.
steady-state thermal analysis (T)
An analysis in which Thermal calculates your model's response to a set of

specified heat loads, subject to any convection conditions and/or prescribed
temperatures. This is the only type of analysis available in Thermal.
temperature load (S)
A body load due to a temperature change over the model. A temperature

change causes local expansion or contraction of the model. You can cause the
model to resist expansion or contraction by using constraints. The two types
of temperature load are MEC/T and global.
tensile/compressive/shear failure stress
The maximum stress a body can endure under a tensile/compressive/shear

load before failure occurs.
thermal expansion coefficient (S)
A material constant that equals the ratio of strain to temperature change in

degrees.
1291
theta ( ) (S)
A property of beams and two-point springs. Theta is the angle between the
principal Z axis and the local Z axis. The default local Y axis lies in the plane
of the beam unless theta is nonzero.
time response analysis (S)
See dynamic time response analysis.
torsional stiffness (S)
A spring stiffness constant that equals the ratio of spring moment to rotation
about a principal coordinate axis.
transient thermal analysis (T)
An analysis in which Thermal calculates temperatures and heat fluxes in your

model at different times in response to specified heat loads and subject to
specified prescribed temperatures and/or convection conditions.
transversely isotropic
Describes a material with rotational symmetry about an axis that you can
assign to surfaces and parts. The properties are equal for all directions in one
plane, the plane of isotropy. You enter two values for each property, one for
the plane of isotropy, and one for the remaining principal material direction.
true angle
The actual, absolute 3-D angle (as opposed to a projected angle).
Tsai-Wu failure criterion
A general multiaxial failure theory used to predict failure of anisotropic

materials. It is named after Stephen Tsai and Edward Wu, who proposed the
theory.
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Tsai-Wu normalized interaction term
A mathematical term used in the calculation of the Tsai-Wu failure criterion. It

represents the interaction between the normal stresses in material directions
1 and 2. See also material orientation and transversely isotropic.
2D axisymmetric model
See axisymmetric model.
2D plate element
A three- or four-sided element that represents a plate in a 2D plane stress

model.
2D plane stress model
A two-dimensional model you can use when modeling a thin, flat plate. All
elements must lie in the WCS Z=0 plane. You can only create 2D plate
elements for a 2D plate model.
2D plane strain model
A two-dimensional model representing a cross section of a structure that is

very long in the dimension perpendicular to the cross section. In plane strain
models, all out-of-plane components of load and strain must be zero, and
loading cannot vary in the out-of-plane direction. For example, in Structure,
you can use a plane strain model type for applications such as long pipes,
dams, and retaining walls.
In Thermal, you use 2D plane strain models for structures where the heat
flow in one direction is negligiblethat is, the temperature varies in two
directions but not the third. For example, you could use this model type for
modeling a long pipe.
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2D shell element
A one-dimensional entity that represents a shell element in a 2D plane strain

or 2D axisymmetric model.
2D solid element
A three- or four-sided element that represents a 2D plane strain or 2D

axisymmetric model.
UCS
See user coordinate system.
user coordinate system
A Cartesian, cylindrical, or spherical coordinate system you define, which is

also referred to as a UCS. See also coordinate system, local coordinate
system, view coordinate system, and world coordinate system.
VCS
See view coordinate system.
Vibration
An optional vibration analysis module integrated with Structure.
view coordinate system
The system Mechanica uses to define the view window. The origin is always at
the center of your screen with the positive X axis horizontal and to the right,
the positive Y axis vertical and up, and the positive Z axis perpendicular to
the other axes and pointed at you as you sit at the computer. See also
coordinate system, local coordinate system, user coordinate system, and
world coordinate system.
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This coordinate system is a reference point for view changes. When you
rotate, translate, or zoom your model, you are in effect repositioning the VCS
in relation to your model.
volume
A set of associated surfaces that visually represents an entity with volume. A

volume must be closed, but can have interior voids.
von Mises stress (S)
An equivalent stress that is a combination of all stress components. The von

Mises yielding criterion states that a material reaches its elastic limit if the
von Mises stress is equal to the material's yield stress in simple tension.
WCS
See world coordinate system.
work area
The largest window of the Mechanica screen, where you create and modify
models, and review results. By default, the work area is below the command
area and tools button area and to the left of the design menu area.
world coordinate system
The default coordinate system, also referred to as the WCS, in Mechanica.

