A - D 659

2D Curve-Curve Constraint Tool

Dialog box - F1 help

A-D
2D Curve-Curve Constraint Tool

Ribbon menu → Connectors Tab → Special container → Curve-Curve Constraint

or

(Classic) Build → Joints → Curve-Curve Constraint

Creates a curve-curve constraint that restricts a curve defined on the first part to remain in contact with a
second curve defined on a second part. The curve-curve constraint is useful for modeling cams where the
point of contact between two parts changes during the motion of the mechanism. The curve-curve constraint
removes two Degrees of freedom from your model.
Learn more about Curve-Curve Constraints.

For the option: Do the following:

First and Second For the first and second parts, select whether you are defining the curve-curve
constraint along a curve or an edge of a part:

n Curves - Splines, chains, and data-element curves are all considered curves.
n Edge - An edge is one of the wireframe outlines drawn on a solid. For
example, you can use a Parasolid object representing a cam that you imported
into Adams View.

3D Plot Viewer

Ribbon menu → Elements Tab → Data Elements Container → Spline icon → Type → y=f(x,z) 3D → 3D

Preview
or

(Classic) Build → Data Elements → Spline → New → Type → 3D → 3D Preview

Lets you view a plot of a three-dimensional spline.
n Right-click on the background to use the Shortcut menus of view controls.
n Right-click on the plot to display information about the plot, delete the plot, or rename it.
660 Adams View
About Adams

Learn about Viewing a Three-Dimensional Plot in the Spline Editor.

About Adams
Help → About
Displays the following information:
n Software version number and the date it was built
n Directory where Adams is installed
n Copyright statement

About the Adams View Modeling Database

The Adams View Modeling database is a hierarchical database. Each object in the database has an object that
owns it, called its parent, and many objects own other objects, called their children. The top level objects in
the database are models, views, plots, and libraries containing such things as dialog boxes.
The following shows the hierarchy of a database called Database_1 that contains one model and a plot of the
model.

Names of objects in the database use a hierarchical naming structure. For example, a block built on the
ground part is named .model_1.ground.block.

Activate/Deactivate
Right-click object → (De)activate
Sets the Activation status of a selected object and whether or not the object’s children inherit the activation
status of the parent.
Learn about About the Adams View Modeling Database.
 A - D 661
Adams Insight Display

For the option: Do the following:

Object Enter the name of the object.
Object Active Select if you want the object active during a Simulation.

Learn About Activation Status.

Object's Dependent's Active Select if you want the object's children to also be active.

Learn About Inheriting Activation Status.

Adams Insight Display

Ribbon menu → Design Exploration Tab → Insight container → Display

or

(Classic) Simulate → Adams Insight → Display

Opens an existing experiment file from the current directory.
After you complete the dialog box and select OK, Adams View closes and starts Adams Insight, displaying
the specified experiment. After you've completed your work in Adams Insight and exited, Adams View
appears.
If you exit Adams Insight by using the Run Simulations tool or the Data → Simulation menu, Adams View
will execute the experiment runs. If you exit Adams Insight by using the File → Close Adams Insight
Window menu or the window manager, Adams View will return, waiting for your next interactive input.

For the option: Do the following:

Experiment Enter the name of the experiment to be opened. The file is saved with an .xml
extension in the current directory.

Tips on Entering File Names in Text Boxes

662 Adams View
Adams Insight Export

Notes: If you want to run all the investigation simulations in the current Adams View session, you can
alter some of the Simulate settings to enable the entire series of simulations to run more
efficiently. Alternately, you can run all the simulations external to Adams View with the MDI
INSIGHT BUILD command. This can be accomplished by saving the experiment after the
workspace has been defined, returning to Adams View, and then issuing the MDI INSIGHT
BUILD command.

simulate multi_run set save_analysis=no

simulate multi_run set chart_objectives=no
simulate multi_run set chart_variables=no
simulate multi_run set show_summary=no
simulate single_run set save_analysis=no
simulate single_run set update=none
simulate single_run set monitor=none

Adams Insight Export

Ribbon menu → Design Exploration Tab → Insight container → Export

or

(Classic) Simulate → Adams Insight → Export

Creates a new experiment file or overwrites an existing experiment file.
After you complete the dialog box and select OK, Adams View populates the Adams Insight experiment file
(in the current directory) with the factors and responses that have been defined in the specified model. Factors
consist of design variables, hardpoint x,y,z components, and UDE parameters. Responses consist of design
objectives.
Next, Adams View closes and starts Adams Insight.
If you reused an old experiment and Adams Insight is able to use it to create a work space for the new
experiment, Adams Insight immediately adds the work space to the new experiment file and returns to Adams
View. Adams View then appears and begins running the experiment.
Otherwise, Adams Insight opens and displays the new experiment. After you've completed your work in
Adams Insight and exited, Adams View appears.
If you exit Adams Insight by using the Run Simulations tool or the Data → Simulation menu, Adams View
will execute the experiment runs. If you exit Adams Insight by using the File → Close Adams Insight
Window menu or the window manager, Adams View will return, waiting for your next interactive input.
 A - D 663
Adams View Keyboard Shortcuts

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Experiment Enter the name of the experiment to be created. The file is saved with an .xml
extension in the current directory.
Model Enter the name of the model to use for the investigation. The contents of the specified
model will be interrogated to build up the Candidate list of responses and factors.
Simulation Script Enter the simulation script you want to use during the experiment.
Reuse Experiment Optionally, enter the name of an existing experiment file. If you enter an experiment
to reuse, Adams Insight will reuse as many components of the old experiment as
possible in the new experiment. For more information, see Reusing Components.

Notes: If you want to run all the investigation simulations in the current Adams View session, you can
alter some of the Simulate settings to enable the entire series of simulations to run more
efficiently. Alternately, you can run all the simulations external to Adams View with the MDI
INSIGHT BUILD command. This can be accomplished by saving the experiment after the
workspace has been defined, returning to Adams View, and then issuing the MDI INSIGHT
BUILD command.

simulate multi_run set save_analysis=no

simulate multi_run set chart_objectives=no
simulate multi_run set chart_variables=no
simulate multi_run set show_summary=no
simulate single_run set save_analysis=no
simulate single_run set update=none
simulate single_run set monitor=none

Adams View Keyboard Shortcuts

The entries in this section show the keyboard shortcuts for Adams View organized by operation. Keyboard
shortcuts are key combinations that access commands quickly. When you enter a keyboard shortcut, the focus
must be in the main window except when entering a keyboard shortcut that works in dialog boxes.
The shortcuts are organized into the following operations:
n File Operations
n Edit Operations
n Display Operations
n Viewing Operations
n Drawing Operations
664 Adams View
Adams View Keyboard Shortcuts

File Operations

To: Select:
Create a new modeling database Ctrl + n
Open an existing modeling database Ctrl + o
Save the current modeling database Ctrl + s
Print Ctrl + p
Read command file F2
Exit Ctrl + q

Edit Operations

To: Select:
Undo the last operation Ctrl + z
Redo the last undone operation Ctrl- Shift + z
Copy objects Ctrl + c
Paste text in text boxes in dialog boxes and as comments Ctrl + v
Cut text from text boxes in dialog boxes Ctrl + x
Quickly clear text from text boxes Left-click at the start of the text box, and
then press Ctrl-k or Ctrl-K
Delete selected object Del
Modify object Ctrl + e
Escape operation Esc

Display Operations

To display: Select:
Command window F3
Coordinate window F4
Menu Builder F5
Dialog Box Builder F6
Working grid g
Plotting window (Adams PostProcessor) F8
Help window F1
 A - D 665
Adams View Command Server

Viewing Operations

To: Select:
Rotate view in the XY directions r
Rotate view in the Z direction (s pin) s (lowercase)
Translate view t
Change perspective depth d
Dynamically zoom view z
Use dynamic increment Shift
Define a zoom area w
Center view c
Orient view to object (e lement) e
Fit view f
Fit view - no ground Ctrl + F
Orient view to front F
Orient view to right R
Orient view to top T
Orient view to isometric I
Toggle render mode between wireframe and shaded S (Uppercase)
Toggle screen icons on and off v

Drawing Operations

To: Select and hold:

Turn off snapping to geometry Ctrl
Turn off highlighting of geometry during selection Ctrl

Adams View Command Server

CMD Command Window (F3) → Enter command: command_server show
The Adams Command Server is an Adams View (or Adams Car) component that manages communication
between Adams View and external software. Examples of external software include user-written applications
created in Microsoft Visual Basic, Python, C, Java or similar. The server listens for either commands or
queries from an external application and manages the command or query interaction with the Adams model.
The server has a simple interface that is accessible from other programming languages that implement the
TCP/IP communication protocol. The server also contains an interface for Microsoft Visual Basic that
simplifies the communication protocol. See section Adams Command Server more information.
666 Adams View
Adams2Nastran

For the option: Do the following:

Start Server This will start a new TCP/IP server connection in Adams View that listens for
commands. Simple output from the server is displayed in the dialog box.
Stop Server This will stop the server connection.

Adams2Nastran

Ribbon menu → Simulation Tab → Simulate container → Run a Scripted Simulation → Select Interactive option → Export a

Nastran model from Adams

or

(Classic) Simulate → Adams2Nastran

Export a linearized NASTRAN model from Adams at the current-time/dynamic/kinematic/static/quasi-
static equilibrium operating point.

For the option: Do the following:

Model Name Select the model which you want to export
Type Choose the type of export, that is low fidelity (white box) or high fidelity
(black box)
Nastran Output File Prefix Choose the file prefix to be used for the exported Nastran file(s).
Operating Point Choose the operating point at which the model will be exported (options are
current-time, dynamic, kinematic, static and quasi-static)
If you chose current-time then Adams exports a NASTRAN model immediately with no further analysis
specification, in other words model is exported at any current and valid operating point (i.e. static, quasi-static,
dynamic, and kinematic)
If you chose a dynamic/kinematic/quasi-static operating point following four options will be available
End Time Specify the simulation end time as an alternative to the duration of
simulation
Duration Specify the duration of simulation as an alternative to the simulation end
time
Number Of Steps Specify the number of steps, as an alternative to the step size
Step Size Specify the step size as an alternative to the number of steps parameter
 A - D 667
Add/Replace Simulations

For the option: Do the following:

Configuration File Name Specify a configuration file to be used to control the exporting of the model.
See Nastran bulk data deck export for more information.
Reset After Export Select if the simulation has to be reset automatically after the export
operation
Export all graphics Select if all the graphics are to be exported
Write To Terminal Select if the output file is to be displayed in the info window after the export
operation

Add/Replace Simulations
File → Replace Simulations
Updates the data in the plots with that stored in simulation result files, without recreating the plots. Also lets
you add data from other Simulations to your existing plots.
When you update your plots, Adams PostProcessor looks for simulation results in the original simulation
Results file (for example, a Request file) from which you imported the current data. If the time and date stamp
on the original file is more recent than the time and date stamp on the plot, Adams PostProcessor reloads the
plot with the updated data.
If you use the Add Simulation option, a new legend, called the simulation legend, appears on the left side of
the plot. The simulation legend identifies the source of the data grouped by color or line style. The original
legend, called the curve legend, continues to show information about the original curves.

For the option: Do the following:

Add Simulation Select to add new curves.
Replace Simulation Select to update the curves already on the plot.
New Runs/ Enter the name of the simulation containing the simulation results to be replaced.
By default, the results of the last simulation (Last_run) replaces any simulation
Last Runs results that the curves use.
If you selected Add Simulations, the following options are available:
Auto Color/ You can:

Auto Style/ n Select Auto to allow Adams PostProcessor to automatically assign colors,
styles, or weights to the curves.
Auto Weight n Clear the selection of Auto to use the pull-down menu to set the colors,
styles, or weights. If you select No Change, Adams PostProcessor uses the
current color of the curve representing the data to be added.
Update Pages Select the pages containing the plots that you want to update. Enter a range of pages
in the Start Page and End Page text boxes.
668 Adams View
Aggregate Mass

Aggregate Mass
Tools → Aggregate Mass Shared Dialog Box
Calculates the total mass of a part or parts in your model. Adams View returns the information in the
Information window or in a specified file. It ignores the ground part or any part that has no mass.
When calculating the aggregate mass, Adams View essentially places a temporary marker at the center of mass
location of the selected parts and then calculates the inertia properties in principal moments (without off-
diagonal terms). The calculated inertia tensor is then transformed to the given reference frame (or to global
coordinates, if no reference frame is selected). Note that the reported inertia tensor is not relative to the total
CM location/orientation, it is relative to the selected reference frame.
The orientation shown is the orientation of the principal moments of inertia.
Learn about Calculating Aggregate Mass of Parts.

For the option: Do the following:

Model Enter the name of the model whose parts you want to calculate total mass for.
Bodies Choose one of the following:

n All - Calculates the aggregate mass of all bodies in your model.

n Selected - Calculates the mass of only certain parts.
Select Select if you chose to calculate the mass of certain parts.

Select the desired parts from the list of parts in your model.

Tips To select objects:

Relative To Optional. Enter another coordinate system with respect to which you'd like
calculations to be relative. Default calculations are relative to the global coordinate
system.

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

Info Window If aggregate mass is written to Information Window, replace or append existing
information. Choose one of the following:

n Replace
n Append
n None
File Select if you want the output displayed to a file.

Enter the name of the file in which you want to save the information in the text box.
Brief Output Select to show only a brief summary of aggregate mass information.
 A - D 669
Angle Measure

Angle Measure

Ribbon menu → Design Exploration Tab → Measures container → Create a new Angle Measure and then click Advanced

or

(Classic) Build → Measure → Angle → New/Modify

Creates an angle measure.
Learn more about:
n Angle Measures
n About Simulation Output

For the option: Do the following:

Measure Name Change the name for the measure.
First Marker Enter the marker that defines the tip of the first vector.
Middle Marker Enter the second marker that defines the vertex.
Last Marker Enter the marker that defines the tip of the second vector.
Create Strip Chart Select to display a Strip chart of the measure.
Set the attributes of the measure. Only available when you are modifying a measure.
See Measure Attributes dialog box help.

Animation Controls
Ribbon menu → Results Tab → Review container →

or

(Classic) Review → Animation Controls

Main toolbox →
Allows you to work with Animations and control the frames from your simulation. Animations provide instant
feedback to you as your simulation runs.
By default, each time you run a simulation, Adams Solver replaces the previous animation frames. To replay
earlier animations, you must save them in your modeling database.
During animations, Adams View displays frames as quickly as it can based on the graphics capabilities of your
computer hardware.
670 Adams View
Animation Controls

Animation Controls Dialog Box - View Animation Controls Dialog Box - Car
 A - D 671
Animation Controls

Option/Icon Description
Plays the animation backward.

Stops the animation.

Plays the animation forward.

Rewinds the animation.

Advances one frame.

Rewinds one frame.

Plays the animation in fast-backward mode.

Plays the animation in fast-forward mode.

Slider Click and drag until you reach the number of the frame you want to display.
Analysis Do one of the following:

n Enter the name of a saved Simulation.

n To animate multiple simulations simultaneously, enter the names of the
simulations you want to animate. Separate each simulation name with a comma.
Note: When animating multiple simulations simultaneously, each simulation must
have the same number of output steps or frames associated with it, as well as
the same output time step size.
View Do one of the following:

n Play animations in a different view window, by entering the name of any view
window that is currently visible on your screen. The default name is the currently
active view.
n Play animation in multiple view windows at the same time by entering multiple
view names, separating each name with a comma.
Note: If you choose to animate in more than one view simultaneously, every view
you specify must animate the same simulation results. You cannot display
one simulation in one view and another simulation in another view.
672 Adams View
Animation Controls

Option/Icon Description
Switches to the Variant, Testrig and Road Graphics used for the selected analysis.

Base Part/ Lets you set the view perspective or camera angle for an Animation. Setting different
Fixed Base/ animation view perspectives can be especially useful when parts undergo large motions
Std Camera and move off your screen during an animation, such as with vehicle simulations.

Learn about Specifying the View Perspective of Animations.

Render See Rendering mode.
No Trace/Trace You can trace the paths of points during animation. See Tracing Paths of Points During
Animations.
Time Range Defines a subset of the complete sequence of frames in an animation to play. By default,
Adams View plays the complete sequence of frames. You can set the interval to view
based on time or frame number.

Choose from:

n Time Range - Enter a start time and stop time in the text box. Adams View replays
those frames whose time is within the specified range.
n Time - Enter an interval and select Apply.
n Frame Range - Enter a start frame and an end frame.
n Frame - Enter a frame number and select Apply.
Cycles/Loop Sets how many times to replay the animation. The default is to play the specified
sequence of frames once.

In the Cycles box, enter a whole number representing the number of times you want
Adams View to play the animation. It automatically rewinds the animation before each
replay.
Frame Increment Enter a number of frames to skip. For example, enter 5 to have Adams View display
only every fifth frame.
Superimpose Toggles the overlay of frames on top of one another. By default, during an animation,
Adams View erases the previous frame before drawing the next frame.

We recommend that you use the frame or time range features, as well as the frame
increment so that only certain frames are superimposed on top of one another.
Icons Toggles the Screen icons during animations.

Shortcut: Type a lowercase v.

 A - D 673
Animation Controls

Option/Icon Description
Contour plots Toggles the display of Contour plots of flexible bodies. The default is set to off to improve
the speed of the animation, and to remove any caching of the animation before playing
it.

To learn about setting defaults for caching animations see PPT Preferences - Animation.

To learn about displaying contour plots on flexible bodies see Animating Deformations,
Modal Forces, and Stress/Strain.
Save Simulated Position

Displays the Save Model at Simulation Position dialog box so you can save the model at a
simulated position into the Modeling database under a new name.
Save Model at Simulation States

Displays the Save Model at Simulation State dialog box so you can save the model at a
simulated state into the Modeling database under a new name so you can use it as your
new design configuration with states.
Displays the Simulation Controls dialog box.

Displays Adams PostProcessor.

Aero Forces Toggles the visualization of the Aerodynamic force components in user defined color
(Car only)
Tire Forces Toggles the visualization of the Road contact force components in user defined color
(Car only)
Display Driver Toggles the visualization of the target path data used by the Driving Machine for
Target Path controlling the vehicle (if available).
(Car only)
Display Driver Toggles the visualization of the actual path data of the vehicle as a result of the
Actual Path controlling actions of the Driving Machine.
(Car only)

Learn about:
n Using Animations
n Using Toolboxes, Tool Stacks, and Palettes
674 Adams View
Append Run Commands

Append Run Commands

Instead of having to know command names and syntax for many commands for running Simulations and for
saving and resetting simulation, you can enter values for the operations and then append the appropriate
commands to the current selected Script. Assistance on modeling commands is not available.
For additional assistance, you can also:
n Use the Command Navigator to see the available Adams View commands, their keywords, and
parameters.
n Look at your aview.Log file to see the commands that have been executed and their syntax.

For the option: Do the following:

Run command to Select the simulation operation that you’d like to add to your script. For example,
be appended to select Transient - Dynamic to enter a command for performing a dynamic simulation.
script
Options for the operation you selected appear in the dialog box. For example, text
boxes and option button appear for setting the duration of a simulation.
If you select Transient - Dynamic or Transient - Kinematic, the following options appear:
Start at equilibrium For a Transient Dynamic or Kinematic, select to have Adams View perform a static
simulation before performing a Dynamic simulation.
End Enter the time interval over which the simulation takes place and set how you want it
Time/Duration defined. You can select:

n End Time - Specify the absolute point in time at which you want the simulation
to stop.
n Duration - Specify the amount of time over which you want the simulation to
run.
Steps/Step Size Set the frequency with which Adams View outputs data during your simulation. You
can specify:

n Steps - Represents the total number of times you want Adams View to provide
output information over your entire simulation. For example, specify 50 steps over
a 1-second simulation interval to define an output period of 0.02 seconds per step,
which yields an output frequency of 50 steps/second.
n Step Size - Represents the amount of time, in current model units, between
output steps. The output frequency remains constant even if you change your
simulation end time or duration. For example, enter a step size of 0.01 seconds to
specify an output period of 0.01 seconds per step, which yields an output
frequency of 100 steps/second.
If you select Transient - Static Steps/Step Size and End Time/Durations options appear
If you select Equilibrium no other options will appear
If you select Eigensolution following options appear:
 A - D 675
Append Run Commands

For the option: Do the following:

Employ Damping Select if you would like apply damping during simulation
Generate Select if you would like to generate eigen vectors
Eigenvectors
If you select Nastran Export - Static following options appear:
Write To Terminal Select if the output file is to be displayed in the info window after the export operation
Type Choose the type of export, that is low fidelity (white box) or high fidelity (black box)
Nastran Output Choose the file prefix to be used for the exported Nastran file(s).
File Prefix
Configuration File Specify a configuration file to be used to control the exporting of the model
Name
If you select Nastran Export - Quasi Static along with the options for Nastran Export - Static, Steps/Step Size
and End Time/Duration options appear:
If you select Sate Matrix following options appear:
Plant Input Select an existing Plant Input
Plant Output Select an existing Plant Output
Matrix Format Select suitable controls design and analysis package format
Matrix File Name Specify a file name to which Adams Solver (C++) writes the state matrices. If the
output is in the MATRIXX format, all matrices are written to this file. For the
MATLAB format, the file name is used as a base name. Each matrix is written to a
separate file, whose name Adams Solver (C++) automatically constructs by appending
the matrix name to the user-specified base name.
If you select Assemble no options will appear
If you select Scripted following options will appear
Simulation Script Specify an existing script
Do a ‘simulation Select if you would like to reset the simulation controls to their initial configuration
single_run reset’
first
OK Will insert the appropriate Adams View commands based on the options and entries
you selected/specified
Cancel Cancels the insertion of Adams View commands
Enter any comments to help you manage and identify the script. Learn about
Comments.
676 Adams View
Arc Tool

Arc Tool

Ribbon menu → Bodies Tab → Construction container → Arc Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Bodies/Geometry → Arc Tool

Creates arcs and circles centered about a location. You begin drawing an arc by specifying its starting and
ending angles. You then indicate its center location and set its radius and the orientation of its x-axis. You can
also specify the arc’s radius before you draw it. The Arc tool draws the angle starting from the x-axis that you
specify and moving counterclockwise (right-hand rule).
See Elements of an arc.
Before you create arc geometry, you can select to create a new part consisting of the arc geometry or add the
arc geometry to an existing part or ground. If you create a new part, it has no mass since it is composed of
only wire geometry. You can extrude a circle into solid geometry that has mass. Learn about Extruding
Construction Geometry Along a Path.
Learn about Creating Arcs and Circles.

For the option: Do the following:

New Part/ Select either:
Add to Part/
On Ground n New Part - Creates a new part.
n Add to Part - Adds the arc to another part in your model.
n On Ground - Adds the arc to ground.
Note: Add geometry to ground if the geometry does not move or influence the
simulation of your model. For example, if you are simulating a car driving
around a race track, the geometry that defines the race track can be added
to ground.
Radius Enter the radius of the arc
Start Angle Enter the angle at which to start the arc. The default is to create a 90-degree arc from
a starting angle of 0 degrees.
End Angle Enter the angle at which to end the arc.
Circle Select to create a circle.

Assembly Measure
Creates a measure on an assembly.
See Measures and Assemblies.
 A - D 677
Associativity

For the option: Do the following:

Measure Name Change the name for the measure.
Object Select the object to be measured.

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

Characteristic Select the object characteristic to measure.
Create Strip Chart Select to display a Strip chart of the measure.
Select to display the attributes of the measure. Not available for all types of assembly
measures, such as a spring-dampers, and only available when you are modifying a
measure. See Measure Attributes dialog box help for more information.

Associativity
Database Navigator → Associativity
Allows you to display the objects that a selected object uses. For example, you can select a joint in the tree list
to show the I and J markers that the joint uses. You can also select to view the objects that use the selected
object.
Learn about Viewing the Associativity of Objects.

For the option: Do the following:

Uses Select if you want to show the objects that the selected object uses.
Is Used By Select if you want to show the objects that use the selected object.
Auto Navigate Select if you want to set up an automatic navigation of the objects.
Save to File Select if you want to save the current associativity information to a file.

Auto Disable Modes by Strain Energy

Flexible Body Modify dialog box → auto
Lets you disable or enable modes based on their contribution of strain energy. Learn more about Enabling and
Disabling Modes Based on Strain Energy Contribution.
678 Adams View
Background Color Tool Stack

For the option: Do the following:

Flexible Body Name Enter the name of the flexible body to modify.
Analysis Name Enter the name of a pilot simulation.

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

Energy Tolerance Enter a fractional value. Adams Flex will disable all modes that contributed less
than the specified fraction to the total strain energy during the test simulation. For
example, to disable all modes that contributed less than 0.1% of the strain energy,
enter 0.001.

Background Color Tool Stack

Main Toolbox → Background Color Tool Stack
Contains four colors to which you can set the background of the View window.

To change the background color:

n Select a color from the Background Color tool stack.
The background of all view windows changes to the selected color.
Learn about Setting View Background Colors.

Beam

Ribbon menu → Forces Tab → Flexible Connections container → Beam Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Forces → Beam Tool

Creates a massless beam with a uniform cross-section.
You enter values of the beam’s physical properties, and Adams Solver calculates the matrix entries defining the
forces that the beam produces. The beam transmits forces and torques between the two parts in accordance
with Timoshenko beam theory.
Learn about:
n Creating Beams
 A - D 679
Bode Plots

n Modifying Beams

Bode Plots
Plot → Bode Plots
Creates a Bode plot in Adams PostProcessor. Bode plots provide a way to study frequency response functions
(FRFs) for linear systems and linearized representations of nonlinear systems. The frequency response
function measures the response at the outputs due to unit harmonic excitation at the inputs at various
frequencies. A Bode plot in Adams PostProcessor shows the amplitude gain and the phase shift between input
to output for all output/input combinations of the linear system.

For the option: Do the following:

Input Format Select the type of input format.

Learn about Ways to Construct Bode Plots.

The elements in the dialog box change depending on the input format you selected. You can select any one
of the following input formats:

n Adams Linear State Matrices

n Adams Matrices
n Linear State Equation
n TFSISO
n Transfer Function Coefficients
n Time Domain Measures
n Time Domain Results Set Components
Adams Linear State Enter values for the following:
Matrices
n The frequency sweep by entering the starting and ending frequencies
for the bode plot in the From and To text boxes and selecting the
frequency step (either Linear Samples, Log Samples, or Step Size).
n In the State Matrices text box, the state matrices.
n In the Inputs and Outputs text boxes, the input and output results
you would like to use for bode plot calculations. If you do not select
any inputs or outputs, Adams PostProcessor computes all
combinations.
680 Adams View
Bode Plots

For the option: Do the following:

Adams Matrices Enter values for the following:

n The frequency sweep by entering the starting and ending frequencies

for the bode plot in the From and To text boxes and selecting the
frequency step (either Linear Samples, Log Samples, or Step Size).
n In the A through D Matrix text boxes, the A through D matrices that
define the state matrix.
n In the Inputs and Outputs text boxes, the input and output results
you would like to use for bode plot calculations. If you do not select
any inputs or outputs, Adams PostProcessor computes all
combinations.
Linear State Equation Enter values for the following:

n The frequency sweep by entering the starting and ending frequencies

for the bode plot in the From and To text boxes and selecting the
frequency step (either Linear Samples, Log Samples, or Step Size).
n In the Linear State Equation text box, the linear state equation to be
plotted.
n In the Inputs and Outputs text boxes, the input and output results
you would like to use for bode plot calculations. If you do not select
any inputs or outputs, Adams PostProcessor computes all
combinations.
TFSISO Enter values for the following:

n The frequency sweep by entering the starting and ending frequencies

for the bode plot in the From and To text boxes and selecting the
frequency step (either Linear Samples, Log Samples, or Step Size).
n In the TFSISO text box, the transfer function to be plotted.
 A - D 681
Bodies

For the option: Do the following:

Transfer Function Enter values for the following:
Coefficients
n The frequency sweep by entering the starting and ending frequencies
for the Bode plot in the From and To text boxes and selecting the
frequency step (either Linear Samples, Log Samples, or Step Size).
n In the Numerator Coefficients text box, the coefficients of the transfer
function numerator polynomial.
n In the Denominator Coefficients text box, the coefficients of the
transfer function denominator polynomial.
Time Domain Measures Enter values for the following:

n In the Input Measure text box, the pre-defined or user-defined

measure of the system input.
n In the Output Measure text box, the pre-defined or user-defined
measure of the system output.
Note that the data determines the frequency range, unlike the previous
options.
Time Domain Results Set Enter values for the following:
Components
n In the Input Component text box, the results set component
characterizing system input.
n In the Output Component text box, the results set component
characterizing system output.
Note that the data determines the frequency range, unlike the previous
options.

Bodies
Displays tools for creating rigid body geometry.
682 Adams View
Bodies

Icon Link Icon Link

Solids Construction
Box Tool Point Tool

Cylinder Tool Marker Tool

Sphere Tool Polyline Tool

Frustum Tool Arc Tool

Torus Tool Spline Tool

Link Tool Point Mass

Plate Tool Booleans

Extrusion Tool Unite Tool

Revolution Tool Merge Tool

Plane Tool Intersect Tool

Flexible Bodies Cut Tool

Adams Flex Split Tool

Flex to Flex Chain Tool

Discrete Flexible Link Features

 A - D 683
Border and Separation

Icon Link Icon Link

Rigid to Flex Fillet Tool

MNX Xform Chamfer Tool

ViewFlex Hole Tool

Boss Tool

Hollow Tool

Construction or Contains options for creating the selected object. The options change
Settings depending on the type of object that you are creating. For example, when you
Container create a link, Adams View lets you specify its width, length, and height before
creating it. Then, as you create the link, these dimensions are set regardless of
how you move the mouse. You can also define design variables or expressions
for many values.

Border and Separation

Dialog- Box Builder → Preferences → Separation
Allows you to enter values to be used by the Dialog-Box Builder functions that change the geometry of Interface
objects such as align, move, and create predefined. See Aligning Interface Objects and Moving Interface Objects for
more information.

For the option: Do the following:

Horizontal Border Width Enter a value to specify the horizontal distance from the object to the dialog
box border.
Vertical Border Width Enter a value to specify the vertical distance from the object to the dialog box
border.
Horizontal Separation Enter a value to specify the horizontal distance between dialog box objects.
Vertical Separation Enter a value to specify the vertical distance between dialog box objects.
684 Adams View
Boss Tool

Boss Tool

Ribbon menu → Bodeis Tab → Features container → Boss Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Bodies/Geometry → Boss Tool

Creates circular protrusions or bosses on the face of solid objects

As you create a boss, you can specify its radius and height.
Learn about Creating a Hole or Boss.

For the option: Do the following:

Radius Enter the radius of the boss.
Height Enter the height of the boss.

Box Tool

Ribbon menu → Bodeis Tab → Solids container → Box Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Bodies/Geometry → Box Tool

Creates a three-dimensional solid block.
You draw the box’s length and width in the plane of the screen or the working grid, if it is turned on. The
Box tool creates a solid box with a depth that is twice that of the shortest dimension of the box (d = 2 *
min(l,h)). You can also specify the length, height, or depth of the box before you draw it.
 A - D 685
Bushing Tool

The box dimensions are in screen coordinates with the height up, length to the left, and depth out of the
screen or grid:

Learn about Creating a Box.

For the option: Do the following:

New Part/Add to Select either:
Part/On Ground
n New Part - Creates a new part.
n Add to Part - Adds the box to another part in your model.
n On Ground - Adds the box to ground.
Tip: Add geometry to ground if the geometry does not move or influence the
simulation of your model. For example, if you are simulating a car driving
around a race track, the geometry that defines the race track can be added to
ground.
Length Enter the length of the box, if desired.
Height Enter the height of the box, if desired.
Depth Enter the depth of the box. If you do not specify a depth, Adams View creates a solid
box with a depth that is twice that of the shortest dimension of the box (d = 2 *
min(l,h)).

Note: One hotpoint appears after you draw the box. It lets you modify the length, height, and depth
of the box. For more information on modifying geometry using hotpoints, see Using Hotpoints
to Graphically Modify Geometry

Bushing Tool

Ribbon menu → Forces Tab → Flexible container → Bushing Tool

or
686 Adams View
STEP, IGES ('Adams Geometry Translators' only)

(Classic) Build → Forces → Bushing Tool

A bushing is a linear force that represents the forces acting between two parts over a distance. The bushing
applies a force and a torque. You define the force and torque using six components (Fx, Fy, Fz, Tx, Ty, Tz).
To define a bushing, you need to create two markers, one for each part. The marker on the first part that you
specify is called the I marker. The marker on the second part that you specify is called the J marker.
Learn about:
n Bushings

For the option: Do the following:

Construction Set the method you want to use to define the bodies and force-application
points. You can select the following:

n 1 Location
n 2 Bodies - 1 Location
n 2 Bodies - 2 Locations
Learn about Applying Multi-Component Forces to Parts.
Normal to Grid/ Set how you want the force oriented. You can select:
Pick Feature
n Normal to Grid - Lets you orient the force using the x-, y-, and z-axes of
the current Working grid, if it is displayed, or using the x-, y-, and z-axes of
the screen.
n Pick Feature - Lets you orient the force along a direction vector on a
feature in your model, such as the face of a part. The direction vector you
select defines the z-axis for the force; Adams View automatically calculates
the x- and y-axes.
Translational K Enter the stiffness coefficients.
Translational C Enter the damping coefficients.
Rotational K Enter the rotational stiffness coefficients.
Translational C Enter the rotational damping coefficients.

