Plotting a Graph – ANSYS
(Ref: Basic Guide – 5.3.1.4 Path Plots)
>General Postprocessor
>Path Operations >Define Path >By Nodes(Select nodes for plot)
Hold shift key down and select the nodes on a line. <OK>
>By Location(Type in coordinates)
>On WP(Graphically. WP= Working Plane)
Dialog box appears:
Path Name:Normal Stress
No. of data sets:1
No. of divisions:20<OK>
>Plot Results >Plot Path Item>Linearized Stress
Dialog box:
Item to plot:Horiz stress SX<OK>
[Plot] >Elements(Return to element plot)
Plotting a Graph – EXCEL
Plot a Graph of Stress Distribution at Midplane
Zoom in on the midplane nodes
[Pan, Zoom, Rotate] > (•) [Box Zoom](Click & drag box to select area around midplane)
Select the Nodes to Plot
[Plot] Nodes(Show just the nodes to make them easier to select)
[Select] Entities >Nodes(•) [From Full]
(Select the nodes where the stress is to be graphed)
Graphically:
In Pick Window, select (•) [Box](Click & drag box to select nodes along midplane)
Or (Hold down the Shift Key and click on each node in sequence - <OK>)
Capture the Numeric Data:
[List] >Nodes> Coordinates only(Lists only the coordinates of the selected nodes)
[List] Results >Nodal Solution> Stress(Choose the stress components you want to plot)
Using Windows, click & drag a box around the desired data. CTRL-C to copy to the clipboard.
(Don’t worry if you get unwanted columns in between. You can delete them before you plot.)
Plot the data using EXCEL:
Go to the Windows START Menu. Open Excel with a new blank document.
Copy and paste the stress components of the nodal stress into Excel (Hoop, Radial, Axial).
In Excel: [Edit] >Paste Special>(Paste into Excel. Note: all items are placed in one column).
Drop-down Clipboard Menu:=> Import Wizard
(Click on the little clipboard picture.) => Fixed Width(Separates data into columns)
(Right click on unwanted columns. Hit delete to erase them.)
(Adjust column widths to suit data.)
(Note! Sort columns by location, not Node number!! )
(Add column headings: UX = X, SX = Radial, SY = Axial, SZ = Hoop)
(Select the complete table. Select Plot Wizard, graph style, data series…)
(Plot all 3 stresses vs UX value of nodal coordinates.)
NOTE: You must return to the [Select] menu option to re-select the Full Set of nodes before continuing. Otherwise, you will only see the selected subset in any further operations.