Point Mass

Represents the inertial effects from a body.

Additional Related Information

Object Properties

The Details Pane properties for this object include the following.

Category	Properties/Options/Descriptions
Scope	Scoping method: Specify as Geometry Selection (default) or Named Selection or Remote Point (only available when a user-defined Remote Point exists in the tree). Geometry: Visible when the Scoping Method is set to Geometry Selection. Displays the type of geometry (Body, Face, etc.) and the number of geometric entities (for example: 1 Body, 2 Edges) to which the boundary has been applied using the selection tools. Use selection filters to pick geometry, click in the Geometry field, then click Apply. The Remote Attachment option is the required Applied By property (see below) setting if the geometry scoping is to a single face or multiple faces, a single edge or multiple edges, or multiple vertices. Named Selection: Visible when the Scoping Method is set to Named Selection. This field provides a drop-down list of available user–defined Named Selections. Remote Points: Visible when the Scoping Method is set to Remote Point. This field provides a drop-down list of available user–defined Remote Point. Applied By: Specify as Remote Attachment (default) or Direct Attachment. Coordinate System: Aligns the inertial axes of the Point Mass with a local coordinate system. The local system must have been previously defined by one or more Coordinate System objects. For the Rigid Dynamics and Explicit Dynamics solvers, the Mass Moment of Inertia axes also align to this coordinate system. For the Mechanical APDL Solver, by default, the Mass Moment of Inertia axes align to the Global Coordinate System. X Coordinate: Define X coordinate location. You can set this property as a parameter. Y Coordinate: Define Y coordinate location. You can set this property as a parameter. Z Coordinate: Define Z coordinate location. You can set this property as a parameter. Location: Change location of the load. Pick new location, click in the Location field, then click Apply.
Definition	Mass: Define mass; can be designated as a parameter. Mass Moment of Inertia X: Available for 3D models only. Mass Moment of Inertia Y: Available for 3D models only. Mass Moment of Inertia Z: Available for 3D models only. Suppressed Behavior Material: Available when the Behavior property is set to Beam. Select a material to define material properties for the beams used in the connection. Density is excluded from the material definition. Radius: Available when the Behavior property is set to Beam. Specify a radius to define the cross section dimension of the circular beam used for the connection. Pinball Region Element APDL Name: Optional property that enables you to manually define an APDL parameter (in the input file) and assign the parameter value as the element of the Point Mass. This facilitates easy programmatic identification of the element of the Point Mass for later use/reference in a Commands (APDL) object.

Category

Properties/Options/Descriptions

Scope

Scoping method: Specify as Geometry Selection (default) or Named Selection or Remote Point (only available when a user-defined Remote Point exists in the tree).

Geometry: Visible when the Scoping Method is set to Geometry Selection. Displays the type of geometry (Body, Face, etc.) and the number of geometric entities (for example: 1 Body, 2 Edges) to which the boundary has been applied using the selection tools. Use selection filters to pick geometry, click in the Geometry field, then click Apply. The Remote Attachment option is the required Applied By property (see below) setting if the geometry scoping is to a single face or multiple faces, a single edge or multiple edges, or multiple vertices.

Named Selection: Visible when the Scoping Method is set to Named Selection. This field provides a drop-down list of available user–defined Named Selections.

Remote Points: Visible when the Scoping Method is set to Remote Point. This field provides a drop-down list of available user–defined Remote Point.

Applied By: Specify as Remote Attachment (default) or Direct Attachment.

Coordinate System: Aligns the inertial axes of the Point Mass with a local coordinate system. The local system must have been previously defined by one or more Coordinate System objects. For the Rigid Dynamics and Explicit Dynamics solvers, the Mass Moment of Inertia axes also align to this coordinate system. For the Mechanical APDL Solver, by default, the Mass Moment of Inertia axes align to the Global Coordinate System.

X Coordinate: Define X coordinate location. You can set this property as a parameter.

Y Coordinate: Define Y coordinate location. You can set this property as a parameter.

Z Coordinate: Define Z coordinate location. You can set this property as a parameter.

Location: Change location of the load. Pick new location, click in the Location field, then click Apply.

Definition

Mass: Define mass; can be designated as a parameter.

Mass Moment of Inertia X: Available for 3D models only.

Mass Moment of Inertia Y: Available for 3D models only.

Mass Moment of Inertia Z: Available for 3D models only.

Suppressed

Behavior

Material: Available when the Behavior property is set to Beam. Select a material to define material properties for the beams used in the connection. Density is excluded from the material definition.

Radius: Available when the Behavior property is set to Beam. Specify a radius to define the cross section dimension of the circular beam used for the connection.

Pinball Region

Element APDL Name: Optional property that enables you to manually define an APDL parameter (in the input file) and assign the parameter value as the element of the Point Mass. This facilitates easy programmatic identification of the element of the Point Mass for later use/reference in a Commands (APDL) object.

Tree Dependencies

Valid Parent Tree Object: Geometry.
Valid Child Tree Objects: Commands, Comment, Figure, and Image.

Insertion Methods

Use any of the following methods after selecting the Geometry object or a Body object:

Select the Point option from the Mass group on the Geometry Context tab.
Right-click and select Insert > Point Mass.

Right-click Options

In addition to common right-click options, relevant right-click options for this object include:

Insert >
- Element Orientation
- Point Mass
- Distributed Mass
- Surface Coating
- Commands (APDL)
Suppress
Promote Remote Point (Remote Attachment Only)

API Reference

See the Point Mass section of the ACT API Reference Guide for specific scripting information.

Additional Related Information

Point Mass application
Coordinate Systems
Geometry Context Tab