7.2. Common Ribbon Elements

These commands are available on more than one ribbon, though they may not be available at all times.

New Project

This option is only available when no projects are currently open. Choose it to create a brand new project and define basic attributes such as Name, Location, Type, and Unit.

File Tools
Open

This option is only available when no projects are currently open. Choose it to open a drop-down menu from which you may select a project name from a list of recently-opened projects. You may also choose Clear History to delete this list of projects if you do not want them to be displayed.

Import

This option is only available once a project is open. Choose it to open the Import task panel. Use the panel to import Surfaces, Curves, Points, Local Coordinate Systems (LCS), and Miscellaneous objects. Miscellaneous objects such as tools and blanks can be imported from LS-DYNA keyword files and Nastran Deck files. LS-DYNA files should contain not only the CAD geometry, but also the mesh.

Select the Import button ( ) above the relevant list to choose a CAD data file from a file browser. Highlight an item in a list and select the Delete   button above that list to remove the selected item from the list. You may also choose Delete All from the drop-down menu to remove all items from that list. Click the Close button when you are finished importing.

Note that while this option is available on every ribbon, imported items are not shared between tabs. Items needed while setting up the model must be imported while the Process tab is selected. Items needed during postprocessing must be imported while the Analysis tab is selected.

Export

This option is only available once a project is open. The file types available in the Export command depend on which tab you are viewing. During process definition, choose it to export the current tool and blank shapes to an LS-DYNA .k file. During postprocessing, choose it to export an LS-DYNA .dynain file, IGES data file, or .stl mesh file of the current State.

Display Tools
Part On/Off

This option is only available once a project is open. Choose it to open the Part On/Off Task Panel. Use the panel to turn project parts on or off.

Show Tools

This option is only available once a project is open, and is only really useful when defining operations in the Operations Tab and when viewing results in the Analysis Tab. It enables you to toggle display of process tooling in the graphics window. You can display tooling with a complete or simplified tree by choosing options from the drop-down menu.

Blank Only

This option is only available once a project is open, and is only really useful when viewing results in the Analysis Tab. It enables you to toggle display of the blank in the graphics window. Before running the simulation, the software can only display an un-deformed blank. After simulation, you can display the blank with the result of all operations, just the current operation, or all operations up to the current operation by choosing options from the drop-down menu.

Toolbox Tools

These options are only available once a project is open.

Transform

Choose this tool to open the Part Transform Task Panel and perform a transform or rotation on a part or parts of the project.

Section Cut

Choose this tool to open the Create Section Task Panel and define a cross-section display of the blank using a cut line.

Measure

Choose this tool to open the Measure Task Panel and measure a distance, radius, or angle on the project geometry.

View Tools

Use the view tools to modify the view displayed in the graphics window. The Global View Mode and Local View Mode buttons enable you to switch between viewing according to the global and local coordinate systems.

The Top, Bottom, Left, Right, Front, Back, and Iso. buttons and menu items enable you to choose preset viewing angles. You can also use the shortcut keys Z, Y, X, and I to adjust the view.

The Capture Current View button enables you to capture an image of the active pane of the graphics window to the clipboard. The Capture Multi View button enables you to capture an image of all panes of the graphics window to the clipboard. Items on the drop-down menu enable you to capture the View or Multi View image to a file.

Click the Fill Window button (Or use shortcut key F) to zoom the active pane's view so that the geometry fills the pane. Choose Zoom Cursor or Zoom Freehand from the Zoom Window drop-down menu to select a region and zoom in so that the region fills the active pane.

Style Tools

Use these tools to pick a style for displaying the geometry of the project in the graphics window. You may choose from Wireframe, Shaded, Shrunk, and Mesh.

Window Tools

Choose a predefined layout using the buttons or drop-down menu to split the graphics window into panes. A different project can be displayed in each pane.

Options Tool

Choose an item to toggle that item's visibility in the graphics window. You can toggle the project Title, the coordinate system Triad, the Ansys Logo, and the Feature Tree. Some displays in the graphics window have additional options. For instance, some of the data plots available through the Analysis Ribbon Elements have a Legend and Min-Max Markers that may be toggled.