You use this coordinate system when you create your model. See also
coordinate system, local coordinate system, user coordinate system, and view
coordinate system.
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Young's modulus (S)
The ratio of stress to strain for a specific material, describing its stiffness. You
specify Young's modulus when you define material properties.
yield stress
The value of stress at or above which a material no longer exhibits linear

elastic behavior.
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Index
2D models advanced springs ........................ 237
2D axisymmetric model type analysis
Structure ............................. 134 creating .................................. 749
Thermal ............................... 137 dynamic frequency ................... 722
2D axisymmetric model type ..... 134 dynamic random ...................... 723
2D plain strain model type dynamic shock ......................... 724
Structure ............................. 133 dynamic time........................... 720
Thermal ............................... 136 FEM
2D plain strain model type ........ 136 modal .................................. 738
2D plane stress model type overview .............................. 737
Structure ............................. 133 structural and thermal............ 738
Thermal ............................... 136 FEM ........................................ 737
2D plane stress model type ....... 136 modal ..................................... 670
defining .................................. 139 modifying ................................ 807
elements ................................ 574 planning for optimization .............46
preparing.................................. 45 prestress modal ....................... 671
2D models ................................... 45 prestress static ........................ 664
3D model type .................... 132, 135 selecting measures ................... 516
acceleration measure static ...................................... 662
defining .................................. 541 structural ................................ 660
overview................................. 524 thermal................................... 704
acceleration measure .................. 524 types ...................................... 659
acceleration results ..................... 869 vibration ................................. 719
1297
workflow................................. 747 Datum options ......................... 588
analysis..................................... 658 file menu................................. 571
animation of results .................... 858 geometry tolerances
annotating result windows .... 834, 902 absolute and relative.............. 590
ANSYS ...................................... 745 setting ................................. 589
approximated elements ............... 636 geometry tolerances ................. 588
assemblies info menu................................ 571
and midsurface compression ..... 219 log file .................................... 583
and optimized parts ................... 47 mesh treatment options .....221, 587
automatic midsurface connections settings dialog box

.......................................... 161
feature isolation .................... 585
connected and unconnected parts
.......................................... 102 limits tab .............................. 586
fasteners ................................ 168 settings tab .......................... 586
gaps ...................................... 219 settings dialog box ................... 584
guidelines ................................. 35 settings menu .......................... 584
modeling entities and idealizations94 AutoGEM.................................... 564
rigid connections...................... 166 automatic connections
welds ..................................... 161 gaps in assemblies ................... 219
assemblies................................... 35 results when using.................... 241
AutoGEM automatic connections ................. 161
AutoGEM dialog box ................. 569 BACS (Beam Action Coordinate

System) .................................. 265
controlling the mesh
batch design studies .................... 784
edge distribution ................... 566
BCPCS (Beam Centroidal Principal
edge length .......................... 567 Coordinate System) .................. 266
creating mesh elements............ 570 beam action coordinate system ..... 265
1298
Index
beam bending in results .............. 860 guidelines................................ 441
beam centroidal principal coordinate bibliography ............................... 992

system ................................... 266
boundary conditions, Thermal
Beam command ......................... 573
prescribed temperatures ........... 421
beam elements .......................... 573
BSCS (Beam Shape Coordinate
beam orientation System) .................................. 265
defining .................................. 266 buckling analysis
in results ................................ 866 overview ................................. 672
beam orientation ........................ 264 buckling analysis......................... 672
beam releases............................ 267 capping surfaces ......................... 921
beam resultant results quantity .... 873 center of mass measures
beam shape coordinate system .... 265 defining .................................. 534
beams overview ................................. 528
action coordinate system .......... 265 center of mass measures ............. 528
centroidal principal coordinate centrifugal loads

system ................................ 266
defining .................................. 445
creating.................................. 226
checking model........................... 654
in results ................................ 873
color scale.................................. 919
normals .................................. 969
component visibility in results ....... 851
orientation ....................... 264, 866
components - defining heat loads .. 488
releases.................................. 267
computers with parallel processing 822
sections.................................. 258
configuration file
shape coordinate system .......... 265
changing settings .......................61
beams....................................... 225
connected and unconnected parts . 102
bearing loads
connections
defining .................................. 442
1299
automatic midsurface connections defining................................ 386

