Chapter 4

ANSYS Basics

Chapter 4 - ANSYS Basics

A. Overview Training Manual
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION TO
• Later in this course you will be using geometrical entities such as
volumes, areas, lines and keypoints as well as FEA entities such as
nodes and elements. This chapter introduces the following
techniques used to display and manipulate those entities within the
GUI:
– Plotting
– Picking
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– Coordinate Systems
– Select Logic
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– Components and Assemblies

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Chapter 4 - ANSYS Basics
B. Plotting Training Manual

INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION TO
• It is often advantageous to plot only certain
entities in the model.

• Within the Utility Menu > Plot, you will see

that geometric, finite element and other /replot
entities can be plotted. kplot
lplot
• With Multi-Plots, a combination of entities aplot

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vplot
can be plotted.

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nplot
eplot
gplot

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Chapter 4 - ANSYS Basics

…Plotting Training Manual
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION TO
• The PlotCtrls menu is used to control how
the plot is displayed:
– plot orientation
– zoom
– colors
– symbols
– annotation
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– animation
– etc.
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• Among these, changing the plot

orientation (/VIEW) and zooming are the
most commonly used functions.
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Chapter 4 - ANSYS Basics
…Plotting Training Manual

INTRODUCTION
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• The default view for a model is the front view:
looking down the +Z axis of the model. There
are several methods to change the model view.

• Use dynamic mode — a way to orient the plot

dynamically using the Control key and mouse
buttons.
– Ctrl + Left mouse button pans the model.

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– Ctrl + Middle mouse button:
χ zooms the model

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⇔ spins the model (about screen Z)
– Ctrl + Right mouse button rotates the model:
χ about screen X
⇔ about screen Y

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Ctrl P Z R

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Note, the Shift-Right button on a two-button
mouse is equivalent to the Middle mouse
button on a three-button mouse.
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Chapter 4 - ANSYS Basics

…Plotting Training Manual
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION TO
• Use the Model Control Model Control Toolbar
Toolbar Icons to
change the view.

• The Model Control

Toolbar also includes
a dynamic rotate
option.
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Dynamic Model Mode Icon performs

same function as CTRL key.

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INTRODUCTION
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• A Dynamic Mode setting is also
available using Pan-Zoom-Rotate .
– The same mouse button assignments
apply.
– On 3-D graphics devices, you can also
dynamically orient the light source.
Useful for different light source shading
effects.

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When using 3-D driver

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Chapter 4 - ANSYS Basics

…Plotting Training Manual
INTRODUCTION
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• Other functions in the Pan- Front +Z view, from (0,0,1)
Zoom-Rotate dialog box: Back -Z view (0,0,-1)
– Preset views Top +Y view (0,1,0)
Bot -Y view (0,-1,0)
– Zoom-in on specific regions of Right +X view (1,0,0)
the model Left -X view (-1,0,0)
– Pan, zoom, or rotate in Iso Isometric (1,1,1)
Obliq Oblique (1,2,3)
discrete increments (as
WP Working plane view
specified by the Rate slider)
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• Rotation is about the

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screen X, Y, Z coordinates. Zoom By picking center of a

square
– Fit the plot to the window
Box Zoom By picking two
– Reset everything to default corners of a box
Win Zoom Same as Box Zoom,
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but box is proportional

• The majority of these options to window.
are available in the Model Back Up “Unzoom” to previous
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zoom.
Control Toolbar.

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Chapter 4 - ANSYS Basics
…Plotting Training Manual

INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION TO
• Many of the plotting features are also available by right mouse clicking on
the graphics window.

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Chapter 4 - ANSYS Basics

C. Picking Training Manual
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION TO
Picking

• Picking allows you to identify model entities

or locations by clicking in the Graphics
Window.

• A picking operation typically involves the

use of the mouse and a picker menu. It is
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indicated by a + sign on the menu.

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• For example, you can create keypoints by

picking locations in the Graphics Window
and then pressing OK in the picker.
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…Picking Training Manual

INTRODUCTION
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Two types of picking:

• Retrieval picking
Example of Example of
– Picking existing entities for a Retrieval Picker Locational Picker
subsequent operation.
– Allows you to enter entity numbers
in the Picker Window.

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– Use the Pick All button to indicate
all entities.

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• Locational picking
– Locating coordinates of a point,
such as a keypoint or node.

