Simcenter Testing Solutions Simcenter Testlab: Geometry Displays
2020-04-06T18:42:25.000-0400
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Direct YouTube link: https://youtu.be/KfFNtvZ_j00
Simcenter Testlab: Geometry Displays
The geometry display in Simcenter Testlab is used to display models and animations (often mode shapes or operational deflection shapes).
More information on creating a geometry model in Simcenter Testlab can be found here: Simcenter Testlab Geometry.
This article includes tips and tricks for using geometry displays.
Index:
1.Create a Geometry Display
2. Pan, Zoom, and Rotate Geometry
3. Fit Model and Automatic Views
4. Background Color
5. Visualization Options: Markers, Names, Euler Angles, etc.
6. Coloring
7. Animation Settings
8. Component Visualization
9. Exporting Animation
10. Overlay Mode Shapes
1. Create a Geometry Display
To create a geometry display, press the geometry icon (Figure 1, below).
Figure 1: Geometry icons. Simcenter Testlab on left. Simcenter Testlab Neo on right.
In Simcenter Testlab, the geometry display is opened in the Navigator by pressing “Create a Picture à Geometry à OK” (highlighted in yellow). Or, the Geometry shortcut can be pressed (highlighted in red) as shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2: Open a geometry display in Simcenter Testlab. Either click the appropriate icon (red box) or click on "Create a Picture..." button and open the display (yellow boxes).
In Simcenter Testlab Neo, the geometry display is opened by pressing the “+” icon (Create a Picture) and then selecting “Geometry” as shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3: Open a geometry display in Simcenter Testlab Neo by clicking on the '+' symbol and selecting "Geometry" (red boxes).
Once the display is open, drag the project geometry into the display. Then drag the desired animation data (for example, a mode shape).
Figure 4: To populate the display, drag and drop the geometry and animation shape into the display.
Now that the display is populated, it is possible to adjust the display to the user’s preference.
2. Pan, Zoom, and Rotate Geometry
Panning and zooming are controlled by the two buttons in the upper left of the geometry display.
Figure 5: The zoom (yellow) and pan (green) buttons are located in the upper left of the display.
To pan in the geometry display, click and hold the pan button (the button on the left).
Figure 6: Pan the geometry by clicking on the pan icon (upper left) and moving the mouse while holding the button down.
To zoom, click and hold the zoom button (the button on the right). While still holding the mouse button down, move the mouse up to zoom in, move the mouse down to zoom out.
Figure 7: Zoom in and out on the geometry clicking on and holding the mouse down on the zoom icon (upper left) while moving the mouse.
Alternatively, use the scroll wheel to zoom in or out (scroll up to zoom in, scroll down to zoom out).
To rotate the geometry, click and hold on the geometry while moving the mouse.
Figure 8: Rotate the geometry display.
It is also possible to auto-fit the geometry view and snap to a certain view. See the next section.
3. Fit Model and Automatic Views
The “Fit Model” option will automatically resize the model, so it fits completely in the display window. Fitting the model will not affect the view angle or the animation.
To fit the model, right click in the display and select “Fit Model”.
Figure 9: Automatically get a complete view of the geometry by selecting “Fit Model”.
It is also possible to snap to certain viewing angles. For example, it is possible to view the model from an isometric view, or from a certain plane on the global coordinate axis shown in the upper right of the geometry display.
To do so, right click in the display, open the “Views” menu, and select a view.
In the example below, the view is changed from “Model” to “YX”.
Figure 10: Automatically snap to a view by right clicking and choosing "Views-> XY, etc".
4. Background Color
It may be desired to change the default background of the geometry display (grey gradient).
To do so, right click in the display and select “Options”.
In the “3D Options” window, under the “Background” tab, there are options to change the top color, bottom color, and text annotation (node names, mode name, etc.) color.
Figure 11: Change the background color by right clicking in display and choosing "Options" and then the Background tab.
Most examples in this article have the top and bottom background color set to white and font to black.
5. Visualization Options: Markers, Names, Euler Angles, etc.
It is possible to turn on or off certain visualization aids on both the deformed and undeformed model:
- The undeformed model is the reference geometry without deflections or animations.
- The deformed geometry has an animation applied to it.
In Figure 12, below, both the undeformed model (grey) and the deformed model (red) are shown.
Figure 12: Mode shape with both deformed (red) and undeformed (grey) model showing.
The geometry menu allows options for turning on or off the following (in both the deformed and undeformed models).
To access these options, right click on the model to open the menu. The options below are highlighted in the menu.
Figure 13: Access the different visualization parameters by right clicking on the geometry, and selecting either Deformed Model or Undeformed Model.
Markers: this toggles the display of the nodes on the model. The nodes are the locations where accelerometers were placed for measurements.
Figure 14: Turn on node markers on the model.