.......................................... 161
guidelines ............................. 381
contact regions........................ 179
relations functions ................. 431
end welds ............................... 161
troubleshooting ..................... 398
fasteners ................................ 168
displacement ........................... 376
FEM mode............................... 187
symmetry
gaps ...................................... 188
mirror .................................. 393
interfaces
constraints, Structure .................. 376
FEM mode ............................ 187
contact analysis
native mode ......................... 185
creating .................................. 669
interfaces ............................... 199
contact measures
perimeter welds....................... 161
defining .................................. 527
precedence rules .............. 190, 239
overview ................................. 537
rigid connections...................... 166
contact measures........................ 527
rigid links................................ 181
contact pressure results quantity... 872
weighted links ......................... 183
contact regions
connections ............................... 160
2D models............................... 179
constraint sets
3D models............................... 180
guidelines ............................... 380
creating .................................. 180
overview................................. 381
overview ................................. 179
constraint sets ........................... 381
contact regions ........................... 179
constraints, Structure
contour plot for results ................ 861
along surface .......................... 394
convection conditions
displacement
defining .................................. 418
adding ................................. 377
coordinate systems
1300
Index
creating.................................. 148 datum axes
in results ................................ 866 creating................................ 146
setting for an advanced mass .... 232 datum curves
coordinate systems ..................... 147 creating................................ 147
creating features ........................ 143 overview .............................. 146
custom system of units datum curves........................... 146
editing.................................... 106 datum planes
overview................................. 109 creating................................ 145
custom system of units ............... 109 overview .............................. 145
custom unit datum planes........................... 145
creating.................................. 106 datum points
editing.................................... 105 and custom measures ............ 548
custom unit ............................... 108 creating................................ 144
cyclic symmetry overview .............................. 144
adding.................................... 391 datum points ........................... 144
defining .................................. 392 promoting to Pro/ENGINEER ...... 142
guidelines ............................... 390 datum features ........................... 142
database files............................. 995 deformed display in results........... 869
datum features design parameters
coordinate systems defining .................................. 643
creating ............................... 148 overview ................................. 638
cylindrical ............................ 155 preparing your model................ 640
overview .............................. 147 types ...................................... 641
spherical .............................. 153 design parameters ...................... 641
coordinate systems .................. 147 design studies
1301
defining defining .................................. 538
accessing summary report...... 786 overview ................................. 529
batch file ............................. 784 driven pro parameter measure...... 529
creating ............................... 658 driving parameters ........................98
global sensitivity ................... 754 DSGN CONTROLS menu ............... 638
local sensitivity ..................... 757 dynamic analyses, measures for.... 517
modifying............................. 807 dynamic frequency analysis .......... 722
optimization ......................... 759 dynamic query............................ 946
results ................................. 824 dynamic random analysis ............. 723
running................................ 774 dynamic shock analysis................ 724
standard .............................. 752 dynamic time analysis ................. 720
defining .................................. 752 elements
types ..................................... 752 2D solids ................................. 574
design studies ............................ 749 approximated linear edges......... 636
Diagnose command .................... 789 beam ...................................... 573
dimension name changes............... 33 creating automatically using

AutoGEM .............................. 564
direction, in pressure loads .......... 449
mass ...................................... 573
displacement measure................. 521
properties ............................... 257
displacement results quantity ....... 871
shell ....................................... 572
display location in results...... 833, 901
solid ....................................... 572
display options in results ...... 832, 900
spring ..................................... 573
display types in results ......... 831, 899
types in Structure..................... 576
displaying result windows ............ 929
types in Thermal ...................... 576
driven parameters ........................ 98
elements.................................... 575
driven pro parameter measure
1302
Index
entities, transferring from features