STEP, IGES ('Adams Geometry Translators' only)

Exports CAD geometry using 'Adams CAD Translator'. It writes the geometric definition of an Adams model
or part from to the specified CAD file format. You can then read the CAD file into a CAD program. See
Manage Geometry Options for more information.
You can export an entire model, an individual part of a model, or a model as it exists at a particular simulation
time, which is helpful for transferring position data of an Adams model to a drafting program to prepare
drawings of the mechanism at various states of operation.
 A - D 687
Chain Tool

For the option: Do the following:

File Type Set to type of geometry that you want to export (STEP, IGES).
File Name Enter the name of the file that you want to create. The file will contain the
exported CAD geometry. You do not need to enter a file extension. Adams
automatically generates the appropriate extension for the type of geometry you
are exporting. For example, if you are exporting IGES geometry, Adams adds an
.igs extension.
Part/Model/Analysis Select the geometry that you want to export, and then enter the name of the
Name geometry in the text box next to the pull-down menu. You can select:

n Model Name - Lets you specify the Adams View model to be written to
the CAD file. Adams places each rigid body in the model on a separate
level. All geometry written to the IGES file is defined with respect to the
global coordinate system of the Adams View model.
n Part Name - Lets you specify the Adams View part to be written to the
CAD file. Adams writes all the geometry owned by the part to the CAD
file. It defines all geometry in the CAD file with respect to the part
coordinate system.
n Analysis Name - Lets you export a model at a particular simulation
frame (time) of a particular analysis. This is helpful for transferring
position data of an Adams View model to a drafting program to prepare
drawings of the mechanism at various states of operation. Adams writes
all parts and geometry to the CAD file in the same relative position as
they appear in a single frame display.
Display Summary Select to write a verbose log file to the disk. A message will be displayed indicating
the log file to which the translation operation details have been written.
Translation Options Click on this button to invoke the Manage Geometry Translation Options dialog
box for the relevant geometry and translation operation (read or write). The
dialog box would be pre-filled with the option name, short description of what
the option is for and the default value.

Upon changing the desired option values, click on the 'Done' button. The
translation options so set will be used in the ensuing translation operation.

Chain Tool
Ribbon menu → Bodeis Tab → Booleans container → Chain Tool
688 Adams View
Chamfer Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Bodies/Geometry → Chain Tool

Links together wire Construction geometry to create a complex profile, which you can then extrude. The
geometry to be chained together must touch at one endpoint and cannot be closed geometry.
The Chain tool adds the final chained geometry to the part that owns the first geometry that you selected

Note: If you want to use the chained geometry with a pin-in-slot or curve-to-curve constraint, you
must turn the geometry into a spline. See the Spline Tool.

Learn about Chaining Wire Geometry.

Chamfer Tool

Ribbon menu → Bodeis Tab → Features container → Chamfer Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Bodies/Geometry → Chamfer Tool

Creates beveled (chamfered) edges and corners on a solid geometry:

Note: You will get different results when you chamfer one edge at a time than when you chamfer all
edges at once. Also, you may not be able to chamfer an edge if an adjoining edge has already
been chamfered. It depends on the complexity of the chamfering.

For the option: Do the following:

Width Specify the width of the bevel.
 A - D 689
Clearance Compute

Learn about:
n Chamfering and Filleting Objects
n Fillet Tool

Clearance Compute
Tools → Clearance →Compute
When you request to run a Clearance study, Adams PostProcessor calculates the minimum and maximum
distances between a pair of objects using data from a selected Simulation. It adds the information to the
animation associated with the simulation, which you can subsequently run. You can also generate a report of
the data and plot it.

Note: The number of frames in your animation can have a significant effect on the accuracy of the
distances reported. Therefore, for best results, we recommend that you perform at least one
clearance study with a large number of frames in the animation (time steps in the simulation).

Learn about Defining a Clearance Study.

For the option: Do the following:

Simulation Select the simulation data against which you want to run the clearance study.
Treat Flexible Bodies Select if you want to calculate the clearance study as if flexible bodies were rigid.
as Rigid This reduces computations and allows the clearance study to run faster but does not
give you information about the effects of flexibility.

Clearance Export Results

Tools → Clearance → Write
Export reports of clearance studies. See Clearance study.
Learn about Viewing Clearance Data as Reports.

For the option: Do the following:

File Name Enter the name of the file to which to export the clearance study.
Simulation Enter the name of the Simulation result against which you created the clearance study.
690 Adams View
Color Picker

Color Picker
Settings → Colors → Color Picker
Lets you select a basic color or create a custom color to be used for displaying objects and the background of
the Main window and any View windows that you create.

For the option: Do the following:

Basic Colors Select a color from the 48 basic colors available.

Tip: You can define a custom color by clicking the closest basic color, modifying
it, and then selecting Add to Custom Colors.
Custom Colors Select an empty box to create a custom color or select a custom color you've
already defined so you can modify it.
Color Matrix Click anywhere to select a custom color. Use the pointer to change the hue and
Saturation. Change hue by moving the pointer horizontally; change saturation by
moving the pointer vertically.

Luminosity Slider Drag the slider to change the luminosity or relative lightness or darkness of a
color. Changes the value in the Value text box.
Hue Specify the hue of a color. The values range from 0 to 239.
Saturation Specify the saturation of a color.
Value Specify the luminosity of a color.
Red Specify the amount of red in a color. You can use any combination of red, green,
or blue to define a color.
Green Specify the amount of green in a color. You can use any combination of red,
green, or blue to define a color.
Blue Specify the amount of blue in a color. You can use any combination of red,
green, or blue to define a color.
Add to Custom Colors Select to add the color currently displayed in the color matrix to the palette of
custom colors.

Command File
Settings → Command File
Allows you to specify whether Adams View displays the command that it executes in the Command window or
displays the results of the commands on the screen. In addition, it lets you specify what Adams View should
do when it encounters an error while reading an Adams View command file.
Learn more with Import - Adams View Command Files dialog box help.
 A - D 691
Command Navigator

For the option: Do the following:

Echo Commands Select if you want to see the commands that Adams View executes as it imports
the file.
Update Screen Select if you want to see the results of the commands in the main window. If
you do not select this, Adams View displays the results when it finishes reading
the command file.
If Adams View encounters an error, you can select to:
Continue the Command Select if you want Adams View to continue processing the line as if it were typed
interactively. This can be dangerous if there is no correction later on in the line
because Adams View keeps issuing error messages until the error is corrected.
The errors can continue beyond the end of the line, even to the end of the file,
if carriage returns are invalid.

Note: Use this value only if the command file is a literal recording of your
key strokes, complete with back spaces or other corrections of
mistakes.
Ignore Command Select if you want Adams View to ignore the line on which it found the error
and start processing the next line as a new command.

Note: Adams View can usually recover and execute subsequent commands
in the file. However, if subsequent commands depend on the results
of the invalid command, they may fail or give unexpected results.
Abort Execution Select to instruct Adams View to immediately close all the command files and
return control to interactive input. This is the most conservative setting because
it guarantees that subsequent commands will cause no further errors or
unexpected results.

Command Navigator
Tools → Command Navigator Shared Dialog Box
Enables you to enter Adams View commands without having to know the entire syntax of the commands.
The Command Navigator displays a list of all Adams View command Keywords. You can also search
Keywords.
692 Adams View
Command Window

For the option: Do the following:

+/- A plus (+) in front of a keyword indicates that the command has more
keywords below it but they are hidden. A minus (-) indicates that all keywords
below the keyword are displayed. No indicator in front of a keyword indicates
that there are no more keywords below the object. When you select an object
with no indicator, a dialog box appears in which you enter parameters for
executing the command.
Search Enter the name of the Keywords/object that you want to display. Type any
wildcards that you want included. By default, Adams View displays all
Keywords/objects. You can also enter wildcards.

If the entered string does not contain any wildcard character, all occurrences
of the string as a prefix or suffix will be included in the search. For example,
entering "Marker" in the Search option without quotes will display the result
"floating_marker" as well as "marker". If you want to search for an exact string
without any wildcards, enclose the string in " " (double quotes). In the above
example, if "Marker" is entered with quotes, only keywords/objects that
contain the string "marker" are displayed.
Help Help about selected keyword/object.
Close Select to close the command navigator dialog box.

Learn about:
n Showing, Hiding, or Selecting Keywords
n Getting help in the Command Navigator

Command Window
View → Command Window
F3
Provides a text-based way to enter commands using either the Adams View command language or Adams
command based in Python. It assumes that you understand the Adams View command language or Adams
Python interface underlying the Adams View interface. The command window contains both a command
entry area for entering commands and a command information area for displaying informational and error
messages and there is an option menu for toggling between Adams View command language (cmd) and
Python (py):
 A - D 693
Comments

Learn about Using the Command Window with the Adams View command language.
Learn about the Adams Python interface.

Comments
Database Navigator → Comments
Allows you to add comments to any object in the Modeling database.
Learn about Adding Comments Through the Database Navigator.

For the option: Do the following:

Text Box Enter or modify comments associated with the selected object.
Apply Select to add the comment to the selected object.
Save to File Select to save the comment to a file.

Compute Linear Modes dialog box

Ribbon menu → Results Tab → Review container → Linear Modes

or

(Classic) Simulate → Interactive Controls→ →

Adams Solver (C++only). Learn about switching solvers with Solver Settings - Executable dialog box help.
Lets you run a linear simulation using a plant state. Learn about Creating Plant States.
694 Adams View
Compute and Export Linear States

For the option: Do the following:

Plant State Specify the plant state to be used to define a set of states that are to be used in the
linearization scheme.
Reference Marker Specify the reference marker.

Compute and Export Linear States

Ribbon menu → Results Tab → Review container → Linear Modes

or

(Classic) Simulate → Interactive →

Generates a state-space matrix representation of your mechanical system, for use with a control system design
application, such as MATLAB, MATRIXx, or EASY5.

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name of the object.
Plant Input Specify the plant input that Adams Solver uses as plant inputs in the state matrices
computation. If you do not specify a plant input, Adams Solver does not output the
B and D matrices. Learn about creating plant inputs with Data Element Create Plant State
dialog box help.
Plant Output Specify the plant output that Adams Solver uses as plant outputs in the state matrices
computation. If you do not specify a plant output, Adams Solver does not output the
C and D matrices. Learn about creating Data Element Create Plant Outputs.
Plant State Specify a plant state to be used to define a set of states that are to be used in the
linearization scheme. Learn about Creating Plant States. Adams Solver C++ only. Learn
about switching solvers with Solver Settings - Executable dialog box help.
Reference Marker Specify the reference marker.
File Format Specify the name of the software in whose input format Adams Solver is to output the
state matrices. Currently, two software formats are supported: MATRIXx (FSAVE
format) and MATLAB (ASCII flat file format).

Connectors
Displays tools for creating joints. The tab contains the entire library of joints.
 A - D 695
Connectors

Icon Link Icon Link

Joints Primitives
Fixed Joint Tool Parallel Axes Joint Tool

Revolute Joint Tool Orientation Joint Tool

Translational Joint Tool Perpendicular Axes Joint Tool

Cylindrical Joint Tool Inplane Joint Tool

Spherical Joint Tool Inline Joint Tool

Constant-Velocity Joint Tool Couplers

Hooke/Universal Joint Tool Gear Joint Tool

Screw Joint Tool Coupler Joint Tool

Planar Joint Tool Special

696 Adams View
Constant-Velocity Joint Tool

Icon Link Icon Link

Point-Curve Constraint Tool

Create/Modify General Constraint

2D Curve-Curve Constraint Tool

Construction Contains options for creating the selected object. The options change depending on
or Settings the type of object that you are creating. For example, when you create a link, Adams
Container View lets you specify its width, length, and height before creating it. Then, as you
create the link, these dimensions are set regardless of how you move the mouse. You
can also define design variables or expressions for many values.

Constant-Velocity Joint Tool

Ribbon menu → Connectors Tab → Joints container → Constant-Velocity Joint Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Joints → Constant-Velocity Joint Tool

Creates a constant-velocity joint that allows two rotations on one part with respect to another part, while
remaining coincident and maintaining a constant velocity through the spin axis.

Learn about Creating Idealized Joints.

 A - D 697
Constraint Create Complex Joint Gear

For the option: Do the following:

1 Location (Bodies Set how you want to connect the joint to parts:
Implicit)/
2 Bodies - 1 Location/ n 1 Location (Bodies Implicit) - Lets you select the location of the joint and
2 Bodies - 2 Locations have Adams View determine the two parts that should be connected.
Adams View selects the parts closest to the joint location. If there is only
one part near the joint, Adams View connects the joint to that part and
ground.
n 2 Bodies - 1 Location - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint. The joint remains
fixed on the first part and moves relative to the second part.
n 2 Bodies - 2 Locations - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint on each part. You
should use this option if you are working in exploded view. For more on
exploded view, see Initial Conditions Tool.
Learn about Connecting Constraints to Parts.
Normal to Grid/ Set how you want to orient the joint:
Pick Geometry Feature
n Normal to Grid - Lets you orient the joint along the current Working grid, if
it is displayed, or normal to the screen.
n Pick Geometry Feature - Lets you orient the joint along a direction vector
on a feature in your model, such as the face of a part.
First Body/Second Body Set the bodies on which you want to attach the joint. Select either:
(only appears if you select
to explicitly define the n Pick Body - Select to attach the joint to a body.
bodies using the options 2 n Pick Curve - Select to attach the joint to a curve. If you select to attach the
Bodies - 1 Location or 2 joint to a curve, Adams View creates a curve marker, and the joint follows
Bodies - 2 Locations the line of the curve. Learn more about curve markers with Marker Modify
explained above) dialog box help. Attaching the joint to a spline curve is only available with
Adams Solver (C++). Learn about switching solvers with Solver Settings -
Executable dialog box help.

Constraint Create Complex Joint Gear

Ribbon menu → Connectors Tab → Couplers container →Joint Gear

or
698 Adams View
Constraint Create Complex Joint Gear

(Classic) Right-click joint → Modify

Creates a gear pair that relates the motion of three parts and two joints using a marker, called the common
velocity (CV) marker, to determine the point of contact. Learn more About Gears.

For the option: Do the following:

Gear Name Enter the name for the gear. If you are creating a gear, Adams View assigns a default
name to the gear.
Adams Id Enter a positive integer for the ID or enter 0 to let Adams Solver set the ID for you.
See Adams Solver ID.
 A - D 699
Constraint Create Complex Joint Gear

For the option: Do the following:

Comments Add any comments about the gear to help you manage and identify the gear. See
Comments.
Joint Name Enter the two translational, revolute, or cylindrical joints to be geared together.
Adams View automatically separates the joint names with a comma (,).
Common Velocity Enter the marker defining the point of contact between the geared parts. You need
Marker to make sure the z-axis of the CV marker points in the direction of motion of the
gear teeth that are in contact. The following figure shows how the z-axis of the CV
marker is tangent to the pitch circle of the spur gears.

To create a marker, right-click the Common Velocity Marker text box, and then
select Create.

Tip: If you encounter a warning message that the gear has a suspicious
configuration, the z-axis of the CV marker is probably oriented
incorrectly.
700 Adams View
Constraint Modify Complex Joint Gear

Constraint Modify Complex Joint Gear

Ribbon menu → Connectors Tab → Couplers container →Joint Gear

or

(Classic) Build → Joints → Gear Joint Tool

Modifies a gear pair that relates the motion of three parts and two joints using a marker, called the common
velocity (CV) marker, to determine the point of contact. Learn more About Gears.

For the option: Do the following:

Gear Name Displays the name of the gear.
Adams Id Enter a positive integer for the ID or enter 0 to let Adams Solver set the ID for
you. See Adams Solver ID.
 A - D 701
Constraint Modify Complex Joint Gear

For the option: Do the following:

Comments Add any comments about the gear to help you manage and identify the gear. See
Comments.
Joint Name Enter the two translational, revolute, or cylindrical joints to be geared together.
Adams View automatically separates the joint names with a comma (,).
Common Velocity Enter the marker defining the point of contact between the geared parts. You
Marker need to make sure the z-axis of the CV marker points in the direction of motion
of the gear teeth that are in contact. The following figure shows how the z-axis
of the CV marker is tangent to the pitch circle of the spur gears.

To create a marker, right-click the Common Velocity Marker text box, and then
select Create.

Tip: If you encounter a warning message that the gear has a suspicious
configuration, the z-axis of the CV marker is probably oriented
incorrectly.
702 Adams View
Constraint Modify Higher Pair Contact Curve Curve

Constraint Modify Higher Pair Contact Curve Curve

Ribbon menu → Connectors Tab → Special container → 2D Curve-Curve Constraint

or

(Classic) Right-click 2D curve-curve constraint → Modify

Changes the basic properties and sets initial conditions for a 2D curve-curve constraint. Learn more with 2D
Curve-Curve Constraint Tool.

Note: You can also modify constraint properties using the Table Editor.

Learn about working with Curve-Curve Constraints.

For the option: Do the following:

Point Curve Name Enter the 2D curve-curve to modify.
Adams Id Assign a unique ID number to the 2D curve-curve. See Adams Solver ID.
Comments Add any comments about the 2D curve-curve to help you manage and identify
it. See Comments.
I Curve Name Change the curve that defines the shape of the curve that moves along the
second curve (J curve). You can enter a curve on a part or a curve element.
Learn about working with Curves.
J Curve Name Change the curve that defines the shape of the curve along which the first curve
(I curve) moves. You can enter a curve on a part or a curve element. Learn
about working with Curves.
I Ref Marker Name Enter a marker that is fixed on the part containing the first curve (I curve).
Adams View uses the reference marker to associate the shape defined by the
curve to the part on which the reference marker lies. The curve coordinates are,
therefore, specified in the coordinate system of the reference marker.
J Ref Marker Name Enter a marker that is fixed on the part containing the second curve (J curve).
Adams View uses the reference marker to associate the shape defined by the
curve to the part on which the reference marker lies. The curve coordinates are,
therefore, specified in the coordinate system of the reference marker.
I Floating Marker Name Enter a floating marker. Adams View positions the origin of the floating
marker at the instantaneous point of contact on the first curve, which is also
the global position of the J floating marker on the second curve. Adams View
orients the marker so that its x-axis is along the tangent at the instantaneous
contact point, its y-axis is along the instantaneous normal, and its z-axis is
along the resultant binormal.
 A - D 703
Constraint Modify Higher Pair Contact Curve Curve

For the option: Do the following:

J Floating Marker Name Enter a floating marker. Adams View positions the origin of the floating
marker at the instantaneous point of contact on the second curve, which is also
the position of the I floating marker on the first curve. Adams View orients the
marker so that its x-axis is along the tangent at the instantaneous contact point,
its y-axis is along the instantaneous normal, and its z-axis is along the resultant
binormal.
Learn about Higher-Pair Constraints Initial Conditions.
I Displacement Ic/ No I Select either:
Displacement Ic
n I Displacement Ic - Enter the initial point of contact along the first
curve (I curve). If the point you specify is not exactly on the curve,
Adams View uses a point on the curve nearest to the point you
specify. By default, you specify the initial point of contact in the
coordinate system of the part containing the curve or specify it in the
coordinate system of the marker you specify for I Ic Ref Marker Name.
n No I Displacement Ic - Leaves the initial displacement unset.
J Displacement Ic/ No J Select either:
Displacement Ic
n J Displacement Ic - Enter the initial point of contact along the second
curve (J curve). If the point you specify is not exactly on the curve,
Adams View uses a point on the curve nearest to the point you
specify. By default, you specify the initial point of contact in the
coordinate system of the part containing the curve or specify it in the
coordinate system of the marker you specify for J Ic Ref Marker Name.
n No J Displacement Ic - Leaves the initial displacement unset.
I Velocity Ic/No I Velocity Select either:
Ic
n I Velocity - Enter the initial velocity of the contact point along the
first curve (I curve). This is the speed at which the contact point is
initially moving relative to the curve. The velocity is:
• Negative if the contact point is moving towards the start of the
curve.
• Positive if it is moving towards the end of the curve.
• Zero if it is stationary on the curve.
n No I Velocity Ic - Leaves the initial velocity unset.
704 Adams View
Constraint Modify Higher Pair Contact Point Curve

For the option: Do the following:

J Velocity Ic or No J Select either:
Velocity Ic
n J Velocity- Enter the initial velocity of the contact point along the
second curve (J curve). This is the speed at which the contact point is
initially moving relative to the curve. The velocity is:
• Negative if the contact point is moving towards the start of the
curve.
• Positive if it is moving toward the end of the curve.
• Zero if it is stationary on the curve.
n No J Velocity Ic - Leaves the initial velocity unset.
I Ic Ref Marker Name You can:

n Enter the marker with which the initial point of contact

(displacement) on the first curve (I curve) is specified.
n Leave blank. Adams View uses the coordinate system of the part
containing the curve.
J Ic Ref Marker Name You can:

n Enter the marker with which the initial point of contact

(displacement) on the second curve (J curve) is specified.
n Leave blank. Adams View uses the coordinate system of the part
containing the curve

Constraint Modify Higher Pair Contact Point Curve

Ribbon menu → Connectors Tab → Special container → Point-Curve Constraint

or

(Classic) Right-click point-curve constraint → Modify

Changes the basic properties and sets initial conditions for a point-curve constraint. Learn more with Point-
Curve Constraint Tool.
Learn more about Working with Higher-Pair Constraints.

Note: You can also modify constraint properties using the Table Editor.
 A - D 705
Constraint Modify Higher Pair Contact Point Curve

For the option: Do the following:

Point Curve Name Enter the name of the constraint to modify.
Adams Id Assign a unique ID number to the constraint. See Adams Solver ID.
Comments Add any comments about the constraint to help you manage and identify it. See
Comments.
Curve Name Change the curve that defines the shape on which the point can move. You can
enter a curve on a part or a curve element. Learn about working with Curves.
I Marker Name Point that moves along the curve.
J Floating Marker Name Enter a marker that is a floating marker. Adams Solver positions the origin of the
floating marker at the instantaneous point of contact on the curve. It orients the
marker so that its x-axis is tangent to the curve at the contact point, its y-axis
points outward from the curve’s center of curvature at the contact point, and its
z-axis is along the binormal at the contact point.
.

Ref Marker Name Enter marker that is fixed on the part containing the curve on which the point
must move. Adams Solver uses the reference marker to associate the shape
defined by the curve to the part on which the reference marker lies. The curve
coordinates are, therefore, specified in the coordinate system of the reference
marker.
706 Adams View
Controls_measure_panel

For the option: Do the following:

Displacement Ic/ No Select either:
Displacement Ic
n Displacement Ic - Enter the initial point of contact along the curve. If
the point you specify is not exactly on the curve, Adams View uses a
point on the curve nearest to the point you specify. By default, you
specify the initial point of contact in the coordinate system of the part
containing the curve or specify it in the coordinate system of the
marker you specify for Ic Ref Marker Name.
n No Displacement Ic - Leaves the initial displacement unset.
Learn about Higher-Pair Constraints Initial Conditions.
Velocity Ic/No Velocity Select either:
Ic
n Velocity Ic - Velocity with which the point (I marker) moves along the
curve. You specify the velocity in the coordinate system of the part
containing the curve.
n No I Velocity Ic - Leaves the initial velocity unset.
Ic Ref Marker Name You can:

n Enter the marker with which the initial point of contact on the curve is
specified.
n Leave blank. Adams View uses the coordinate system of the part
containing the curve.

Controls_measure_panel
Modify Controls Block dialog box → Output Measure button
Creates an output measure for a control block.
Learn about adding controls Using the Adams View Controls Toolkit.

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the measure.
Controls Block Enter the control block to be measured.

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

Create Strip Chart Select to create a Strip chart of the measure.
 A - D 707
Coordinate System

Coordinate System
Settings → Coordinate System

Main Menu → Object Manipulation Strip →Coordinate System Settings

(Classic Interface) Main toolbox → Move toolstack → Coordinate System Tool

Lets you set the default coordinate system for a Modeling database.
Learn about Coordinate Systems in Adams View.

For the option: Do the following:

Location Coordinate Select the type of location coordinate systems:

n Cartesian
n Cylindrical
n Spherical
Rotation Sequence Select the type of rotation sequence. See Rotation Sequences.
Body Fixed/Space Fixed Select either:

n Space fixed - Adams View applies the rotations about axes that remain
in their original orientation.
n Body fixed - Adams View applies the rotations about axes that move
with the body as it rotates.
As Adams View applies each rotation to an axis, it produces a new set of axes.

Coupler Joint Tool

Ribbon menu → Connectors Tab → Couplers container → Joint (Add-on Constraint): Coupler

or

(Classic) Build → Joints → Coupler Tool

Creates a coupler between two or three Joints.
708 Adams View
Create Butterworth Filter

It relates the translational and/or rotational motion of the joints through a linear scaling of the relative
motions or through nonlinear relationships that you define by entering parameters to be passed to a user-
written subroutine that is linked into Adams View. Couplers are useful if your model uses belts and pulleys
or chains and sprockets to transfer motion and energy. Although you can couple only two or three joints,
more than one coupler can come from the same joint, as shown in the figure above.
When you create a coupler, you can only create a two-joint coupler. You select the driver joint, the joint to
which the second joint is coupled, and the coupled joint, the joint that follows the driver joint. To specify the
relationship between the driver and the coupled joint or to create a three-joint coupler, you modify the
coupler.
Learn about Creating Couplers.

Create Butterworth Filter

(Adams PostProcessor)

Curve Edit toolbar → Filter Curve Tool → Right-click Filter Name text box → filter_function → Create → Create from Butterworth Filter
Creates a Butterworth filter to define the coefficients of a transfer function when creating a curve filter
function. The first four options in the dialog box are the same as when you are creating a Butterworth filter
directly. See Create/Modify Filter Function dialog box help. To generate these options based on Passband and
Stopband options, select the Generate Filter Order _ Frequency checkbox.
Learn about Filtering Curve Data.
 A - D 709
Create Butterworth Filter

For the option: Do the following:

Digital/Analog Select analog or digital filtering.
Filter Type Select the type of filter:

n Low Pass - Removes frequencies above the cutoff frequency.

n High Pass - Removes frequencies below the cutoff frequency.
n Band Pass - Removes frequencies outside the two cutoff frequencies.
n Band Stop - Removes frequencies between the two cutoff frequencies.
Order Set how much the filter will have damped the signal at the cutoff frequency,
often referred to as how sharp the filter is.

n First-order filter damps 3dB at the cutoff frequency.

n Second-order filter damps 6dB.
n Third-order filter damps 9dB.
Scaled Cutoff Frequency Set the frequency of cutoff.

n For a digital filter - Determines the cutoff frequency as a ratio of the

Nyquist frequency (half the sample frequency). Therefore, for a signal
sampled (simulated) with 100 Hz, the Nyquist frequency is
100/2=50Hz. A scaled cutoff frequency=0.3 then has a cutoff
frequency=0.3*50=15 Hz.
Note that if the same filter is applied to a signal sampled at 200 Hz, the
filter cutoff is at 30 Hz. If you selected Band Pass or Band Stop for
Filter Type, you must provide two cutoff frequencies.
n For an analog filter - Enter the cutoff frequency in the current units
(rad/s or Hz). If you selected Band Pass or Band Stop for Filter Type,
you must provide two cutoff frequencies.
Generate Filter Order _ Select to enable more options to define the Butterworth filter, and use those
Frequency options to define the order and cutoff frequency above.
If you selected Generate Filter Order _ Frequency, the options listed below appear.

Using the notation Passband Corner Frequency=fp and Corner Frequency=fs, the following rules apply for
the options below:

n To create a low-pass filter, give one value each for fp and fs, and fp < fs.
n To create a high-pass filter, give one value each for fp and fs, and fp > fs.
n To create a bandpass filter, specify two values each for fp and fs, such that fs1< fp1< fp2 < fs2.
You cannot create a bandstop filter using the options below.

See an Example of Defining a Transfer Function from a Butterworth Filter.

710 Adams View
Create Clearance

For the option: Do the following:

Passband Corner Enter the frequency where the damping is at least Passband Ripple dB.
Frequency (Wp) (Hz -
for analog)
Stopband Corner Enter the frequency outside of which the damping is at least Stopband Attenuation
Frequency (Ws) (Hz - dB.
for analog)
Passband Ripple (Rp) Enter the passband ripple.
(Hz - for analog)
Stopband Attenuation Enter the stopband attenuation.
(Rs) (Hz - for analog)
Generate Order _ Calculates the appropriate order and cutoff frequency (frequencies) based on
Frequency the values in the lower portion of the dialog box and loads them in the upper
portion. It does not transfer them to the Create Filter Function dialog box until
you select OK or Apply.

Create Clearance
Tools → Clearance → Create
Defines a Clearance study.
Learn more about Defining a Clearance Study.

For the option: Do the following:

Model Select the model to be used for the study.
I Body Select the first object in the pair.

You can also select Pick to select the object from the screen. (You can select more
than one object at a time.)
J Body Select the second object in the pair.

You can also select Pick to select the object from the screen. (You can select more
than one object at a time.)
 A - D 711
Create Design Constraint

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter a name for the study. If you are creating several studies (by selecting more
than one I and J body), you can enter a base name for the studies, and Adams
PostProcessor will add a suffix to the name (base_1, base_2, and so on).
Maximum Set the maximum distance for the clearance beyond which clearances will not be
computed at any given frame. Leave the text box empty if you always want to
calculate the minimum distance.
Method Select the method for calculating the minimum distances.

n Polygon
n Vertex

Create Design Constraint

Ribbon menu → Design Exploration Tab → Design Evaluation container → Create a Design Constraint

or

(Classic) Simulate → Design Constraint → New

For Optimization only.
Allows you to create constraint objects to limit the changes that the optimizer can make. Often an
optimization finds a configuration that optimizes the objective you provided, but is unrealistic because it
violates overall design constraints such as weight, size, speed, or force limits.
To avoid results that violate the design constraints, you can create constraints for the optimization. The
optimization analysis improves the objective as much as possible without violating the constraints.
Each constraint object creates an inequality constraint. The optimization keeps the value of the constraint
less than or equal to zero. You can create an equality constraint, in effect, by creating a pair of constraint
objects, each the negative of the other.

Note: You do not need to create an explicit constraint to limit the value of a design variable. You can
do this directly by setting properties for the variable.

Constraints can involve the simulation results, but are not required to do so. You can constrain overall size,
weight, or other factors that depend only on model data. In these cases, use the function or macro/variable
option for the constraint, and ignore the analysis data that Adams View supplies. Instead, compute the
constraint directly from the appropriate model data.
712 Adams View
Create Design Objective

For the option: Do the following:

Name Displays the name of the constraint.
Definition by Select the type of function you want to use from the pull-down menu.

Enter the name of the measure, result set component, function, or

macro and variable. If you are entering a Result set component, enter the
name of the result set and component, for example req1.x.
Design Constraint's value is the Select a value.
Select to add comments to help you manage and identify the
constraint object. See Comments.

Create Design Objective

Ribbon menu → Design Exploration Tab → Design Evaluation container → Create a Design Objective

or

(Classic) Simulate → Design Objective → New

Allows you to create an objective object if a measure is not flexible enough. Objective objects have options
for processing simulation results and are valuable when you want to do complex or multi-step computations
on model outputs.
Learn more about Creating an Objective Object.
 A - D 713
Create an FE Load

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name of the design objective.
Definition by Select the type of object function you want:

n Measure - Use a measure. Learn about Using Measures for Objectives.

n Result set component - Select to use a new Result set component produced by
a subsequent simulation.Learn about using a result set component.
n Existing result set component - Select to use an existing results set.
n Adams View function - Select to use an Adams View function. Learn about
using functions.
n Adams View Variable and Macro - Select to use a variable and macro. Learn
about using variable and macro.
Note: Objectives usually involve simulation results, but they are not required to
do so. You can create an objective that depends only on the model data,
such as overall weight or size. You can then use Adams View to vary, or
even optimize, the design variables and immediately see the results on the
model.
Note: In this case, use the function or variable/macro option for the objective,
and ignore the analysis argument or parameter that Adams View supplies.
Because you do not need simulation results, you should also create a
dummy simulation script that does nothing. Then, Adams View
repeatedly sets the variables and evaluates the objective, but does not run
any simulations.
Measure/Result Set Enter the name of the measure, result set component, function, or macro and
Comp./Function/Va variable. If you are entering a result set component, enter the name of the result set
riable and Macro and component, for example req1.x.

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

Design objective's If you are using a measure or result set component, set the design objective’s value.
value is For a measure, enter minimum, maximum, average, last value, absolute minimum,
and absolute maximum of the measure. For a results set component, enter
minimum, maximum, average, or last value of the result set component.
Select to add any comments for the objective to help you manage and identify it.
See Comments.

Create an FE Load

Ribbon menu → Forces Tab → Special Forces container → Create a FE Load

or
714 Adams View
Create an FE Load

(Classic) Build → Force → Special Forces → Adams FE Load

This new force type will be launched from the Forces-Special container.
Distributed Load - The distributed force can be applied to the FE Part which can be defined through the
expression language or user-written subroutines.

