Demonstration 1 A First Look at ABAQUS: Note To Instructors
Demonstration 1 A First Look at ABAQUS: Note To Instructors
Introduction
This demonstration illustrates the graphical user interface (GUI) of ABAQUS/CAE. We
consider the following aspects of ABAQUS/CAE:
Overview of the main window
Modularity
Canvas and viewports
Pull-down menus and toolset icons
Module-Model-Part lists
Getting help
D1.2
D1.3
Modularity
ABAQUS/CAE is divided into modules that are listed in an intuitive sequence. To
illustrate this aspect of ABAQUS/CAE, do the following:
1. Click the inverted triangle next to the blank Module pull-down menu to see a
listing of available modules. Note that the listing follows a typical sequence in
creating a finite element model.
2. Switch to the Part module. Move the mouse over the toolset icons, and note that a
small box containing a description of the toolor tooltipappears if the cursor
is held momentarily over a given tool. This is typical of a GUI.
3. Note the menu bar on top. Switch to another module, and note how the menu bar
changes appropriately for each of the two modules. Each menu has a limited
number of options, thus promoting ease of use.
Open the output database file indentfoam_std_visco_2.odb in ABAQUS/CAE.
Opening the database using FileOpen is a typical GUI action.
D1.4
D1.5
versa. Select the Plot Deformed Shape icon to display the deformed shape of
the model in the current viewport.
Module-Model-Part lists
ABAQUS/CAE permits the user to switch between Modules, Models, and Parts using
pull-down lists. To illustrate this point, copy Demos/lists.cae to your local
directory and open it in ABAQUS/CAE.
1. Switch to the Part module, and maximize the current viewport.
10. Make Model-1 the current model by selecting it from the Model pull-down list.
11. Within Model-1 set the current part to Cube using the Part pull-down list; later,
change the current part to Cylinder.
12. Make Model-2 the current model, and display the part Wedge.
The actions above demonstrate how you can switch between parts and between models in
an ABAQUS/CAE session. Each model database (the file with a .cae extension) can
have multiple models, and each model can have multiple parts.
Getting help
The ABAQUS/CAE online documentation is available through the Help menu on the
menu bar. You can also use the help tool in the toolbar to display detailed help on any
icon, menu, folder, or dialog box that you use in ABAQUS/CAE. Clicking the help tool
and then clicking an item in the ABAQUS/CAE window opens a help window containing
the relevant section from the online documentation.