Pro/ENGINEER........................1013
coordinate systems................... 147
environment variables ................... 62
creating simulation features in
equations, for shell properties .....1071 Pro/ENGINEER ...................... 143
export as MPEG .......................... 960 datum curves........................... 146
Export HTML command................ 962 datum planes........................... 145
Export VRML command................ 962 datum points ........................... 144
failure index measure simulation features guidelines .... 143
defining .................................. 534 suppressing ...............................30
overview................................. 520 volume region.......................... 158
failure index measure.................. 520 features ..................................... 141
failure index results quantity ........ 885 FEM mode
family tables for simulation features 54 analyses.................................. 737
fasteners basic workflow ...........................24
effect on mesh ........................ 170 connections ............................. 187
prerequisites ........................... 169 creating parameters ................. 906
fasteners ................................... 168 database files .......................... 995
fatigue display settings and visibilities .....55
fatigue measures displaying analysis results ......... 892
defining ............................... 535 FEA solver runs ........................ 795
overview .............................. 527 gaps
fatigue measures ..................... 527 creating................................ 190
fatigue results quantity............. 873 overview .............................. 188
fatigue ........................................ 84 gaps ....................................... 188
feature interference ...................... 30 material
1303
assigning ............................. 297 running FEM analysis ................ 795
overview .............................. 297 supported FEA solvers............... 910
material.................................. 297 FEM mode ....................................77
meshes FEM Mode command.................... 591
assembly ............................. 597 file types.................................. 1003
checking .............................. 623 flat FEM meshes.......................... 598
connections .......................... 604 flux results quantity..................... 879
erasing ................................ 591 force and moment loads
flat meshes .......................... 598 defining .................................. 439
mixed mesh ......................... 619 distribution .............................. 438
operations............................ 620 guidelines................................ 437
parabolic elements ................ 798 force and moment results
retained meshes ................... 592 beam resultant......................... 873
retrieving ............................. 629 reaction .................................. 883
reviewing ...................... 621, 799 shear and moment ................... 877
shell mesh ........................... 617 shell resultant .......................... 876
storing.......................... 628, 742 shell transverse shear ............... 855
transient meshes .................. 592 force and moment results............. 882
troubleshooting..................... 596 force measures
meshes .................................. 591 defining .................................. 536
neutral format file ...................1019 overview ................................. 522
outputting decks ...................... 797 force measures ........................... 522
overview................................... 77 frequency/time step, in results..... 831,

898
radiation constraint .................. 425
fringe plot for results
running FEA solvers online ........ 797
1304
Index
contour plots ........................... 861 graphing results .......................... 944
displaying values ..................... 946 gravity loads
overview................................. 886 defining .................................. 447
tips ........................................ 859 guidelines for assemblies ...............35
fringe plot for results .................. 886 guidelines for building parts............29
function guidelines for shell properties ....... 272
in FEM mode guidelines for structure loads ........ 434
creating ............................... 979 heat flux measure
overview .............................. 976 defining .................................. 538
valid symbols ....................... 977 overview ................................. 532
in FEM mode ........................... 976 heat flux measure ....................... 532
in native mode heat loads
creating ............................... 976 defining
overview .............................. 970 FEM mode ............................ 491
symbolic native mode.......................... 487
overview ........................... 971 defining .................................. 487
valid symbols..................... 972 overview ................................. 481
symbolic .............................. 971 reviewing ................................ 492
in native mode ........................ 970 heat loads .................................. 481
function..................................... 970 help system..................................63
gap connections in FEM mode....... 188 icon display ..................................55
gaps in assemblies...................... 219 icons
gaps in parts.............................. 218 mesh control ........................... 613
global sensitivity design study ...... 754 setting icon visibilities .................55
glossary ...................................1264 toolbar......................................50
1305
types ..................................... 984 layers ..........................................52
icons........................................... 50 load sets
idealizations guidelines.........................435, 483
and connections....................... 160 in results..........................831, 898
beams .................................... 225 load sets .............. 434, 435, 482, 483
in assembly mode ...................... 94 loads
masses................................... 230 basics ..................................... 432
precedence rules .............. 190, 239 bearing loads
shells ..................................... 210 defining................................ 442
springs ................................... 234 guidelines ............................. 441
idealizations............................... 210 centrifugal loads
independent mode for Mechanica.... 27 defining................................ 445
integrated mode for Mechanica....... 26 force and moment loads
isosurfaces, in results.................. 861 defining................................ 439
iterative solver distribution ........................... 438
overview................................. 779 guidelines ............................. 437
selecting................................. 819 gravity loads
iterative solver ........................... 779 defining................................ 447
labels in result windows............... 948 heat loads
large deformation static analysis defining
creating.................................. 667 FEM mode.......................... 491
overview................................. 666 native mode ....................... 487
layers defining................................ 487
in results ................................ 851 overview .............................. 481
overview................................... 52 reviewing ............................. 492
1306
Index
heat loads............................... 481 mass elements ........................... 573
importing external temperatures 455 mass properties .......................... 281
load sets.......................... 435, 483 masses
MEC/T temperature load adding to curves, edges, and