For the option: Do the following:

FE Load Name Enter the name you want assigned to the FE load.
FE Part Specify the FE Part to which the FE Load is applied.
Reference Marker Specifies the marker which determines the orientation of the FE load components. If this option is
not present, the load components are relative to the ground origin coordinates.
Define Using Define Using Enter how you want to define the force. Select:

n Function to define using a numerical value or function expression.

n Subroutine to define using a User-written subroutine.
X Force/ If you selected Function for Define Using, enter the following for each component
of the force:
Y Force/
n Constant force value
Z Force/
n Function expression
AX Torque/ To enter a function expression, next to the Function (time) text box, select the More
button to display the Function Builder.
AY Torque/

AZ Torque
The Adams Solver functions S, SD, SV, SA can be used to define FE Load functions relative to the
position along the length of FE parts that are modelled with the 2D/3D beam formulations.
Force Display If set to "On" 10 force vectors will be displayed along the length of the FE part centreline.

Note: See Details on post-processing FE Loads.

 A - D 715
Create FEMDATA

Create FEMDATA

Ribbon menu → Elements Tab → Data Elements container → Create a FEMDATA

or

(Classic) Build → Data Elements → FEMdata → New/Modify

Produces data files of monitor points, component loads, deformations, stresses, or strains for input to
subsequent finite element or fatigue life analysis for use in third-party products. You use the Settings →
Solver → Output → More → Durability Files to specify the type of file to produce (for more information,
see Solver Settings - Output dialog box help and the Adams Durability online help). Adams View will not output to
any files unless you specify the format. For more information, see About Setting Simulation Controls.
716 Adams View
Create FEMDATA

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Name Enter the name of the FEMDATA element in the Modeling database to create or
modify.
Type Select the information that you want output:

n Loads on Rigid Body/Flex Body - Outputs all external forces (reaction

and applied forces except gravity) acting on the specified body and,
optionally, inertial forces of the specified body (angular velocity and
acceleration, including effects of gravity) as a function of time. Load data
will be output in the simulation set of units.
n Modal Deformation - Outputs modal deformations as a function of time
of the specified flexible body. Adams View will only export coordinates of
the active modes in the simulation.
n Nodal Deformation - Outputs nodal deformations as a function of time of
the specified flexible. Adams View writes the deformations in the
simulation set of units.
n Strain - Outputs strain information if strain modes are available in the
Modal Neutral File (MNF) of the specified flexible body and an Adams
Durability license is available. Adams Durability outputs all six
components of strain (normal-X, normal-Y, normal-Z, shear-XY, shear-
YZ, shear-ZX). It outputs strains in the basic FEA coordinate system of the
flexible body except where specified below.
n Stress - Outputs stress information if modal stresses are available in the
MNF of the flexible body and an Adams Durability license is available.
Adams Durability outputs all six components of stress (normal-X, normal-
Y, normal-Z, shear-XY, shear-YZ, shear-ZX). It outputs stresses in the
simulation set of units in the basic FEA coordinate system of the flexible
body except where specified below.
n Monitor Points - Output monitor point information if monitor point
data are available in the MNF of the flexible body.
Inertia Check Inertia if you want Adams View to include inertial loads (linear acceleration,
angular acceleration, and velocity) when outputting the loads acting on the body.
Otherwise, Adams View outputs no inertial loads and you will need to rely on an
inertia relief capability in the finite element program to balance the external loads
with the internal loads.
If you selected Loads on Rigid Body, the following options appear:
R Marker Enter the rigid body marker to be the reference coordinate system to output loads.
Because Adams Solver resolves all loads acting on the rigid body in the coordinate
system of the specified marker, the marker should represent the FEA basic
coordinate system of the part's finite element (FE) model.
 A - D 717
Create FEMDATA

For the option: Do the following:

Peak Slice Select that FE model load data are to be output only at those time steps where the
specified peak load occurred in the simulation. When you set the Time options,
Adams View only checks the time steps within those specifications for the peak
load. You can specify one or more of FX, FY, FZ, FMAG, GMAG, TX, TY, TZ,
and TMAG.
If you selected Loads on Flexible Body, the following options appear:
Inertia Check Inertia if you want Adams View to include inertial loads (linear acceleration,
angular acceleration, and velocity) when outputting the loads acting on the body.
Otherwise, Adams View outputs no inertial loads and you will need to rely on an
inertia relief capability in the finite element program to balance the external loads
with the internal loads.
Flex Body Enter the flexible body whose data Adams View outputs. Adams View outputs the
data in the FE model basic coordinate system that is inherent to the flexible body.
Peak Slice Select that FE model load data are to be output only at those time steps where the
specified peak load occurred in the simulation. When you set the Time options,
Adams View only checks the time steps within those specifications for the peak
load. You can specify one or more of FX, FY, FZ, FMAG, GMAG, TX, TY, TZ,
and TMAG.
If you selected Modal Deformation, the following option appears:
Flex Body Enter the flexible body whose data Adams View outputs. Adams View outputs the
data in the FE model basic coordinate system that is inherent to the flexible body.
If you selected Nodal Deformation, the following option appears:
Flex Body Enter the flexible body whose data Adams View outputs. Adams View outputs the
data in the FE model basic coordinate system that is inherent to the flexible body.
Nodes Enter the node numbers of a flexible body whose data is to be output. If you do not
specify a node list, Adams View exports nodal data at each attachment point of the
flexible body. Adams Solver issues a warning if a node ID is specified that does not
belong to the flexible body.
Datum Enter a node ID of the flexible body to be the datum of the nodal displacements.
Adams Solver computes all nodal displacements relative to this node ID. If you do
not specify a datum node, Adams Solver generates an arbitrary relative set of nodal
displacements. It displays a warning message if the specified node does not belong
to the flexible body.
If you selected Stress or Strain, the following options appear:
Flex Body Enter the flexible body whose data Adams View outputs. Adams Durability outputs
the data in the FE model basic coordinate system that is inherent to the flexible
body.
718 Adams View
Create FEMDATA

For the option: Do the following:

On Nodes/Hot Spots Lets you select either output on nodes or Hotspots. The options in the dialog box
change depending on the selection, as explained in the next rows of the table. For
an example of defining hot spots, see the FEMDATA statement and near the end of it,
the Definition of Hotspots.
If you selected On Nodes, the following options appear:
Nodes Enter the node numbers of a flexible body whose data is to be output. If you do not
specify a node list, Adams View exports nodal data at each attachment point of the
flexible body. Adams Solver issues a warning if a node id is specified that does not
belong to the flexible body.
R Marker Enter a coordinate reference marker in the model that will be used to transform the
stress or strain data. If not specified, the stress or strain will be output in the basic
FEA coordinate system of the flexible body (LPRF). This option can be useful
when correlating strain gauge data from a physical test. If the orientation of the
strain gauge does not match the FEA coordinate system, you can reference a marker
whose orientation does match.
If you selected Hot Spots, the following options appear:
Hotspots Enter the number of hot spots to locate and output. With this option, a text file
containing a tab-delimited table of hot spot information, such as node ID,
maximum value, time when the maximum value occurred, and location, is
generated.

Note: When you set the Time options, Adams Durability only checks the time
steps within those specifications for the hot spots.
Von Mises/Max Specify the value of stress/strain in determining hotspots from one of Von Mises,
Prin/Min Prin.,/Max Max Prin., Min Prin., Max Shear, Normal-X, Normal-Y, Normal-Z, Shear-XY,
Shear/Normal- Shear-YZ, or Shear-ZX. For more information, see the FEMDATA statement.
X/Normal-
Y/Normal-Z/Shear-
XY/Shear-YZ/Shear-
ZX
Radius Enter a radius that defines the spherical extent of each hotspot. A default value of
0.0 (zero) means that all nodes in the flexible body will be hotspot candidates.
R Marker Enter a coordinate reference marker in the model that will be used to transform the
stress or strain data. If not specified, the stress or strain will be output in the basic
FEA coordinate system of the flexible body (LPRF). This option can be useful
when correlating strain gauge data from a physical test. If the orientation of the
strain gauge does not match the FEA coordinate system, one can reference a marker
whose orientation does match.
If you select Monitor Points, the following option appears:
Flex Body Enter the flexible body whose monitor point data Adams View outputs.
 A - D 719
Create Forces Palette and Tool Stack

For the option: Do the following:

The following options appear for all types of FE model data:
File Enter the output file name for the FE model data. You can specify an existing
directory, root name, and/or extension. By default, the file name will be composed
of the Adams run and body IDs according to the type of data and file format that
you specified in Solver → Settings → Output → More → Durability Files (for
more information, see the Adams Durability online help).
Time Specify the start, end times and steps to skip for outputting the data:

n From - Enter the time at which to start outputting the data. The default is
the start of the simulation.
n To - Enter the time at which to end the output of the data or the search of
a peak load. The default is to output to the end of the simulation.
n Skip - Enter the number of output steps to skip when outputting the data.
The default is to output every step (0).

Create Forces Palette and Tool Stack

Build → Forces
Main toolbox → Right-click Create Forces tool stack
Displays tools for creating forces. The Create Forces palette and tool stack are shown below. Learn about Using
Toolboxes, Tool Stacks, and Palettes. Learn more about Forces.
720 Adams View
Create Forces Palette and Tool Stack

Forces Tool Stack Create Forces Palette (from Build Menu)

 A - D 721
Create New Color

Icon Link
Translational Spring Damper Tool

Single-Component Force tool

Create/Modify Contact

Torsion SpringTool

Single-Component Torque tool

Create/Modify Wheel and Tire

Bushing Tool

Six-Component General Force tool

Create/Modify Modal Force

Field Element Tool

Three-Component Force tool

Gravity

Beam

Three-Component Torque tool

Create New Color

Settings → Colors → New Color
Defines a new color name in the Modeling database. After creating the new color, return to Edit Color dialog box
to define its red, green, and blue values.
722 Adams View
Create Run-Time Clearance

For the option: Do the following:

Color Name Enter the name of the new color.

Create Run-Time Clearance

Ribbon menu → Design Exploration Tab → Instrumentation container → Create Run-Time Clearance

or

(Classic) Simulate → Run-Time Clearance → New

Run-Time Clearances can be used to monitor the clearance distance between two selected geometries/flexible
bodies. This clearance distance is based upon tesselation of geometry or analytical representation of known
geometry. For flexible parts, clearance is based upon the external face geometry in the MNF. After a
simulation is complete, the minimum clearance location between the two geometries/flexible bodies may be
animated. This is represented as a line between the objects involved. You can also plot the clearance result sets
and export the clearance data in the results file.

For the option: Do the following:

Clearance Name Enter the name for the Clearance analysis.
Clearance Type Set to the type according to the participating bodies in the clearance analysis.
Clearances can be created between geometries, flexible parts or between
flexible parts and geometries.The text boxes change depending on the
clearance type you selected.
Threshold Optional field allowing you to specify a distance for when a gross or precise
clearance calculation will be computed by Solver and animated by View. Set
to 0.0 by default. When set, Solver will compute the clearance between the
bounding box of each geometry if the distance between bounding boxes is
greater than the threshold. This is what is meant by gross (approximate)
clearance. Solver will calculate the precise clearance between actual geometries
when the distance between bounding boxes is equal to or below the threshold,
or when the threshold is set to zero (default). In addition, View will only
animate the precise clearance location, that is, when the tolerance is set to zero,
or when the clearance is less than or equal to the threshold and threshold is not
equal to zero. Setting the threshold can speed up simulations and animations
when one is not interested in clearance above a given threshold.
If you selected Geometry to Geometry, Adams View displays the following two options:
I Geometry Enter one or more geometry solids. The solids must all belong to the same
part.
 A - D 723
Create Run-Time Clearance

For the option: Do the following:

J Geometry Enter one or more geometry solids. The solids must all belong to the same
part.
If you selected Geometry to Flexible Body, Adams View displays the following four options:
I Geometry Enter one or more geometry solids. The solids must all belong to the same
part.
J Flexible Body Select a Flexible Body.
J Region This Field that appears only for Flexible bodies and allows selection of specific
nodes in the MNF for clearance analysis. If this field is not entered, then all
the nodes in the MNF are considered for the clearance analysis. J Region
Nodes can be entered either by typing the node numbers or by right-clicking
on the field and selecting the "Pick FlexBody Node" option.Multiple flexible
body nodes can be selected by clicking on the nodes with the left mouse
button and then clicking on the right mouse button to finish.
Exclusion Radius Specifies the radius for excluding connection between the two parts selected
for clearance analysis. The nodes that lie in the specified radius of any joints
connecting the specified J flexible body and the I Geometry will be excluded
from the clearance computation.
If you selected Flexible Body to Geometry Adams View displays the following four options:
I Flex Body Select a Flexible Body
I Region This Field that appears only for Flexible bodies and allows selection of specific
nodes in the MNF for clearance analysis. If this field is not entered, then all
the nodes in the MNF are considered for the clearance analysis. I Region
Nodes can be entered either by typing the node numbers or by right-clicking
on the field and selecting the "Pick FlexBody Node" option. Multiple flexible
body nodes can be selected by clicking on the nodes with the left mouse
button and then clicking on the right mouse button to finish.
J Geometry Enter one or more geometry solids. The solids must all belong to the same
part.
Exclusion Radius Specifies the radius for excluding connection between the two parts selected
for clearance analysis. The nodes that lie in the specified radius of any joints
connecting the specified I flexible body and the J Geometry will be excluded
from the clearance computation.
If you selected Flexible Body to Flexible Body Adams View displays the following five options:
I Flex Body Select a Flexible Body
724 Adams View
Create Spec Line

For the option: Do the following:

I Region This Field that appears only for Flexible bodies and allows selection of specific
nodes in the MNF for clearance analysis. If this field is not entered, then all
the nodes in the MNF are considered for the clearance analysis. I Region
Nodes can be entered either by typing the node numbers or by right-clicking
on the field and selecting the "Pick FlexBody Node" option. Multiple flexible
body nodes can be selected by clicking on the nodes with the left mouse
button and then clicking on the right mouse button to finish.

Note: By default nodes can be selected from the last created/selected

flexible body. In case a new flexible body has been created or
selected after the I Flex Body or the J Flex Body fields have been
entered, the original flexible body needs to be made the default
flexible body by the command "defaults model
flexible_body_name= name"
J Flex Body Select a Flexible Body.
J Region This Field that appears only for Flexible bodies and allows selection of specific
nodes in the MNF for clearance analysis. If this field is not entered, then all
the nodes in the MNF are considered for the clearance analysis. J Region
Nodes can be entered either by typing the node numbers or by right-clicking
on the field and selecting the "Pick FlexBody Node" option.Multiple flexible
body nodes can be selected by clicking on the nodes with the left mouse
button and then clicking on the right mouse button to finish.

Note: By default nodes can be selected from the last created/selected

flexible body. In case a new flexible body has been created or
selected after the I Flex Body or the J Flex Body fields have been
entered, the original flexible body needs to be made the default
flexible body by the command "defaults model
flexible_body_name= name"
Exclusion Radius Specifies the radius for excluding connection between the two parts selected
for clearance analysis. The nodes that lie in the specified radius of any joints
connecting the specified I flexible body and the J flexible body will be excluded
from the clearance computation.

Create Spec Line

Adams PostProcessor → Plot → Create Spec Line
Adds Spec lines to your plots to help you compare curves to a constant baseline value. A spec line can be a
horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line that indicates a value of significance on the vertical axis. You can start the
spec line at any X or Y position.
For example, if you are plotting acceleration and you want to keep the acceleration below a certain value, you
can add a spec line marking that value on the plot. You can then compare any curves that you add to that
 A - D 725
Create State Variable for Plant State

plot to see if the curves fall beneath the spec line. There are no limits to the number of spec lines you can add
to a plot.

For the option: Do the following:

Spec Line Name Enter the name you want to assign to the spec line. The box shows the complete
name of the spec line, including its parents
in the database.
Y Value Enter a Y value if you want a horizontal spec line.
X Value Enter an X value if you want a vertical spec line.
Note: To create a diagonal spec line, enter a value for both X and Y.
Color Select a color for the spec line.
Line Style Select a line style.
Thickness Select the thickness for the spec line.

Create State Variable for Plant State

Data Element → Create Plant State dialog box → Create State Variable for Plant State
Creates state variables for use in a plant state object. The variables that a plant state object can only contain
functions of displacement:
n Learn more about plant state objects in the LINERAR command
n Learn about plant states with Data Element Create Plant State dialog box help.

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
State Variable Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the state variable.
To Marker Enter the marker to which to measure.
From Marker Enter the marker or point from which to measure.
Along Marker Enter the reference marker along which the measure is to be taken.
From Component Select the component in which you are interested. The components available
depend on the coordinate system.

Create a Flexible Body

Ribbon menu → Bodies Tab → Flexible Bodies container → Adams Flex: Create a Flexible Body

or
726 Adams View
Create a Flexible Body

(Classic) Build → Flexible Bodies → Adams Flex

Imports a flexible body into Adams Flex. You specify a Modal Neutral File (MNF) or MD DB file (.master) or, for a
nonlinear flexible body, a Bulk Data File (BDF) and Adams View creates the necessary Adams View geometry for
displaying the flexible body. It also creates a mesh on the flexible body representing the flexible body nodes.
By default, Adams Flex places the flexible body so the flexible body’s local body reference frame (LBRF) is at
the origin of the global coordinate system. The LBRF corresponds to the origin of the finite element (FE)
environment in which the body was originally modeled. You can also set the location and orientation as you
import the body or after it is imported as you do any element in Adams View.

For the option: Do the following:

Flexible Body Name Enter the name you want assigned to the flexible body.
Modal Neutral File Name Select the appropriate option and enter the name of the MNF, MD DB or
BDF file.
or
Tips on Entering File Names in Text Boxes.
MD DB File Name
Note: When you use the Browse command to search for a file, it places
the absolute path to the file in the text box. When you save the
or, for a nonlinear flexible database or a command file, Adams View uses the absolute path in
body, a Bulk Data File the saved file. If you are sharing the database or command file with
(BDF) other users, you may want to edit the path that the Browse
command places in the text box so it is a relative path or remove it
altogether if the MNF/MD DB file is in the current working
directory.
If MNF or MD DB options is selected the following options displayed:
Index The parameter applies only, when the user is creating a flexible body out of
the MD DB. The parameter specifies the index of the flexible body in the
specified MD DB. The parameter is optional. If not specified, it is assumed
to have the value 1.

Note: The user can wish to view all the flexible bodies in the MD DB,
using the “…” button provided beside the index. The desired
flexible body can be selected by double-clicking on the displayed
list.
Import All This option can be used as an alternative to specifying an index. Using this
option will import all flexible bodies in the specified MD DB at once. All the
created bodies will have a default location and orientation as (0,0,0).
 A - D 727
Create a Flexible Body

For the option: Do the following:

Damping Ratio Do one of the following:

n Leave use default selected to accept the default nonzero damping as

follows:
• 1% damping for all modes with frequency lower than 100.
• 10% damping for modes with frequency in the 100-1000 range.
• 100% critical damping for modes with frequency above 1000.
n Clear the selection of use default, and then enter:
• Scalar damping ratio that you want applied to all modes.
• Adams run-time function expressions to create complex damping
phenomena in your flexible body. In addition, function
expressions, such as FXFREQ and FXMODE, allow you to apply
different levels of damping to individual modes.

To get help entering a function expression, right-click the

Damping text box, and then select Expression Builder to display
the Adams View Function Builder. For information on using the
Function Builder, see Adams View Function Builder online help.
Shortcut to Function Builder: Click the More button .

Learn more about Specifying Damping.

Generalized Damping Select one:

n Off - Disables the generalized damping.

n Full - Enables the complete generalized damping matrix, including
the effects of a resultant damping force.
n Internal Only - Only enables the portion of the generalized
damping matrix corresponding to the modal coordinates (that is,
ignore the resultant damping force).
If BDF option is selected the following options displayed:
Mass, Force, Length, Time If the BDF does not specify its modeling units, they must be specified here.
If the BDF does specify its modeling units, they will be shown here. If the
BDF units differ from those of the Adams model, Adams View will scale the
geometry and mass properties appropriately in session; however, it does not
edit the values within the BDF to reflect the Adams model units
Location Enter x, y, z coordinate defining the flexible body's location in the default
coordinate system.
728 Adams View
Create a Flexible Body

For the option: Do the following:

Orientation Specify either of these three orientation methods:

n Orientation
n Along Axis Orientation
n In Plane Oriention
Relative to You can:

n Specify the orientation coordinates.

n Leave blank to use the default coordinate system.
Test Modal Translate Select to display the Test Modal dialog box to translate either:

n MSC.Nastran output data into a MNF. You generate the output

data by first running MSC.Nastran with the AdamsMNF Case
Control command or a special DMAP alter.
n Universal file into a MNF that you can use to create a flexible body
with a constant coupling inertia invariant formulation.
MNF XForm Select to display the XForm dialog box to transform the flexible body. This
dialog box uses the MNFXFORM command from the Adams Flex Toolkit
command line. See Working with the Adams Flex Toolkit Command Line for more
information.
If you check the More option following parameters will appear
Dynamic Limit Specify the threshold frequency for quasi-static modes. Any mode with
frequency higher than this value will be treated as quasi-static.
Stability Factor Specify the amount of damping needed to add to the quasi-static modes.
This is required to stabilize the simulation.

Notes: Adams MNF Import (> ~10MB) May Cause SUSE System to Hang.

In Adams importing .mnf files greater then approximately 10MB in size may cause the
machine to hang/freeze on SUSE Linux operating systems. The root cause is a configuration
setting of the NVidia driver typical for normal users. The workaround is to change the NVidia
configuration file like so:

n Open the 50-nvidia.conf which is located at /etc/modprobe.d

n Change permission from 0660 to 0666.
n Reboot the machine
 A - D 729
Create a Request

Note: With version 2015 or before, Adams MD DB import only supported Nastran i4 database files.
In version 2015.1 or later Adams MD DB supports only i8 files. Support for i8 begun with
MSC Nastran version 2016.

Create a Request

Ribbon menu → Design Exploration Tab → Instrumentation container → Create a new Request

or

(Classic) Build → Measure → REQUEST → New

Creates a request. Note that the options for providing result and component names are only available if the
output of the results set is XML format. See Results (.res) Options dialog box help.
Learn more about Requests.

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Request Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the request in the Modeling
database.
Adams Id Assign a unique ID number to the request. See Adams Solver ID.
Component Names Available for XML result files only.

Enter one or more strings that identify the names of the result set
components the request produces. Learn more about About Naming Results
and Components in Requests.
Component Labels Available for XML result files only.

Enter one or more strings that identify the labels to be used when
plotting the result set components. Labels can be strings that include
white space. Quotes must be used to define the string if you set special
characters or whitespace.
Component Units Available for XML result files only.

Enter one or more strings that identify the unit dimension of the result
set components in XML result files. If you do not specify units, then the
units of the components are predefined based upon standard request type
(for example, displacement, velocity, and acceleration). See standard units.
730 Adams View
Create a Request

For the option: Do the following:

Results Name Specifies the name of the result set in which all result set components
produced by this request are placed when the result file is written in
XML. If there is an existing result set with this name, then the result set
components are placed in that result set. If there isn't an existing result
set, then a new one is created and all the result set components are placed
there.

This is helpful if you want to group the output from multiple requests
into a single result set. For example, you might have several different
requests measuring driver input for a vehicle, and you might want to
place them all within a result set named Driver_Inputs for easier viewing
in Adams PostProcessor.
Comments Add any comments about the request to help you manage and identify
it. See Comments.
Define Using Type & Markers/ Set to:

Define Using Function n Define Using Type & Markers

Expressions/ n Define Using Function Expressions

Define Using n Define Using Subroutines

Subroutines/Define Using n Define Using Variables
Variables
If you selected Define Using Type & Markers, the following options appear:
Output Type Select the type of output ( Displacement, Velocity, Acceleration, or Force).
I Marker, J Marker, R Marker Specify the Markers with respect to which the output will be calculated.
If you selected Define Using Subroutines, the following options appear:
User Function Enter parameters to the user-written subroutine REQSUB. Enter the user
function using the following format where r1 through r30 are constants
passed to the subroutine:

r1, ..., r30

Learn About Specifying a Subroutine.

Routine Specify an alternative library and name for the user subroutine
REQSUB. Learn about ROUTINE Argument.
 A - D 731
Create/Modify Contact

For the option: Do the following:

Title If you specified to write an output file (.out), enter up to eight headings
for columns of request output. Separate each heading with a comma (,).

Each heading can have as many as eight alphanumeric characters,

including underscores (_). The first character in each heading must be
alphabetic. You cannot use a comma (,), a semicolon (;), an ampersand
(&), or an exclamation point (!).

If you do not want to specify a title for a particular column, use two
quotation marks (" ") with no characters between them.
If you selected Define Using Function Expressions, the following options appear:
f2 , f3 , f4 , f6 , f7 , and f8 Enter function expressions in the boxes f2 , f3 , f4 , f6 , f7 , and f8 . Do
not use f1 and f5 . Adams Solver uses them to hold magnitudes for the
three functions that follow. You do not need to enter a function in every
text box. Learn About Specifying Function Expressions.
Title Enter a title for the top of each set of information output. The entire
comment must be on one line. The title can be only eighty characters
long. You can use blank spaces and all alphanumeric characters.
However, you cannot use the comma (,), the semicolon (;), the
ampersand (&), and the exclamation point (!).
If you selected Define Using Variables, the following options appear:
Variables Enter the variables in the text box. Learn about Creating and Modifying State
Variables.

Create/Modify Contact

Ribbon menu → Forces Tab -→ Special Forces Container → Create/Modify Contact

Creates or modifies a contact force between two geometries. Learn About Contact Forces. For solids and curves,
you can select more than one geometry as long as the geometry belongs to the same part. The first geometry
is called the I geometry and the second geometry is called the J geometry. For sphere-to-sphere contacts, you
can specify that the contact be inside or outside the sphere.
Learn more about Contacts.
732 Adams View
Create/Modify Contact

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

If you type a geometry object name directly in the text box, you must press Enter to register the value.
Contact Name Enter the name of the contact to create or modify.
Contact Type Set to the type of geometry to come into contact. The text boxes change depending
on the type of contact force you selected.
If you selected Solid to Solid, Adams View displays the following two options:
I Solid Enter one or more geometry solids. The solids must all belong to the same part.
J Solid Enter one or more geometry solids. The solids must all belong to the same part.
If you selected Curve to Curve, Adams View displays the following four options:
I Curve Enter one or more geometry curves. The curves must all belong to the same part.
I Direction(s) Select the geometry on which you want to change the direction of the force, and
then select the Change Direction tool .
J Curve Enter one or more geometry curves. The curves must all belong to the same part.
J Direction(s) Select the geometry on which you want to change the direction of the force, and
then select the Change Direction tool .
If you selected Point to Curve, Adams View displays the following two options:
Marker Enter a marker.
Curve Enter one or more curves.
Direction(s) Select the geometry on which you want to change the direction of the force, and
then select the Change Direction tool .
If you selected Point to Plane, Adams View displays the following two options:
Marker Enter a marker.
Plane Enter a plane.
If you selected Curve to Plane, Adams View displays the following two options:
Curve Enter one or more curves.
Direction(s) Select the geometry on which you want to change the direction of the force, and
then select the Change Direction tool .
Plane Enter a plane.
If you selected Sphere to Plane, Adams View displays the following two options:
Sphere Enter a sphere. To change the direction of the force, select the Change Direction
tool .
Direction(s) Select the geometry on which you want to change the direction of the force, and
then select the Change Direction tool .
 A - D 733
Create/Modify Contact

For the option: Do the following:

Plane Enter a plane.
If you selected Sphere to Sphere, Adams View displays the following two options:

Note: If the internal surface(s) of one geometry is selected to be used for contact via the Change
Direction tool, then the other geometry should be contained or nearly contained by the other's
surface(s) in the model design position otherwise the contact force will return a very large value
initially.
Sphere Enter a sphere. To change the direction of the force, select the Change Direction
tool .
Sphere Enter a sphere. To change the direction of the force, select the Change Direction
tool .
If you selected Cylinder to Cylinder, Adams View displays the following three options:

Note: If the internal surface(s) of one geometry is selected to be used for contact via the Change
Direction tool, then the other geometry should be contained or nearly contained by the other's
surface(s) in the model design position otherwise the contact force will return a very large value
initially.
First Cylinder Enter a cylinder. To change the direction of the force, select the Change Direction
tool .
Second Cylinder Enter a cylinder. To change the direction of the force, select the Change Direction
tool .
Face Contact For cylinder-in-cylinder scenarios (that is, where the interior surface of one of the
cylinders was selected) the faces of the outer cylinder can be optionally set to
enforce contact. The “Bottom” face is defined as the one on which the cylinder
geometry’s reference marker is located. The "Top" face is defined as the one on
which the cylinder geometry's reference marker is NOT located.
If you selected Flex Body to Solid, Adams View displays the following two options:
I Flexible Body Select a Flexible Body.
J Solid Select a Geometry Solid.
If you selected Flex Body to Flex Body, Adams View displays the following two options:
I Flexible Body Select a Flexible Body.
J Flexible Body Select a Flexible Body.
If you selected Flex Edge to Curve, Adams View displays the following three options:
I Flexible Body Select a Flexible Body.
To reset the Edge, select the Reset The Edge tool .
I Flex Edge Select a Flex Edge on I Flexible Body.
To change the direction of the force, select the Change Direction tool .
J Curve Select a Curve. Multiple curves are not allowed.
734 Adams View
Create/Modify Contact

For the option: Do the following:

If you selected Flex Edge to Flex Edge, Adams View displays the following four options:
I Flexible Body Select a Flexible Body.
To reset the Edge, select the Reset The Edge tool .
I Flex Edge Select a Flex Edge on I Flexible Body.
To change the direction of the force, select the Change Direction tool .
J Flexible Body Select a Flexible Body.
To reset the Edge, select the Reset The Edge tool .
J Flex Edge Select a Flex Edge on J Flexible Body .
To change the direction of the force, select the Change Direction tool .
If you selected Flex Edge to Plane, Adams View displays the following three options:
I Flexible Body Select a Flexible Body.
To reset the Edge, select the Reset The Edge tool .
I Flex Edge Select a Flex Edge on I Flexible Body.
To change the direction of the force, select the Change Direction tool .
Plane Select a Plane. Multiple Planes are not allowed.
The following options apply to all types of geometry:
Force Display/Color Select to turn on the force display of both normal and friction forces, and select a
color for the force display.

Note: If you are using an External Adams Solver, you must set the output files to
XML to view the force display. See Solver Settings - Output dialog box
help.
Normal Force Select either:

n Restitution - To define the normal force as restitution-based. This option

is not available with Flex Body to Solid and Flex Body to Flex Body type
of contacts.
n Impact - To define the normal force based on an impact using the IMPACT
function.
n User Defined - To define the force based on a User-written subroutine.
Learn about the types of Contact Force Algorithms and also see Learning More about the
Contact Detection Algorithm.
If you selected Restitution for Normal Force, define the following two options:
 A - D 735
Create/Modify Contact

For the option: Do the following:

Penalty Enter a penalty value to define the local stiffness properties between the contacting
material.

A large penalty value ensures that the penetration of one geometry into another
will be small. Large values, however, will cause numerical integration difficulties.
A value of 1E6 is appropriate for systems modeled in Kg-mm-sec. For more
information on how to specify this value, see the Extended Definition for the CONTACT
statement in the Adams Solver online help.

Note: The penalty value of 1.0E+06 is recommended value for users who have
no prior experience with restitution based contacts. Experienced users
will find values that are both smaller and larger that are applicable to
their models.
The value of 1.0E+06 was determined heuristically by simulating real
world models (for example, billiard ball collisions). It is appropriate for
bodies with masses in the range of 0.1 to 1.0e+03 Kilograms and
velocities in the range of 0.01 to 1.0e+03 meters/second. For collisions
involving asteroids, a larger value may be needed.

Many contact parameters (for example, stiffness, damping, exponent)

have default values that are not suitable for all models. They are
intended to help users who has very little modeling background. The
reason that contact parameters exist is to give users as much flexibility as
possible in building and simulating their models.
Restitution Enter the coefficient of restitution, which models the energy loss during contact.
Coefficient
n A value of zero specifies a perfectly plastic contact between the two
colliding bodies.
n A value of one specifies a perfectly elastic contact. There is no energy loss.
The coefficient of restitution is a function of the two materials that are coming into
contact. For information on material types versus commonly used values of the
coefficient of restitution, see the table for the CONTACT statement in the Adams
Solver online help.
If you selected Impact for Normal Force, define the following four options:
Stiffness Enter a material stiffness that is to be used to calculate the normal force for the
impact model. In general, the higher the stiffness, the more rigid or hard the bodies
in contact are.

