Visualization elements (PLOTELs) in assembly FEM files

Visualization elements (PLOTELs) are 1D, 2D, or 3D elements that you can add to your model for plotting and visualization in post-processing. Visualization elements also have selectable nodes that you can use as connection points with 1D elastic connections (such as springs or beams) in assembly FEM files that use alternate component representations. They have no physical properties, mass, or stiffness, and they are not processed in solutions.

For example, you can use visualization elements to define a model outline or specific areas of interest in Mode Sets or FRF Sets. When you replace a FEM component in an assembly FEM file with the Mode or FRF Set, you use elastic elements to connect the assembly FEM components. You can change connections to create different configurations of your model.

Structural mesh	Element edges of interest meshed with 1D PLOTELs

You can also manage the post-processing resources for a large solid mesh model with PLOTEL elements. For example, you can create a surface coat of PLOTEL6 elements on the exterior of a tetrahedral mesh and then create a group that contains only the PLOTEL6 elements. In a SOL103 Real Eigenvalue Analysis, you select the group of PLOTELs as the output. In post-processing, you can then display only the results on the mesh exterior.

In the same way you can use 3D PLOTEL elements, such as PLOTHEX(20) or PLOTTET(10) elements, to manage output.

Tetrahedral mesh	Surface coat of PLOTEL6 elements	Sectioned view of modal displacements

You create PLOTEL elements using the same meshing procedures that you use for other elements. To generate PLOTEL elements automatically for visualization purposes only, you can select the Associated Elements option when you replace a base FEM component with an alternate FEM representation.

Types of visualization elements (PLOTELs)

You can now use the following visualization elements (PLOTELs) in Acoustics BEM vibro-acoustic solutions:

1D PLOTELs

• PLOTEL — Two-node element

• PLOTEL (spider) — Series of connected two-node elements

2D PLOTELs

• PLOTEL3 — Three-node element

• PLOTEL4 — Four-node element

• PLOTEL6 — Six-node element

• PLOTEL8 — Eight-node element

3D PLOTELs

• PLOTHEX(8) — Eight-node hexahedral element

• PLOTHEX(20) — 20-node hexahedral element

• PLOTPEN(6) — Six-node — element

• PLOTPEN(15) — 15-node pentahedral element

• PLOTTET(4) — Four-node tetrahedral element

• PLOTTET(10) — 10-node tetrahedral element

• PLOTELPYR(5) — Five-node pyramid element

• PLOTELPYR(13) — 13-node pyramid element

You can now apply structural vibrations to PLOTEL elements from .op2, .lms, .unv, or .sc_h5 files in a vibro-acoustic solution for all Acoustic BEM solutions.

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Visualization elements (PLOTELs) in assembly FEM files, Simcenter 3D 2021.1 Series

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