Accels Panel

Use the Accels (accelerations) panel to create and update concentrated accelerations by applying a load, representing accelerations, nodes, components, sets, surfaces, points, or lines.

Location: Analysis page

Accelerations

Configuration 9 - Acceleration loads allow for an acceleration (length/time2) to be defined on the model.

Accelerations are displayed as a vector with the letter A at the tail end in the modeling window.

Create Subpanel

Use the Create subpanel to create accelerations.
Option Action
entity selector Select entities to which accelerations should be applied. If accelerations are applied to nodes; this selection determines how those nodes are selected. Geometric points select the nodes at which they exist. Comps select all of the nodes contained within the chosen component.
When nodes is selected, click the switch to change the selection mode.
nodes
Select individual nodes.


Figure 1. Example: Nodes Selection
faces
Select all of the nodes on 2D and 3D faces. If there are discontinuities on a 2D face, then only the nodes inbetween the discontinuities will be selected.


Figure 2. Example: Faces Selection
2D faces ext
Select all of the nodes on a 2D face that contain discontinuities.


Figure 3. Example: 2D Faces Ext Selection
loops
Select all of the nodes on continuous free edges that make a closed loop simultaneously, such as the perimeter of a hole.
Important: Only valid for SHELL elements.


Figure 4. Example: Loops Selection
free edges
Select all of the nodes on free edges of elements. If there are discontinuities on an edge, then only the nodes on the free edges inbetween the discontinuities will be selected.
Important: Only valid for SHELL elements.


Figure 5. Example: Free Edges Selection
free edges ext
Select all of the nodes on free edges of elements that contain discontinuities.
Important: Only valid for SHELL elements.


Figure 6. Example: Free Edges Ext Selection
edges
Select all of the nodes on free edges or shared edges (butt joints, L/corner joints, and T-joints) of elements. If there are discontinuities on an edge, then only the nodes on the edge inbetween the discontinuities will be selected.
Important: Only valid for SHELL elements.


Figure 7. Example: Edges Selection
edges ext
Select all of the nodes on free edges or shared edges (butt joints, L/corner joints, and T-joints) of elements that contain discontinuities.
Important: Only valid for SHELL elements.


Figure 8. Example: Edges Ext Selection
display
Indicate where in the model to draw the indicator.
Important: Only available when the entity selector is set to comps or sets.
global system/local system Define an acceleration's direction relative to a local coordinate system or the default global system.
vector Select an existing vector entity that defines the direction of the acceleration.
curve
Select the acceleration curve.
Important: Only available when magnitude= is set to curve, vector or curve, components.
magnitude= Define the value of the load for static use cases and scale factor of a curve for transient or dynamic analysis.
N1 N2 N3
Select two or three nodes on your model to indicate the vector along which the acceleration should act.
Important: Only available when magnitude= is set to constant vector or curve, vector.


Figure 9. Before Creation


Figure 10. After Creation
x comp, y comp, z comp
Change the x, y, and z components of the magnitude.
Important: Only available when magnitude= is set to constant components or curve, components.
xscale= Change the value to alter the curve’s X scale (for example, time).
vector direction Specify the vector along which the acceleration should act.
relative size/uniform size
By default, loads are displayed relative to the model size.
relative size=
Display loads in a size relative to the model size (default 100).
uniform size=
Display all loads with the same size.
label loads Display the load's text labels in modeling window.
load types Select a load type.
face angle/individual selection
face angle
Determines which of the selected support entities will have the panel entity (ex: load, boundary condition, vector, set definition, and so on) applied.
The face angle value is used to determine which faces will be selected based on the angle difference between the selected and adjacent face normals. If the angle between the normals of the faces is less than this face angle value the face is included. This process is similar for edge selection, except that the angle between edges is used instead of the angle between faces.
Important: Only available when the entity selector is set to nodes, and the selection mode is set to faces, 2d faces ext, free edges, free edges ext, edges, or edges ext.
individual selection
Select individual elements on a face or select individual free/shared edges of elements.
Important: Only available when the entity selector is set to nodes and the selection mode is set to faces, free edges, or edges.
edge angle
Split edges that belong to a given face. When the edge angle is 180 degrees, edges are the continuous boundaries of faces. For smaller values, these same boundary edges are split wherever the angle between segments exceeds the specified value. A segment is the edge of a single element.
Important: Only available when the entity selector is set to nodes and the selection mode is set to free edges, free edges ext, edges, or edges ext.

Update Subpanel

Use the Update subpanel to edit and update accelerations.
Option Action
entity selector Select entities to which accelerations should be applied. If accelerations are applied to nodes; this selection determines how those nodes are selected. Geometric points select the nodes at which they exist. Comps select all of the nodes contained within the chosen component.
When nodes is selected, click the switch to change the selection mode.
nodes
Select individual nodes.


Figure 11. Example: Nodes Selection
faces
Select all of the nodes on 2D and 3D faces. If there are discontinuities on a 2D face, then only the nodes inbetween the discontinuities will be selected.


Figure 12. Example: Faces Selection
2D faces ext
Select all of the nodes on a 2D face that contain discontinuities.


Figure 13. Example: 2D Faces Ext Selection
loops
Select all of the nodes on continuous free edges that make a closed loop simultaneously, such as the perimeter of a hole.
Important: Only valid for SHELL elements.


Figure 14. Example: Loops Selection
free edges
Select all of the nodes on free edges of elements. If there are discontinuities on an edge, then only the nodes on the free edges inbetween the discontinuities will be selected.
Important: Only valid for SHELL elements.


Figure 15. Example: Free Edges Selection
free edges ext
Select all of the nodes on free edges of elements that contain discontinuities.
Important: Only valid for SHELL elements.


Figure 16. Example: Free Edges Ext Selection
edges
Select all of the nodes on free edges or shared edges (butt joints, L/corner joints, and T-joints) of elements. If there are discontinuities on an edge, then only the nodes on the edge inbetween the discontinuities will be selected.
Important: Only valid for SHELL elements.


Figure 17. Example: Edges Selection
edges ext
Select all of the nodes on free edges or shared edges (butt joints, L/corner joints, and T-joints) of elements that contain discontinuities.
Important: Only valid for SHELL elements.


Figure 18. Example: Edges Ext Selection
display
Indicate where in the model to draw the indicator.
Important: Only available when the entity selector is set to comps or sets.
global system/local system Define an acceleration's direction relative to a local coordinate system or the default global system.
vector Select an existing vector entity that defines the direction of the acceleration.
curve
Select the acceleration curve.
Important: Only available when magnitude= is set to curve, vector or curve, components.
magnitude= Define the value of the load for static use cases and scale factor of a curve for transient or dynamic analysis.
N1 N2 N3
Select two or three nodes on your model to indicate the vector along which the acceleration should act.
Important: Only available when magnitude= is set to constant vector or curve, vector.


Figure 19. Before Creation


Figure 20. After Creation
x comp, y comp, z comp
Change the x, y, and z components of the magnitude.
Important: Only available when magnitude= is set to constant components or curve, components.
xscale= Change the value to alter the curve’s X scale (for example, time).
vector direction Specify the vector along which the acceleration should act.
relative size/uniform size
By default, loads are displayed relative to the model size.
relative size=
Display loads in a size relative to the model size (default 100).
uniform size=
Display all loads with the same size.
label loads Display the load's text labels in modeling window.
load types Select a load type.

Command Buttons

Button Action
create Create an acceleration.
update Update an acceleration.
review Review an acceleration.
return Exit the panel.