Note: When changing the length units in Adams View, stiffnesses in contacts
are scaled by (length conversion factor**exponent). When changing the
force unit, stiffness is only scaled by the force conversion factor.
736 Adams View
Create/Modify Contact

For the option: Do the following:

Force Exponent Adams Solver models normal force as a nonlinear springdamper. If the damping
penetration, below, is the instantaneous penetration between the contacting
geometry, Adams Solver calculates the contribution of the material stiffness to the
instantaneous normal forces as:

STIFFNESS * (PENALTY)**EXPONENT
For more information, see the IMPACT function in the Adams Solver online help.
Damping Enter a value to define the damping properties of the contacting material.
Consider a damping coefficient that is about one percent of the stiffness
coefficient.
Penetration Depth Enter a value to define the penetration at which Adams Solver turns on full damping.
Adams Solver uses a cubic STEP function to increase the damping coefficient from
zero, at zero penetration, to full damping when the penetration reaches the
damping penetration. A reasonable value for this parameter is 0.01 mm. For more
information, see the IMPACT function in the Adams Solver online help.
If you selected User Defined for Normal Force, define the following two options:
User function Specify the user parameters to be passed to a User-written subroutine CNFSUB. For
more on user-written subroutines, see the Adams Solver online help.
Routine Specify an alternative library and name for the user subroutine. Learn about
ROUTINE Argument.
The following option is available for all choices:
Augmented Select to refine the normal force between two sets of rigid geometries that are in
Lagrangian contact. When you select Augmented Lagrangian, Adams View uses iterative
refinement to ensure that penetration between the geometries is minimal. It also
ensures that the normal force magnitude is relatively insensitive to the penalty or
stiffness used to model the local material compliance effects.

Note: Augmented Lagrangian is only available when defining a Restitution-based

contact. It is only used when running the Adams Solver Fortran
executable. Adams Solver C++ ignores this selection.
Friction Force Select to model the friction effects at the contact locations using the Coulomb
friction model, no friction, or as user-defined subroutine. The Coulomb friction
model models dynamic friction but not stiction in contacts.

For more on friction in contacts, see Contact Friction Force Calculation. In addition,
read the information for the CONTACT statement in the Adams Solver online help.
If you selected Coulomb for Friction Force, define the following four options:
 A - D 737
Create/Modify Contact

For the option: Do the following:

Coulomb Friction Specify whether the friction effects are to be included at run time:

n On
n Off
n Dynamics Only
Static Coefficient Specify the coefficient of friction at a contact point when the slip velocity is smaller
than the value for Static Transition Vel. For information on material types versus
commonly used values of the coefficient of static friction, see Material Contact
Properties Table.

Excessively large values of Static Coefficient can cause integration difficulties.

Range: Static Coefficient 0

Dynamic Coefficient Specify the coefficient of friction at a contact point when the slip velocity is larger
than the value for Friction Transition Vel.

For information on material types versus commonly used values of the

coefficientof the dynamic coefficient of friction, see Material Contact Properties Table.

Excessively large values of Dynamic Coefficient can cause integration difficulties.

Range: 0 Dynamic Coefficient Static Coefficient

738 Adams View
Create/Modify Contact

For the option: Do the following:

Stiction Transition Enter the static transition velocity.
Vel. The figure below shows how the coefficient of friction varies with slip velocity at a
typical contact point.

In this simple model:

n µ ( –Vs ) = µs

n µ ( V s ) = –µ s

n µ(0) = 0
n µ ( –Vd ) = µd

n µ ( Vd ) = µ d

n µ ( V ) = – sign ( V ) ⋅ µ d for ( V > V d )

n µ (v) = -step(|v|,vs, µ s, vd, µ d) sign(v) for vs < |v| < vd

n µ ( V ) = step ( V, – V s, µ s, V s, – µ s ) for ( – V s < V > V s )
 A - D 739
Create/Modify Contact Arrays

For the option: Do the following:

Stiction Transition In the figure:
Vel. (cont.)
n Vs, the slip velocity at which the coefficient friction achieves a maximum
value of µ s , is denoted as STICTION_TRANSITION_VELOCITY.
n µ s is the coefficient of static friction.

n µ d is the coefficient of dynamic friction.

For more on friction in contacts, see Contact Friction Force Calculation. In addition,
read the information for the CONTACT statement in the Adams Solver online help.

Range: 0 < Stiction Transition Vel. Friction Transition Vel.

Friction Transition Enter the friction transition velocity.
Vel.
Adams Solver gradually transitions the coefficient of friction from the value for
Static Coefficent to the value for Dynamic Coefficient as the slip velocity at the
contact point increases. When the slip velocity is equal to the value specified for
Friction Transition Vel., the effective coefficient of friction is set to Dynamic
Coefficient. For more on friction in contacts, see Contact Friction Force Calculation. In
addition, read the information for the CONTACT statement in the Adams Solver
online help.

Note: Small values for this option cause the integrator difficulties. You should
specify this value as:
Friction Transition Vel. 5* ERROR

where: ERROR is the integration error used for the solution. Its default
value is 1E-3.
Range: Friction Transition Vel. Static Transition Vel. > 0
If you selected User Defined for Friction Force, define the following two options:
User function Specify the user parameters to be passed to a user-written subroutine. For more on
user-written subroutines, see Adams Solver online help.
Routine Enter the name of the function to call. The default is CNFSUB.

Create/Modify Contact Arrays

Contact arrays define the characteristics of force-based contacts. You specify a contact array for each force-
based contact. You can, however, use the same contact array with multiple contact forces.
The options for defining the normal force magnitudes for contact arrays are identical to the parameters in the
IMPACT function. For information on the IMPACT function, see Adams View Function Builder online help.
740 Adams View
Create/Modify Design Variable

For the option: Do the following:

Contact Array Name Enter the name of the contact array to modify.
Stiffness Force Enter the force generated for each unit of penetration depth.
Force Exponent Enter the exponent of the force deformation characteristic.
Damping Maximum Enter the viscous damping coefficient.
Penetration Depth Enter the penetration depth at which full damping is applied.
Static Friction Coefficient (µs) Enter the proportion of normal force applied in the opposite
direction of relative motion, from zero velocity to static threshold
velocity.
Static Friction Slip Velocity (Vs) Enter the velocity at which full value of the static friction coefficient
is applied.
Dynamic Friction Coefficient (µk) Enter the proportion of normal force applied in the opposite
direction of relative motion, from slip velocity to dynamic transition
velocity.
Dynamic Friction Transition Enter the velocity at which the value of the dynamic friction
Velocity (Vk) coefficient has fully transitioned from the static friction coefficient.

Create/Modify Design Variable

Ribbon menu → Design Exploration Tab - → Design Variable Container → Create/Modify a Design Variable

or

(Classic Intreface) Build → Design Variable → New/Modify

Creates or modifies a design variable.
Learn more about Using Design Variables.

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name of the design variable.
Type Select Real, Integer, String, or Object.
If you selected the type Real, you have the option:
Units Optionally, select the type of units.
If you selected the type Real or Integer, the following four options appear:
Standard Value Enter or change the default value for the design variable.
 A - D 741
Create/Modify Design Variable

For the option: Do the following:

Value Range by Set the one of the following and enter the limits in the Min/Max or +/- Delta
text boxes:

n Absolute Min and Max Values - Specifies a value range (an upper and
lower limit)
n +/- Delta Relative to Value - Specifies increments relative to the
standard value.
n +/- Percent Relative to Value - Specifies percentage increments
relative to the standard value.
If only a certain range of values is possible, use absolute limits to keep the
variable within that fixed range. Otherwise, use relative or percent relative
limits to include a reasonable amount above and below your initial value.
Relative and percent-relative limits tie the range to the value of the variable, so
if you change the value of the variable, the limits automatically change with
it.To learn more about the choices, see Preparing for Parametric Analyses.
- Delta/Min Value Enter the lower limit for the range or the relative amount or percentage below
the standard value.
+ Delta/Max Value Enter the upper limit for the range or the relative amount or percentage above
the standard value.
Allow Optimization to If you want to allow an optimization to use any value for the variable, select
ignore range Allow Optimization to ignore range.

Selecting Allow Optimization to ignore range does not disable the range for a
Design study or Design of experiments (DOE). The range is used for a design study
or DOE only if a list of values has not been specified or is to be ignored.
List of allowed value If you want to specify a list of values, select List of allowed values and enter the
values in the text box that appears. This lets you to use unequally spaced values
or always use the same set of values. By default, the list of values takes
precedence over the range in a design study or DOE.

Note: The Value Range setting also affects the allowed values you enter.
For example, if you have selected a Value Range of percent relative,
then Adams View interprets your entered allowed values as
percentages relative to the standard value.
If you selected List of allowed values, the following two options appear:
Generate Creates a list of values for you automatically.
Allow Design Study to To keep the list of values and still use the range for a design study and DOE,
ignore list select Allow Design Study to ignore list. By selecting Allow Design Study to
ignore list, you can switch back and forth between using the range and the list
of values without re-entering the list each time.
If you selected String, the following option appears:
742 Adams View
Create/Modify Design Variable

For the option: Do the following:

String value Enter the alphanumeric string for the design variable.
If you selected Object, the following option appears:
Object value Enter the database object for the design variable (for example,
.model_1.part_1). For more on objects and their database name, see Getting
Object Names and Data Dictionary in the Adams View Function Builder online help.
Select to add any comments about the variable to help you manage and
identify it. See Comments.

Note: Now that you have created a design variable, you’ll need to reference it in your model. You can
enter the design variable directly, using the Reference Design Variable command, or you can
type it into a text box. You can also use the Function Builder to create a more complex
expression using the design variable. When you reference your design variable, Adams View
places parentheses () around the variable because you are creating a simple expression that
references the value of the design variable.
 A - D 743
Create/Modify Differential Equation

Create/Modify Differential Equation

Ribbon menu → Elements Tab → System Elements container → Differential Equation

or

(Classic) Build → System Elements → Differential Equation→ New/Modify

Creates or modifies a differential equation.
Learn about:
n About Using Differential Equations.
n Creating and Modifying Differential Equations.

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Name Enter the name of the differential equation.
Type Select either Explicit or Implicit to indicate that the function expression or
subroutine defines the explicit or implicit form of the equation.

Learn about Ways to Define Differential Equations.

Definition Set to either:

n Run-time Expression to enter a function expression that Adams Solver

evaluates during a Simulation. In the function expression, the system
variable DIF(i) is the value of the dependent variable that the
differential equation defines, and DIF1(j) is the first derivative of the
dependent variable that the differential equation defines.
n User written subroutine to enter a subroutine that defines the
equation.
y' = n If you selected Run-time Expression, enter the function expression
that defines the differential equation. Select the More button to
display the Function Builder and build an expression. See the Adams
View Function Builder online help.
n If you selected User written subroutine, enter constants to the User-
written subroutine DIFSUB to define a variable. See the Adams Solver
Subroutines online help.
Routine Specify an alternative library and name for the user subroutine DIFSUB. Learn
about ROUTINE Argument.
744 Adams View
Create/Modify Differential Equation

For the option: Do the following:

Initial Conditions Specify:

n The initial value of the differential equation at the start of the

simulation.
n Optionally, if you are defining an implicit equation, an approximate
value of the initial time derivative of the differential equation at the
start of the simulation. (You do not need to supply a second value
when you enter a explicit equation because Adams Solver can compute
the initial time derivative directly from the equation.)
Adams Solver might adjust the value of the time derivative when it performs an
initial conditions simulation. Entering an initial value for the time derivative
helps Adams Solver converge to a desired initial conditions solution.
Keep value constant Select whether or not Adams Solver should hold constant the value of the
during static analyses. differential equation during Static equilibrium and Quasi-static simulations. Learn
about Controlling Equilibrium Values When Using System Elements.
Keep value constant Select whether or not Adams Solver should hold constant the value of the
during dynamic analyses. differential equation during dynamic simulation.
 A - D 745
Create/Modify an External System

Create/Modify an External System

External Systems → New…
The dialog box operates in two modes,
n Create mode: To create a new External system in the model. When the dialog is opened from the
menu (External Systems → New…) it opens in ‘Create’ mode.
n Modify mode: To modify an existing External System in the model. If an existing external system in
the model, is selected for modification (by right clicking the body and choosing the 'Modify' option)
then the same dialog opens in 'Modify' mode. In the Modify mode, the fields on the dialog will be
pre-populated with the values of the external system being modified.

Note: By default, the external system is placed so its local body reference frame (LBRF) is at the origin
of the global coordinate system. The LBRF corresponds to the origin of the finite element (FE)
environment in which the body was originally modeled. You can also set the location and
orientation as you import the body or after it is imported as you do any element in Adams
View. This is applicable only for external systems that have a visual representation.

For the option: Do the following:

External System Name Enter the name you want assigned to the external system.
type The type of external system. Select one from the following options,

1. Nastran
2. User
The default option when the dialog is opened in the Create mode is ‘Nastran’.
input_file_name File containing the input source parameters for the external system. The

button provided on the side of the field can be used to view and / or edit
the specified file.
modal_neutral_file_name An optional (rigid only) MNF, if a visual representation of the external system
is required.
md_db_file_name An optional MD DB, if a visual representation of the external system is
required.
index_in_database Index of the body in the specified MD DB. Valid only if the parameter
md_db_file_name is specified.
746 Adams View
Create/Modify Filter Function

For the option: Do the following:

Note: You may optionally specify a modal neutral file (MNF) or an MD DB file (.master) and Adams
View creates the necessary Adams View geometry for displaying the external system. It also
creates a mesh on the external system representing the external system nodes. The external
system will have a visual representation only if either of MNF/MD DB is specified.
user_function Specifies up to 30 values for Adams Solver to pass to a user-written
subroutine. Valid only if the external system type is 'user'. Otherwise the
corresponding fields will be disabled for input.
interface_routines Specifies an alternative library and subroutine names for the user subroutines
EXTSYS_DERIV, EXTSYS_UPDATE, EXTSYS_OUTPUT,
EXTSYS_SAMP, EXTSYS_SET_NS, EXTSYS_SET_ND,
EXTSYS_SENSUB, EXTSYS_SET_STATIC_HOLD,
EXTSYS_SET_SAMPLE_OFFSET, respectively. Valid only if the external
system type is 'user'. Otherwise the corresponding fields will be disabled for
input.
Location Enter x, y, z coordinate defining the flexible body's location in the default
coordinate system.
Orientation Specify either of these three orientation methods,

n Orientation
n Along Axis Orientation
n In Plane Orientation
Relative to You can:

n Specify the orientation coordinates.

n Leave blank to use the default coordinate system

Create/Modify Filter Function

(Adams PostProcessor)

Plot → Filter → Create/Modify

Shortcut: Curve Edit toolbar → Filter Curve Tool → Right-click Filter Name text box → filter_function → Create
Creates or modifies a curve filter to eliminate noise on time signals or to emphasize a specific frequency
content of a time signal. Adams PostProcessor supports two different types of filters:
n Butterworth filter - butter() in MATLAB™ developed by The MathWorks, Inc.
n Transfer function - A filter you define by directly specifying the coefficients of a transfer function.
Once you create a filter, you can apply it to any curve.
Learn about Filtering Curve Data.
 A - D 747
Create/Modify Filter Function

For the option: Do the following:

Filter Name If creating a filter function, enter a name for the filter.
Defined by Select to create either a Butterworth filter or a transfer function.
If you selected Butterworth, Adams PostProcessor displays the following options:
Analog/Digital Select to create either an analog or digital Butterworth filter. Learn About Filtering
Methods.
Filter Type Select the type of filter:

n Low Pass - Removes frequencies above the cutoff frequency.

n High Pass - Removes frequencies below the cutoff frequency.
n Band Pass - Removes frequencies outside the two cutoff frequencies.
n Band Stop - Removes frequencies between the two cutoff frequencies.
Order Set how much the filter will have damped the signal at the cutoff frequency, often
referred to as how sharp the filter is.

n First-order filter damps 3dB at the cutoff frequency.

n Second-order damps 6dB.
n Third-order damps 9dB.
Cutoff Frequency Set the frequency of cutoff.
(Scaled) - Digital filters
n For a digital filter - Determines the cutoff frequency as a ratio of the
Cutoff Frequency (Hz) Nyquist frequency (half the sample frequency). Therefore, for a signal
- Analog filters sampled (simulated) with 100 Hz, the Nyquist frequency is
100/2=50Hz. A scaled cutoff frequency=0.3 then has a cutoff
frequency=0.3*50=15 Hz.
Note that if the same filter is applied to a signal sampled at 200 Hz, the
filter cutoff is at 30 Hz. If you selected Band Pass or Band Stop for Filter
Type, you must provide two cutoff frequencies.
n For an analog filter - Enter the cutoff frequency in the current units
(rad/s or Hz). If you selected Band Pass or Band Stop for Filter Type,
you must provide two cutoff frequencies.
If you selected Transfer Function, Adams PostProcessor displays the following options:
Analog/Digital Select to create either an analog or digital Butterworth filter.
748 Adams View
Create/Modify Friction

For the option: Do the following:

Create from Select to display the Create Butterworth Filter dialog box to define the transfer
Butterworth Filter function coefficients based on a Butterworth filter.
Numerator/Denominat Specify the coefficients for the transfer function that define the filter.
or Coefficients
n For an analog filter, the transfer function is defined by the continuous
Laplace s polynomial.
n For a digital filter, the transfer function is defined in the z-plane.
The coefficients should be given according to MATLAB convention, which is
descending powers of s (or z):

This differs from how a transfer function is defined for Adams Solver, where the
coefficients are given in increasing order:

Check Format and Select to display a plot of the transfer function's gain (magnitude) or phase.
Display Plot Always check the filter before using it.

Note:
n If you have not defined the filter correctly, an error message appears.
n If you’ve defined the filter correctly, a plot appears in which you can
switch between the filter’s gain and phase plots and change scales.

Create/Modify Friction
Right-click joint → Modify → Friction tool
Models both static (Coulomb) and dynamic (viscous) friction in revolute, translational, cylindrical, hooke/universal,
and spherical joints. You cannot apply friction to joints connected to Flexible bodies or Point masses.
For more information on the values to be entered in the dialog box, select a type of joint below:
n Revolute Joint Options
 A - D 749
Create/Modify General Constraint

n Cylindrical Joint Options

n Translational Joint Options
n Spherical Joint Options
n Universal/Hooke Joint Options
Learn about:
n Friction Regime Determination (FRD)

Create/Modify General Constraint

Ribbon menu →Connectors Tab → Special container → General Constraint Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Joints → General Constraint Tool

Edit → Modify → select general constraint
Available with Adams Solver (C++) only
Creates or modifies a general constraint that lets you define an arbitrary constraint specific to a particular
model. As its name implies, it is more general than the idealized joints, which describe physically recognizable
combination of constraints that are used to connect bodies together. You can also use the general constraint
to equivalently define an existing idealized joint. Read more about the GCON statement in Adams Solver
(C++).
We advise that you use the general constraint with caution. Be sure to read the Known Limitations in the GCON
statement.
750 Adams View
Create/Modify General State Equation

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name for the general constraint. If you are creating a general
constraint, Adams View assigns a default name to it.
f(q)= Enter a runtime expression that Adams Solver (C++) forces to zero during
the simulation. To enter a function expression, next to the f (q)= text

box, select the More tool to display the Adams View Function
Builder. For information on using the Function Builder, see the Function
Builder online help. Learn more about defining a runtime expression for a
general constraint with Extended Definition of GCON statement.
Report action forces on marker Enter a marker to have the reaction force on this marker measured and
reported as part of standard results. The reaction force reported is the
force that is exerted on the marker to satisfy the constraint equation.
Note that if you specify a marker and the runtine expression has no
dependency on it, the general constraint reports a zero force.

Default value is the ground coordinate system (GCS).

Note: You cannot enter the Adams ID for the marker; you must
enter the name of the marker. Learn about Adams Solver IDs.
Add any comments about the general constraint that you want to enter
to help you manage and identify it. See Comments.

Create/Modify General State Equation

Ribbon menu → Elemens tab → System Elements container → Create/Modify General State Equation

or

(Classic) Build → System Elements → General State Equation → New/Modify

Lets you represent a subsystem that has well defined inputs (u), internal states (x), and a set of well defined
outputs (y).
Learn about:
n Creating and Modifying General State Equations
 A - D 751
Create/Modify General State Equation

n System Elements

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
General State Equation Enter the name of the GSE.
Solver ID Assign a unique ID number to the GSE. See Adams Solver ID.
U Array (Inputs) Specify the array element that defines the input variables for the GSE. The
U array is optional. When not specified, there are no system inputs. The
number of inputs to the GSE is inferred from the number of variables in
the U array.
Y Array (Outputs) Specify the array element that defines the output variables for the GSE.
User Function Parameters Specifies the parameters that are to be passed to the User-written subroutines
that define the constitutive equations of a GSE, viz., Equations (1), (2),
and (3).

Three user subroutines are associated with a GSE:

n GSE_DERIV is called to evaluate fc() in Equations 1.

n GSE_UPDATE is called to evaluate fd() in Equations 2.
n GSE_OUTPUT is called to evaluate g() in Equations 3.
See the Subroutines section of the Adams Solver online help.
Interface Function Names If you specify a user function, enter function names to use other than the
standard names GSE_DERIV, GSE_UPDATE, and GSE_OUTPUT.
STATICS_ONLY When included (or set to On) will only activate GSE for statics. During
dynamics the GSE will be inactive if set, and this should speed up the
Solver solution during dynamics since less number of states are being
solved.
States Set to:

n Continuous
n Discrete
n Sampled
n None (No options appear)
If you selected Continuous or Sampled, the following options appear:
X Array (Continous) Enter the array element that defines the continuous states for the GSE.
The array element must be of the X type, and it cannot be used in any
other linear state equation, general state equation, or transfer function.
752 Adams View
Create/Modify General State Equation

For the option: Do the following:

IC Array (Continous) Enter the array element that specifies the initial conditions for the
continuous states in the system.

When you do not specify an IC array for a GSE, all the continuous states
are initialized to zero.
Static Hold Indicate whether or not the continuous GSE states are permitted to
change during static and Quasi-static simulations.
If you selected Discrete or Sampled, the following options appear:
X Array (Discrete) Enter the array element that is used to access the discrete states for the
GSE. It must be of the X type, and it cannot be used in any other linear
state equation, general state equation, or transfer function.
IC Array (Discrete) Enter the array element that specifies the initial conditions for the
discrete states in the system. The array is optional. The array element
must be of the IC type.

When you do not specify an IC array for a GSE, all the discrete states are
initialized to zero.
First Sample Time Specify the Simulation time at which the sampling of the discrete states is
to start. All discrete states before the first sample time are defined to be at
the initial condition specified. The default is zero.
Sample Function/Sample User Specify the sampling period associated with the discrete states of a GSE.
Parameters This tells Adams Solver to control its step size so that the discrete states
of the GSE are updated at:

last_sample_time + sample_period

In cases where an expression for the sampling period is difficult to write,

you can specify it in a user-written subroutine GSE_SAMP. Adams Solver
will call this function at each sample time to find out the next sample
period.

Select the More button to display the Function Builder and build
an expression. See Function Builder and the Adams View Function Builder online
help.
Add any comments about the GSE to help you manage and identify it.
See Comments.
 A - D 753
Create/Modify Material

Create/Modify Material

Main Menu → Object Manipulation Strip → Create/Modify Material

or

(Classic) Build → Materials

Creates or modifies a material, which you can then assign to parts.

You define a material by its composition, such as restitution coefficient, Young's modulus, Poisson’s ratio, and
mass density. Part material properties are important in determining the mass moments of inertia of a part.
Learn about the Standard Material Properties.

For the option: Do the following:

Name If desired, change the default name assigned to the new material type.
Density Enter mass density.
Type Type of material (Isotropic, Orthotropic Beam, Anisotropic Beam).
Youngs Modulus Enter the values for Young’s Modulus.
Poissons Ratio Enter Poisson’s Ratio.
E,Gxy,Gyz Specify the elastic constants of the stress-strain relationship in flexural beam
elements having a linear elastic orthotropic material.
C Matrix Specify the elastic constants of the stress-strain relationship in flexural beam
elements having a general linear elastic anisotropic material.
Select to enter any comments you want associated with the material type. See
Comments.

Create/Modify Matrix

Ribbon menu → Elements tab → Data Elements container → Create/Modify Matrix

or

(Classic) Build → Data Elements → Matrix → New/Modify

Creates or modifies a Data element matrix.
Learn about creating and modifying Matrices.
754 Adams View
Create/Modify Matrix

Note: You must create additional matrix elements in your Adams View model if multiple matrices
are to be read from the same file.

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Matrix Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the matrix.
Units Select the units that you want assigned for values in your matrix. Select
no_units if you do not want units associated with the values. If you set the units
for your matrix values, Adams View automatically performs any necessary unit
conversions if you ever change your default modeling units.
Comments Add any comments about the array to help you manage and identify the array.
See Comments.
Full Matrix/ Set to:

Sparse Matrix/ n Full Matrix

n Sparse Matrix
From a File
n From a File
Learn more about Matrix Format Types.
If you selected Full Matrix, the following options appear:
Enter Input Ordered by Set to either:
Columns/
n Enter Input Ordered by Columns - Specify that matrix values are
Enter Input Ordered by arranged in order by column.
Rows n Enter Input Ordered by Rows - Specify that matrix values are
arranged in order by row.
User Entered Numbers/ Select either:

Result Set Component n User Entered Numbers to enter the values yourself.
Names n Result Set Component Names to obtain the values from the results of
a Simulation from a Result set component.
See an Example of Entering Matrix in Full Format.
Row Count For user-entered numbers only, enter the number of rows in the matrix.
Column Count For user-entered numbers only, enter the number of columns in the matrix.
 A - D 755
Create/Modify Modal Force

For the option: Do the following:

Values Enter the values in the matrix in either row or column order depending on the
order you selected above. You can separate the values using a comma or by
pressing Enter after each value.

Note: Large number of values pasted into user interface fields or data tables
may result in application instability. MSC recommends users to enter
no more than 1 million data points at a time.
Result Set Component For result set components only, enter the names of the components.
Names
If you selected Sparse Matrix, the following option appears:
Row Index Enter the row numbers, separated by commas, in your matrix containing
nonzero values. Enter the row number each time there is a value in the row.
Column Index Enter the column numbers, separated by commas, containing nonzero values.
Enter the column number each time there is a value in the column.
Values Enter the nonzero values in your matrix starting with the first column. Separate
each value with a comma.

Note: Large number of values pasted into user interface fields or data tables
may result in application instability. MSC recommends users to enter
no more than 1 million data points at a time.
If you selected From a File, the following option appears:
File Enter the name of the file containing the matrix values and the name of the
matrix in the file. The name of the matrix is necessary even if the file contains
only one matrix. You will need to create additional matrices to read other
matrices from the same file.

Learn About the Format for Matrix Data Files.

Create/Modify Modal Force

Ribbon menu → Forces tab → Special Forces container → Create/Modify Model Force

or

(Classic) Build → Forces → Modal Force Tool

Creates or modifies a modal force (MFORCE).

For more information, see:

n Modal Forces
756 Adams View
Create/Modify Modal Force

n Modeling Distributed Loads and Predeformed Flexible Bodies

For the option: Do the following:

Force Name Enter the default MFORCE name to create or modify. When creating a MFORCE,
Adams View automatically assigns a default name of MFORCE followed by an
underscore and a number to make the name unique (for example, MFORCE_1).
Flexible Body Specify the flexible body to which the MFORCE is applied.
Reaction Part If desired, in the text box, enter the name of an existing part to which to apply the
reaction of the modal force resultant. If you enter a part name, Adams View
automatically creates a Floating marker associated with this part when it creates the
MFORCE. Adams View keeps the marker coincident with the flexible body analysis
coordinate system during the simulation. Therefore, the need for the point of
reaction to be a floating marker.

In addition, because floating markers cannot be defined on flexible bodies, the

reaction part is restricted to rigid bodies only. You can use the Info command to see
the floating marker that Adams View creates when you reference a reaction part.
Define Using Select how you want to define the modal force:

n Function - Lets you select the modal loadcase and scale function of the
MFORCE. Note that you cannot select Function when defining an
MFORCE on a flexible body that does not contain any modal load case
information in its corresponding MNF.
n Subroutine - Lets you specify up to thirty user-defined constants to be
passed to the user-defined subroutine, MFOSUB to directly compute the
modal load case and scale function whose product is the modal force
applied to the flexible body. The scale function can depend on time or the
state of the system. The load case can only be a function of time.
n Force - Lets you specify up to thirty user-defined constants to be passed to
the user-defined subroutine, MFOSUB to directly compute the modal force
on the flexible body. Each component of the modal force can depend on
time or the state of the system. (Adams Solver (C++) only. Learn about
switching solvers with Solver Settings - Executable dialog box help.)
To use a subroutine, you need to build a version of the Adams Solver that contains
your version of the MFOSUB routine that quantifies the modal force. For more
information, see the Subroutines section of the Adams Solver online help. You can also
specify an alternative library and name for the user subroutine in the Routine text
box. Learn about specifying your own routine with ROUTINE Argument.
 A - D 757
Create/Modify Point Mass

For the option: Do the following:

If you selected to specify a flexible body with modal load case information, you also specify the following two
options:
Load Case Select a modal load case label from a list. The list of modal loadcase labels is
generated from the MNF. Learn about Creating Loadcase Files.
Scale Function Specify an expression for the scale factor to be applied to the modal load case.

Create/Modify Point Mass

Ribbon menu → Bodies tab → Construction container → Create/Modify Point Mass

or

(Classic) Build → Point Mass → New/Modify

Point masses are points that have mass but no inertia properties or angular velocities. They are
computationally more efficient when rotational effects are not important.
For example, you could use point masses to represent the concentrated masses in a net. You could then
represent the ropes between the masses as forces or springs.

For the option: Do the following:

Name If you are creating a point mass, enter a name for the point mass.
Mass Set the mass of the point mass.

Note: By default, Adams View creates a point mass with a mass of 1 in current
units.
Location Set or adjust its location as desired.

Note: By default, Adams View places the point mass in the center of the main
window.
758 Adams View
Create/Modify Road

For the option: Do the following:

Select to enter comments to help you manage and identify the point mass. See
Comments.

If you are modifying a point mass, the following also appear:

Displays the Precision Move dialog box to let you change the position of the point
mass.

Displays the Point Mass Measure dialog box to let you create a measure for the point
mass. Learn about creating Object Measures.

Position ICs/ Displays the Modify Body dialog box set to let you change the initial position or
velocity of the point mass.
Velocity ICs

Create/Modify Road
Adds a road assembly to your model. If your model includes tires, you must specify a road because each tire
must reference a road. The road determines the surface friction, bumps, and other inputs to tires.

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name of the road to create or modify.
Part Enter a part, typically the ground part, to which the road belongs. Generally the road
is fixed in ground but in some cases, the road may move (for example, a military
vehicle driving on the deck of a warship).
Property File Enter the name of a road property file. The road property file determines the kind or
road (smooth or rough, wet or dry). You can view the contents of the road property
file using the View File button

.
Graphics Select On to display road graphics or select Off to hide any road graphics. You may
want to hide the road graphics when you work on your model. Roads graphics are
typically large and can affect operations such as fitting to view.
Location and Orientation
Location Enter a location for the road. The location determines the origin of the road and, along
with the road property file, determines whether any tires referencing this road are
initially contacting the road.
Orient Using Select a method to orient the road, either Euler Angles or Direction Vectors. The z
direction of the road orientation is always vertical direction. Therefore, you should
orient this axis of the road so it matches the vertical direction in your model.
If you selected Euler Angles, the following option is available:
 A - D 759
Create/Modify Sensor

For the option: Do the following:

Euler Angles Enter the euler angles (body 3,1,3) to orient the road.
If you selected Direction Vectors, the following two options become available:
X Vector/ Enter the x- and z-direction vectors to orient the road. The x-, y-, and z-axes of the
Z Vector road are determine from the direction vectors as follows:

n Z = z-vector / | z-vector |
n Y = z-vector x x-vector / | z vector x x-vector |
n X = Y x Z / | Y x Z |
For more information on XP-ZP method in Adams Solver, see argument XP in the
MARKER statement.
Select to add any comments about the variable to help you manage and identify it. See
Comments.

Select to display the contents of the road property file in the Information window. This
helps you determine what kind of road the file models.

Create/Modify Sensor

Ribbon menu → Design Exploration tab → Instrumentation container → Create/Modify Sensor

or

(Classic) Simulate → Sensor → New

Right-click sensor → Modify

Allows you to add a sensor to your model or modify an existing one. A sensor monitors a Simulation for a
specified event and changes a set of simulation controls when the event occurs.
Learn about:
n Adding Sensors to Your Model
n SENSOR statement in the Adams Solver online help
760 Adams View
Create/Modify Sensor

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter a name for the sensor.
Event Definition Choose either:

n Run-Time Expression - Defines the triggering event using a run-time

function expression.
n User-Written Subroutine - Defines the triggering event using a
subroutine.
If you selected Run-Time Expression, the following two options are available:
Expression Enter a function expression.
Select to display the Adams View Function Builder.

If you selected User-Written Subroutine, the following option is available:

Parameter List Enter the parameters to be passed to the user-written subroutine SENSUB. Enter up
to 30 values (r1[,...,r30]) that Adams View is to pass to SENSUB.

For more information on user-written subroutines, see the Subroutines section of

the Adams Solver online help.
The following option is available for all choices:
Event Evaluation Choose either:

n Run-Time Expression - Specifies an expression that is evaluated when

the event Adams View is monitoring becomes true. You can obtain the
scalar value of the expression using the SENVAL function expression.
n User-Written Subroutine - Defines and passes constants to a user-
written subroutine that is evaluated when the event Adams View is
monitoring becomes true. You can obtain the return value of the user-
written subroutine using the SENVAL function.
Example:

If you set the following values, you can retrieve the distance between two markers.
You use the SENVAL function to retrieve the distance.

n Event Definition: Run-time Expression

n Expression: MOD (time, .5)
n Event Evaluation: Run-Time Expression
n Expression: DY(3,2)
n Target: 0
If you selected Run-Time Expression, the following two options are available:
Expression Enter a function expression.
 A - D 761
Create/Modify Sensor

For the option: Do the following:

Select to display the Adams View Function Builder.

If you selected User-Written Subroutine, the following option is available:

Parameter List Enter the parameters to be passed to the user-written subroutine SEVSUB. Enter up
to 30 values (r1[,...,r30]) that Adams View is to pass to SEVSUB.

For more information on user-written subroutines, the Subroutines section of the

Adams Solver online help.
The following options are available for all choices:
Non-Angular Values Select to indicate that the expression measures non-angular values.
Angular Values Select to indicate that the expression measures angular values.
762 Adams View
Create/Modify Sensor

For the option: Do the following:

Pull-Down Menu Select one of the following:

n Equal - From (Target - Error) to (Target + Error).

n Greater than or equal - Greater than or equal to (Target - Error).
n Less than or equal - Less than or equal to (Target + Error).

See example of the choices

.

In the figure, the sensor triggers whenever the value of the function being
monitored is in the shaded areas. Be careful that your function does not evaluate
in the shaded area at the start of your simulation unless you want your sensor to
trigger immediately. It is a good idea to define a function measure using the same
expression used for your sensor so you can check it by plotting it.
Value Enter the target value that triggers an action.
End Tolerance Enter the absolute value of allowable error between the targeted value and the
actual sensed value.
Generate additional Select to create an extra Output step when Adams Solver triggers the sensor so you
Output Step at event can capture the action.
Set Output Stepsize Select to redefine the time between consecutive output steps. Adams Solver uses
this value until it is changed. The default is the current time between output steps
for the simulation.
 A - D 763
Create/Modify Simulation Script

For the option: Do the following:

Terminate current Select to:
simulation and...[stop,
or continue with a n Stop the simulation
simulation script] n Stop the current command in the simulation Script and continue with the
next command.
Set Integration Select to redefine the next integration step size. This change is temporary and lasts
Stepsize only for the next solution step.

The default is an integrator-determined value except when you’ve included

restarting the integrator as part of the sensor action as explained next. In this case,
the step size defaults to the integrator step size.
Restart Integrator Select to restart integration and reduce the integration order to one. If you also set
integration step size as explained above, Adams Solver reinitializes the integration
step size to the specified value. If you do not specify the step size, Adams Solver
reinitializes the integration step size to the integrator's default step size.

To define integration order, see Solver Settings - Dynamics.

Refactorize Jacobian Select to cause Adams Solver to generate a new pivot sequence for matrix
factorization. This can help the integrator produce more accurate data or proceed
more robustly through the simulation. Adams Solver generates a pivot sequence
for matrix factorization before starting the simulation. Adams Solver does not
generate a new pivot sequence unless you specify to refactorize the Jacobian or it
is necessary to refactorize to reach convergence.
Dump State Variable Select to write the entire array of state variable values to a text file in your current
Factor working directory.
Select to add any comments about the sensor to help you manage and identify it.
See Comments.

Only available for Run-Time Expression.

Create two measures to monitor the expression and state of a sensor during
simulation. Learn about Object Measures.

Create/Modify Simulation Script

Ribbon menu → Simulation tab → Setup container → Create/Modify Simulation Script

or

(Classic) Simulate → Simulation Script → New/Modify

Creates or modifies a simulation Script.
764 Adams View
Create/Modify Simulation Script

Learn about Performing a Scripted Simulation.

For the option: Do the following:

Script Enter the name of the script to create or modify.
Script Type Select either:

n Simple Run
n Adams View Commands
n Adams Solver Commands
Learn more about the Types of Simulation Scripts.
If you select Simple Run:
End Time/Duration Enter the time interval over which the Simulation takes place and set how you
want it defined. You can select:

n End Time - Specify the absolute point in time at which you want the
simulation to stop.
n Duration - Specify the amount of time over which you want the
simulation to run.
Steps/Step Size Set the frequency with which Adams View outputs data during your
simulation. You can specify:

n Steps - Represents the total number of times you want Adams View
to provide output information over your entire simulation. For
example, specify 50 steps over a 1-second simulation interval to define
an output period of 0.02 seconds per step, which yields an output
frequency of 50 steps/second.
n Step Size - Represents the amount of time, in current model units,
between output steps. The output frequency remains constant even if
you change your simulation end time or duration. For example, enter
a step size of 0.01 seconds to specify an output period of 0.01 seconds
per step, which yields an output frequency of 100 steps/second.
Simulation Type Select a type of simulation to run:

n Transient - Default
n Transient - Dynamic
n Transient - Kinematic
n Transient - Static
Learn more about Types of Simulations.
Start at equilibrium Select to have Adams View perform a static simulation before performing a
dynamic simulation.
 A - D 765
Create/Modify Solver Array

For the option: Do the following:

If you select Adams View Commands:
Adams View Commands Enter commands below the comment line
!Insert View commands here:.
Append Run Commands Select to get assistance with Adams View simulation commands. See Getting
Assistance with Adams View Commands .
Select and enter any comments you want associated with the script. See
Comments.

If you select Adams Solver Commands:

Adams Solver Commands Enter commands below the comment line
!Insert ACF commands here:.
Append ACF Command Select to get assistance with Adams Solver commands. See Getting Assistance with
Adams Solver Commands.
Select and enter any comments you want associated with the script. See
Comments.

Create/Modify Solver Array

Ribbon menu → Elements tab → Data Elements container → Create/Modify Solver Array

or

(Classic) Build → Data Elements → Array → New/Modify

Creates or modifies a data element Array.
Learn more about data element Arrays.
766 Adams View
Create/Modify Solver Array

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the array.

Tips: You might find it easier to track which array element goes with
which system element if you name the array elements and the
corresponding system elements with like names. For example, the states
(X) array that goes with general state equation GSE_100 would be
ARRAY_100; the inputs (U) array would be ARRAY_101 ; and the
outputs (Y) array would be ARRAY_102 .
Solver ID Assign a unique ID number to the array. See Adams Solver ID.
Comments Add any comments about the array to help you manage and identify the
array. See Comments.
Type Set to:

n General
n Initial Conditions (ICs)
n X (States)
n Y (Outputs)
n U (Inputs)
Learn more about Types of Arrays.
If you selected Define General or Initial Conditions, Adams View displays the following option:
Numbers Enter the values to be stored in the array.

Note: Large number of values pasted into user interface fields or data
tables may result in application instability. MSC recommends
users to enter no more than 1 million data points at a time.
If you selected X (States) or Y (Outputs), Adams View displays the following option:
Size Enter the size of the array.
If you selected U (Inputs), Adams View displays the following option:
Variables Enter the variables to be stored. If the array is used as input to a transfer
function, then you can only enter one variable.
 A - D 767
Create/Modify Spline

Create/Modify Spline

Ribbon menu → Elements tab → Data Elements container → Create/Modify Spline

or

(Classic) Build → Data Element → Spline → New/Modify

The Spline Editor provides a tabular or plot view of your spline data for editing and plotting. You can drag
points on your spline plots and see the effect of different curve-fitting techniques on your spline. You can also
select linear extrapolation and view its effect.
Using the Spline Editor, you can create a two- or three-dimensional splines. Note, however, that the Spline
Editor does not display a three-dimensional spline in plot view.
Learn about Creating Splines Using the Spline Editor.
To set the view of the Spline Editor:
n Set View As to either Tabular Data or Plot.

Note: Large number of values pasted into user interface fields or data tables may result in application
instability. MSC recommends users to enter no more than 1 million data points at a time.

Create/Modify Standard Controls Block

Ribbon menu → Elements tab → Controls Toolkit container → Controls Toolkit

or

(Classic) Build → Controls Toolkit

Displays the Adams View Controls toolkit, which provides basic control elements such as filters, gains, and
PIDs.
Adams View implements these controllers within the model as differential equations (that is, linear
continuous control). You can modify the user-defined control inputs and outputs for later use with Adams
Linear and Adams Controls.
Learn more about Using the Adams View Controls Toolkit.
768 Adams View
Create/Modify Standard Controls Block
 A - D 769
Create/Modify State Variable

Icon Link
Input-Signal Function Block

Summing Junction Block

Gain Block

Integrator Block

Low-Pass Filter Block

Lead-Lag Filter Block

User-Defined Transfer Function Block

Second-Order Filter Block

PID Controller

Switch Block

Create/Modify State Variable

Ribbon menu → Elements tab → System Elements container → Create/Modify State Variable

or

(Classic) Build → System Elements → State Variable → New/Modify

Creates or modifies a state variable.
Learn about:
770 Adams View
Create/Modify String

n Creating and Modifying State Variables

n System Elements

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the state variable.
Definition Set to either:

n Run-time Expression
n User written subroutine
Learn more about Ways to Define State Variables.
F(time...,) = n If you selected Run-time Expression, enter the function expression that

defines the variable. Select the More button to display the Function
Builder and build an expression. See the Adams View Function Builder online
help.
n If you selected User written subroutine, enter constants to the user-
written subroutine VARSUB to define a variable. See the Subroutines
section of the Adams Solver online help.
Routine Specify an alternative library and name for the user subroutine VARSUB. Learn
about specifying routines with ROUTINE Argument.
Guess for F(1, 0..) and Select and then specify an approximate initial value for the variable, if desired.
Adams Solver may adjust the value when it performs an Initial conditions simulation.
Entering an accurate value for initial conditions can help Adams Solver converge
to the initial conditions solution.

Create/Modify String

Ribbon menu → Elements tab → Data Elements container → Create/Modify String

or

(Classic) Build → Data Elements → String → New/Modify

Creates or modifies a string element that defines a character string that you can refer to later in the execution
of Adams View or Adams Solver. The character string cannot be broken and continued on the next line. It can,
however, be longer than a single line. You can use the GTSTRG subroutine to retrieve the character string in a
User-written subroutine. For example, you could use a string element to pass a file name to a user-written
subroutine. For more information, see Subroutines section of the Adams Solver online help.
 A - D 771
Create/Modify Transfer Function

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the string.
String Enter the string values.

Create/Modify Transfer Function

Ribbon menu → Elements tab → System Elements container → Create/Modify Transfer Function

or

(Classic) Build → System Elements → Transfer Function → New/Modify

Creates or modifies a transfer function.
Learn about:
n Creating and Modifying Transfer Functions
n TFSISO statement.
n System Elements

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the transfer function.
Input Array Name (U) Enter the array that defines the input (or control) for the transfer function. The
array must be an inputs (U) array. If you specified the size of the array when you
created it, it must be one.
State Array Name (X) Enter the array that defines the state variable array for the transfer function. The
array must be a states (X) array, and it cannot be used in any other linear state
equation, general state equation, or transfer function. If you specified the size of
the array when you created it, it must be one less than the number of coefficients
in the denominator.
Output Array (Y) Enter the array that defines the output for the transfer function. The array must
be an outputs (Y) array, and it cannot be used in any other linear state equation,
general state equation, or transfer function. If you specify the size of the array
when you created it, its size must be one.
IC Array Name (IC) Enter the array that defines the initial conditions array for the transfer function.
The array must be an IC array, and it cannot be used in any other linear state
equation, general state equation, or transfer function. If you specified the size of
the array when you created it, it must be equal to the size of the state array.
772 Adams View
Create/Modify Wheel and Tire

For the option: Do the following:

Numerator Coefficients Specify the coefficients of the polynomial in the numerator and denominator of
and Denominator the transfer function. List the coefficients in order of ascending power of s,
Coefficients starting with s to the zero power, including any intermediate zero coefficients.
The number of coefficients for the denominator must be greater than or equal to
the number of coefficients for the numerator.
Check Format and Display a plot of the transfer function.
Display Plot
Keep value constant Select whether or not Adams Solver should hold constant the value of the transfer
during static analyses. equation during static and Quasi-static simulations. Learn about Controlling Equilibrium
Values When Using System Elements.
Select to enter comments about the transfer function to help you manage and
identify it. See Comments.

Create/Modify Wheel and Tire

Ribbon menu → Forces tab → Special Forces container → Create/Modify Wheel and Tire

Adds a wheel and tire assembly to your model. Learn about Defining Tires in Adams View.

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name of the wheel-tire assembly to create or modify.
Side (left,right) Select the side of the vehicle on which this wheel-tire assembly will be
located. Some road use this information to apply different inputs to left
and right tires (for example, the 2D stochastic (random) road). If you
are modeling a motorcycle, we recommend selecting left for both the
front and rear wheel tires.
CM Offset Optionally, enter the wheel center of mass offset. This is the distance the
wheel center of mass is offset along the wheel-spin (z) axis from the
wheel center.
 A - D 773
Create/Modify Wheel and Tire

For the option: Do the following:

Mass Enter the mass of wheel (tire and rim). Typically, the mass of the wheel
and tire are lumped together. If you select a property file for PAC2002
with belt dynamics switched on or FTire, the mass and inertia of the
wheel will be corrected with the tire belt mass and inertia.

Note: If the FTire tire property file needs pre-processing the

modification to FTire may take a short while.
The re-distribution of the mass and inertia can be switched off by setting
the environment variable
MSC_ADAMS_TIRE_DIS_M_AND_I=NO.
Ixx Iyy Enter the moment of inertia about the x- and y-axes (camber and steer
axes) of the wheel (tire and rim). Enter one value because Ixx is assumed
to equal Iyy for wheel-tire. If you select a property file for PAC2002 with
belt dynamics switched on or FTire, the mass and inertia of the wheel
will be corrected with the tire belt mass and inertia.

Note: If the FTire tire property file needs pre-processing the

modification to FTire may take a short while.
The re-distribution of the mass and inertia can be switched off by setting
the environment variable
MSC_ADAMS_TIRE_DIS_M_AND_I=NO.
Izz Enter the moment of inertia about the wheel-tire's z- (Spin) axis of the
wheel (tire and rim). Enter one value because Ixx is assumed to equal Iyy
for wheel-tire. If you select a property file for PAC2002 with belt
dynamics switched on or FTire, the mass and inertia of the wheel will be
corrected with the tire belt mass and inertia.

Note: If the FTire tire property file needs pre-processing the

modification to FTire may take a short while.
The re-distribution of the mass and inertia can be switched off by setting
the environment variable
MSC_ADAMS_TIRE_DIS_M_AND_I=NO.
Wheel Center offset (optional) Enter the offset of the wheel center geometry along the z-axis of the
wheel part.
Tire Property File Specify the property file containing the data for the tire. When the dialog
box is first displayed, the default filename mdi_0001.tir appears in the
text box. Use the View File button to view the contents of the tire
property file.

Tips on Entering File Names in Text Boxes.

774 Adams View
Create/Modify Wheel and Tire

For the option: Do the following:

Wheel Initial Velocities Select either:

n Standard: For just defining the longitudinal and spin velocity.

or
n Advanced: For being able to define the initial velocities in all
directions.
If you selected Standard, the following options appears:
Longitudinal Velocity (Optional)

Enter the initial longitudinal velocity of the wheel-tire. The longitudinal

velocity is velocity along the X axis of the wheel-tire.
Spin Velocity (Optional)

Enter the initial spin velocity of the wheel-tire. The spin velocity is the
rotational velocity of the wheel-tire about its z-axis in negative direction.
A good approximation of the initial spin velocity is the longitudinal
velocity divided by the unloaded radius of the tire:

Spin Velocity = Longitudinal Velocity / Unloaded Radius

If you selected Advanced, the following options appears:
Translational velocity along (Optional)

Select the reference (VM) marker for the translational initial velocities:

n Ground, or select a specific marker

Check the initial velocity axis to be used and specify the initial velocity
value:

n X axis
n Y axis
n Z axis
 A - D 775
Create/Modify Wheel and Tire

For the option: Do the following:

Angular velocity about (Optional)

Select the reference (WM) marker for the angular initial velocities:

n Wheel Center Marker (CM), or select a specific marker

Check the initial velocity axis to be used and specify the initial velocity
value:

n X axis
n Y axis
n Z axis
Road Enter the name of an existing road property file. To create a road, right-
click the text box, point to vpg_road, and then select Create. The
Create/Modify Road dialog box appears. The road determines the input
your tire sees—rough or smooth, wet or dry, and so on.
Location and Orientation
Location Enter the location of the wheel center.
Orient using Select either Euler Angles or Direction Vectors.
Euler Angles Enter the euler angles (body 3,1,3 angles) to orient the wheel-tire
assembly.
X Vector Enter the x-direction vector. The x- and z- direction vectors determine
the x,y,z orientation of the wheel-tire in the following way:

n Z = z-vector / | z-vector |
n Y = z-vector x x-vector / | z vector x x-
vector |
n X = Y x Z / | Y x Z |
For more information on XP-ZP method, see the argument XP in the
MARKER statement.
Z Vector Enter the z-direction vector (see X Vector above).
Select to add any comments about the variable to help you manage and
identify it. See Comments.

Select to display the contents of the road or tire property file in the
Information window. This helps you determine what kind of road the file
models.
776 Adams View
Create/Modify model

Create/Modify model

Main Menu → File handling Strip → Create a new model

or

(Classic) Build → Model → New/Modify

Creates or modifies a Model. You can store more than one model in a Modeling database. You may find it helpful
to store multiple models in the same database because it lets you:
n Keep multiple versions of the same mechanical system in the same file.
n Store models of subsystems in one file that you want to combine and simulate as a whole.
n Compare results between models.

For the option: Do the following:

Model Name Enter a name for the model. You can enter up to 80 alphanumeric characters.
You cannot include special characters, such as spaces or periods.
Copy gravity settings of Only available if creating a model.
current model.
Select whether or not you want to use the same gravity settings as the current
model in your database. Learn about Specifying Gravitational Force.
Select to add any comments about the marker to help you manage and identify
it. See Comments.

Create Section
In all cases the Section is normal to the node's X direction. The section dimensions correspond to the node's
Y and Z directions as shown below. For details, see section Orientation of FE Part Nodes.
 A - D 777
Create Section
778 Adams View
Create Section

For the option: Do the following:

Cross Section Select one of the following:

n Solid Rectangle
n Base - The width of the rectangle (dimension in node's z direction).
n Height - The height of the rectangle (dimension in node's y direction).
 A - D 779
Create Section

For the option: Do the following:

n Hollow Rectangle
n Base - The outer width of the rectangular shell (dimension in node's z direction).
n Height - The height of the outer rectangular shell (dimension in node's y direction).
n Thickness - Uniform width of the wall of the rectangular shell.

n Solid Circle
n Radius - Radius of the circular cross-section.

n Hollow Circle
n Radius - Outer radius of the circular shell.
n Thickness - Width of the wall of the circular shell.
780 Adams View
Create Section

For the option: Do the following:

n I-Beam
n Base - Enter the width of the I-beam (dimension in node's z direction).
n Height - Enter the height of I-beam (dimension in node's y direction).
n Flange - Enter the width of the flange of the I-beam.
n Web - Enter the width of the web of the beam.
 A - D 781
Create Section

For the option: Do the following:

n Properties
n Area - Specify the uniform area of the beam cross section. The centroidal axis must be
orthogonal to this cross section.
n Iyz - Enter the product of inertia with respect to the y and z axes.
n Iyy, Izz - Enter the area moments of inertia about the neutral axes of the beam-cross
sectional areas (y-y and z-z). These are sometimes referred to as the second moments of
area about a given axis. They are expressed as unit length to the fourth power.
n Jxx - Enter the polar moment of inertia. It is the torsional constant which is used to
assemble the torsional equation of motion describing the ability to resist torque.
n Ellipse
n Major axis (a): The longest diameter of an ellipse (dimension in node's z direction).
n Minor axis (b): The shortest diameter of an ellipse (dimension in node's y direction).
782 Adams View
Create Section

For the option: Do the following:

n Generic
n Section's "Z" corresponds to Node's "Z".
n Section's "Y" corresponds to Node's "Y".

n Fill Table: Click to fill the table with the created points.
n Erase: Click to clear the created points.
n Closed: Enforces that the section polyline close upon itself. This is the only option
which the FE Part supports.
 A - D 783
Custom Inertial Modeling

Notes: n For FE Part results to be accurate, you need the centroid of the cross-section to lie on the
FE Part centerline. Adams View does this automatically when using the standard section
types for which it supports native-Adams geometry creation (solid
elliptical/circular/rectangular and I-Bar).
n For a user-drawn cross-section, you must draw it such that its centroid ends up at X,Y=0,0
in the drawing box.
n For user-imported geometry, you must locate/orient it such that…
n one end is located co-incident with the node at S=0 (via ref mar)
n the centroid of the cross-section lies along the FE Part centerline
n the geometry is not longer than the FE Part centerline

Custom Inertial Modeling

Flexible Body Modify dialog box → Custom
Use to select the inertia invariants to define the modal formulation of the flexible body. Use the Tool tips to
help you decide which invariants to select. Learn more about defining the modal formulation.

Cut Tool

Ribbon menu → Bodies tab → Booleans container → Cut Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Bodies/Geometry → Cut Tool

Removes the volume where one solid intersects another solid to create a new solid. It subtracts the geometry
of the second part that you select from the geometry of the first part. The remaining geometry belongs to the
second part that you selected. The following is an example of cutting a solid:
784 Adams View
Cut Tool

You cannot cut the geometry so that the remaining geometry is split into two solids. For example, you cannot
cut a block from the center of a cylinder so that two cylinders remain after the cut. The following is an
example of cutting a solid into two solids:

If a part completely envelopes another part, you cannot cut that part from the enveloped part because no
geometry would result. For example, if a box completely envelopes a sphere, you cannot cut the box from the
sphere and leave a zero mass part. The following is an example of cutting a solid into a zero-mass part

:Learn about Cutting a Solid.

 A - D 785
Cylinder Tool

Cylinder Tool

Ribbon menu → Bodies tab → Solids container → Cylinder Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Bodies/Geometry → Cylinder Tool

Creates a Solid geometry with a circular base. You draw the cylinder’s centerline and Adams View creates the
cylinder with a radius 25% of the length of the centerline. Before you draw a cylinder, you can also specify
its length and radius:

The Cylinder tool draws the centerline of the cylinder in the plane of the screen or the Working grid, if you
have it turned on.
786 Adams View
Cylindrical Joint Tool

Learn about Creating a Cylinder.

For the option: Do the following:

New Part/Add to Select either:
Part/On Ground
n New Part - Creates a new part.
n Add to Part - Adds the cylinder to another part in your model.
n On Ground - Adds the cylinder to ground.
Note: Add the geometry to ground if the geometry does not move or
influence the simulation of your model. For example, if you are
simulating a car driving around a race track, the geometry that
defines the race track can be added to ground.
Length Enter the length of a cylinder, if desired.
Radius Enter a radius, if desired.

If you do not enter a radius, Adams View creates the cylinder with a radius 25%
of the length of the center line.

Note: Two hotpoints appear after you draw a cylinder. One lets you modify the length of the cylinder
and one lets you set its radius. For more information on modifying geometry using hotpoints,
see Using Hotpoints to Graphically Modify Geometry.

Cylindrical Joint Tool

Ribbon menu → Connectors tab → Joints container → Cylindrical Joint Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Joints → Cylindrical Joint Tool

Creates a cylindrical joint that allows both relative rotation as well as relative translation of one part with
respect to another part. A cylindrical joint can be located anywhere along the axis about which the parts can
rotate or slide with respect to each other.

The orientation of the cylindrical joint defines the direction of the axis about which the parts can rotate or
slide along with respect to each other. The rotational axis of the cylindrical joint is parallel to the orientation
vector and passes through the location.
 A - D 787
Cylindrical Joint Tool

Learn about:
n Creating Idealized Joints
n Adding Friction to Idealized Joints
788 Adams View
Data Element Create Array U Input Array

For the option: Do the following:

1 Location (Bodies Set how you want the joint connected to parts:
Implicit)/
n 1 Location (Bodies Implicit) - Lets you select the location of the joint and
2 Bodies - 1 Location/ have Adams View determine the two parts that should be connected.
Adams View selects the parts closest to the joint location. If there is only
2 Bodies - 2 Locations one part near the joint, Adams View connects the joint to that part and
ground.
n 2 Bodies - 1 Location - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint. The joint remains
fixed on the first part and moves relative to the second part.
n 2 Bodies - 2 Locations - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint on each part. You
should use this option if you are working in exploded view. For more on
exploded view, see Initial Conditions Tool.
Learn about Connecting Constraints to Parts.
Normal to Grid/ Set how you want the joint oriented:

Pick Feature n Normal to Grid - Lets you orient the joint along the current Working grid, if
it is displayed, or normal to the screen.
n Pick Feature - Lets you orient the joint along a direction vector on a
feature in your model, such as the face of a part.
First Body/Second Body Set the bodies on which you want to attach the joint. Select either:
(only appears if you select
to explicitly define the n Pick Body - Select to attach the joint to a body.
bodies using the options 2 n Pick Curve - Select to attach the joint to a curve. If you select to attach the
Bodies - 1 Location or 2 joint to a curve, Adams View creates a curve marker, and the joint follows
Bodies - 2 Locations the line of the curve. Learn more about curve markers with Marker Modify
explained above) dialog box help. Attaching the joint to a spline curve is only available with
Adams Solver (C++). Learn about switching solvers with Solver Settings -
Executable dialog box help.

Data Element Create Array U Input Array

Ribbon menu → Elements Tab → Controls Toolkit container → U Input Array
or

(Classic) Build → Controls Toolkit → U Input Array

Groups together a set of variables to define the inputs for a system element, either linear state equation, general
state equation, or transfer function.
 A - D 789
Data Element Create Array X State Array

Learn about Using the Adams View Controls Toolkit.

For the option: Do the following:

Array Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the array.
Adams Id Assign a unique ID number to the array. See Adams Solver ID.
Comments Add any comments about the array to help you manage and identify it. See Comments.
Size Specify the size of the array.

If you enter a size, it should match the number of variables. Adams View provides the
size parameter mainly for your convenience in model creation (it is not required).
Variable Name Enter the list of variables.

Data Element Create Array X State Array

Ribbon menu → Elements Tab → Controls Toolkit container → X State Array
or

(Classic) Build → Controls Toolkit → X State Array

Defines a list of state variables (X) associated with a system element, such as a linear state equation, general
state equation, or transfer function. To use this array, you must reference the array name as the state variable
array in the system element definition. You can use each X state array with only one system element in your
model.

For the option: Do the following:

Array Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the array.
Adams ID Assign a unique ID number to the array. See Adams Solver ID.
Comments Add any comments about the array to help you manage and identify it. See Comments.
Size Specify the size of the array. The corresponding system element automatically
determines the size of the array and checks it against the size you entered.

n For linear state equation, the X state array size is the row dimension of the A
state matrix.
n For transfer functions, the transformation from polynomial ratio type to
canonical state space type internally determines the X state array size.
n For general state equations, the X state array size is the state equation count as
defined in the general state equation.
790 Adams View
Data Element Create Array Y Output Array

Data Element Create Array Y Output Array

Ribbon menu → Elements Tab → Controls Toolkit container → Y Output Array
or

(Classic) Build → Controls Toolkit → Y Output Array

Specifies the output array for a system element, either linear state equation, general state equation, or transfer
function. To use these arrays, you must reference the array name as the output array in the system element
definition. You can use each Y output array with only a single system element.
Learn about Using the Adams View Controls Toolkit.

For the option: Do the following:

Array Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the array.
Adams Id Assign a unique ID number to the array. See Adams Solver ID.
Comments Add any comments about the array to help you manage and identify the array. See
Comments.
Size Specify the size of the array. The corresponding system's modeling element
automatically determines the size of the array and checks it against the size you
entered.

n For linear state equations, the Y output array size is the row dimension of the
C output matrix or the D feedforward matrix.
n For transfer functions, the Y output array size is always 1.
n For general state equations, the Y output array size is the output equation
count, as defined in the general state equation.

Data Element Create Curve

Ribbon menu → Elements Tab → Data Elements container → Curve

or

(Classic) Build → Data Elements → Curve → New

Creates a data element curve.
Learn more about Curves.
 A - D 791
Data Element Create Curve

For the option: Do the following:

Curve Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the curve.
Adams Id Assign a unique ID number to the curve. See Adams Solver ID.
Comments Add any comments about the curve to help you manage and identify it.
See Comments.
Closed Set to either no to create an open curve or yes to create a closed curve.
Define Using Matrix/ Set to either:

Define Using Subroutine n Define Using Matrix

n Define Using Subroutine
Learn about Defining Data Element Curves.
If you selected Define Using Matrix, the following option appears:
Matrix Name Enter the matrix name.
Interpolation Order Specify the order of the b-spline interpolating the curve. The order is 1
plus the degree of the functions used to define the spline. The order also
affects the number of points used to determine each spline segment. For
example, splines of order 2 are basically polylines, while the segments
used to create an spline of order 4 are of the 3rd order. 4 is the default
order of splines, which is a cubic b-sline.

Note: B-splines of order K will have K - 2 continious derivatives. The

discontinuities appear where the polynomial segments joint
together. Increasing the order of the b-spline arbitrarily may
introduce unwanted oscillation into the curve.
If you selected Define Using Subroutine, the following options appear:
User Function Enter parameters to the user-written subroutine CURSUB. Enter the user
function using the following format where r1 through r30 are constants
passed to the subroutine:

r1, ..., r30

Learn About Specifying a Subroutine.
Minimum Parameter Enter the minimum value of the curve parameter for a user-written curve.
Maximum Parameter Enter the maximum value of the curve parameter for a user-written curve.
Routine Specify an alternative library and name for the subroutine. Learn about
specifying routines with ROUTINE Argument.
792 Adams View
Data Element Create Plant Input

Data Element Create Plant Input

Ribbon menu → Elements Tab → Data Elements container → Plant Input

or

(Classic) Build → Controls Toolkit → Plant Input

(Classic) Build → Data Elements → Plant → Plant Input → New...

Interactive Simulation dialog box → Linear States Tool → Right-click Plant Input text box
Defines a set of inputs (state variables) to the mechanical system that Adams Solver recognizes as system input
during an Adams Linear simulation. When you run any other type of simulation, the plant input acts only as
a pointer to the list of the specified variables.
Both function expressions and user-written subroutines can access the plant input:
n Function expressions access the values by using the Adams Solver function PINVAL(i i), where i
specifies the PINPUT ID and i specifies the ith variable in the plant input list. Note that i is not the
ID of the variable.
n User-written subroutines call the subroutine SYSFNC to access single elements of the plant input list
and call the subroutine SYSARY to access all values for a PINPUT (see the Subroutines section of the
Adams Solver online help).
Learn more:
n Plant Inputs and Outputs
n Ways to Use Plant Input and Output

Note: Variables can appear in more than one plant input. This allows you to output two or more sets
of state matrices at the same time.

For the option: Do the following:

Plant Input Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the plant input.
Adams Id Assign a unique ID number to the plant input. See Adams Solver ID.
Comments Add any comments about the plant input to help you manage and identify it. See
Comments.
Variable Name Enter the list of variables.
 A - D 793
Data Element Create Plant Output

Data Element Create Plant Output

Ribbon menu → Elements Tab → Data Elements container → Plant Output

or

(Classic) Build → Controls Toolkit → Plant Output

(Classic) Build → Data Elements → Plant → Plant Output → New ...

Interactive Simulation dialog box → Linear States Tool → Right-click Plant Output text box
Defines a set of output (state variables) that Adams Solver recognizes as system output during an Adams Linear
simulation. When you run any other type of simulation, the plant output acts only as a pointer to the list of
the specified variables.
Both function expressions and user-written subroutines can access the plant output:
n Function expressions access the values by using the Adams Solver function POUVAL(i1,i2), where i1
specifies the plant output ID, and i2 specifies the i2th variable in the plant output list. Note that i2
is not the ID of the variable.
n User-written subroutines access single elements of the plant output list and call the subroutine
SYSFNC to access all values for a POUTPUT by calling the subroutine SYSARY (see the Subroutines
section of the Adams Solver online help).

Note: Variables can appear in more than one plant output. This allows you to output two or more
sets of state matrices at the same time.

Learn more:
n Plant Inputs and Outputs
n Ways to Use Plant Input and Output

For the option: Do the following:

Plant Output Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the plant output.
Adams Id Assign a unique ID number to the plant output. See Adams Solver ID.
Comments Add any comments about the plant output to help you manage and identify it.
See Comments.
Variable Name Enter the list of variables.

Data Element Create Plant State

Ribbon menu → Elements Tab → Data Elements container → Plant State

794 Adams View
Data Element Create Spline

Build → Controls Toolkit → Plant State

Build → Data Elements → Plant → Plant State → New ...

