In this step, we inspect the safety factor at the time step with the maximum stress value.
Continuing from the previous page, the Von Mises stress for Time Step 18 should be displayed as shown in the following image:
- Switch to the Results Contours tab, and in the Stress panel, click the arrow beside Safety Factor, and click Set Allowable Stress Values in the drop-down menu.
The following dialog box appears:
- Click Load Yield Stress.
Note that the allowable stress values do not change. By default, the allowable stress value of each material is set according to the yield strength. Alternatively, you can choose to base the safety factor results on the material ultimate strength. For the polycarbonate material used in this model, the ultimate stress is only very slightly greater than the yield strength. For metals, there is generally a much more significant difference between the yield and ultimate strength.
- Once again, click the arrow beside Safety Factor and this time, click View in the drop-down menu.
You should see this:
- This plot doesn't show us much, so let's adjust the legend range:
- Click Legend Properties.
- On the Range Settings tab, uncheck Automatically calculate value range.
- Enter 5 as the High value.
- Click OK.
You should see this:
From this plot, we can see that the safety factor is slightly less than one where the clip bends. The spring clip is most likely to fail at this location.
- To probe for specific values, click Results Inquire
Probe, and hover the mouse in the region of the lowest safety factors (red areas). 
You should see this:
Wrap Up
In a few short minutes, you conducted a complete mechanical event simulation of a spring clip assembly. You assigned materials, contacts, and constraints, and created views that help to understand the behavior of the device.