Result Plot Trackers

Shows the progression of specific results during the solution process. Available from the Solution Information object.

As listed in the following table, this feature supports specific result types for Static Structural, Transient Structural, Explicit Dynamics, LS-DYNA, Steady-State Thermal, and Transient Thermal, as well as Structural Optimization analyses.

Static Structural, Transient Structural, Explicit Dynamics, and LS-DYNA

Steady-State/Transient Thermal

Structural Optimization

Deformation

Stress

Strain (not supported for LS-DYNA)

Temperature

Topology Density

Topology Elemental Density

Structural and Explicit Dynamics Analyses Object Examples

Thermal Analyses Object Example

Structural Optimization Analyses Object Examples

Structural, Explicit Dynamics Analysis, and LS-DYNA Object Properties

Structural Optimization Object Properties

Tree Dependencies

Insertion Methods

Manual and Automatic Mode (Structural, Explicit Dynamics, LS-DYNA, and Thermal Only)

Add Result Plot Trackers During Solution

Right-click Options

API Reference

Additional Related Information

Structural, Explicit Dynamics Analysis, and LS-DYNA Object Properties

The Details Pane includes the following properties.

CategoryProperties/Options/Descriptions

Scope

Scoping Method: Property options include Geometry Selection, Named Selection, Path, and Surface.

The application displays one of the following associated properties based on your Scoping Method selection:

Geometry

Displays if the Scoping Method property is set to Geometry. Use selection filters to pick geometry, click in the Geometry field, then click Apply.

Named Selection

Displays if the Scoping Method property is set to Named Selection. Specify named selection.

Path

Displays if the Scoping Method property is set to Path. Select a defined path from the drop-down list.

Surface

Displays if the Scoping Method property is set to Surface. Select a defined surface from the drop-down list.

Definition

Type: Read-only indication of result plot tracker result type you have selected (Equivalent (von-Mises) Stress, Equivalent Plastic Strain (not available for LS-DYNA), Total Deformation, or Temperature).

Suppressed: Include (Yes) or exclude the (default, No) the result.

Results

Minimum: Read-only indication of the minimum value for the plot tracker.

Maximum: Read-only indication of the maximum value for the plot tracker.

Average: Displays the arithmetic mean of the result plot value.

Minimum Occurs On: Displays the part name of the model on which the minimum result plot occurs.

Maximum Occurs On: Displays the part name of the model on which the maximum result plot occurs.

Information

Time: Displays the time at which the result plot tracker obtained data.

Load Step: Displays the Load Step that the result plot tracker obtained data.

Substep: Displays the Substep that the result plot tracker obtained data.

Iteration Number: Read-only field that displays the converged iteration step number.

Structural Optimization Object Properties

The Details Pane includes the following properties.

CategoryProperties/Options/Descriptions

Scope

Scoping Method. The options for this property include:

  • Optimization Region (default): Iindicates that the design region is applied to the select Optimization Region. When you specify Optimization Region for the Scoping Method, the Optimization Region property displays and is automatically populated.

  • Geometry Selection: Indicates that the design region is applied to a geometry or geometries, which are chosen using the graphical selection tools. When you specify Geometry Selection for the Scoping Method, the Geometry property displays.

    In this case, use selection filters on the Graphics Toolbar to pick your geometric entities (body and element selection only), and then click Apply. Once complete, the property displays the type of geometry (Body, etc.) and the number of selected geometric entities (for example: 1 Body).

  • Named Selection: Indicates that the design region is applied to a Named Selection. When you specify Named Selection for the Scoping Method, the Named Selection property displays. This property provides a drop-down list of available user-defined Named Selections (only body-based and element-based Named Selections are supported).

Definition

Type: Read-only indication of result plot tracker result type.

Iteration: Indicates iteration number for the selected result.

Retained Threshold: Controlled by a slider option that represents the range from minimum to maximum for the result. The default value is 0.5. The supported range is 0.01 to 0.99 (greater than zero and less than 1).

Once you evaluate results, you can use the slider to view the optimized topology in the graphics view. When you release the slider, press the Enter key to apply the entry. The application computes and displays the values for the Original Volume, Final Volume, Percent Volume of Original, Original Mass, Final Mass, and Percent Mass of Original.

Suppressed: Include (Yes) or exclude the (default, No) the result.

Results

Minimum: Read-only indication of the minimum value for the tracker.

Maximum: Read-only indication of the maximum value for the tracker.

Visibility

Show Optimized Region. Used for graphical view changes only. The options for this property include:

  • All Regions: Displays all of the regions selected by the Scoping Method. Three color bands are shown: Remove (Red), Marginal (Yellow), and Keep (Gray). Remove indicates a Retained Threshold value of 0 to 0.4, Marginal indicates a value of 0.4 to 0.6, and Keep indicates a value greater than 0.6.

  • Retained Region (default): When Retained Region is selected, then the Retained Threshold value is used from the details view to show the region which needs to be kept.

  • Removed Region: Displays what will be removed.

Information

Iteration Number: Read-only field that displays the converged iteration step number.

Tree Dependencies

  • Valid Parent Tree Object: Solution Information.

  • Valid Child Tree Objects: This object currently does not support any child objects.

Insertion Methods

Use any of the following methods after highlighting Solution Information object:

  • Open the Result Plot Tracker drop-down menu on the Solution Information Tab and select a desired plot tracker.

  • Right-click the Solution Information object or within the Geometry window, select Insert option and then select a desired plot tracker.

Manual and Automatic Mode (Structural, Explicit Dynamics, LS-DYNA, and Thermal Only)

When you insert a Result Plot Tracker, the right-click context menu options enable you to either (1) acquire result data (Update Result) for the current time point or (2) set the tracker to update automatically (Switch to Automatic Mode). These options are illustrated below. By default, when you insert a tracker, the associated icon includes a pause button icon. When this icon is displayed, right-click the object and select Update Result to retrieve current result data. Otherwise, select Switch to Automatic Mode, in which case, the pause icon is replaced with a play icon and the tracker updates automatically. Automatic updates display the current result based on the latest time available. You can see the time the result data is captured in the legend of the result. This time corresponds to the solver when the result data is captured.

To obtain result data for a specific time point, enter a specific time in the Display Time property of the Details pane and select Update Result.

The Geometry window displays the result contour updates, as well as deformations when applicable, on your model as the solution progress. When using Automatic Mode, the display of results is refreshed automatically based on the value specified in the Update Interval property of the Solution Information object. The default setting for this property is 2.5 s.

For Structural Optimization analyses, the tracking is iteration-based during the solution process. By default, the Topology Density Tracker object is inserted as a child object of the Solution Information object. It displays node-based result data. In addition, you can choose to insert the Topology Elemental Density Tracker object in order to display element-based result data.

Note:

  • You cannot add a plot tracker to an analysis in the solved state. You must first clear the solution to make the addition.

  • Result Plot Trackers do not support the use of the Convergence feature.

Add Result Plot Trackers During Solution

At any point during the solution, you can use the Insert option of the right-click menu, from the Solution Information object or an existing tracker object, to add additional result plot trackers.

Right-click Options

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

  • Insert > [options include Result Trackers and Result Plot Trackers]

  • Get Results (available once solution is complete)

  • Switch to Automatic Mode

  • Update Result (requires you to Retrieve result data)

  • Suppressed/Unsuppressed

  • Interrupt Solution

  • Stop Solution

API Reference

See the Result Trackers section of the ACT API Reference Guide for specific scripting information.

Additional Related Information

See the following sections for more information: