In this step, we examine the contact forces to identify where the maximum forces occur.
- To view the contact forces, expand the Other Results drop-down menu.
Expand the Element Forces menu, and select Axial Force.
You should see this…
Because the forces are all compressive (negative) or 0, the legend is a little misleading. It shows the highest value (which is 0) as red.
- To invert the legend, click Legend Properties from the Settings panel. On the Plot Settings dialog box, check Reverse Colors, and click OK.
You should see this…
From this plot, we can see that the greatest contact forces occur where the pin contacts the clevis.
Wrap Up
In a few short minutes, you conducted a complete mechanical simulation of a pin joint assembly. You assigned materials, loads, and constraints, contact, and created views that help to understand the behavior of the device.