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– Allows you to enter coordinates in
the Picker Window.

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• Note, you must hit the <Enter> key
after entering information in the Picker
Window, then hit [OK] or [Apply].
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Mouse button assignments for picking:

• Left mouse button picks (or unpicks) the entity

or location closest to the mouse pointer.
Pressing and dragging allows you to “preview”
Apply
the item being picked (or unpicked).
Toggle
• Middle mouse button does an Apply. Saves the Pick
Pick / Unpick
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time required to move the mouse over to the

Picker and press the Apply button. Use Shift-
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Right button on a two-button mouse.

• Right mouse button toggles between pick and

unpick mode.
Part 1

Note, the Shift-Right button on a two-button mouse is

equivalent to the Middle mouse button on a three-button
mouse.
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Cursor display:
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Pick Unpick
Chapter 4 - ANSYS Basics
…Picking Training Manual

INTRODUCTION
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Cannot use the Command Input area
to enter the values

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Type input followed by Enter, then [OK]

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Hotspot locations for picking:

• Areas and Volumes have one hotspot near the centroid of the
solid model entity.

• Lines have three hotspots - one in the middle and one near each
end.
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• Why this is important: When you are required to “pick” an

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entity, you must pick on the hotspot.

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INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION TO
• Demo:
– Show locational picking by creating a few keypoints. Also show the
use of middle and right mouse buttons.
– Show retrieval picking by creating a few lines
– Show “Loop” by creating an AL area
– Show “Pick All” by deleting area only
– Do KPLOT, LPLOT, etc. with and without numbering. Type in a few of

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these commands.
– Show the use of pan-zoom-rotate

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Chapter 4 - ANSYS Basics

D. Coordinate Systems Training Manual
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION TO
The ANSYS program has several types of coordinate systems, each used for a
different reason:
• Global and local coordinate systems are used to locate geometry
items (nodes, keypoints, etc.) in space.
• The display coordinate system determines the system in which
geometry items are listed or displayed.
• The nodal coordinate system defines the degree of freedom
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directions at each node and the orientation of nodal results data.

(discussed in Chapter 9)
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• The element coordinate system determines the orientation of

material properties and element results data.
• The results coordinate system is used to transform nodal or
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element results data to a particular coordinate system for listings,

displays, or general postprocessing operations. (discussed in
Chapter 13)
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Global Coordinate System

• The global reference system for the model.

• May be Cartesian (system 0), cylindrical (1), or spherical (2).

– For example, location (0,10,0) in global Cartesian is the same as
(10,90,0) in global Cylindrical.

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...Coordinate Systems Training Manual
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Local Coordinate System

• A user-defined system at a desired location, with ID

number 11 or greater. The location may be:
– At WP origin [CSWP]
– At specified coordinates [LOCAL]
– At existing keypoints [CSKP] or nodes [CS]
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• May be Cartesian, cylindrical, or spherical.

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• May be rotated about X, Y, Z axes.

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Y12
Y X12
1

Y11
X11
X
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Display Coordinate System

• Can be changed to show and list entities in multiple coordinate

systems

• Default is Global Cartesian

• Used mostly for listing and plotting models in non-Cartesian

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systems. Is useful in only a few cases:

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– If a cylinder is displayed in its cylindrical coordinate system (with a 1,0,0
view), it will be unrolled (developed) into a flat plane (with theta along
the Y direction).
– DSYS,1 - List nodal coordinates in r,theta,z

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...Coordinate Systems Training Manual
INTRODUCTION
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Active Coordinate System

• Defaults to global Cartesian.

• Use CSYS command (or Utility Menu >

WorkPlane > Change Active CS to) to change it
to
– global Cartesian [csys,0]
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– global cylindrical [csys,1]

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– global spherical [csys,2]

– working plane [csys,4]
– [csys,5] cylindrical coordinate system with Y as
the axis (X is in the global +X direction, local Y
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is in the global -Z direction, and local Z (the

cylindrical axis) is in the global +Y direction)
– or a user-defined local coordinate system [csys,
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n]

• Used for geometry input and generation and

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Select Logic (discussed next)
Chapter 4 - ANSYS Basics
E. Select Logic Training Manual

INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION TO
• Suppose you wanted to do the following:
– Plot all areas located in the second quadrant
– Delete all arcs of radius 0.2 to 0.3 units
– Apply a convection load on all exterior lines
– Write out all nodes at Z=3.5 to a file
– View results only in elements made of steel

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The common “theme” in these tasks is that they all operate on a
subset of the model.

