The Table feature creates multi-variable tables of numeric data. You can use it to define the following:
Pressure, Temperature, Convection, and Thermal condition loads in analyses that use the Mechanical APDL solver. During a simulation, the solver reads in the table that is assigned to a boundary condition and uses its values to compute a solution. Table assignments can be parameterized to explore different design options.
Tables that are used in Mechanical APDL scripts, which are run in the the Mechanical application via the Commands (APDL) object. The Table feature supports variables that serve as inputs for the *DIM command, including field variables and dimensionless numeric data.
Strain scaling factor (SSF) tables for use with laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) additive simulations in the LPBF Process Add-on. For more information, see Using Location-Specific Strain Scaling Factors in the Powder Bed Fusion Simulation Guide.
The variables in tables represent physical quantities (such as pressure or temperature) whose values depend on measurable quantities (such as spatial coordinates, temperature, or time). Variables are represented by columns of data in a table. Their values are entered in the rows of the table.
Table data can be created in third-party software such as logging packages, spreadsheets, or mathematical analysis packages, then imported into the Mechanical application. You can also manually enter table data. Once a table is defined, the application presents your data in table-array format and plots it in a graph. You can optionally refresh a table from its source file before generating a solution.
Tables are saved to the ds.dat file in the current project directory.
To learn more about tables, see the following sections:
- 14.1. Table Requirements and Limitations
- 14.2. Independent and Dependent Variables in Tables
- 14.3. Tables in 2D and 3D Models
- 14.4. Create a Table
- 14.5. Select a Spatial Coordinate System for a Table
- 14.6. Enter and Edit Data in a Table
- 14.7. Work with Tables in Free View
- 14.8. Work With Tables in Unified View
- 14.9. Display Plotted Variable Values
- 14.10. Reimporting Data from a Table File
- 14.11. Using Tables as APDL Scripting Variables
Mechanical APDL Notes
Tables are a special type of numeric array that enables the Mechanical APDL solver to calculate (through linear interpolation) the values between the entries in your table The solver applies these interpolated values across the selected geometry when it computes the solution. See the discussion in Array Parameters.