Interactive Simulation dialog box → Linear States Tool → Right-click Plant State text box
Adams Solver (C++) only. Learn about switching solvers with Solver Settings - Executable dialog box help.
Adams Linear requires a minimum representation of the system to generate the state matrix from which
eigenvalues can be computed. For non-stationary systems, the state matrix is a function of the states used to
linearize the system. This dialog box lets you to define a set of states that are to be used in the linearization
scheme. You can specify as many states as there are degrees-of-freedom. If a smaller set of states are provided,
then the system will "fill in" by choosing a set of internally available states for the ones that were not explicitly
specified. If too many states are specified, Adams Solver identifies and discards the redundant states.
Plant states are a list of variables. The variables contain expressions that specify the states that are to be used
in linearizing the system. Plant state objects are defined in the model. The LINEAR command can instruct
Adams Solver to use a specific plant state object for generating the linear model. A model can contain any
number of plant state objects. You can use any one of them with the LINEAR command.
n For more information, see the Adams Solver (C++) LINEAR command.
n For theoretical details, see the white paper in Simcompanion Knowledge Base Article KB8016460.
n For an example of using PSTATE, see Simcompanion Knowledge Base Article KB8016414.

For the option: Do the following:

Plant State Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the plant state.
Adams Id Assign a unique ID number to the plant state. See Adams Solver ID.
Comments Add any comments about the plant state to help you manage and
identify it. See Comments.
Variable Name Enter the list of variables.
Create State Variable for Plant State Displays the Create State Variable for Plant State dialog box, which
allows you to create state variables for use in a plant state object.

Data Element Create Spline

Ribbon menu → Elements Tab → Data Elements container → Spline with Numeric data or from Results

or

(Classic) Build → Data Elements → Spline → General

Creates data element splines using the general method.
 A - D 795
Data Element Create Spline

Learn more about creating and modifying data element Splines.

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Spline Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the spline.
Adams Id Assign a unique ID number to the spline. See Adams Solver ID.
Comments Add any comments about the spline to help you manage and identify it.
See Comments.
Linear Extrapolate Set to yes to extrapolate a spline by applying a linear function over the first
or last two data points. By default, for user-defined files, Adams Solver
extrapolates a spline that exceeds a defined range by applying a parabolic
function over the first or last three data points. For RPC III or DAC files,
the default method of extrapolation is zero-order (constant).

Learn about Curve-Fitting Techniques in Adams View.

Units Enter the units that you want assigned for values in your spline.
File/Result Set Set to:
Component/Numerical
n File
n Result Set Component
n Numerical
If you selected File, the following options appear:
File Name Enter the name of the file.
Block Name If desired, enter the block within the file from which you want Adams View
to take the data. The block must be specifically named in the file.
Channel Set the channel from which to take the data. This option is for use with
time response data in RPC III files only. For more information, see Adams
Durability online help.
Routine The ROUTINE argument allows you to optionally specify an alternative
library and user subroutine name for some or all elements.
If you selected Numerical, the following options appear:
796 Adams View
Data Element Modify Curve

For the option: Do the following:

X, Y, Z Enter the x, y, and, optionally, z values in the text boxes.

n Specify at least four x and y values. The maximum number of x

values, n, depends on whether you specify a single curve or a
family of curves.
n Values must be constants; Adams Solver does not allow
expressions.
n Values must be in increasing order: x1 < x2 < x3 , and so on.
Note: Large number of values pasted into user interface fields or data
tables may result in application instability. MSC recommends
users to enter no more than 1 million data points at a time.
If you selected Result Set Components, the following options appear:
X, Y, Z Result Set Enter the Result set components to be used for the x, y, and z values in the text
Component boxes.

Data Element Modify Curve

Ribbon menu → Elements Tab → Data Elements container → Curve

or

(Classic) Build → Data Elements → Curve → Modify

Modify a data element curve.
Learn more about working with data element Curves.

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Curve Name Enter the name of the curve being modified.
Adams Id Assign a unique ID number to the curve. See Adams Solver ID.
Comments Add any comments about the curve to help you manage and identify it. See
Comments.
Closed Set to either no to create an open curve or yes to create a closed curve.

Learn About Specifying Open or Closed Curves.

 A - D 797
Data Element Modify Plant Input

For the option: Do the following:

Define Using Matrix/ Set to either:

Define Using n Define Using Matrix

Subroutine n Define Using Subroutine
Learn about Defining Data Element Curves.
If you selected Define Using Matrix, the following option appears:
Matrix Name Enter the matrix name.
Interpolation Order Specify the order of the b-spline interpolating the curve. The order is 1 plus the
degree of the functions used to define the spline. The order also affects the number
of points used to determine each spline segment. For example, splines of order 2
are basically polylines, while the segments used to create an spline of order 4 are of
the 3rd order. 4 is the default order of splines, which is a cubic b-sline.

Note: B-splines of order K will have K - 2 continious derivatives. The

discontinuities appear where the polynomial segments joint together.
Increasing the order of the b-spline arbitrarily may introduce unwanted
oscillation into the curve.
If you selected Define Using Subroutine, the following options appear:
User Function Specify up to 30 values to pass to the user-written subroutine.
Minimum Parameter Enter the minimum value of the curve parameter for a user-written curve.
Maximum Parameter Enter the maximum value of the curve parameter for a user-written curve.
Routine Enter the function to be called. The default is CURSUB.

Data Element Modify Plant Input

Ribbon menu → Elements Tab → Data Elements container → Plant Input

or

(Classic) Build → Data Elements → Plant → Plant Input → Modify...

Modifies a set of inputs (state variables) to the mechanical system that Adams Solver recognizes as system
input during an Adams Linear simulation. When you run any other type of simulation, the plant input acts
only as a pointer to the list of the specified variables.
Both function expressions and user-written subroutines can access the plant input:
n Function expressions access the values by using the Adams Solver function PINVAL(i i), where i
specifies the PINPUT ID and i specifies the ith variable in the plant input list. Note that i is not the
ID of the variable.
798 Adams View
Data Element Modify Plant Output

n User-written subroutines call the subroutine SYSFNC to access single elements of the plant input list
and call the subroutine SYSARY to access all values for a PINPUT (see the Subroutines section of the
Adams Solver online help).
Learn more:
n Plant Inputs and Outputs
n Ways to Use Plant Input and Output

Note: Variables can appear in more than one plant input. This allows you to output two or more sets
of state matrices at the same time.

For the option: Do the following:

Plant Input Name Select an exisitng plant input.
New Plant Input Name Enter the new name that you want assigned to the plant input.
Adams Id Assign a unique ID number to the plant input. See Adams Solver ID.
Comments Add any comments about the plant input to help you manage and identify it.
See Comments.
Variable Name Enter the list of variables.

Data Element Modify Plant Output

Ribbon menu → Elements Tab → Data Elements container → Plant Output

or

(Classic) Build → Data Elements → Plant → Plant Output → Modify ...

Modifies a set of output (state variables) that Adams Solver recognizes as system output during an Adams Linear
simulation. When you run any other type of simulation, the plant output acts only as a pointer to the list of
the specified variables.
Both function expressions and user-written subroutines can access the plant output:
n Function expressions access the values by using the Adams Solver function POUVAL(i1,i2), where i1
specifies the plant output ID, and i2 specifies the i2th variable in the plant output list. Note that i2
is not the ID of the variable.
n User-written subroutines access single elements of the plant output list and call the subroutine
SYSFNC to access all values for a POUTPUT by calling the subroutine SYSARY (see the Subroutines
section of the Adams Solver online help).
 A - D 799
Data Element Modify Plant State

Note: Variables can appear in more than one plant output. This allows you to output two or more
sets of state matrices at the same time.

Learn more:
n Plant Inputs and Outputs
n Ways to Use Plant Input and Output

For the option: Do the following:

Plant Output Name Select an exisitng plant output.
New Plant Output Name Enter the new name that you want assigned to the plant output.
Adams Id Assign a unique ID number to the plant output. See Adams Solver ID.
Comments Add any comments about the plant output to help you manage and identify it.
See Comments.
Variable Name Enter the list of variables.

Data Element Modify Plant State

Ribbon menu → Elements Tab → Data Elements container → Plant State

or

(Classic) Build → Controls Toolkit → Plant State

(Classic) Build → Data Elements → Plant → Plant State → Modify ...

Interactive Simulation dialog box → Linear States Tool → Right-click Plant State text box
Adams Solver (C++) only. Learn about switching solvers with Solver Settings - Executable dialog box help.
Adams Linear requires a minimum representation of the system to generate the state matrix from which
eigenvalues can be computed. For non-stationary systems, the state matrix is a function of the states used to
linearize the system. This dialog box lets you to define a set of states that are to be used in the linearization
scheme. You can specify as many states as there are degrees-of-freedom. If a smaller set of states are provided,
then the system will "fill in" by choosing a set of internally available states for the ones that were not explicitly
specified. If too many states are specified, Adams Solver identifies and discards the redundant states.
Plant states are a list of variables. The variables contain expressions that specify the states that are to be used
in linearizing the system. Plant state objects are defined in the model. The LINEAR command can instruct
Adams Solver to use a specific plant state object for generating the linear model. A model can contain any
number of plant state objects. You can use any one of them with the LINEAR command.
n For more information, see the Adams Solver (C++) LINEAR command.
n For theoretical details, see the white paper in Simcompanion Knowledge Base Article KB8016460.
800 Adams View
Data Element Modify Spline

n For an example of using PSTATE, see Simcompanion Knowledge Base Article KB8016414.

For the option: Do the following:

Plant State Name Enter the name of existing plant state.
New Plant State Name Enter a new name of plant state.
Adams Id Assign a unique ID number to the plant state. See Adams Solver ID.
Comments Add any comments about the plant state to help you manage and
identify it. See Comments.
Variable Name Enter the list of variables.
Create State Variable for Plant State Displays the Create State Variable for Plant State dialog box, which
allows you to create state variables for use in a plant state object.

Data Element Modify Spline

Ribbon menu → Elements Tab → Data Elements container → Spline

or

(Classic) Build → Data Elements → Spline → Modify

Modifies a spline created using the general method and a file as input.
Learn more about creating and modifying data element Splines.

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Spline Name Enter the name of the spline to modify.
New Spline Name Enter a new name for the spline, if desired.
Adams Id Assign a unique ID number to the spline. See Adams Solver ID.
Comments Add any comments about the spline to help you manage and identify it. See
Comments.
Linear Extrapolate Set to yes to extrapolate a spline by applying a linear function over the first or
last two data points. By default, for user-defined files, Adams Solver
extrapolates a spline that exceeds a defined range by applying a parabolic
function over the first or last three data points. For RPC III or DAC files, the
default method of extrapolation is zero-order (constant).

Learn about Curve-Fitting Techniques in Adams View.

Units Enter the units that you want assigned for values in your spline.
 A - D 801
Database Navigator

For the option: Do the following:

File/Result Set Set to:
Component/Numerical
n File
n Result Set Component
n Numerical
If you selected File, the following options appear:
File Name Enter the name of the file.
Block Name If desired, enter the block within the file from which you want Adams View
to take the data. The block must be specifically named in the file.
Channel Set the channel from which to take the data. This option is for use with time
response data in RPC III files only. For more information, see Adams Durability
online help.
Routine The ROUTINE argument allows you to optionally specify an alternative
library and user subroutine name for some or all elements.
If you selected Numerical, the following options appear:
X, Y, Z Enter the x, y, and, optionally, z values in the text boxes.

n Specify at least four x and y values. The maximum number of x

values, n , depends on whether you specify a single curve or a family
of curves.
n Values must be constants; Adams Solver does not allow expressions.
n Values must be in increasing order:
x1 < x2 < x3 , and so on.
Note: Large number of values pasted into user interface fields or data
tables may result in application instability. MSC recommends users
to enter no more than 1 million data points at a time.
If you selected Result Set Components, the following options appear:
X, Y, Z Result Set Enter the Result set components to be used for the x, y, and z values in the text
Component boxes.

Database Navigator
Tools → Database Navigator Shared Dialog Box
Displays the types of objects appropriate for the command you are executing and shows objects in their
database hierarchy. You can browse for objects or set it to rename objects, view information about the objects
and view dependencies. You can also set a filter for the types of objects displayed in the Database Navigator.
Learn more about Database Navigator.
802 Adams View
Database Storage

For the option: Do the following:

Pull-Down Menu Use the pull-down menu to choose a mode option. Select one:

n Browse (the default; the options on this page describe Browse)

n Display Attribute
n Rename
n Comments
n Information
n Topology By Parts
n Topology By Connections
n Graphical Topology
n Associativity
n Select List
Filter Select if you want to filter the types and names that you want displayed in the Database
Navigator. Then, enter the name of the objects you want to display in the text box and
use the pull-down menu to the right to select the type of object(s) you want to display.
You can also use the pull-down menu below the Filter text box to only display those
objects that are active or inactive.
Sort by Use the pull-down menu to choose how you want the objects sorted. You can also
select to not sort the objects so they appear in the order they are stored in the modeling
database.
Highlight Off by default. Select if you want an object to appear selected in the main window and
the reverse.
Use the plus sign (+) or the minus (-) (--) signs to display or hide all of the children
hidden/shown in the tree view.

Database Storage
Settings → Solver → Output → More → Output Category → Database Storage
Selecting Database Storage as the Output Category in the Solver Settings dialog box, lets you set how Adams
View handles the results for:
n Single Simulations - As you perform a single Simulation, Adams View stores the results of the
simulation under the current model in your Modeling database. By default, when you perform another
simulation, Adams View overwrites the results of the previous simulation. You can store simulations
results in your database after a simulation has finished so that Adams View does not overwrite them.
For information on saving the results of individual simulation, see Saving Simulation Results.
 A - D 803
Database Storage

n Multi-run Simulations - For a parametric analysis, Adams View stores the parametric analysis (multi-
run) results in an analysis object called Last_Multi. This analysis is not a full analysis—it simply
contains a summary of the design variable variations and Objective values for each model that was
analyzed in the parametric study. Unless you rename or copy Last_Multi before running another
parametric analysis, subsequent parametric study summaries will overwrite Last_Multi.
Saving Multi-Run simulations does not save each individual trial resulit simply saves a summary of
the parametric study. To save each individual trial result, use Save Analysis for Individual
Simulations.
Parametric analyses can run many simulations. Use care in saving individual analyses and/or mult-
run analyses. It is possible to exhaust the memory or file space available on your computer. Running
out of memory or file space can lead to unpredictable system problems, and cause the parametric
analysis to fail.
You can use measures to compare specific data between runs without saving all the results. Create and
display a measure for the data of interest, then select Save Curves under the Display settings of the
Solver Settings dialog box. Adams View charts the measure for each simulation and saves all the
curves. At the end, you have a strip chart showing the measure for all simulations.
Stored simulation results remain in your modeling database when you save your modeling database. Be
careful not to save more simulation results than you need since they require quite a bit of storage space. To
delete simulation results from your modeling database, see Deleting Simulation Results.

For the option: Do the following:

Single Simulations
Save Analysis Set to Yes to automatically store simulation results in the modeling database.
Prefix After selecting Save Analysis, enter the prefix you want Adams View to use as the name
of each simulation. Adams View appends a unique number to the prefix to form the
complete name of the new analysis object.
Multi-Run Simulations
Save Analysis Set to Yes to automatically a copies the parametric analysis results to a permanent
location when the analysis is complete.
804 Adams View
Defaults Names

For the option: Do the following:

Prefix After selecting Save Analysis, enter the name you want to use for each analysis object.
Adams View appends a unique number to the prefix to form the complete name of the
new analysis object. Adams View creates the new analysis under the model you
analyzed.
Stop on error Set to Yes a to stop the parametric analysis if Adams Solver encounters an error during
a simulation. If you set it to No, Adams Solver continues running simulations even if
a simulation fails or another error occurs. Use care if you turn this option off.
Optimizations probably do not recover well from an error. In some cases, you may
want to continue a Design study or Design of experiments (DOE) even if a few of the
simulations fail.
One Parasolid Set to Yes to instruct Adams to write out the parasolid file of the model geometry only
for the first run during a parametric analysis. Can save time and disk space in
situations when the model geometry is not changing from run-to-run.

Defaults Names
Settings → Names → Dialogs
Allows you to determine whether Adams View uses full object names, short object names, or Adams Solver
IDs when displaying run-time functions or object names in the Information Window and dialog boxes. This also
determines the naming the Function Builder Assist box uses for object names or Adams Solver IDs to generate
run-time functions.
Settings → Names → Icons

Allows you to determine whether Adams View uses full object names, short object names, or Adams Solver
IDs when displaying graphics items on the graphics window.
 A - D 805
Delete Group

For the option: Do the following:

Display database Dialogs Choose from the following:
references using
n Full Names - The object's full name. For example:
DX(Model_1.Part_2.Mar_15).
n Short Names - Only the specific portion of the object's name
required to uniquely identify it. Example: DX(Mar_15).
n Adams IDs - An integer used to identify the object in Adams
Solver dataset (.adm) file. Example: DX(15). If you select
Adams IDs, then Adams View displays short names for cases
that do not involve functions (object names in dialog box text
boxes).
Display database Icons Choose from the following:
references using
n Full Names - Displays full hierarchy minus model name. For
example PART.MARKER
n Short Names - Displays focal object name only. For example
MARKER.
n Adams IDs - An integer used to identify the object in Adams
Solver dataset (.adm) file. If you select Adams IDs, then Adams
view displays Adams Solver ID number only.

Note: Regardless of the option you choose, you can enter the object's full or short name or its Adams
Solver ID while writing functions.

Delete Group
Model Browser → Groups tab → Select Group name right click and delete
or

Build → Ungroup
Ungroups a Group of objects.
Learn about the procedures for Grouping and Ungrouping Objects.

For the option: Do the following:

Group Name Enter the name of the group of objects you want to ungroup.

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

806 Adams View
Design Evaluation Results Table

Design Evaluation Results Table

Ribbon menu → Design Exploration tab → Design Evalution container → Evaluate All With Default Analysis tool →

or

(Classic) Simulate → Design Evaluation →

Allows you to create a report of the results of the Parametric analyses in a table. Learn more about Generating a
Table.

For the option: Do the following:

Result Set Enter the parametric analysis result set you want to display.
Column Width Enter values for the column.
Precision Enter values for the precision.
Format Select either Automatic, Exponential, or Fixed.
File Name Enter the file name if you want to write the table to a file.
Display in Information Select if you want to display the table in the Information window. Adams View
Window displays the Information window showing a tabular summary.

Design Evaluation Tools

Ribbon menu → Design Exploration tab → Design Evalution container → Evaluate All With Default Analysis tool

or

Simulate → Design Evaluation

Allows you to begin a parametric analysis.
Note that some of the options change depending on what you are creating.
Learn more about parametric analyses with Parameterization Basics.
 A - D 807
Design Evaluation Tools

For the option: Do the following:

Model Enter the name of the model to simulate.
Simulation Script Enter the name of the simulation Script to use.
Study a Select either Measure or Objective to define the type of objective you are using.

n If you selected Measure, select Last, Minimum, Maximum, or

Average from the pull-down menu, and then enter the name of the
measure in the text box.
n If you selected Objective, enter the name of the objective in the
Objective text box. Optimizations are limited to one objective. You
can monitor more than one objective in a Design study or Design of
experiments (DOE), however, by entering more than one name separated
by a comma.
Select Design Study, Design of Experiments, or Optimization.

Note that each type displays some different dialog box options. Learn about options available for all types.
Design Study
Design Variable Enter the name of the design variable that you want to vary.
Default Levels Enter the number of levels (values) you want to use only if you specified a
range for the design variable.

n If you specified a range for the design variable, Adams View uses
equally spaced levels across the range. You specify the number of levels
in the Default Levels text box.
n If you specified a list of values for the design variable, Adams View
runs a simulation using each value, ignoring the Default Levels text
box.
Start Begins the simulation.

After you select Start, Adams View runs a simulation for each level of the
design variable. When the simulations are done, Adams View returns the
variable to its original value.
Design of Experiments
Design Variables Enter the name of the design variable that you want to vary.
Default Levels Enter the number of levels (values) you want to use only if you specified a
range for the design variable.
808 Adams View
Design Evaluation Tools

For the option: Do the following:

Trials defined by Select either Built-In DOE Technique, Direct Input, or File Input from the
pull-down menu.

n If you selected built-in techniques, use the DOE Technique pull-

down menu (see below) to select the technique. If you want to check
that the variables have the same number of levels and display the
required number of runs, select Check Variables, Guess # of Runs.
n If you selected direct input, enter the number of trials (simulations)
and the trial matrix.
n If you selected file input, enter the name of the file containing the trial
matrix.
DOE Technique (Appears only if you selected Built-in DOE Technique above)

Select a DOE technique. The DOE technique or trial matrix controls the
number of simulations and the combination of variable values to use for each
simulation. For example, the Full Factorial technique simulates every possible
combination of levels. If you use two variables with three levels each, Adams
View runs nine simulations.

The DOE technique or trial matrix selects values for a variable based on the
range or list of values you defined for the variable.

n If you specified only a range for a design variable, Adams View selects
from equally spaced values across the range. You enter the number of
values in the Default Levels text box.
n If you specified a list of values for a design variable, Adams View
selects directly from those values, ignoring the value in the Default
Levels text box.
Check Variables Guess # (Appears only if you selected Full Factiorial as the DOE Technique above)
of Runs.
Select if you want to check that the variables have the same number of levels
and display the required number of runs.
Number of Trials (Appears only if you selected Direct Input for Trials Defined by)

Enter the number of trials (simulations) and the trial matrix.

Trial Matrix File (Appears only if you selected File Input for Trials Defined by)

Enter the name of the file containing the trial matrix.

Edit Trial Matrix File (Appears only if you selected File Input for Trials Defined by)

Select to edit the trial matrix file.

 A - D 809
Design Evaluation Tools

For the option: Do the following:

Preview Shows you each configuration of your model for every design variable.
Displays an alert box asking you if you want to pause after each configuration.
Select YES to pause.
Start Begins the simulation. Adams View runs a simulation for each trial that the
DOE technique or trial matrix defines. When the simulations are done,
Adams View returns the variables to their original values.
Optimization
Design Variables Enter the name of the design variables to vary.

n If you specified value ranges on any of the design variables, Adams

View increases or decreases the objective as much as possible without
exceeding the value limits.
n If you specified constraints, Adams View increases or decreases the
objective as much as possible without violating the constraints.
As Adams View runs the optimization, it iteratively adjusts the design variable
values, attempting to improve the model performance with each iteration.
Adams View may need to backtrack to avoid violating a constraint or limit on
a variable value. Therefore, the model performance does not necessarily
improve with each iteration. At each iteration, Adams View runs several
simulations to approximate derivatives and converge on the next iteration.
Auto. Save Select if you want to automatically save the original values of the design
variables before starting the optimization analysis.
Goal Select either Maximize or Minimize. If you select Maximize as the goal,
Adams View adjusts the design variable values to increase the measure or
objective as much as possible. If you select Minimize, Adams View reduces the
objective as much as possible.
Contraints Select if you want to add contraints and then enter the names of the constraints
in the text box that appears.
Start Begins the simulation.

The last iteration will be the best values that the optimization could find
without violating constraints or limits. Adams View normally leaves the design
variables set to the optimized values. If you interrupt the analysis or Adams
View encounters an error during the analysis, Adams View resets the variables
to their original values.

If you do not want to keep the optimized values, and you selected the Auto.
Save check box or used the Save button to save the original values, you can
select the Restore button to return the variables to their original values.
The following buttons are available for all three types:
810 Adams View
Dialog-Box Builder

For the option: Do the following:

Display, Ouput, and Displays the Solver Settings dialog box for either display, output, or optimizer
Optimizer options.

Note that each button brings up a different option in the Solver Settings
Dialog Box.
You can:

n Select to display the Save Design Evaluation Results dialog box to save the
simulation results. (Be sure to save your modeling database after you
save the parametric analysis results.)
n Right-click to delete the simulation results.
Learn about parametric simulation results for:

n Design studies
n DOE
n Optimizations
Displays the Plot Design Evaluation Results dialog box to display the results as a
plot.

Displays the Design Evaluation Results Table dialog box to display the results as a
table.

Displays the Update Design Variables dialog box to let you update the design
variables.

Dialog-Box Builder
Tools → Dialog Box → Create
Allows you to create and modify Dialog boxes to better suit your needs and preferences.
 A - D 811
Discrete Flexible Link

For more information, see Customizing Adams View.

Discrete Flexible Link

Ribbon menu → Bodies Tab → Flexible Bodies container → Discrete Flexible Link

or

(Classic) Build → Flexible Bodies → Discrete Flexible Link

Creates a discrete flexible link consisting of two or more rigid bodies connected by beam force elements.
812 Adams View
Discrete Flexible Link

You indicate the following and Adams View creates the appropriate parts, Geometry, Forces, and Constraints at
the endpoints:
n Endpoints of the link
n Number of parts and the material type
n Properties of the beam
n Types of endpoint attachments (flexible, rigid, or free)
Learn about working with Discrete Flexible Links.

Note: For more information on beam force elements, see Beam. Also note the caution about the
asymmetry of beams.

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Name Enter a text string of alphanumeric characters. Adams View prepends the text
string you specify to the name of each object it creates. For example, if you
specify the string LINK, the first rigid body is LINK_1, the first marker is
LINK_MARKER_1, and so on.
Material Enter the type of material to be used for the rigid bodies and beam properties.
Learn about Standard Material Properties.
Segments Enter the number of rigid bodies that you want in the link.
Damping Ratio Enter the ratio of viscous damping to stiffness for the beam forces.
 A - D 813
Display Attribute

For the option: Do the following:

Color Enter the color to be used for the geometry in the flexible link.
Marker 1 Enter the marker that defines the start of the link. Learn about Positioning Flexible
Links.

Note: Marker 1 and Marker 2 are also used to calculate the orientation of
the link.
Attachment Select how to define the start of the link:

n free - The end is unconnected.

n rigid - A fixed joint is created between the parent of Marker 1 and the
first part of the discrete flexible link.
n flexible - The link has discrete flexibility all the way to the endpoint.
To create this flexibility, Adams View creates an additional beam
force between the first segment of the link and the parent part of
Marker 1. The length of the beam is one half of the segment length.
Marker 2 Enter the marker that defines the end of the link.
Cross Section Select one of the following to define the geometry of the link or specify the area
and area moments of inertia of the flexible link.

n Solid Rectangle
n Solid Circle
n Hollow Rectangle
n Hollow Circle
n I-Beam
n Properties

Display Attribute
Database Navigator → Display Attribute
Allows you to set how individual, types of objects, and children of objects appear in Adams View.
Learn about Setting Appearance of Objects Through the Database Navigator.

For the option: Do the following:

Visibility Select the visibility of the object
Name Vis Select the visibility of the name of the object.
Color Select a color in which to display the object.
814 Adams View
Display Log File

For the option: Do the following:

Transparency The higher the value, the more transparent the object is, allowing other objects
to show through. The lower the value, the more opaque the object is, covering
other objects.

Note: Setting the transparency of objects can have a negative impact on

graphical performance if you are using a graphics card without
hardware acceleration for OpenGL. Instead of setting an object’s
transparency, consider Setting Rendering Mode to wireframe.
Line Style Select the type of line style for the object border.
Line Width Select the weight for the line style. The weight values range from 1 to 5 screen
pixels
Icon Size Enter the size you want for the icons. Note that these changes take precedence
over the size you specify globally for the modeling database as explained Setting
Screen Icon Display.
Active Set the state of the object during a simulation: active or inactive
Apply Select to apply the attributes to the objects
Object/Siblings/All n Object - Only apply to the selected object.
n Siblings - Apply changes to all objects of the same type that are
children of the parent of the selected object.
n All - Apply changes to objects matching the filter you set in the Filter
text box.
Filter Use to set the types and names to which you want the display attributes
applied. In the text box, enter the name of the objects you want to display in
the text box, and then use the pull-down menu to the right to select the type
of object(s) you want to display.

Display Log File

Tools → Log File Shared Dialog Box
Shows you a log of the commands you executed and messages that you receive. The Log file marks messages
as comments so Adams View does not try to execute them. It indicates a comment by placing an exclamation
mark (!) in front of the message.
Adams View also displays as comments any commands that it executes when it starts up. To help you
distinguish the startup commands from messages, Adams View follows the exclamation mark (!) with the
command prompt (>>).
Adams View does not update the Display Log File dialog box each time you enter a command. You must
select Update to see the new command/message.
By default, Adams View only shows warning, errors, and fatal messages that you have received. To change the
type of messages displayed and to display commands that Adams View executed, use the options below.
 A - D 815
Dynamic Rotation Tool Stack

Learn about Using the Adams View Log File.

For the option: Do the following:

Show only lines of type Select if you want to change the type of messages displayed.
You must have Show only lines of type selected to select one of the following:
Info Select if you want to show information messages.
Warning Select if you want to show warning messages.
Error Select if you want to show error messages.
Fatal Select if you want to show fatal error messages.
Show only lines containing Optional. Select if you want to apply a string filter so the log file only
displays lines that contain certain information, such as display only
commands that create links.

Enter the text that the line must contain in the text box. You can also enter
wildcards.
Suppress duplicate lines Select if you want to remove any duplicate lines that occur if you encounter
the same error again.
Update Select to redisplay the log file and apply filters.

Dynamic Rotation Tool Stack

Main Toolbox → Dynamic Rotation Tool Stack
Contains tools for dynamically rotating the View in the View window.

Learn about Dynamically Rotating a View.

816 Adams View
Edit Appearance Dialog Box

E-I
Edit Appearance Dialog Box
Edit → Appearance
Sets how individual objects or types of objects appear in Adams View. You can set the appearance of any
modeling object in your Modeling database or for a group of objects.
Learn about:
n Setting object appearance
n Using Wildcards
n Icon Settings Dialog Box

For the option: Do the following:

Entity To explicitly specify an object, enter the name of the object whose appearance
you want to set.

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

Once the name of the object is in the text box, press Enter to update the dialog
box.
Types To specify a group of similar objects, enter a filter or wildcard. For example, enter
Parts to set the appearance of all rigid bodies or Markers to set the appearance of
all markers.
Visibility Select how you want to set the visibility of the selected object or objects. You can
select:

n On - Turns on the display of the objects.

n Off - Turns off the display of the objects.
n Inherit - Lets the objects simply inherit the display settings from its
parent. For example, a coordinate system marker inherits settings from
its parent part.
Name Visibility Select whether or not you want the name of the objects displayed in the View
window. Refer to the options above for Visibility for an explanation of the
choices.
 E - I 817
Edit Background Color

For the option: Do the following:

Color and Color Scope Enter the color you want used for the objects and set which elements of the
objects should be affected by the selected color. You can select:

n Polygon Fill - Sets the color of those areas of a graphic that can be
shaded (they include sides of a cylinders, frustums, boxes, and so on).
n Edge - Sets the color of the lines making up the edges of the facets of a
graphic that can be shaded.
n Outline - Sets the color of the lines that make up those graphics that
cannot be shaded or filled like the coil of a spring damper.
n Text - Sets the color of the text.
n All - Sets the selected color for all elements of an object.
To browse for a color in the Database Navigator or create a new color, right-click
the Color text box, and then select Browse or Create.
Render Set the rendering for the geometry:

n Filled - Adds shading to a solid fill to give a more realistic appearance. It

does not show edges. The light source is from the upper left.
n Wireframe - Shows only the edges of objects so that you can see
through the objects. Helps you select points and edges.
Transparency Set how transparent the object or objects are. The higher the value, the more
transparent the object is, allowing other objects to show through. The lower the
value, the more opaque the object is, covering other objects.

Note: Setting the transparency of objects can have a negative impact on

graphical performance if you are using a graphics card without
hardware acceleration for OpenGL. Instead of setting an object’s
transparency, consider setting the object’s render mode to wireframe.
Icon Size/Icon Scale Enter the size you want for the icons or the amount by which you want to scale
the icons. The scale factor is relative to the current size set. A scale factor of 1
keeps the icons the same size. A scale factor less than 1 reduces the size of the
icons and a scale factor greater than 1 increases the size of the icons. Note that
these changes take precedence over the size you specify globally for the modeling
database.

Edit Background Color

Settings → View Background Color
Lets you create a background color for the View window by setting its red, green, and blue light percentages
and change the background of all view windows to this new color. You cannot add the color to the preset
palette of colors or change the colors in the preset palette but you can set the gradient effect.
818 Adams View
Edit Background Color

Learn about Setting View Background Colors.

Note: You can also change the background color using the Edit Color dialog box. Learn about changing
object colors, including the background.
 E - I 819
Edit Color

For the option: Do the following:

Displays current color and color as you edit.

R Resets the color to the original color of the background.

Palette of preset Shows the preset colors that appear in the Main toolbox when you select a background
colors color from the Background color tool stack. You cannot change these colors.
Red Use the slider to change the red values, as desired. As you change the color values,
the New color box changes to reflect the new values.
Green Use the slider to change the green values, as desired. As you change the color values,
the New color box changes to reflect the new values.
Blue Use the slider to change the blue values, as desired. As you change the color values,
the New color box changes to reflect the new values.
Gradient If Gradient is checked, then radio buttons became active and you have options to
select Gradient top-light or Gradient top-dark. If Gradient is unchecked, then both
are disabled and unselected.

Edit Color
Settings → Colors
Allows you to modify the colors used for displaying objects or create a new color.