Names: This toggles the display of the node names on the model. The node name is in the format of “component name : node name”. In this case, the component name is “pl_2” and the node names are in numerical order from 1 to 15. If a geometry has multiple components, the node names reflect the component they are a part of.
Figure 15: Turning on node names on the model.
Euler Angle: This toggles the display of axis triads depicting the orientation of the Euler angles on each node of the model. This is especially useful for cylindrical and spherical coordinate systems.
Figure 16: Turning on Euler angles on the model.
Lines: Toggles the display of line elements.
Figure 17: Turning on lines on the model.
Surfaces: Toggles the display of surface elements.
Figure 18: Turning on surfaces on the model.
Here is a list of the options:
- Solids: Toggles the display solid elements.
- Edges: Toggles the display of the edges of the model. This amounts to a wireframe representation (very similar to turning on lines).
- Faces: Toggles the display of faces on the model.
6. Coloring
By enabling coloring, deflections are represented by color.
Figure 19: The deflection is represented by color in addition to the animation.
To enable coloring, right click in the display. Under “Coloring” select “Enable” as shown in Figure 20.
Figure 20: Turning on animation coloring in the geometry display.
There are a few other options associated with the coloring.
Scale: This allows users to adjust the scale of the colors displayed, including the color scheme/spectra (14 color schemes are available). There are even CAE-based color schemes (like Ansys and Patran)… soon people will think your test results are actually simulation (muahahah).
7. Animation Settings
The animation settings control the way the animation is played.
To access the settings, right click in the display and explore the menu under “Animation Settings”.
Figure 21: How to adjust animation settings in the geometry display.
Options associated with animation settings include:
- Delay: this is the time in milliseconds between frames of the animation. The shorter the delay, the faster the animation will cycle, and vice versa.
- Frames/Cycle: This is the number of frames that are used to represent the animation cycle. The more frames, the smoother the animation will appear, and vice versa.
- Expand: This will allow mode shapes to expand thru the geometry. Typically, only nodes with associated data will animate. However, if mode shape expansion is turned on, inactive nodes will slave with active nodes and animate as well, potentially improving the animation. See this article for more detail on automatic geometrical and automatic topological.
8. Component Visualization
It is possible that a geometry model may be composed of multiple components. Each component is shown in a distinctive color to identify it.
For example, the geometry below (Figure 22) is of a convertible car (you may have to use your imagination a little). Each component is displayed in a different color: the body is pink, the steering wheel is red, the suspension is purple, etc.
Figure 22: Geometry with multiple components: body, steering wheel, engine, suspension, etc.
The component visualization tool enables users to remove components from the display.
To open component visualization, right click in the display and select “Component Visualization”. The “Component Visualization” window will open. Check on different components under the “Visibility” column to toggle them on and off in the display (see Figure 23, below).
Figure 23: Toggle on and off the visualization of different components with "Component Visualization"
Turning on and off the visualization of certain components may make it easier to see the animation on more hidden parts of the geometry. For example, in the geometry above, removing the body (pink) might make it easier to see the suspension animation (purple).
9. Exporting Animation
Often, it is desired to include an animation in a report or presentation.
There are a few options for export: videos, gifs, and active pictures.
To export as a video or gif, right click in the display and select “Export to Video”. Select where to save the file and what filetype to save (.mp4, .avi, or .gif).
Figure 24: Save the animation to a video or animated gif by right clicking and choosing "Export to Video"
The file will be saved to the specified location.
To export as an active picture, open the plot menu (triangle icon), then select “Copy as Active Picture (embedded).
Figure 25: How to export as an active picture.
After the active picture is pasted into a Microsoft application (Word, PowerPoint, etc.) it is activated by double-clicking on it.
When activated, the geometry will animate just like in Simcenter Testlab.
10. Overlay Mode Shapes
Direct YouTube link: https://youtu.be/7Oong-mumc4
Two mode shapes can be overlaid, one on top of the other, in the geometry display.
When dragging to the geometry display, one mode must be put dragged to the main area, the other to the overlay area as shown in Figure 26.
Figure 26: To overlay mode shapes, drag one mode to the main area (left) and the other mode to the overlay area (right) in the Geometry display.
The relative phase between the two mode shapes can be adjusted. Right click in the display and choose "Animation Control..." as shown in Figure 27.
Figure 27: To adjust the relative phase of the shapes between the main and overlaid shape, right click and choose "Animation Control...".
Enter the desired phase shift between the two shapes in the dialog box.
- Index of Testing Knowledge Articles
- Modal Testing: A Guide
- Simcenter Testlab: Active Pictures
- Simcenter Testlab: Display Layouts
- Simcenter Testlab Neo Displays
- Simcenter Testlab: Overlay Mode Shapes
- Modal Testing Seminar
- Modal Analysis YouTube Playlist