Frame Analysis browser

The Frame Analysis browser shows the mechanism’s elements. It provides access to each of them so that you can select, modify, or remove them.

In an assembly, the Frame Analysis browser displays the document name with unique simulation nodes beneath it. The component, can have multiple simulations. Each simulation node contains the subfolders for Nodes, Beams, Materials, Sections, Rigid Links, Releases, Constraints, Loads, Results, and Status.

The component node displays the assembly components based on the View Representation you specify. You can select features in the browser and apply loads and constraints to the selection. When you select a feature in the browser, the feature highlights in the model.

Each simulation can have a different set of materials, loads, constraints, and corresponding sets of results. Expand a Results node to select results you want to display. In the graphics window, you can view the outcome of the simulations and compare iterations. The browser background for inactive simulations is gray to differentiate between the active and inactive state.

Each node has a context menu with commands available for that context.

Element names

The Frame Analysis browser contains the following folders:

Assembly	Name of the mechanism.
Simulation	Simulation name (assigned during simulation creation), a colon (:), and the occurrence number.
Nodes	"Node", a colon (:), and the node number (assigned according to the order of node creation).
Beams	"Beam", a colon (:), and the beam number (assigned according to the order of beam creation).
Materials	Contains set of beams with overridden materials.
Sections	List section types included in the structure.
Rigid Links	"Rigid Link", a colon (:), and the rigid link number (assigned according to the order of rigid link creation).
Releases	"Release", a colon (:), and the release number (assigned according to the order of release creation).
Constraints	"Fixed Constraint", "Pinned Constraint", "Floating Pinned Constraint", "Custom Constraint", a colon (:), and the constraint number (assigned according to the order of constraints creation).
Loads	Gravity, and "Force", "Continuous Load", "Moment", "Bending Moment", "Axial Moment", a colon (:), and the load number (assigned according to the order of loads creation).
Results	Contains all results graphs, including user-created Diagrams.
Status	Contains status messages with warnings or errors.

Browser hierarchy

Level One	Level Two	Level Three	Level Four	Level Five
Assembly	Simulation
		Nodes
			Node
		Beams
			Beam
		Materials
			Material override
		Sections
			Section override
		Rigid Links
			Rigid Link
		Releases
			Release
		Constraints
			Fixed
			Pinned
			Floating
			Custom
		Loads
			Force
			Continuous Load
			Moment
			Axial Moment
			Bending Moment
			Gravity
		Results (Static Simulation)
			Displacement
			Loads
				Fx
				Fy
				fz
			Moments
				Mx
				My
				Mz
			Normal Stresses
				Smax
				Smin
				Smax(Mx)
				Smax(My)
				Smin(mx)
				Smin(My)
				Saxial
			Shear Stresses
				Tx
				Ty
			Torsional Stresses
				T
			Diagrams
		Results (Modal Simulation)
			Modal Frequency
				F1 0.54 Hz
				F2 0.95 Hz
				F3 2.27 Hz
				F4 4.15 Hz
				F5 6.70 Hz
				F6 7.27 Hz
				F7 10.5 Hz
				F8 26.73 Hz
				...
		Status
			Solver

Besides the normal context menu entries, such as visibility, the following context menu commands are unique to the Frame Analysis environment:

Browser node	Command	Description
Assembly	Create Simulation	Displays the Create New Simulation dialog box where you can modify the selected properties of the new simulation.
	Frame Analysis Settings	Displays the Frame Analysis Settings dialog box where you can modify the selected properties of the new simulation.
Simulation	Activate	Makes the selected simulation the active simulation. Deactivates the current simulation if there is one.
	Edit	Displays the Edit Simulation Properties dialog box where you can modify the selected properties of the simulation.
	Simulate	Runs the simulation to obtain results for actual inputs.
	Copy Simulation	Copies the selected simulation and pastes it into the current document browser, making it the active simulation.
	Delete	Deletes the selected simulation.
Nodes	Custom Node	Enables you to add a node to a beam you select.
Beams	Beam Materials	Displays the Beam Material dialog box where you make alternate material assignments for analysis purposes.
	Beam Properties	Displays the Beam Properties dialog box where you make alternate material assignments for analysis purposes.
Materials	Beam Materials	Displays the Beam Material dialog box where you make alternate material assignments for analysis purposes.
Sections	Beam Properties	Displays the Beam Properties dialog box where you make alternate material assignments for analysis purposes.
Rigid Links	Rigid Link	Displays the Rigid Link dialog box to define a rigid link.
Releases	Release	Displays the Release dialog box to define a release.
Constraints	Edit	Displays the Edit (Type) Constraint dialog box according to the selected type. Constraints can be modified at any time in the process.
	Reactions	Displays the Reactions dialog box reporting reaction forces and reaction moments.
	Delete	Deletes the selected constraint.
	Suppress	Removes the selected constraint from the components being analyzed.
Loads	Edit (load type)	Displays the Edit (load Type) dialog box according to the selected type. You can define or modify load parameters.
	Suppress	Removes the selected load from the components being analyzed.
	Delete	Deletes the selected load.
Results	Activate	Makes the selected simulation result the current and displays it in the graphics region. The command is disabled when not applicable.
	Simulate	Runs the simulation to obtain results for actual inputs.

Browser node decorations

When you change components within the assembly, and switch to the Frame Analysis environment, the lightning bolt status icon displays to the left of the browser node of Beams and Nodes that are not up-to-date with the original model.. It alerts you to update the simulation or results.

Beams and Nodes

You can view the nodes and beams included in the structure under the Beams and Nodes folders.

By default, the nodes and beams are named as Node:1, Node:2, and so on. You can rename them if appropriate.
Click the node to select, and then click again to rename the node.
You cannot edit, delete, or exclude from simulation nodes that were converted from original assembly. Custom nodes can be deleted, edited, or excluded from simulation.
Beams that were converted from original assembly can be excluded from simulation.

Loads and Constraints

You can view the applied loads and constraints under the Loads and Constraints folders.

By default, the loads and constraints are named as Force:1, Force:2, and so on. You can rename the forces if appropriate.
Click the node to select, and then click again to rename the node.
Right-click the node, and then click Edit to open the selected load or constraint.
Right-click any constraint node to view Reaction Forces and Reaction Moment.

Releases and Rigid Links

You can view the list of releases and rigid links under the Releases and Rigid Links folders.

By default, the Releases and Rigid Links are named as Release:1, Release:2, and so on. You can rename the forces if appropriate.
Click the node to select, and then click again to rename the node.
Right-click the node, and then click Edit to open the selected release or rigid link.
You can also delete or exclude releases and rigid links from simulation.

Results

This folder displays the various analyses the structure has undergone considering the defined conditions.

Click the desired result to be displayed in the graphics window.

When you perform modal analyses, the Modal Frequency folder is created.

Right-click the Diagrams folder to display diagrams for selected beams or adjust diagram scales.

Status

This folder displays the various analyses the structure has undergone considering the defined conditions.

When you create a simulation and assembly frame model is automatically converted to beams and nodes, the messages about insufficient beam materials and cross-sections display.

When you run a simulation, all messages about simulation display.

Right-click and select How To… to open a Help page with a list of warnings and errors that can occur when you run simulations and how to resolve them.