surfaces ............................... 234
defining ............................... 455
adding to points ....................... 232
overview .............................. 453
overview ................................. 230
MEC/T temperature load ........... 453
types for curves, edges, and
Mechanism Design loads surfaces ............................... 233
creation ............................... 477 types for points ........................ 231
defining ............................... 458 masses ...................................... 230
pressure loads material orientation
defining ............................... 450 assigning................................. 308
relations functions ................... 431 in results................................. 855
structure loads material orientation ..................... 305
guidelines ............................ 434 materials
overview .............................. 430 assigning................................. 290
structure loads ........................ 430 assigning in FEM mode .............. 297
temperature loads defining ...........................291, 298
guidelines ............................ 451 FEM mode ............................... 297
troubleshooting ....................... 459 guidelines................................ 282
using temperature load in Structure types ...................................... 283

.......................................... 453
materials ................................... 282
loads ................................. 430, 481
measure results quantity.............. 885
local sensitivity design study ........ 757
measures
Log command, on AutoGEM menu. 583
acceleration ............................. 524
1307
center of mass ........................ 528 measures ................................... 494
contact ................................... 527 MEC/T temperature load
coordinate systems and ............ 511 defining .................................. 455
displacement........................... 521 overview ................................. 453
driven pro parameter ............... 529 MEC/T temperature load .............. 453
failure index ............................ 520 Mechanica
fatigue ................................... 527 2D analysis................................45
for dynamic analyses................ 517 analysis overview ..................... 749
for thermal analysis ................. 531 assembly considerations..............35
moment of inertia .................... 528 bibliography ............................ 992
phase..................................... 526 creating custom system of units . 109
predefined .............................. 497 database considerations ............ 995
results available....................... 533 dimension name changes ............33
results graph types .................. 865 DSGN CONTROLS menu ............ 638
results quantity ....................... 885 FEM mode .................................77
rotation .................................. 521 files ...................................... 1003
rotational acceleration .............. 525 getting started ............................ 3
rotational velocity .................... 525 glossary ................................ 1264
selecting for analyses ............... 516 guidelines for building parts .........29
strain ..................................... 520 icons ...................................... 984
stress..................................... 520 Model menu............................. 130
time ....................................... 526 model types............................. 131
ucs-based ............................... 562 modeling strategies
uses....................................... 495 and optimization......................46
velocity .................................. 524 building parts and assemblies....29
1308
Index
operating modes model types
independent mode .................. 27 2D axisymmetric structure......... 134
integrated mode ..................... 26 2D axisymmetric thermal .......... 137
process overview ....................... 65 2D plate thermal ...................... 136
product line 2D unit depth thermal............... 136
overview ................................ 21 3D...................................132, 135
Structure ............................... 21 defining 2D models................... 139
Thermal ................................. 22 guidelines................................ 138
product line............................... 21 model type specification ............ 130
setting simulation display............ 55 plane strain ............................. 133
setting units.............................. 36 plane stress ............................. 133
toolbar ..................................... 50 selecting ................................. 138
using Pro/ENGINEER parameters . 39 model types ............................... 131
workflow................................... 65 modeling entities in assembly mode 94
Mechanica ..................................... 1 modeling features ....................... 141
mechevnt file ............................1003 moment measures
meshing guidelines, FEM mode ..... 593 defining .................................. 537
midsurface compression overview ................................. 522
assemblies .............................. 219 moment measures ...................... 522
parts ...................................... 218 moment of inertia measures
midsurface compression .............. 221 defining .................................. 536
modal analysis overview ................................. 528
overview................................. 670 moment of inertia measures ......... 528
results............................. 831, 898 NASTRAN
model display in results ............... 879 importing files for mesh ............ 620
1309
outputting to ........................... 744 gaps ....................................... 218
templates ............................... 741 guidelines for building .................29
NASTRAN .................................. 744 midsurface compression ............ 218
near point measures ................... 505 parts ...........................................29
normals perimeter welds .......................... 161
shell....................................... 970 phase measure
surface ................................... 968 defining .................................. 539
normals..................................... 968 overview ................................. 526
optimization and assemblies .......... 47 types ...................................... 561
optimization and suppressed features phase measure ........................... 526