For the option: Do the following:

Color Select a predefined color.
New Color Displays the Create New Color dialog box so you can define a new color name in the
Modeling database.
Displays the old or default color on the left side. Displays the new color on the right
side and changes shades as you move the sliders below.

Red Use the slider to determine the amount of red to be used in the new color.
Green Use the slider to determine the amount of green to be used in the new color.
Blue Use the slider to determine the amount of blue to be used in the new color.
820 Adams View
Enable or Disable a Range of Modes

Enable or Disable a Range of Modes

Flexible Body Modify dialog box → range
Lets you disable or enable a group of modes based on either their mode number or frequency by entering a
range of values. Learn more about Enabling and Disabling Modes.

For the option: Do the following:

Flexible Body Name Enter the name of the flexible body to modify.
Disable/Enable Select whether or not to disable or enable modes.
frequency/mode number Select whether or not to disable or enable by frequency or mode number.
between/above/below and text Select whether the range of modes to enable or disable is between, above,
boxes or below the specified values. Then, specify the values between, above, or
below which you want to disable or enable modes.

Entering File Names in Text Boxes

To enter file names in text boxes, you can do either of the following:
n Enter the file name directly in the text box.
n Clear the text box and then double-click to open a selection window.
n Right-click to either:
• Search a database
• Browse a database

Entering Object Names in Text Boxes

To enter object names in text boxes, you can do either of the following:
n Enter the object name directly in the text box.
n Clear the text box and then double-click to open the Database Navigator.
n Right-click to either:
• Pick an object shown on the screen.
• Browse a complete list of available objects.
• Choose from a product-generated list of guesses.
 E - I 821
Example of Information Window

Example of Information Window

Execute System Command

Tools → System Command Shared Dialog Box
You can execute an operating system command from within Adams View so that you do not have to leave the
Adams View window.
You can select to display the results of the command in the Information Window or the Log file. If you select to
display the results of the command in the Information window, you can:
n Clear the window and only view the results of the command.
n Save the results of the command to a file.
If you select to display the results in the log file, you can keep the command results with the other commands
that you execute so that you can cut and paste the information together into a new file.
822 Adams View
Exit and Save?

For the option: Do the following:

Command Enter the operating system command that you want to execute.
Write Output to Command Select if you want the output of the command to be displayed in both
Window and Logfile the Information window and log file.
Write Output to Info Window Select if you want the output of the command to be displayed in the
Information window.

Exit and Save?

File → Exit
If you did not save your work, asks you if you want to save your work:
n To save your work and exit Adams View, select OK. If you want to save the model with a new name
in the current directory, enter the new name in the Filename text box.
n To exit without saving your work, select Exit, Don’t Save.
n To continue using Adams View, select Cancel.

Note: If you accidentally exit without saving your work, you can use the Adams View Log file
(aview.log) to recover your work. Learn about Using the Adams View Log File.

Export Dialog Box

File → Export
Exports data from Adams PostProcessor. You can export the following formats:
n Numeric Data
n Spreadsheet Data
n Table
n DAC/RPC (For Adams Durability only; see the Adams Durability online help.)
n HTML Report

Export - Adams PostProcessor Files

File → Export → Adams PostProcessor Files Shared Dialog Box
Exports data from Adams View for use with a stand-alone version of Adams PostProcessor. When you export
Adams PostProcessor files, Adams View generates a command file (.cmd) and all required supporting files,
including:
n Dataset (.adm) file
 E - I 823
Export - Adams Solver Analysis Files

n Shell (.shl) files needed for geometry representation

n Matrix (.mtx) files for use with the .adm file, if needed
The command file also contains commands to read in the other files when you import the command file into
Adams PostProcessor.

Note: The simulation results are not referenced in the command file. You must import the analysis
files (graphics, request, and results files) separately into Adams PostProcessor. For more
information, see Import - Adams Solver Analysis Files.

Adams View names the command file ModelName_to_ppt.cmd, where ModelName is the name of the
model. For example, if the model from which you are exporting data is suspension14, then the command file
is suspension14_to_ppt.cmd.

For the option: Do the following:

File Type Set to Adams PostProcessor Files.
Model Name Enter the name of the model from which you want the data exported.

Export - Adams Solver Analysis Files

File → Export → Adams Solver Analysis, Graphics, Request, or Results Shared Dialog Box
Exports Adams Solver analysis files, which are a set of output files that Adams Solver generates during a single
Simulation. You can export them as a set or individually. The files include:
n Graphics
n Request
n Results
Adams View exports only a set of output files generated from the same Adams Solver simulation.

For the option: Do the following:

File Name Enter the name you want to assign to the analysis file or files. You do not need to enter
the file extension, because Adams View adds the extensions for you.

If you want the file written to a directory other than the one from which you are
running Adams View, enter the path name in the File Name text box. To browse for
the directory in which you want to export the command file, right-click the File Name
text box, and then select Browse to display the File Selection dialog box.
Analysis Name Enter the name of the simulation whose data you want to export.

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

824 Adams View
Export - Adams Solver Dataset

Export - Adams Solver Dataset

File → Export → Adams Solver Dataset Shared Dialog Box
Exporting a model as an Adams Solver dataset is a convenient method for transferring a model from one
computer platform to another. When you export a model as an Adams Solver dataset, Adams View preserves
the database names in your model by writing them as comments in the Adams Solver dataset. This allows you
to import the dataset at a later date and still have the original database names.
Your model does not have to be complete to be exported as an Adams Solver dataset. If you want to check
your model for completeness and consistency, verify your model before exporting the dataset.

For the option: Do the following:

File Name Enter the name you want to assign to the dataset file. You do not need to enter the
file extension .adm, because Adams View assumes that is the file extension.

If you want the file written to a directory other than the one from which you are
running Adams View, enter the path name in the File Name text box. To browse
for the directory in which you want to export the command file, right-click the
File Name text box, and then select Browse to display the File Selection dialog box.
Model Name Enter the name of the model you want exported as a command file.

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

Write to To specify where the text of the dataset is to be written and displayed, select one
Window/Write to File of the following:
Only
n Write to Window - To display the dataset in an information window, as
well as save it in a file.
n Write to File Only - To only write the dataset to a file and not display it
in an information window.
 E - I 825
Export - Adams Solver Dataset

For the option: Do the following:

Indent Spaces Enter the number of spaces used to indent the continuation line of a statement.
The allowed values are between 0 and 4 spaces. (Five or more spaces make the
subsequent text on the line a comment.) The default is 1 space.

Adams View does not indent the text for continuation lines of function
expressions. It assumes that you will add any leading spaces that you want for
indentation of functions. Any indentation Adams View would enter would
interfere with the indention used to show nesting of IFfunctions. Adams View
does, however, indent the argument list of a user function if it requires more than
one line.

Adams View precedes the values of an argument that has multiple string values
separated by colons with a comma and indents the values if you place them on a
continuation line. This applies to the PART/EXACT and COUPLER/TYPE
arguments. It does not apply to the REQUEST/TITLE argument, which doesn't
allow embedded spaces. Instead, Adams View precedes a REQUEST/TITLE
argument with a comma.
Decimal Places Enter the number of decimal places written after the decimal point for real
numbers. In cases where this setting conflicts with the setting for Significant Digits,
the setting which would result in the number with the fewest digits will be applied.

For example:

Value = 59.1234567890; with Significant Digits = 10 and Decimal Places = 10, the
.adm file will show 59.12345678 since respecting Significant Digits results in a 10-
digit number and respecting Decimal Places would have resulted in a 12-digit
number.

So, to ensure that this setting, Decimal Places, is always respected, one should set
Significant Digits sufficiently higher than Decimal Places to account for anticipated
digits to the left of the decimal.
Zero Threshold Enter the threshold value for numbers being written to an Adams Solver dataset.
When Adams View writes a number that has an absolute value smaller than the
zero threshold value, it writes it as zero. The zero threshold value is independent
of units.
826 Adams View
Export - Adams Solver Dataset

For the option: Do the following:

Significant Digits Control how many significant digits of a real number Adams View retains during
round off. Be sure to select Round Off Values so rounding off occurs. In cases where
this setting conflicts with the setting for Significant Digits, the setting which would
result in the number with the fewest digits will be applied.

For example:

Value = 59.1234567890; with Significant Digits = 10 and Decimal Places = 2, the

.adm file will show 59.12 since respecting Significant Digits would have resulted
in a 10-digit number and respecting Decimal Places resulted in a 4-digit number.

So, to ensure that this setting, Significant Digits, is always respected, one should
set Decimal Places sufficiently high to account for the anticipated digits to the left
of the decimal.
Scientific Notation Specify where the format for real numbers switches from a fixed point format to
scientific notation. Enter the lower and upper power of 10. Separate the values
with commas (,). The default values are -4 and 5, meaning that Adams View writes
any number less than or equal to 1.0E-04 or greater than or equal to 1.0E+05 in
scientific notation.
 E - I 827
Export - Adams Solver Dataset

For the option: Do the following:

As Found In Original Control the organization of the statements within the dataset by specifying one of
File/ the following:
Put Markers Where
Used/ n As Found In Original File - Maintains the order of the statements in the
Keep Markers with original dataset when Adams View writes the model back to an existing
Parts dataset. To indicate which statements came from the original dataset and
which statements are new, Adams View writes any new statements that you
have added to the original model after all the original statements, and also
labels both sections.
n Put Markers Where Used - Writes the marker statements immediately after
statements that depend on the markers. These include the statements: BEAM,
BUSHING, FIELD, SFORCE, SPRINGDAMPER, VFORCE, VTORQUE,
GFORCE, NFORCE, JOINT, JPRIM, REQUEST, MREQUEST, CVCV,
and PTCV.
If none of these types of statements use a marker, Adams View writes the
marker statement after the part statement to which it belongs.
Adams View writes graphic statements that belong to a single part after the
markers for that part, and writes graphic statements that connect one or more
parts after all the part statements are written.
It writes statements of the same type, such as JOINTs, JPRIMs, BUSHINGs,
as a group, in order of ascending Adams IDs.
n Keep Markers with Parts - Writes the markers that belong to a part as a group
after the part to which they belong. In addition, Adams View writes the
graphic statements that belong to a single part after the marker statements for
that part, and writes graphic statements that connect one or more parts after
all the part statements. Adams View also writes statements of the same type,
such as JOINTs, JPRIMs, and BUSHINGs, as a group, in order of ascending
Adams IDs.
In general, Adams View writes any statements that depend on other statements
before the statements that depend on them. For example, it writes marker
statements before the joint statements that use them, and writes joint statements
before any coupler statements that connect them.
Roundoff Values To control the numerical rounding of real numbers, select Roundoff Values to
enable the rounding of real numbers. When you enable the rounding of numbers,
Adams View retains the numbers of places you enter in the Significant Digits text
box.
Write Default Values Select to set whether or not arguments that have default values are written
explicitly into the dataset. The default is to not write default values into the
dataset.
828 Adams View
Export - Adams Solver Dataset

For the option: Do the following:

Multiple Select to write as many parameters and their values that fit within 80 columns for
parameters/Line each line of the statement. For example:

PART/1, QG = 0.5, 0, 0, REULER = 0D, 90D, 0D, MASS = 1.2

If you do not select Multiple Parameters/Line, Adams View writes only one
parameter and its values on each line of the statement. For example:

PART/1 ,
QG = 0.5, 0, 0 ,
REULER = 0D, 90D, 0D ,
MASS = 1.2
Upper Case Text/ To control the case of the text of statement keywords and parameters, select one
Lower Case Text, of the following:
Mixed Case Text
n Upper Case Text- Text for keywords and parameters in the dataset are
written in uppercase letters (BEAM). Uppercase is the default.
n Lower Case Text- Text for keywords and parameters in the dataset are
written in lowercase (beam).
n Mixed Case Text- Text for keywords and parameters in the dataset are
written in initial case (Beam). The first character of each word is in
uppercase, and the rest are in lowercase.
Note that the text case control does not affect certain types of string-valued
arguments. For a listing of the arguments to which the text case does not apply, see
Arguments Not Affected by Case Control.
Include Trailing Zeros Select Include Trailing Zeros to print all the digits after the decimal point whether
they are zero or not. If you do not select Include Trailing Zeros, Adams View drops
any zeros at the end of the fractional part of the number leaving the last digit as a
non-zero digit.
Export All Graphics Select Export All Graphics to write all the graphics into the dataset. If this option
is not checked, only the dataset graphics that are supported by the solver (such as
BOX) and those that are referenced by contacts, are included in the dataset.
Verify Model Select to verify the model before exporting

Arguments Not Affected by Case Control

The text case control selection in the Export Adams Solver Dataset dialog box does not affect certain types of
string-valued arguments. Adams View writes the following arguments into the dataset the way they were
stored in your modeling database:
TIRE:
TPF and RDF RESULTS:
COMMENT MATRIX:
FILE and NAME MADATA:
COMMENT STRING:
 E - I 829
Export - Adams Solver Script Files

STRING REQUEST:
TITLE, COMMENT, FUNCTION, and F1 to F8 MREQUEST:
COMMENT UCON:
FUNCTION MOTION:
FUNCTION FIELD:
FUNCTION SFORCE:
FUNCTION GFORCE:
FUNCTION VFORCE:
FUNCTION VTORQUE:
FUNCTION VARIABLE:
FUNCTION CURVE:
FUNCTION DIFF:
FUNCTION GSE:
FUNCTION SENSOR:
FUNCTION:

Export - Adams Solver Script Files

File → Export → Adams Solver Script Shared Dialog Box
Exports an existing Simulation Script to an Adams Solver script file (*.acf )

For the option: Do the following:

File Type Set it to Adams Solver Script
File Name File Name is optional. If not specified, a file with the same name as that of the
script, will be exported to Adams View working directory. You do not need to enter
the file extension, because Adams View adds the extension (.acf) for you.

If you want the file written to a directory other than the one from which you are
running Adams View, enter the path name and the file name in the File Name text
box. To browse for the directory in which you want to export the command file,
right-click the File Name text box, and then select Browse to display the File
Selection dialog box.
Sim Script Name An existing Simulation Script to export.

Export - Adams View Command File

File → Export → Adams View Command File Shared Dialog Box
When you export a model as a command file, Adams View creates a file containing all the commands necessary
to create the selected model. Exporting a model as an Adams View command file is helpful when you want
to move a model from one type of computer platform to another. Note that the order of commands in the
command file may not be in the same order as you entered them in Adams View.
Saving a model as a command file does not save your simulation results or analysis files. To save your analysis
files, set up Adams View so that it saves the analysis files.
830 Adams View
Export - CAD (IGES, STEP and Parasolid)

For the option: Do the following:

File Name Enter the name you want to assign to the command file. You do not need to enter the
file extension .cmd, because Adams View assumes that is the file extension.

If you want the file written to a directory other than the one from which you are
running Adams View, enter the path name in the File Name text box. To browse for
the directory in which you want to export the command file, right-click the File Name
text box, and then select Browse to display the File Selection dialog box.
Model Name Enter the name of the model you want exported as a command file.

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

Use Parasolid Select either:

n As is - Adams View exports any geometry that was imported from a Parasolid
file out to a Parasolid file when it writes the command file. The command file
references the newly created Parasolid file. All other geometry (for example,
cylinder, shell, and spring-dampers) are defined using Adams View command
language and included in the command file.
n Full - Adams View exports all static geometry to Parasolid files instead of
using Adams View command language. This includes cylinders, shells,
Parasolid, solids, and so on. It does not include dynamic outlines, spring-
damper graphics, and graphic force vectors. These graphics continue to be
defined in the Adams View command language.

Export - CAD (IGES, STEP and Parasolid)

File → Export → IGES, STEP or Parasolid Shared Dialog Box
Exports CAD geometry using Adams View. It writes the geometric definition of an Adams model or part
from to the specified CAD file format. You can then read the CAD file into a CAD program.
You can export an entire model, an individual part of a model, or a model as it exists at a particular simulation
time, which is helpful for transferring position data of an Adams model to a drafting program to prepare
drawings of the mechanism at various states of operation.
 E - I 831
Export - DAC or RPC III

For the option: Do the following:

File Type Set to type of geometry that you want to export (IGES, STEP or Parasolid).
File Name Enter the name of the file that you want to create. The file will contain the
exported CAD geometry. You do not need to enter a file extension. Adams
View automatically generates the appropriate extension for the type of
geometry you are exporting. For example, if you are exporting IGES geometry,
Adams View adds an .igs extension.
File Type For Parasolid geometry only, set to the type of Parasolid geometry file to create.
Part/Model/Analysis n Select the geometry that you want to export, and then enter the name of
Name the geometry in the text box next to the pull-down menu. You can select:
n Model Name - Lets you specify the Adams View model to be written to the
CAD file. Adams View places each rigid body in the model on a separate
level. All geometry written to the IGES file is defined with respect to the
global coordinate system of the Adams View model.
n Part Name - Lets you specify the Adams View part to be written to the
CAD file. Adams View writes all the geometry owned by the part to the
CAD file. It defines all geometry in the CAD file with respect to the part
coordinate system.
n Analysis Name - Lets you export a model at a particular simulation frame
(time) of a particular analysis. This is helpful for transferring position data
of an Adams View model to a drafting program to prepare drawings of the
mechanism at various states of operation. Adams View writes all parts and
geometry to the CAD file in the same relative position as they appear in a
single frame display.

Export - DAC or RPC III

File → Export → DAC/RPC III Shared Dialog Box
You can export either DAC Format or RPC III Format request files from Adams View after a simulation completes.
This technique does not require you to set up requests before running the simulation.
By definition, results output to an RPC III or DAC file must have constant time steps. If the results data
being output includes non-constant time steps, Adams View issues a warning, and the time axis of the data
will be warped so that the time interval is constant.
832 Adams View
Export - FEA Loads

For the option: Do the following:

File Type Set it to DAC or RPC3.
File to Read Enter the name of the DAC or RPC III file that you want to export.
Results Data Select the result set components you want to export. The result set components can
come from results sets, measures, or requests. You can only have one result set per
DAC file. To select the data, right-click the Result Data text box, point to
Result_Set_Component, and then select Browse to display the Database
Navigator.

Export - FEA Loads

File → Export → FEA Loads Shared Dialog Box
Export FEA load information.
Before exporting FEA load information, you must run a Simulation of your model.
Learn about:
n About Exporting FEA Loads
n Process for Exporting FEA Loads
n Limitations for Exporting FEA Loads

For the option: Do the following:

File Type Set to FEA Loads.
File Format Select the file format for the loads file that you want Adams View to create.
Inertia Clear the selection of this option if you would like to output external loads
only.

n When selected, Adams View outputs inertia loads in addition to

external loads. Inertia loads include linear acceleration, angular
acceleration, and angular velocity of the part or flexible body.
Reaction loads include applied and reaction forces acting on the
body.
n When cleared, Adams View specifies a load imbalance for the body,
and you must employ a technique, such as inertia relief in the finite
element program, to recover the inertia loads based on external
loads.
 E - I 833
Export - FEA Loads

For the option: Do the following:

File Name Enter the name of the file to be created. If you want the file written to a
directory other than the one from which you are running Adams View, enter
the path name in the File Name text box.

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

Analysis Enter the simulation containing the information you want to export.
Loads on Rigid Body/ Select whether the body whose load information you want to export is a rigid
Loads on Flexible Body or flexible body.
Rigid Body FEA origin For a rigid body only, enter the marker to which all load information will be
marker relative. The marker location and orientation must correspond to the origin
of the part in the FEA program.
Flexible Body Name For a flexible body only, enter the name of the flexible body. Adams View
assumes that its FEA origin is the same as it was when the flexible body was
defined.
You can skip the next two options in the following cases:

n For flexible bodies because the node IDs at each load location are known.
n For rigid bodies if the node IDs are not available. Then, the FEA input file will contain the
locations (with respect to the FEA coordinate reference) and Adams ID label of the marker at each
load location. You will need to edit the file, however, replacing these labels with the actual node
IDs, once they are known.
834 Adams View
Export - FEA Loads

For the option: Do the following:

Add Load Points to Nodes Select to have Adams View calculate the points on the part where forces are
Table applied.

Adams View calculates the load points and places the points and their
locations in the Nodes table of the File Export dialog box. The node
coordinates are displayed relative to the FEA origin of the rigid or flexible
body. You might need to resize the File Export dialog box to see all the point
locations. See Example of Nodes Table.
Node_id/Scan file for IDs For rigid bodies only, assign node IDs to the load points Adams View found,
if desired. You can do one of the following:

n Type in the node IDs in the Node Id column fields.

n Select Scan file for IDs to have Adams View read in a text file
containing the node IDs. For more information using a text file, see
Process for Exporting FEA Loads.
Because the loads file is a text file, you can always add the node IDs to the
file as you add the load case to your FEA dataset.

Note: For flexible bodies, Adams View automatically assigns node IDs
to the load points based on the actual node IDs of the flexible
body at these load locations.
Output at times Do one of the following depending on the load information you want
Adams View to export:

n To generate a complete loads history, leave the Output at times text box
blank. Adams View exports load information at every output step in the
simulation. This is the default setting.
n To generate only load information for certain output times, enter the
desired output times, separated by commas (,) in the Output at times
text box. Adams View exports a single load case at the time closest to the
requested time.
For ABAQUS, ANSYS, and NASTRAN, you can also enter a tolerance
(+ or - a value) for the output times. For example, if you requested output at
time steps 2 and 5 with a tolerance of 0.1, Adams View generates a load case
for all output steps between 1.9 and 2.1 and 4.9 and 5.1.

For DAC and RPC III, you can enter a start output time and an end output
time.
 E - I 835
Export for Co-animation

Caution: Note that loads are output in the Adams View modeling units. These units must be consistent
with those specified in the finite element model or the results of the FE analysis that includes
the Adams loads will be incorrect. After completing the Export FEA Loads dialog box, Adams
View displays the current modeling units and gives you a chance to modify them before
continuing with the FEA loads export.

Export for Co-animation

Tools → Plugin Manager → Co-animation

See section Exporting Results for Co-animation for more information.

For the option: Do the following:

Model Name Enter name of the model to be exported.
Analysis Name Enter name of the analysis to be exported.
Use Entire Result Set Select this option to export the entire time history.
First Output Time (s) Enter time corresponding to the first output step to be exported; must be in
units of seconds even if model/analysis units were other (for example,
milliseconds).
Last Output Time (s) Enter time corresponding to the last output step to be exported; must be in
units of seconds even if model/analysis units were other (for example,
milliseconds).
Output Interval (s) Enter the interval at which data should be exported; in effect this determines
the number of frames to be made available for co-animation; must be in units
of seconds even if model/analysis units were other (for example, milliseconds).
Output File Name Enter the name of the .case file to be written to the working directory. A
number of other dependent files bearing this same file name (just different file
extensions) will also get written to the working directory. This exported file set
is readable by the co-animation tool EnSight from CEI.

Export - HTML Report

File → Export → HTML Report
Exports data in the current session of Adams PostProcessor as HTML pages for viewing by others in your
organization. It also creates
n Plots and animations as .png or .jpg images
n Movies of animations
n Information on the parts, constraints, forces, and more in the selected models. This is the same
information that appears when you select Info.
836 Adams View
Export - HTML Report - FIles

When you export an HTML report, Adams PostProcessor creates main homepage with a left frame
containing a tree of information in your model. Learn about the resulting HTML pages.

Tab Link
Files Export - HTML Report - FIles
Title Page Export - HTML Report - Title Page
Pages Export - HTML Report - Pages
Models Export - HTML Report - Models

Export - HTML Report - FIles

File → Export → HTML Report → Files
Defines the name of the files in which to export Adams PostProcessor data and where to place the files.

For the option: Do the following:

File Name Enter the name you want applied to each of the resulting HTML files and style
sheets.
Output Directory Enter where you want the resulting HTML files and folders to be stored.
 E - I 837
Export - HTML Report - Models

Export - HTML Report - Models

File → Export → HTML Report → Models
Selects the models for which you want to export information. When you export model information, you
output information about the model objects: parts, constraints, forces, measures, requests, and assembly
objects. Adams PostProcessor creates a folder for each model and objects in the model, grouped by type.

For the option: Do the following:

Models Enter the name of the models.

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

Export - HTML Report - Pages

File → Export → HTML Report → Pages
Defines the pages of data you want to export and in which formats to publish them.

For the option: Do the following:

Pages Select the pages of plots and animations you want exported. If you select Range, enter
the pages you want included.
Image Format For the pages of plots, enter the image format in which to store the pages of plots.
You can select png or jpg.
Image Width and Enter the pixel size of the exported pages. By default, Adams PostProcessor maintains
Height the aspect ratio of the images so if you enter a value for width, Adams PostProcessor
automatically calculates the height based on the current aspect ratio, and the reverse.
See Maintain Aspect Ratio below. If you leave both text boxes blank, Adams
PostProcessor uses their default size in Adams PostProcessor.
838 Adams View
Export - HTML Report - Title Page

For the option: Do the following:

Maintain Aspect Clear to change the proportions of the page sizes, and then enter new values for
Ratio Image Width and Height (see above).
Export Animations Select to export the animations as a movie. Clear to just save an image of the first
frame of the animation in the same format selected in Image Format.
Movie Format Select the type of movie to export the animation as. You can select: Compressed .avi,
Uncompressed .avi, .jpg, .mpg, or .png (AVI format is only available on Windows).

n If you select .jpg or .png, Adams Processor, exports each frame as an png or jpg
file, and then plays them as a movie.
n If you select compressed AVI format, set the frame rate, interval between key
frames, and quality (percentage of compression). The default is 75% compression
with each key frame 500 frames apart, and a frame rate of 10 seconds per frame.
n If you select .mpg, set either of the following:
n Compress the file using P frames - Turning off the compression using P
frames ensures your movie plays in many playback programs, including as
xanim. It results, however, in a much larger file (up to 4 times as large).
n Round size to multiples of 16 - Some playback programs require the pixel
height and width to be multiplies of 16. Turning this option on ensures that
you movie plays in many playback programs.

Export - HTML Report - Title Page

File → Export → HTML Report → Title Page
Defines what you want displayed on the title page to provide basic information about the exported data. The
title page appears when you first display the homepage. You can also enter an image to appear in the upper
right corner of the title page. The image must be a format supported in Web browsers (.gif, .jpg, .png).

For the option: Do the following:

Title Enter a title for the published data.
Author Enter the author of the data.
Date Enter the date the data was published. Adams PostProcessor enters the current
date by default.
Comment Enter any comments about the data.
Image File Enter the path and file of an image to appear in the upper right corner.
 E - I 839
Export IDs for MSC CoSim

Export IDs for MSC CoSim

Plugins → MSC CoSim → Create List
This dialog is used to create the .config file that is required to run an Adams-Marc co-simulation via MSC
CoSim. The .config file contains the Adams marker IDs and locations.

For the option: Do the following:

Select GFORCES for MSC Click this button to browse for, and select, all the GFORCES in the
CoSim Interface model that were created to facilitate an Adams-Marc so-simulation via
MSC CoSim.
Marc Job ID Specify the Marc Job ID to which the selected GFORCES will be
applied.

Setting this field is useful when co-simulating between one Adams

process (from this one Adams model) and multiple Marc processes and,
therefore, want to instruct MSC CoSim which GFORCEs in the model
correspond to interaction with which Marc process.
File Name Specify the file name for the .config file that will be created
Export I Marker location This can be used to include the marker location in the .config file (this
is not required, but can be done for informational purposes if desired).

ON: Write location information of Markers in .config file

OFF: Will not write the location information (this is the default)

Export Model to Adams Explore Workbook

Design Exploration (Ribbon) → Adams Explore →

Export Model to XLSX file

Export a model or selections thereof to an XLSX workbook file.
840 Adams View
Export Model to Adams Explore Workbook

For the option: Do the following:

Workbook Name Enter the name of the workbook file (.xlsx) to write to.
Model Name Enter the model to export.
Model File An optional field where you can specify the filename of the Adams
model which gets written out corresponding to the spreadsheet data.
This file will be what the modeling automation uses as “baseline” when
making changes in Adams View per the specification of a spreadsheet.
If this is left blank Adams will write a command file containing the
model to current working directory with filename automatically set to
the model name.
Modeling
Add All Click this to auto-select all supported entries in the model.
Design Variables Click this to auto-select all design variables in the model.
Design Variables field Enter the design variables that should be exported.
Points Click this to auto-select all points in the model.
Points field Enter the points that should be exported.
Mass Properties Click this to auto-select all rigid body parts in the model.
Mass Properties field Enter the rigid body parts that should be exported.
Motions Click this to auto-select all motions in the model.
Motions field Enter the motions that should be exported.
Splines Click this to auto-select all splines in the model.
Splines field Enter the splines that should be exported.
Analyses
Include Analyses Enabling this makes it possible to include analyses into the xlsx
workbook.
If Include Analyses is enabled, the following options will be available:
Analysis Machine Enter the network address of the machine on which to run the analyses.
Port Enter the communication network port on the analysis machine.
Use default Inserts the default analysis machine name or address to the field. Also
inserts default port stored in .aexplore.settings.default_port.
Adams View Launch Command Enter the system command that will launch Adams View on the
analysis machine. For example
C:/MSC.Software/Adams/2019.2/common/mdi.bat aview ru-sta
Use default Inserts the default launch command stored in
.aexplore.settings.default_adams_car_launch_command
 E - I 841
Export Model to Adams Explore Workbook

For the option: Do the following:

Analysis Mode Select Interactive, or Files Only.

See Mode of Simulation: Interactive or Mode of Simulation: Files_only.

Leave Files on Server Select Yes to leave all analysis files on the server. Select No to remove all
files but output workbook and .log and eventual .msg files.
Model Prepare Script An Adams command file to apply on the model after it is opened.
Pre- and Post-script Dir. Directory on the analysis machine containing any script to be run prior
to or directly after each analysis. A file in this folder will be run PRIOR
to an analysis named sim_1 (see analysis tab, column C of an exported
xlsx file) if it exists with the name sim_1_pre.cmd. A file in this folder
will be run AFTER an analysis named sim_1 if it exists with the name
sim_1_post.cmd
Output
Design Objectives toggle Click this to auto-select all state variables in the model.
Design Objectives field Enter the design objectives that should be exported.
Simulation Script
Append... Press this button to add the setup of a Simulation Script analysis.
Delete... Press this button to remove the last entry for a Simulation Script
analysis.
For each time the Append... button is pressed, the following will be added:
Analysis Active Select if the analysis should be active or inactive. Inactive analyses will
be included in the export, but will not be active for execution.
Analysis Name Enter the name that should be used for the analysis.
Simulation Script Enter the simulation script to be used for the analysis.
Plot Configuration File Enter a Plot Configuration File (.plt) to be applied after the analysis is
(optional) done.
Adams View Command File
Append... Press this button to add the setup of a Command File analysis.
Delete... Press this button to remove the last entry for a Command File analysis.
For each time the Append... button is pressed, the following will be added:
Analysis Active Select if the analysis should be active or inactive. Inactive analyses will
be included in the export, but will not be active for execution.
842 Adams View
Export - Numeric Test Data

For the option: Do the following:

Analysis Name Enter the name that should be used for the analysis.
Adams View Command File Enter the command file to be used for the analysis.
Plot Configuration File Enter a Plot Configuration File (.plt) to be applied after the analysis is
(optional) done.

Note: Plots with more than two axes are not supported. Only the
curves belonging to the first two axes will appear in the .xlsx
file.

Export - Numeric Test Data

File → Export → Numeric Test Data Shared Dialog Box
You can export the data that Adams generates during Simulations for use in other applications.

For the option: Do the following:

File Type Set to Numeric Data.
Result Set Comp. Name Enter the name of the results set component or components that you want to
export.

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

Sort By Set to either:

n Value to sort the values in the result set by the magnitude.

n Time (the default) to sort the values in the result set by the
simulation time associated with the value.
Order Specify the order in which you want the values listed in the file. Select
either ascending or descending.
File Name Specify the name of the file in which you want to save the data. If you want
the file written to a directory other than the one from which you are
running Adams, enter the path name.

Tips on Entering File Names in Text Boxes.

Above Value/ Enter limits of values to be exported:
Below Value
n Above Value to specify the highest value to be exported.
n Below Value to specify the lowest value to be exported.
Write to Terminal Select to display the data in an Adams Information window as well as save
it in a file. If you do not select Write to Terminal, Adams only writes the
data to a file.
 E - I 843
Export - Shell

Export - Shell
File → Export → Shell Shared Dialog Box
You can export Adams geometry for use as shell geometry in other applications.

For the option: Do the following:

Shell Name Enter the name of the shell object that you want to export.

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

File Name Enter the name of the file to which you want to export the geometry.

Tips on Entering File Names in Text Boxes.

Export - Spreadsheet Data

File → Export - Spread Sheet Shared Dialog Box
You can export an Adams View result set to a file in spreadsheet format. By exporting the result set to a
spreadsheet, you can view and manipulate the information in spreadsheet software packages including
formatting it or performing additional calculations on it. Tabs separate the data in the exported file.

For the option: Do the following:

File Type Set to Spread Sheet.
File Name Enter the name you want to assign to the spreadsheet file. By default, Adams creates
the spreadsheet with a .tab extension.

Tips on Entering File Names in Text Boxes.

Result Set Name Enter the name of the results set that you want to export.

