Contact Elements

This command is accessed from the Design panel of the Draw tab.

The Contact Elements command can add numerous lines between two sets of vertices on the model in a quick, simple operation. The main use for this command is to create contact or gap elements between every node in one area and every node in another area. However, since the command simply creates lines, the lines can be used for any purpose and defined as any element type.

The steps for using the command are as follows:

1. Click Draw Design Contact Elements.
2. Select one of the two sets of vertices in the display area, such as one of the faces for contact. You can use any selection method to select any type of object. For example, if you select an entire part or surface, all of the vertices on that part or surface will be included. If you select a line, both vertices will be selected. Construction vertices can also be selected, but other construction objects cannot be selected.
3. Click the Assign Set 1 button. The number of vertices selected will be listed.
4. Select the second set of vertices to connect, such as the second contact face.
5. Click the Assign Set 2 button. The number of vertices selected will be listed.
6. Specify the attributes of the lines in the Part, Surface, and Layer fields.
7. Click Apply to create the contact elements (or for whatever element type you are going to assign). Every vertex in the first set will be connected with a line to every other vertex in the second set.
8. Define the element type, element definition, and material for the line elements just created (if these parameters are not already defined).

Important: In some situations, you may only want contact elements to be created between nodes that are a certain distance apart. For example, if you know that a part is only going to move 1 inch relative to another part, you do not need contact elements longer than about 1.5 inches (leaving a little leeway). Another example is to generate line elements that are as close as possible to the normal direction between the vertices on two surfaces. In other words, you may not want a node on the left end of a top surface to be connected to a node on the right end of a bottom surface. Rather, you only want to connect the surface nodes that are close to each other. The contact element length can be limited by activating the Constrain lengths check box and specifying the Minimum and Maximum lengths. Then, lines are generated only between vertices when the distance between them is within the specified minimum and maximum lengths.