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• Select Logic allows you to select a subset of entities and operate
only on those entities.

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• Three steps:
– Select a subset
– Perform operations on the subset
– Reactivate the full set
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Select subset
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Operate on subset

Reactivate full set

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Selecting Subsets
Entity to select
• Most selecting tools are
available in the Select Entities
dialog box: Utility Menu > Criterion by
Select > Entities... which to select

• Or you can use the xSEL

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family of commands: KSEL,

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LSEL, ASEL, VSEL, NSEL,
ESEL Type of
selection

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INTRODUCTION
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• Criterion by which to select:
– By Num/Pick: to select based on entity numbers or by
picking
– Attached to: to select based on attached entities. For
example, select all lines attached to the current subset
of areas.
– By Location: to select based on X,Y,Z location. For
example, select all nodes at X=2.5. X,Y,Z are interpreted
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in the active coordinate system.

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– By Attributes: to select based on material number, real

constant set number, etc. Different attributes are
available for different entities.
– Exterior: to select entities lying on the exterior.
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– By Results: to select entities by results data, e.g, nodal

displacements.
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• Type of selection
– From Full: selects a subset from
the full set of entities. From Full
– Reselect: selects (again) a subset
from the current subset. Reselect
– Also Select: adds another subset
to the current subset.
Also Select

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– Unselect: deactivates a portion of
the current subset.

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– Invert: toggles the active and Unselect
inactive subsets.
– Select None: deactivates the full Invert
set of entities.

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– Select All: reactivates the full set Select None
of entities.

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Operations on the Subset

• Typical operations are applying loads, listing

results for the subset, or simply plotting the
selected entities.
– The advantage of having a subset selected is that
you can use the [Pick All] button when the picker
prompts you pick desired entities. Or you can use
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the ALL label when using commands.

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– Note that most operations in ANSYS, including the

SOLVE command, act on the currently selected
subset.

• Another “operation” is to assign a name to the

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selected subset by creating a component

(discussed in the next section).
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Reactivating the Full Set

• After all desired operations are done on the selected subset, you
should reactivate the full set of entities.
– If all nodes and all elements are not active for solution, the solver will
issue a warning to that effect.

• The easiest way to reactivate the full set is to select “everything”:

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– Utility Menu > Select > Everything

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– Or issue the command ALLSEL

You can also use the [Sele All] button in the Select Entities dialog
box to reactivate each entity set separately. (Or issue KSEL,ALL;

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Chapter 4 - ANSYS Basics

F. Components Training Manual
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION TO
• Components are user-named subsets of entities. The name can
then be used in dialog boxes or commands in place of entity
numbers or the label ALL.

• A group of nodes, or elements, or keypoints, or lines, or areas, or

volumes can be defined as a component. Only one entity type is
associated with a component.
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• Components can be selected or unselected. When you select a

component, you are actually selecting all of the entities in that
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component.

• Component Manager is used to Create,

Display, List and Select Components and
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Assemblies.
– Utility Menu > Select > Component Manager...
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• Creating a component
– Utility Menu > Select > Component Manager
– Click on the Create Component Icon
• All of the currently selected entities will be included in the component, or you
can select (pick) the desired entities at this step.
• Enter a name
– Up to 32 characters - letters, numbers, and _ (underscore) - are allowed
– Beginning a component with _ (underscore) will make it a “hidden

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component” and it cannot be picked from the list. This is NOT
recommended.

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– Suggestion: Use the first letter of the name to indicate the entity type. For
example, use N_HOLES for a node component.

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• Creating an assembly
– Highlight the components for the assembly
– Click on the Create Assembly Icon and enter a name
– Checking the box next to a component under the assembly number will also put a
component in an assembly
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• In the Component Manager above, N_OUTER and N_INNER are in the

ASSM_NODES (ASM1) assembly. ASSM_NODES is in the ASSM_2 (ASM2)
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assembly.

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Chapter 4 - ANSYS Basics
G. Workshop Training Manual

INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION TO
• Refer to your Workshop Supplement for instructions on:
WS4 ANSYS Basics

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