Create a Vector Plot

  1. From the View Controls toolbar, click .
  2. From the Vector panel, select the data type that should be used to calculate the vector plot from the Result type drop-down menu.
    Only vector data types indicated with a (v), such as displacement, velocity, acceleration, rotation, forces, or moments, are available for selection.
    Tip: Click the expansion button , to open the Choose From List dialog where you can filter result types for faster selection.
    Note: For MBD users: Markers are triads that represent local coordinate systems. Markers can help visualize the orientation of a component (part). Activate the Markers check box in the Results Browser to display the markers for the currently selected entities.
    If an animation file contains force data, the forces can be displayed as vectors. Select Forces as the result type to display the forces acting on the currently selected components (parts).
  3. Optional: If a layer definition is available for an element, you can create a vector plot for a specified element layer by selecting an option from the Layers drop-down menu.
    Option Description
    Solver specific layer options Solver dependent label(s). For example, Z1 and Z2 indicates the lower and upper layers of shells for a Nastran model.
    Tip: Use the Layer Filter to reduce the layer list available for aggregation for the data types which have layers (for example, plies in composite stress/stains or any vector result with layers).
    Note: If an element has no layer definition, as with solids, the vectors are displayed regardless of layer selection.
  4. Optional: If corner data is available, activate the Use corner data check box to render data such as vectors, provided that the Result Math template is set to Advanced and the required information is extracted from the input deck read as a model file (for OptiStruct and Nastran solvers only).
  5. Before creating a vector plot, you must pick one or more entities from the model.
    • Click the entity type input collector (Nodes, Elements, Components, or Sections) and use the extended entity selection menu.
      Restriction: The Sections input collector option is only available if a section cut has been applied.
    • Pick entities directly from the model in the modeling window.
    Tip: For MBD models: You can pick entities directly from the screen using the quick window selection, or you can click the Assemblies (Bodies) or Systems (Markers) input collector and use the extended entity selection menu.
    Note: If no selection is made, the vector will be applied to displayed nodes, elements, components, or sections by default.
  6. Select the coordinate system that will be used to plot the results from the Resolved in drop-down menu.
    Coordinate System Description
    Global System Transforms to the global system.
    Analysis System Displays the vector and tensor results as they are output from the solver.
    Elemental System Transforms results to the element coordinate system. In HyperLife, the element coordinate system is defined by element connectivity.
    User System Click the System input collector to select a system by ID or pick from the screen.
    Note: This option is available when the results file contains a user-defined coordinate system.
  7. Optional: If a tracking system has been activated in the Tracking panel, activate the Use tracking system check box to transform and resolve the vectors in the activated tracking system.
  8. From the Plot tab (located in the middle of the panel), select the desired coordinates or resultants.
    • For Component, activate the X, Y, or Z coordinates check box(es) to display the corresponding axis (or axes).
    • For Resultant, select the desired resultant (X + Y + Z) and/or the shear resultant(s) (X + Y, Y + Z, Z + X).
    Note: By default, vector plots are displayed in the resultant, which displays the vectors in absolute magnitude. The component vectors are the minimum and maximum vectors.
    Tip: Click the Components or the Resultant button to conveniently activate the default options and display the corresponding vector plot.
    1. Activate the Values option to display the values at the tip of the vector.
    2. Activate the Prefix option to display the value prefixes.
    3. Click the Font button, to display the Font Selector dialog.
      This dialog allows you to select the font type, font style, and font size for the vector plot prefix and value labels.
    4. Click the Color box to select a vector plot text color from the color palette.
  9. Click Apply.
    The vector settings are applied to the selected nodes, elements, components, or sections on the model.