A mass element rests on a node and is used to represent mass. Mass elements are
element config 1 and are displayed as a dot with the letter M written at the
centroid of the element.
Data is retained when you switch subpanels, therefore any settings you make in the
Create subpanel remain even when switch to the Update subpanel and then return. Data
only clears when you exit the panel.
Create Subpanel
Use the Create subpanel to assign mass values to nodes. You can select any number of
nodes, which do not need to be contiguous. This creates a new mass element of the
specified mass value at each of the selected nodes. Figure 1.
You can also review existing mass elements by clicking
review, then clicking the mass element you wish to
review; the selected elements' qualities populate the entry fields on the panel. You
can only review one mass element at a time.
Option
Action
nodes
Select the node(s)
where you want to create a mass element.
mass =
Specify the magnitude
of the mass applied to the element.
property =
Select a property to
assign to new and existing mass elements.
system
Select a coordinate
system for the newly created or updated mass elements. If no
system is specified, the global system is used.
elem types =
Select the element
types that can serve as mass elements. The available types
depend on your solver interface.
Update Subpanel
Use the Update subpanel to select existing masses and change their characteristics,
such as mass value, property, system, or element type.
You can also review existing mass elements by clicking review,
then clicking the mass element you wish to review; the selected elements' qualities
populate the entry fields on the panel. You can only review one mass element at a
time.
Option
Action
elems
Select the existing
masses whose characteristics you wish to change.
Note: The text labels for masses always display in the
same orientation, so in some cases they can be obscured by
your mesh (you may need to rotate the model to find them).
Also, this selector will allow you to select mesh elements;
you must select the mass elements (located at mesh nodes) to
observe proper behavior.
mass =
Specify the magnitude
of the mass applied to the element.
property =
Select a property to
assign to new and existing mass elements.
system
Select a coordinate
system for the newly created or updated mass elements. If no
system is specified, the global system is used.
elem types =
Select the element
types that can serve as mass elements. The available types
depend on your solver interface.
Command Buttons
Button
Action
create
Create a new mass
element on each of the selected nodes, using the specified
settings.
Note: The text labels for masses always
display in the same orientation, so in some cases they can
be obscured by your mesh (you may need to rotate the model
to find them).
update
Change the selected
element's characteristics. A temporary panel provides checkboxes
to specify which characteristics you wish to change (blank
checkboxes result in no change to that characteristic.)
reject
Undo the most recent
create action.
review
Click
review, then click an existing mass
element modeling window. The selected
element's settings populate the criteria fields, and its
associated ID and node ID display in the graphics areas in white
text.
Note: The text labels for masses always
display in the same orientation, so in some cases they can
be obscured by your mesh (you may need to rotate the model
to find them).
