Q1. Can AutoPIPE animate any load case?
Answer:
AutoPIPE is able to calculate the displacement of each node point in a model per a specific load case or modal analysis. There is a graphical feature in the program to display the deflection of all these node points simultaneously called the "Deflected Shape". After analyzing a model, select Results> Displacement or Mode Shape, in a moment the following appears:
A: Must enable Deformed Plot option
B. Must enable "animate load case" option
C: Enter a scale factor.
Note: A higher specified scale factor would result in a more exaggerated higher deflection plot.
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- The value of Displacement Scale cannot be specified as 0.00.
- Any positive value greater than 0.0 up to 2.0 inches may be specified. This will scale the magnitude of the maximum displacement.
- Any negative value less than 0.0 down to -1000.0 may be specified. This mode proportions the actual displacements of nodes with magnitude of the provided scale factor. By specifying a value of -1.0, the displacement plot will deform to the actual displacement values. Setting a value of -2.0 will deform the plot by twice the amount of displacement values.
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D. Select dropdown, must choose a load case to animate.
Press Ok button to animate the load case.
The animation represents the movement from the original model to the deflected shape based on the specified loads or mode shape .
Note:
1. Adjust animation speed (values: 0 to 10) see lower left corner of application screen:
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- press the "F" key for faster
- Press the "S" key for slower.
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***Warning*** if the model is not animating, check all the setting on the previous dialog and confirm animation speed in lower left corner is greater than 0.
2. On the Results Ribbon, using the VCR buttons to scroll through enabled non-code combinations / selected mode shapes:
Least Stressed, Previous Stressed, Next Stressed, Most Stressed (respectively)
Q2. The deflected shape / animated load case appears to be wrong, why?
Answer:
From the online help:
-The Result> Displacement command produces a deflected shape plot of the current system for a specific "Non-Code" combination.-Select Result> Displacement to display the Deflected Shape dialog. Choose a combination set (or Scan Only) from the selection list, and the destination (screen or printer). Users also have the option of animating the load case.-After the dialog is accepted, AutoPIPE will plot the deflected shape of the system if a combination name was specified in the dialog. The deflected shape is from the original model to the deflected shape based on the specified loads and forces.
REMEMBER this deflected shape is a exaggeration that can be controlled by Tools> Model Options> Results> Displacement Scale.
Again, from the online help:
This value is used to scale the magnitude of the maximum displacement as it is shown on the screen (or pen plotter dump) in a deflected system shape plot. The default is 0.5 inches (or the equivalent for the current input unit set). However, any value from 0 to 2.0 inches may be specified.
Changing this value will have a dramatic affect on the deflected shape displayed as shown below:
Left: Displacement Scale = 1, Right Displacement Scale = 0.1
Again the displacement shape is an overly exaggerated display, review the actual displacement report for actual values.
Q3 The deflected shape / animated load case on occasion changes appearance, one moment the animation looks like this and the next time it looks significantly different why?
Answer:
AutoPIPE 12.07 and 12.08.0.346 has reported this phenomenon. Regardless of the animation, the values used in the stress analysis are correct. This has been fixed in the latest version of the program, upgrade to AutoPIPE 12.08.01.010 or higher.
Q4. Can the program record the animation and send the recording to another person by email?
Answer:
No, AutoPIPE does not record the screen animation. Consider taking a screen video using one of thousands of programs made to record the screen (ex. Camtasia Recorder, Snagit, OBS, etc..). These external applications have all the capabilities for recording the load case animation, make edits, and save the movie files to a storage folder that can then be archived or sent to others as needed.
See Also
Results Post Processing in AutoPIPE