............................................... 46
plane strain model type ............... 133
optimization design study
plane stress model type ............... 133
creating.................................. 764
p-level quantity in results............. 884
saving optimized shape ............ 765
ply orientation in results .............. 851
optimization design study ............ 759
point measures ........................... 504
optimization planning .................... 46
precedence rules..................190, 239
parallel processing ...................... 822
predefined systems of units .......... 126
parameter-capable edit fields ....... 244
predefined units .......................... 127
parameters
prescribed temperatures
in design studies...................... 757
defining .................................. 424
Pro/ENGINEER parameters .......... 39
overview ................................. 421
parameters ................................ 757
prescribed temperatures .............. 421
parameters, driven and driving....... 98
pressure loads
parts
defining .................................. 450
connected and unconnected ...... 102
direction.................................. 449
1310
Index
guidelines ............................... 449 guidelines ............................. 282
prestress modal analysis material .................................. 282
overview................................. 671 material orientation
results............................. 831, 898 creating................................ 310
prestress static analysis material orientation .................. 305
overview................................. 664 shell
results............................. 831, 898 defining................................ 275
prestress static analysis............... 664 guidelines ............................. 272
Pro/ENGINEER parameters, using in shell ....................................... 269

Mechanica................................. 39
spring ..................................... 276
Pro/ENGINEER Relations menu ..... 431
properties .................................. 256
Pro/ENGINEER, transferring entities
from .....................................1013 quantity in results ....................... 882
Pro/FEM neutral file format .........1019 query in results........................... 928
promoting simulation features to quilts......................................... 620

Pro/ENGINEER......................... 142
radiation constraint ..................... 425
properties
reaction at point constraints results
beam orientation ..................... 264 quantity .................................. 882
beam releases ......................... 267 reaction results quantity .............. 883
beam sections ......................... 258 relative results............................ 874
deleting .................................. 256 result windows
for elements............................ 257 defining ...........................829, 897
guidelines for using .................. 257 display options
mass properties....................... 281 animation ............................. 858
material contour ................................ 861
creating ........................ 292, 299 displaying result window......... 929
1311
fringe .................................. 886 overview .............................. 890
graph .................................. 882 FEM mode ............................... 890
model.................................. 879 graphing ................................. 944
vectors ................................ 857 layer visibility .......................... 851
display options ................. 832, 900 linearized stress ....................... 951
labels ..................................... 948 quantity .................................. 882
loading ................................... 836 relative ................................... 874
location ........................... 833, 901 reporting ..........................838, 905
reviewing................................ 927 result windows
saving ............................. 837, 904 annotating .....................834, 902
titles ...................................... 947 basics functions..............828, 896
toolbar ............................ 826, 894 changing .............................. 927
result windows .................... 829, 897 comparing ............................ 930
results defining.........................829, 897
animation ............................... 858 displaying ............................. 929
animation control..................... 920 editing ................................. 918
annotating ....................... 834, 902 file menu .............................. 962
available for measures.............. 533 loading................................. 836
component visibility ................. 851 location .........................833, 901
dynamic query ........................ 928 printing ................................ 947
evaluating........................ 835, 903 reviewing ............................. 927
exporting HTML ....................... 962 saving ...........................837, 904
exporting VRML ....................... 962 saving views ......................... 929
FEM mode titles .................................... 947
loading NASTRAN results........ 891 toolbar ..........................827, 894
1312
Index
tying multiple ....................... 937 results in FEM mode .................... 890
untying ................................ 937 results user interface ............825, 893
view menu ........................... 961 rigid connections
result windows ................. 829, 897 creating .................................. 167
templates overview ................................. 166
creating new result windows from rigid connections ......................... 166

....................................... 859
rotation acceleration measure
saving .......................... 837, 904
defining .................................. 539
templates ........................ 837, 904
overview ................................. 525
viewing .................................. 828
rotation acceleration measure ....... 525
results ...................................... 824
rotation acceleration results quantity
results in FEM mode ............................................. 874
creating parameters ................. 905 rotation measure
displaying element IDs, node IDs, defining .................................. 537

