Reading X–Y data from all active free body cuts

You can read X–Y data from all the active free body cuts defined in your session. The data available for selection include the following:

  • data from forces, moments, and heat flow rate; and

  • if you select forces or moments, the resultant magnitude and the individual components in the 1-, 2-, and 3-directions; and

  • if you select heat flow rate (valid only for free body cuts based on view cuts), the resultant magnitude.

Abaqus/CAE then computes X–Y data pairs by performing free body calculations at all pertinent time frames and creates X–Y data objects showing force, moment, or heat flow rate data against time. A separate X–Y data object is created for every force or moment and component combination you select; if you toggle on both the force and moment options and all four component options, Abaqus/CAE creates eight X–Y data objects for each active free body cut in your session. You can activate and deactivate free body cuts in the Free Body Cut Manager; for more information, see Displaying, hiding, and highlighting free body cuts.

Related Topics
Saving an X–Y data object
Understanding “Temp” and other X–Y data object names
Displaying, hiding, and highlighting free body cuts

  1. Locate the Free body options.

    Select ToolsXY DataCreate from the main menu bar, and choose Free body.

    The XY Data from Free Body dialog box appears.

  2. Click Active Steps/Frames to change the steps or frames from which Abaqus/CAE reads X–Y data. For more information, see Activating and deactivating steps and frames.

  3. From the Entity options, toggle on Force, Moment, Heat Flow Rate, or all of these options to display X–Y data for the selected entity or entities. The Heat Flow Rate option is valid only for free body cuts based on view cuts.

  4. From the Force/Moment Components options, toggle on the vector components that you want to include in the X–Y data set for forces and moments. Options include the resultant magnitude and the individual component values in each direction. For heat flow rate, only the resultant magnitude is included.

  5. To evaluate and display the data, click Plot.

    An X–Y plot of the data you have configured in the dialog box appears in the current viewport.

  6. To save the data you have configured as one or more X–Y data objects, click Save. X–Y data objects are saved only for the current session.

    Note:

    To plot your saved X–Y data, select ToolsXY DataPlot from the main menu bar, and select the X–Y data from the menu.

  7. When you have finished, click Dismiss to close the dialog box.