and result values .................. 926
overview ................................. 521
displaying the mesh ................... 82
rotation measure ........................ 521
loading NASTRAN results .......... 891
rotation results quantity ............... 878
modal analysis ........................ 914
rotation velocity measure
statistics
defining .................................. 539
graphing .............................. 914
overview ................................. 525
output ................................. 912
rotation velocity measure ............. 525
output thermal ..................... 913
rotation velocity results quantity ... 877
statistics ................................. 914
run
structural analysis.................... 914
accessing summary report ......... 786
thermal analysis ...................... 913
batch file................................. 784
using the postprocessor ............ 891
1313
error detection ........................ 781 shell properties
error resolution ....................... 812 equations .............................. 1071
for FEM guidelines................................ 272
output formats...................... 743 thickness................................. 359
outputting decks ................... 801 types ...................................... 272
overview .............................. 795 shell properties ........................... 269
reviewing the solver mesh621, 799 shell resultant results quantity ...... 876
solving online ....................... 796 shell transverse shear.................. 876
for FEM................................... 795 simple springs ............................ 236
overview................................. 774 simulation display .........................55
parallel processing ................... 822 simulation features
reviewing errors ...................... 789 coordinate systems................... 147
stopping ................................. 785 creating ...........................141, 142
run ........................................... 774 datum curves........................... 146
saved views in results ................. 929 datum planes........................... 145
shear & moment results quantity .. 877 datum points ........................... 144
shell elements ............................ 572 guidelines................................ 143
shell models promoting to Pro/ENGINEER ...... 142
creation guidelines ................... 214 simulation features...................... 141
defining shells simulation model information..........81
advanced ............................. 213 sketcher, using ........................... 261
simple ................................. 212 solid elements ............................ 319
defining shells ......................... 211 solvers
shell models............................... 210 iterative .................................. 819
shell normals ............................. 970 supported FEA ......................... 910
1314
Index
solvers ...................................... 819 strain measure ........................... 520
spatial variation for loads............. 439 strain results quantity.................. 888
spin softening ............................ 692 stress measure
spring stiffness........................... 276 defining .................................. 540
springs overview ................................. 520
advanced................................ 237 stress measure ........................... 520
creating stress results quantity ................. 887
advanced springs .................. 239 structural analysis ....................... 660
simple springs ...................... 236 Structure .....................................21
to ground springs.................. 237 Structure constraints
creating.................................. 234 adding .................................... 377
guidelines for creating .............. 235 defining .................................. 386
simple .................................... 236 guidelines................................ 381
to ground ............................... 237 guidelines for sets .................... 380
springs...................................... 234 sets ........................................ 381
standard design study troubleshooting ........................ 398
creating.................................. 753 using in structural analyses ....... 661
overview................................. 752 Structure constraints ................... 376
standard design study ................. 752 Structure loads
static analysis basics ..................................... 432
creating.................................. 663 guidelines................................ 434
strain energy results quantity....... 876 heat loads ............................... 481
strain measure spatial variation ....................... 439
defining .................................. 540 troubleshooting ........................ 459
overview................................. 520 Structure loads ........................... 430
1315
study, selecting in results ..... 829, 897 temperature measure
summary report for design study .. 786 defining .................................. 540
suppressed features in optimized parts overview ................................. 532

............................................... 46
temperature measure .................. 532
suppressing features ..................... 30
temperature results quantity ........ 876
suppressing simulation features...... 54
Thermal .......................................22
Surface command, on AutoGEM menu
............................................. 578 thermal analysis
surface normals.......................... 968 measures for ........................... 531
surface regions thermal analysis ......................... 704
creating.................................. 158 thermal constraints and boundary

conditions
symbolic function........................ 971
overview ................................. 396
systems of units ......................... 108
prescribed temperatures
temp gradient measure ............... 532
defining................................ 424
temp gradient results quantity...... 875
overview .............................. 421
temperature gradient measure
prescribed temperatures ........... 421
defining .................................. 538
thermal constraints and boundary
overview................................. 532 conditions ............................... 396
temperature gradient measure ..... 532 Thermal elements ....................... 576
temperature loads Thermal icons ............................. 984
global temperature change........ 451 Thermal loads
guidelines ............................... 451 heat loads ............................... 481
importing external temperatures 455 Thermal loads............................. 481
MEC/T .................................... 453 Thermal measures
structural in FEM mode ............. 463 heat flux ................................. 532
using in Structure .................... 453 temp gradient .......................... 532
1316
Index
temperature............................ 532 managing ................................ 107
thermal strain energy results quantity predefined ............................... 127

............................................. 875
reviewing ................................ 105
thermal strain results quantity...... 856
setting .................................... 127
time measures
units ......................................... 128
defining .................................. 540
Units command........................... 128
overview................................. 526
vectors in results ........................ 857
time measures ........................... 526
velocity measure
time step/frequency, in results .... 831,
898 defining .................................. 535
titles, in result windows ............... 947 overview ................................. 524
TLAP load .................................. 471 velocity measure......................... 524
to ground springs ....................... 237 velocity results quantity ............... 856
total heat loads Verification Guide
reviewing................................ 492 2D and 3D contact analysis...... 1249
total heat loads .......................... 485 buckling analysis .................... 1243
UCS (User Coordinate System) ..... 147 dynamic frequency response analysis
......................................... 1237
unit conversion tables ................. 110
dynamic shock response analysis
unit, creating custom .................. 106 ......................................... 1240
unit, editing custom .................... 105 dynamic time response analysis 1234
units large deformation analysis ....... 1254
creating custom system ............ 129 modal analysis ....................... 1188
custom ................................... 108 optimization analysis .............. 1260
custom system ........................ 109 prestress modal analysis ......... 1257
defining .................................. 128 static analysis ........................ 1088
guidelines ............................... 110 steady-state thermal analysis .. 1211
1317
Verification Guide ......................1081 volume regions
vibration analysis creating .................................. 159
dynamic frequency................... 722 overview ................................. 158
dynamic random...................... 723 volume regions ........................... 158
dynamic shock ........................ 724 volumetric heat loads .................. 488
dynamic time .......................... 720 WCS (World Coordinate System) ... 147
vibration analysis ....................... 719 working with assemblies ................35
viewing icons ............................... 55 Y direction
visibility of icons ........................... 55 for advanced springs................. 238
Volume command, on AutoGEM menu for beams................................ 228
strategies ............................... 580 Y direction.................................. 228
1318

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Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire™ 2.0

Parametric Technology Corporation

About Structural and Thermal Simulation ........................................................ 1

Updates for Mechanica Wildfire 2.0................................................................. 1

Compatibility Issues .................................................................................. 2

Functionality Limitations ............................................................................ 2

Mechanica Wildfire Installation Issues ....................................................... 2

Getting Started with Mechanica ..................................................................... 3

Getting Started ......................................................................................... 3

Configuration File Options .......................................................................... 3

config.pro Options .................................................................................. 4

Mechanica Products ..................................................................................21

Introducing the Mechanica Product Line....................................................21

Mechanica Structure ..............................................................................21

Mechanica Workflow .................................................................................23

Native Mode Workflow ...........................................................................23

FEM Mode Workflow...............................................................................24

Operating Modes ...................................................................................25

Operating Mode Comparison ...................................................................28

Planning and Modeling Considerations.........................................................28

Building Part and Assemblies ..................................................................29

Using Effective Modeling Techniques ........................................................36

Planning for Optimization .......................................................................46

User Interface Basics for Integrated Mode ...................................................48

Working With the User Interface..............................................................48

Using Dialog Boxes and Message Boxes....................................................48

Process Guide .......................................................................................52

Selection Methods .................................................................................52

Managing Modeling Entities Through Suppression and Family Tables ............54

Color References ...................................................................................59

Getting Information on Your Model ..........................................................60

Removing Simulation Entities from Your Model ..........................................60

Transferring Your Model to Independent Mode...........................................61

Printing Your Model ...............................................................................61

Changing Configuration Settings..............................................................61

Setting Environment Variables ................................................................62

Online Help .............................................................................................63

Getting Help for Mechanica .....................................................................63

Online Help for Mechanica ......................................................................63

Supplemental Online Documents for Mechanica .........................................64

Simulation Advisor ................................................................................65

Viewing Specifications for Simulation Advisor ............................................65

Using Simulation Advisor ........................................................................66

Using Online Help ..................................................................................66

Troubleshooting Browser Problems For Simulation Advisor ..........................67

To Customize the Mechanica Toolbar ..........................................................68

To Control Icon Appearance.......................................................................68

To Set Icon Visibilities for Modeling Entities .................................................68

To Suppress Modeling Entities Through a Family Table ..................................68

To Set Icon Visibilities for Loads and Constraints ..........................................69

To Set Simulation Entity Prehighlighting Filters ............................................70

To Move the Mechanica Toolbar .................................................................70

Optimizing a Model (Native Mode) ..............................................................70

Developing a Model (Native Mode) .............................................................71

Defining Design Changes (Native Mode) ......................................................73

Analyzing a Model (Native Mode)................................................................73

Search Tool .............................................................................................73

Controlling Mesh Display ...........................................................................74

Comparing Mirror and Cyclic Symmetry.......................................................75

Defining an Analysis (FEM Mode)................................................................76

Solving a Model (FEM Mode) ......................................................................76

FEM Mode ...............................................................................................77