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

Export - Table
File → Export → Table
Exports plotting data as tables (HTML or spreadsheet format).
844 Adams View
Export - Wavefront

For the option: Do the following:

File name Enter the name of the file in which to store the table data.
Plot Enter the name of the plot containing the data. Tips on entering object names
in text boxes.

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

Format Select either html or spreadsheet.

Export - Wavefront
File → Export → Wavefront Shared Dialog Box
You can export Adams View graphics and motion data to Wavefront to help you create animations in
Wavefront Technologies advanced photorealistic rendering product, the Advanced Visualizer. You can also
select to only export the model geometry, in which case Adams View only creates object files.

For the option: Do the following:

File Type Set to Wavefront File.
Model Name/ Select either depending on what information you want to export, and then enter the
Analysis Name/ name of the model, analysis or part you want exported in the text box next to the pull-
Part Name down menu:

n If you select Model Name, you export only your model geometry.
n If you select Analysis, you export all motion and geometry data. You can enter
multiple models or simulations by separating the names with commas.
n If you select Part, you export the geometry of this part only.
Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Reference When selecting 'Local Part Frame' the wavefront geometry will be exported with the
local part coordinate system; when selecting 'Global Frame' the global coordinate
system is used as reference for the Wavefront data.

Extrusion Tool

Ribbon menu → Bodies tab → Solids container → Extrusion Tool

or
 E - I 845
Extrusion Tool

(Classic) Build → Bodies/Geometry → Extrusion Tool

Creates an Extrusion. To create an extrusion, you can specify points or select a curve that defines the extrusion’s
profile:

The Extrusion tool extrudes the points or curve along the z-axis of the screen or Working grid, if it is turned
on. When you specify points, you can also specify the direction along the z-axis that the Extrusion tool
extrudes the profile. You can also select to extrude along a path.
You can select to create the extrusion using the Analytical Method or Non-analytical Method.
Learn about Creating an Extrusion.

For the option: Do the following:

New Part/Add to Select either:
Part/On Ground
n New Part - Creates a new part.
n Add to Part - Adds the extrusion to another part in your model.
n On Ground - Adds the extrusion to ground.
Tip: Add geometry to ground if the geometry does not move or influence the
simulation of your model. For example, if you are simulating a car driving
around a race track, the geometry that defines the race track can be added to
ground.
Create profile by Select how you want to define the shape of the extrusion:

n Points: Lets you select points.

n Curve: Lets you select existing curve geometry.
Closed If creating the extrusion based on points, select to create a closed profile. If you
close the profile, Adams View creates a solid shape. If you leave the profile open,
Adams View creates a skin that has no mass properties.
846 Adams View
Fast Fourier Transform (FFT)

For the option: Do the following:

Forward/ Select the direction you want the profile to be extruded relative to the global
About Center/ coordinate system or working grid. You can set the direction to one of the
Backward/ following:
Along Path
n Forward - Extrude the profile along the +z-axis.
n About Center - Extrude the profile half the depth in both the +z and -z
directions.
n Backward - Extrude the profile along the -z-axis.
n Along Path - Select the path along which to extrude the wire geometry.
Learn more about Extruding Construction Geometry Along a Path. See an Example of
Extrusion Directions.
Length Enter the depth of the extrusion. (Not available when you select Along Path, as
explained above.)
Analytical Select to create an extrusion using the Analytical Method. Clear to use the Non-
analytical Method.

Notes: After you draw the extrusion, hotpoints appear. If you used the non-analytical method to
create the extrusion, hotpoints appear at every vertex in the profile and at the point directly
opposite from where you began drawing the profile. If you used the analytical method,
hotpoints appear along the curves that define the extrusion. Use the vertex hotpoints to modify
the profile of the extrusion and the opposite hotpoint to control the depth of the extrusion.
See Using Hotpoints to Graphically Modify Geometry.

You can also use the extrusion modify dialog box to more accurately place the points that make
up the profile and read in location points from a file. See Using Dialog Boxes to Precisely Modify
Geometry and using the Location Table.

Fast Fourier Transform (FFT)

Edit → Plot → FFT
Constructs a two-dimensional Fast fourier transform (FFT) plot.
You can either determine the magnitude (Mag), the phase (Phase), or determine the power spectral density
(PSD) based on Welch's method.
 E - I 847
Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) 3D

For the option: Do the following:

Curve Name Displays the name of the curve you are plotting.
Y-Axis Select one of the following:

n Mag
n Phase
n PSD
Start Time Enter the start time on the curve for which you want the signal
processing performed.
End Time Enter the end time on the curve for which you want the signal
processing performed.
Window Type Select the type of window type you want to use. Learn more about the
window functions.
Points/Points (Power of 2) Select the number of points to be used for the FFT.

Tips on Selecting Points.

The following option is only available if you selected Mag or Phase.
Detrend Input Data Select if you want to detrend the signal. This subtracts the linear least
square fit from the data stream.
The following options are only available if you selected PSD.
Number of Segments/Segment Enter the number of segments, which means that the signal will be split
Length in that many segments of equal length (window length).

Or, you can enter the segment length directly. This is often referred to
as the window length.
Overlap Points Enter the number of overlaps, which indicates how many signal samples
are used.

Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) 3D

Edit → Plot → FFT 3D
Constructs a three-dimensional (3D) Fast fourier transform (FFT) plot by performing signal processing on
individual slices of a curve. You define a slice size, and Adams PostProcessor slides this over a range of a curve,
overlapping the slices as specified. Each slice of the curve becomes a row in the 3D plot surface.
848 Adams View
FE Part Wizard

For the option: Do the following:

Curve Name Displays the name of the curve you are plotting.
Y-Axis Select one of the following:

n Mag
n Phase
n PSD
Z-Axis Select result set component to be plotted on Z axis.

Field execution commands check validity of data in following ways:

1. Data should be in increasing/decreasing order.

2. Data should have evenly spaced points.
Time is used by default, when this field is empty.
Start Time/End Time Enter the start and end time to define the entire range of the curve on which
you want signal processing performed.
Time Slice Size Enter the width of a slice of the curve on which to perform signal processing
Percentage Overlap Enter the percentage amount the slices can overlap.
Window Type Select the type of window you want to use.
Points/Points (Power of 2) Select the number of points to be used for the FFT.

Tips on Selecting Points

The following option is only available if you selected Mag or Phase.
Detrend Input Data Select if you want to detrend the signal. This subtracts the linear least square
fit from the data stream.
The following options are only available if you selected PSD.
Number of Segments/ Enter the number of equal segments into which the signal will be split.
Segment Length
Or, you can enter the segment length directly. This is often referred to as the
window length.
Overlap Points Enter the number of overlaps, which indicates how many signal samples are
used.

FE Part Wizard
To launch the FE Part creation wizard:
1. Click the Bodies tab on the Adams View ribbon.
2. From the Flexible Bodies container, click the icon for Create FE Part.
 E - I 849
FE Part Wizard

3. This wizard may also be accessed by modifying an existing FE Part.

For the option: Value Type Do the following:

Page Formulation
Name New FE Part If desired, change the default name assigned to the new FE
Part type.
Material Material Enter the type of material to be used for the FE Part
properties.
Beam Type String Specify the specific type of FE Part to be modelled:

n 3D Beam: A three-dimensional fully geometrically

nonlinear representation useful for beam-like structures.
Accounts for stretching, shearing, bending, and torsion.
n 2D Beam XY: A two-dimensional geometrically
nonlinear representation useful for beam-like structures
whereby the centerline of the beam can be assumed
constrained to a plane parallel to the model's global XY
plane. 2D Beam can stretch or bend in plane. 2D Beam
will solve faster than the 3D Beam.
n 2D Beam YZ: A two-dimensional geometrically
nonlinear representation useful for beam-like structures
whereby the centerline of the beam can be assumed
constrained to a plane parallel to the model's global YZ
plane. 2D Beam can stretch or bend in plane. 2D Beam
will solve faster than the 3D Beam.
n 2D Beam ZX: A two-dimensional geometrically
nonlinear representation useful for beam-like structures
whereby the centerline of the beam can be assumed
constrained to a plane parallel to the model's global ZX
plane. 2D Beam can stretch or bend in plane. 2D Beam
will solve faster than the 3D Beam.
850 Adams View
FE Part Wizard

For the option: Value Type Do the following:

Damping Ratio Real Specify the fraction of the stiffness matrix that contributes
(Stiffness) to the damping matrix for this element.

or The elastic potential energy of the FE_Part can be expressed

as:
Visco-elastic
damping coefficient
ck

where:

n ε is the strain tensor

n C is the constitutive tensor
Hence the variation of the elastic potential energy is:

The FE_Part is usually a conservative system, and the total

energy of the system is conserved if there is no damping
effect. This could cause a problem to the solver, because the
high frequency vibrations of FE_Part could make the step
size of the solver staying to be intolerable small. In order to
damp out the higher frequencies, the variation of the elastic
potential energy in Adams FE_Part is expressed as:

This works very well to damp out the higher frequencies,

and have very little effect on the lower frequency motions.
It is found that the coefficient ck is very effective in speeding
up the simulation, and has little influence on the results if it
is set to be small.

To learn more about FE Part Damping Ratio (Stiffness), see

CRATIOK.
 E - I 851
FE Part Wizard

For the option: Value Type Do the following:

Damping Ratio Real Specify the fraction of the mass matrix that contributes to
(Mass) the damping matrix for this element.

or The governing equation of the FE_part can be expressed by:

Viscous damping
coefficient cm

and in Adams, it is usually expressed as follows:

which is similar to the viscous damping in linear vibrations.

It is found that cm does not work as good as ck in FE_Part,
and it is usually set to be 0 by default.

To learn more about FE Part Damping Ratio (Stiffness), see

CRATIOM.
Page Centerline
Define By String Specify the method to be used for centerline definition.
n Curve
n Line from 2 Points
If "Line from 2 Points" is selected:
Start Point Existing Specify the marker/hard_point that defines start of the FE
marker/hard_point Part.
End Point Existing Specify the marker/hard_point that defines end of the FE
marker/hard_point Part.
If "Curve" is selected:
Curve Existing bspline Specify the geometry (bspline) valid for centerline
definition.

Important: An FE Part may not close on itself. When

selecting a closed curve for the centerline the FE
Part will behave as if there is a thin gap between
the start and end of the structure.

The selected reference curve is hidden

automatically after FE part's creation so as to
make the FE Part's centerline more easily seen.
852 Adams View
FE Part Wizard

For the option: Value Type Do the following:

Page Nodes
Nodes The delete button in the wizard works in correspondence
with the number entered in the Insert/Delete field. This
Insert/Delete allows you to Insert/Delete multiple rows at a time. For
example, if there are 200 rows and you want to
Insert/Delete rows from row 50 onwards, then you should
select row 50, type “150” in the field and simply press
Insert/Delete.
Distance (S) Real Specify the position along the length of the centerline; 0 is
the start and 1 is the end.

Details about how the number and location of nodes can influence
extruded geometry.
Angle Real A node's X-axis will be oriented in the direction of the
curve's instantaneous tangent at the node location. Here,
for "Angle," specify the rotation about the node's x-axis
defining the orientation of the normal and binormal (that
is, the nodes y and z axes). If this value is zero Adams View
will, by default, orient the node according to the following
rules:

n Node's x-axis will be tangent to curve at node's location

n Node's y-axis and z-axis will be perpendicular to each
other with no twist angle about x-axis.
Section Section Specify the section object in the Adams View database that
will be used to define the cross-sectional properties of the
FE Part at the node.

Solid geometry creation for the FE Part can also be defined

via the section definition.

Note: The following section types do not yet support

solid geometry creation (only the centerline
geometry will be visible and animate):
• Hollow rectangle
• Hollow circle
• Generic cross-sections where the section will
end up as a hollow geometry. Only closed
polyline sections are allowed.
Evenly Distribute Reset all cells in the "Distance (S)" column so as to evenly
space the nodes from Start to End.
 E - I 853
FE Part Wizard

For the option: Value Type Do the following:

Uniform Angle Set all Angle cells to match the value in the Start row.
Uniform Section Apply the section defined in the first row to all rows.
Sort by Distance (S) Will sort and rename all nodes so that they are sequentially
ordered by their "Distance (S)" values.

Note: This will overwrite the names of any manually

named nodes.
Evenly Rotate Reset all cells in the "Angle" column so as to evenly rotate
the nodes from Start to End between the current values in
the Start and End rows.
Curve Control Points On clicking, the nodes table on the Nodes page will be
populated with rows corresponding to each of the spline's
control points' positions. It will replace all existing
nodes/rows prior to this execution.
Parameterize Upon checking this box the FE Part's set of node (both the
number of nodes and their locations, in S, along the
reference curve) will be defined by the curve control points
now and in the future. That is, if the control points are later
moved, then the FE Part nodes will automatically move
with them (getting new S values).

Note how this differs from the "Curve Control Points"

button. The "Curve Control Points" button only sets the
number and location of the nodes to match the current
reference curve's control points. If those points are
subsequently modified the FE Part's number of nodes and
their S values would remain the same.

See Nodes Parameterization for more information.

Faceting Tolerance Control the density of mesh for FE Part beam. Greater the
number, denser the mesh of beam.

Default: 300.0, Maximum Limit: 5000.0

The Contour Plots and Datum Node available while modifying the FE part.
Contour Plots Select this checkbox to enable color contour plotting during
animation for the FE Part. The Datum Node can be
selected only if the Contour Plots checkbox is selected.
854 Adams View
FE Part Wizard

For the option: Value Type Do the following:

Datum Node The color contour plot of "deformation" is defined by the
displacement of the geometry vertices relative to its initial
displacement from the datum node. By default the datum
node is the node at S=0. To use a different FE Part node
please select it here. Note that during the simulation the
colors will appear differently than in post-processing
animation because the entire extent of deformation
throughout the simulation is not yet known thus the color
scale is can be changing.
External Geometry n On: External geometry (Shell/Parasolid) can be
imported as a geometry for the FE Part. In this case, no
geometry will be created for the FE Part based on the
referenced section objects. Only the imported geometry
will be used. However, the section properties will be
used in Adams Solver calculations that determine the
deformation and motion of the FE Part. When
importing such files the reference marker must belong
to the FE Part and be coincident with the node at S=0.
As with all FE Parts, the calculation will assume that the
cross-section centroid lies on the FE Part centerline.
n Off: Geometry will be created based on section
definitions.
Preview Shows the geometry of FE Part based on inputs given for FE
Part.
 E - I 855
FEMDATA Output Dialog Box Options Table

FEMDATA Output Dialog Box Options Table

If you selected: Set the following options:

Loads on Rigid Body 1. In the R Marker text box, enter the rigid body marker to be the
reference coordinate system to output loads. Because Adams Solver
resolves all loads acting on the rigid body in the coordinate system of
the specified marker, the marker should represent the FEA basic
coordinate system of the part's finite element (FE) model.
2. In the Peak Slice text box, select that FE model load data are to be
output only at those time steps where the specified peak load occurred
in the simulation. When you set the Time options in Step 5 of the
procedure, Adams View only checks the time steps within those
specifications for the peak load. You can specify one or more of FX,
FY, FZ, FMAG, or GMAG.
Loads on Flex Body n Select Peak Slice to output FE model data only at those time steps
where the specified peak load occurred in the simulation. When you
set the Time options in Step 5, Adams View only checks the time
steps within those specifications for the peak load. You can specify
one or more of FX, FY, FZ, FMAG, or GMAG.
856 Adams View
FEMDATA Output Dialog Box Options Table

If you selected: Set the following options:

Modal Deformation n In the Flex Body text box, enter the flexible body whose data Adams
View outputs. Adams View outputs the data in the FE modal basic
coordinate system that is inherent to the flexible body.
Nodal Deformation n In the Flex Body text box, enter the flexible body whose data Adams
View outputs. Adams View outputs the data in the FE model basic
coordinate system that is inherent to the flexible body.
n In the Nodes text box, enter the node numbers of a flexible body
whose data is to be output. If you do not specify a node list, Adams
View exports nodal data at each attachment point of the flexible body.
Adams Solver issues a warning if a node ID is specified that does not
belong to the flexible body.
n In the Datum text box, enter a node ID of the flexible body to be the
datum of the nodal displacements. Adams Solver computes all nodal
displacements relative to this node ID. If you do not specify a datum
node, Adams Solver generates an arbitrary relative set of nodal
displacements. It displays a warning message if the specified node
does not belong to the flexible body.
 E - I 857
FEMDATA Output Dialog Box Options Table

If you selected: Set the following options:

Stress and Strain You can select to either output the stress/strain on nodes or hotspots:

To output them on nodes:

1. In the Nodes text box, enter the node numbers of a flexible body
whose data is to be output. If you do not specify a node list, Adams
View exports nodal data at each attachment point of the flexible body.
Adams Solver issues a warning if a node ID is specified that does not
belong to the flexible body.
2. In the R Marker text box, enter a coordinate reference marker in the
model that will be used to transform the stress or strain data. If not
specified, the stress or strain will be output in the basic FEA coordinate
system of the flexible body (LPRF). This option can be useful when
correlating strain gauge data from a physical test. If the orientation of
the strain gauge does not match the FEA coordinate system, you can
reference a marker whose orientation does match.

To define hotspots:
1. In the Hotspots text box, enter the number of hotspots to locate and
output. With this option, a text file containing a tab-delimited table of
hotspot information, such as node ID, maximum value, time when the
maximum value occurred, and location, is generated.
2. From the option menu, specify the value of stress/strain in
determining hotspots from one of Von Mises, Max Prin., Min Prin.,
Max Shear, Normal-X, Normal-Y, Normal-Z, Shear-XY, Shear-YZ, or
Shear-ZX. For more information, see the FEMDATA statement.
3. In the Radius text box, enter a radius that defines the spherical extent
of each hotspot. A default value of 0.0 (zero) means that all nodes in
the flexible body will be hotspot candidates.
4. In the R Marker text box, enter a coordinate reference marker in the
model that will be used to transform the stress or strain data. If not
specified, the stress or strain will be output in the basic FEA coordinate
system of the flexible body (LPRF). This option can be useful when
correlating strain gauge data from a physical test. If the orientation of
the strain gauge does not match the FEA coordinate system, you can
reference a marker whose orientation does match.
858 Adams View
Field Element Tool

Field Element Tool

Ribbon menu → Forces tab → Flexible Connections → Field Element Tool

or

Build → Forces → Field Element Tool

Creates a Field element.
Learn more about:
n Field Elements

For the option: Do the following:

Construction Set the method you want to use to define the bodies and force-application
points. You can select the following:

n 1 Location
n 2 Bodies - 1 Location
n 2 Bodies - 2 Locations
Learn about Applying Multi-Component Forces to Parts.
Normal to Grid/ Set how you want the force oriented. You can select:
Pick Feature
n Normal to Grid - Lets you orient the force using the x-, y-, and z-axes of
the current Working grid, if it is displayed, or using the x-, y-, and z-axes of
the screen.
n Pick Feature - Lets you orient the force along a direction vector on a
feature in your model, such as the face of a part. The direction vector you
select defines the z-axis for the force; Adams View automatically calculates
the x- and y-axes.

File Export
File → Export Shared Dialog Box
Exports modeling data in a wide variety of formats so you can exchange modeling data among different
Adams products, as well as with other software manufacturer’s products.
Learn about exporting:
n Adams Solver Dataset
n Adams Solver Analysis Files (Graphics, Requests, and Results)
n Adams Solver Script files (*.acf)
 E - I 859
File Import

n Adams View Command Files

n Numeric Data
n CAD (STEP, IGES and Parasolid)
n STEP, IGES ('Adams Geometry Translators' only)
n Wavefront
n Shell Geometry
n FEA Loads
n Spreadsheet Data
n Adams PostProcessor
n DAC/RPC III

File Import
File → Import Shared Dialog Box
Imports modeling data in a wide variety of formats so you can exchange modeling data among different
Adams products, as well as with other software manufacturer’s products.
Learn about importing:
n Adams View command files
n Adams Solver datasets
n Adams Solver analysis files
n Adams Solver Script files (*.acf)
n Test data
n STEP, IGES
n CatiaV4, CatiaV5, Inventor, STEP, IGES, Acis, ProE, SolidWorks, Unigraphics, JT (Adams Geometry Translators
only)
n Parasolid
n Wavefront files
n Stereolithography and Render
n Shell
n DAC and RPC III files
n Python
Imports a Python file into Adams View so that Adams View executes the commands stored in the Python
file. Learn more about the Adams Python Interface.

File Import - Adams PPT

File → Import
Imports data into Adams PostProcessor. In addition to importing the same data you can import into Adams
View, Adams PostProcessor also imports Reports and plot configuration files for template-based products.
860 Adams View
Files

To import standard data:

n See the Adams View File Import dialog box.

To import a report:
1. From the File menu, point to Import, and then select Report.
2. Enter the name of the file to import.
3. Select OK.

To load a report in a viewport:

n Right-click the background of a viewport, and then select Load Report.

To import a plot configuration file for template-based products:

n See Creating Plots Using a Plot Configuration File.

Files
Settings → Solver → Output → More → Output Category → Files
Selecting Files as the Output Category in the Solver Settings dialog box, lets you set advanced options for Adams
Solver analysis files.
 E - I 861
Fillet Tool

For the option: Do the following:

Request Tables Specify whether or not Adams View prints time-response-request tables in the
Tabular output file.

n If you set to On, Adams View writes tables for each request in your model.
n If you set to Off, Adams View does not write the tables. If your simulation has
many output steps or you have many requests, specifying Off results in a much
smaller tabular output file and conserves disk space.
Separator Specify whether or not Adams writes separators to the request, graphics, results, and
tabular output files when you modify the model topology in the middle of a Simulation.
When running a Scripted simulation, you can change the model topology by adding
Adams commands to your script file to activate an element, deactivate an element,
change a marker position, or change the type or point of application of a force or
constraint.

n If you set to On (which is the default), Adams Solver reads the analysis
information into Adams View, one analysis for each block of output between the
separators.
n If you set to Off, Adams Solver reads the analysis information into Adams View
as a single simulation. This allow you to plot or animate the simulation from
beginning to end.
Yaw Pitch Roll Set to Yes to specify that rotational values are to be output in yaw, pitch, and roll
coordinates, rather than in psi, theta, and phi coordinates. First Adams rotates about
the z-axis, then about the new negative y-axis (y'), and then about the second new
x-axis (x"). Note that Yaw Pitch Roll only affects rotational displacement output.
Adams View always outputs angular velocities and accelerations as vectors, with
orthogonal x, y, and z components.

Fillet Tool

Ribbon menu → Bodies tab → Features container → Fillet Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Bodies/Geometry → Fillet Tool

Creates rounded (filleted) edges and corners
862 Adams View
Fillet Tool

You can think of creating filleted edges as rolling a ball over the edges or corners of the geometry to round
them.
When filleting an edge or corner, you can specify a start and an end radius for the fillet to create a variable
fillet:
 E - I 863
Fixed Joint Tool

Adams View begins creating the variable fillet using the start radius and then slowly increases or decreases the
size of the fillet until it reaches the end radius. Using the ball analogy again, Adams View starts rounding edges
and corners using one size ball and finishes using a different size.

Note: You will get different results when you fillet one edge at a time than when you fillet all edges
at once. Also, you may not be able to fillet an edge if an adjoining edge has already been filleted.
It depends on the complexity of the filleting.

Learn about:
n Chamfering and Filleting Objects
n Chamfer Tool

For the option: Do the following:

Radius Enter the radius for the fillet.
End Radius To create a variable fillet, enter the end radius. The Fillet tool uses the value you enter
for radius as the starting radius of the variable fillet.

Fixed Joint Tool

Ribbon menu → Connectors tab → Joints container → Fixed Joint Tool

or
864 Adams View
Fixed Joint Tool

(Classic) Build → Joints → Fixed Joint Tool

Creates a fixed joint that locks two parts together so they cannot move with respect to each other. The effect
is similar to defining two parts as a single part. If you want to have the two parts move relative to each other
in a future Simulation, simply delete the fixed joint and use another type of joint.

For a fixed joint, the location and orientation of the joint often do not affect the outcome of the simulation.
In these cases, you can place the joint at a location where the graphic icon is easily visible. However,
occasionally the placement of the fixed joint can allow force moments to become quite large depending on
where you place the joint, as shown in this example. In this case, be sure to place it where you get the results
you want.

Learn about Creating Idealized Joints.

 E - I 865
Flexible Body Mode Filter

For the option: Do the following:

1 Location (Bodies Set how you want to connect the joint to parts:
Implicit)/
2 Bodies - 1 Location/ n 1 Location (Bodies Implicit) - Lets you select the location of the joint and
2 Bodies - 2 Locations have Adams View determine the two parts that should be connected.
Adams View selects the parts closest to the joint location. If there is only
one part near the joint, Adams View connects the joint to that part and
ground.
n 2 Bodies - 1 Location - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint. The joint remains
fixed on the first part and moves relative to the second part.
n 2 Bodies - 2 Locations - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint on each part. You
should use this option if you are working in exploded view. For more on
exploded view, see Performing Initial Conditions Simulation.
Learn about Connecting Constraints to Parts.
Normal to Grid/ Set how you want to orient the joint:
Pick Geometry Feature
n Normal to Grid - Lets you orient the joint along the current Working grid, if
it is displayed, or normal to the screen.
n Pick Geometry Feature - Lets you orient the joint along a direction vector
on a feature in your model, such as the face of a part.
First Body/Second Body Set the bodies on which you want to attach the joint. Select either:
(only appears if you select
to explicitly define the n Pick Body - Select to attach the joint to a body.
bodies using the options 2 n Pick Curve - Select to attach the joint to a curve. If you select to attach the
Bodies - 1 Location or 2 joint to a curve, Adams View creates a curve marker, and the joint follows
Bodies - 2 Locations the line of the curve. Learn more about curve markers with Marker Modify
explained above) dialog box help. Attaching the joint to a spline curve is only available with
Adams Solver (C++). Learn about switching solvers with Solver Settings -
Executable dialog box help.

Flexible Body Mode Filter

Right-click flexible body → Modify (shortcut: Double-click) → Mode Filter
Lets you select a filter type to remove modes from the animation display. By default, all enabled modes are
used to generate nodal displacements for each flexible body during animations. To increase animation
performance, Adams Flex has three filters that let you remove graphically insignificant modes for animations.
A mode that is filtered out is excluded from the modal superposition and any contribution to the deformation
of the body is ignored. Note that these modes are not filtered out for numeric operations, such as signal
processing or xy plotting.
866 Adams View
Flexible Body Mode Filter

For the option: Do the following:

Flex Body Enter the name of the flexible body.
Filter Modes By Select one of the following:

n None - Includes all modes for computing the graphics display.

n Frequency - Excludes any mode that is activated above the specified
frequency.
n Min Displacement - Excludes any mode that does not contribute the
minimum displacement specified for at least one vertex of the flexible body.
For example, if you are viewing the animation of a vehicle driving down the
road, it is unlikely that you would be able to see deformations of 0.5 mm or
less. Therefore, if you set a mode filter value of 0.5, any mode that contributes
less then 0.5 is considered insignificant and is ignored for animations. This
calculation is performed at each frame of the animation, allowing the set of
significant modes to change throughout the simulation.
n Percentage - Determines the maximum displacement contributed by all
modes, and excludes any mode that doesn't contribute displacement of one
vertex at least as significant as a percentage of the maximum. For example,
setting the percentage filter at 15% excludes any mode not contributing at
least 15% of the most dominant mode. This calculation is performed for each
frame of the animation, therefore, allowing the set of significant modes to
change throughout the simulation.
Filter Value Enter the frequency, minimum displacement, or percentage for the specified filter.
 E - I 867
Flexible Body Modify

Flexible Body Modify

Right-click flexible body → Modify (shortcut: Double-click)
Lets you modify a flexible body. For example, you can change its modal content or representation to improve
the efficiency or accuracy of a Simulation.

For the option: Do the following:

Flexible Body Enter the name of the flexible body to modify.
Damping Ratio Do one of the following:

n Accept the default. If you accept the default, Adams Flex applies non-zero
damping as follows:
n 1% damping for all modes with frequency lower than 100.
n 10% damping for modes with frequency in the 100-1000 range.
n 100% critical damping for modes with frequency above 1000.
n Clear the selection of default, and then either:
n Enter the scalar damping ratio that you want applied to all modes.
n Enter a function. To get help building the function, next to the Damping
Ratio text box, select the More button .

Learn more about Specifying Damping.

Datum Node Set the datum node for which you want deformation color changes to be relative
to using Adams Flex. Adams Flex considers the deformation to be relative to the
origin of the flexible body (its local body reference frame (LBRF) or coordinate
system) by default. For example, if you were modeling a cantilever beam in Adams
Flex, you could specify that deformations should be relative to the clamped end as
is illustrated in the first tutorial, Building and Simulating a Flexible Model, in
Getting Started Using Adams Flex .

To set the datum node:

1. Clear the selection of LBRF.
2. In the Datum Node text box, enter the number of the desired node.
Note: To select a node from the screen, right-click the Datum Node text box,
and then select Pick Flexbody Node. Select the node from the screen.
The node number appears in the Datum Node text box.
868 Adams View
Flexible Body Modify

For the option: Do the following:

Generalized damping Select one:

n Off - Disables the generalized damping.

n Full - Enables the complete generalized damping matrix, including the
effects of a resultant damping force.
n Internal Only - Only enables the portion of the generalized damping
matrix corresponding to the modal coordinates (that is, ignore the
resultant damping force).
Location Click to display the Modify Body - Name and Position dialog box and set the name,
Adams Solver ID, and location of the flexible body.
Position ICs Click to display the Modify Body - Position Initial Conditions dialog box and set the initial
position for a flexible body before the simulation starts, just as you can for any part
in Adams View. You can set how you want Adams View to calculate these
properties as well as define these properties yourself.
Velocity ICs Click to display the Modify Body - Velocity Initial Conditions dialog box and set the initial
velocity for a flexible body before the simulation starts just as you can for any part
in Adams View. You can set how you want Adams View to calculate these
properties as well as define these properties yourself.
Modal ICs Click to display the Modify Modal ICs dialog box to disable or enable range of modes
using a table. Learn About Flexible Body Modal Content.
Mode Viewing and Animation
Mode Number Enter the number of the mode in the flexible body to view, and then press Enter.
The total number of modes in the flexible body appear to the right of the Mode
Number text box.

When you display a mode, Adams Flex displays its frequency in the Frequency text
box. Also, when you display a mode, the mode deformations appear along with
the undeformed flexible body. You can turn this off to display only the deformed
mode.

Learn more about Viewing Modes.

Select to display the next mode.

Select to animate the specified mode to see how it deforms. By default, the
animation runs 3 times or through 3 cycles. (Use the Cycles text box (described
below) to change the number of cycles.)

Note: You can also use the Animation tool on the Main toolbox to animate the
entire model containing the flexible body after you've run a simulation.
Select to display the previous mode.
 E - I 869
Flexible Body Modify

For the option: Do the following:

Frequency Enter the frequency of the mode you'd like to view, and then press Enter.

The mode closest to the specified frequency appears.

Cycles Enter the number of times Adams Flex should run the animation. By default, the
animation runs 3 times or through 3 cycles.
Superimpose Clear to display only the mode deformations. Select to display both the mode
deformations and the undeformed flexible body.
Frames Enter the number of animation frames.
Disabling/Enabling Modes (Learn more about Enabling and Disabling Modes.)
Enable/Disable Enable or disable the mode number in the Mode Number text box. If you disable
a mode, its mode number and natural frequency appear in parentheses.
range Click to display the Enable or Disable a Range of Modes dialog box to disable or enable
a group of modes based on either their mode number or frequency.
auto Click to display the Auto Disable Modes by Strain Energy dialog box to disable or enable
modes based on their contribution of strain energy.
Substituting Graphics with an Outline (Learn more about Substituting Outline Graphics for the Finite Element Mesh.)
full MNF graphics Select to turn on the viewing of the full MNF graphics; clear to turn off the
viewing.
Outline Select to turn on the viewing of the Outline.
Select to sketch an outline.

To sketch the outline:

n Select nodes on the flexible body using the left mouse button.
n When the outline is complete, right-click.
Modifying Flexible Body Representation or Modal Formulation

Note: Dual-representation or simplified flexible bodies do not directly support contact with any other
bodies nor modal force. One would have to use dummy part geometry fixed to the flexible body
for contact modeling.
One Representation Selects the flexible body to not be eligible for runtime type switching during a
simulation. This is the default setting.
Dual Rep Start Rigid Selects the flexible body to be eligible for runtime type switching and will be
treated as a rigid body initially for the simulation.
Note: When this option is selected and the Inertia Modeling radio button is
set to "Rigid Body" or Invariant 6 is disabled in Custom Inertial
Modeling, a warning message is issued because these may not be the
desired settings.
870 Adams View
Flexible Body Modify

For the option: Do the following:

Dual Rep Start Flex Selects the flexible body to be eligible for runtime type switching and will be
treated as a flexible body initially for the simulation.
Note: When this option is selected and the Inertia Modeling radio button is
set to "Rigid Body" or Invariant 6 is disabled in Custom Inertial
Modeling, a warning message is issued because these are conflicting
settings.
Flexible Method: Selects a Simple Flex formulation to be applied to the flexible body and not be
Simple Flex eligible for runtime type switching during a simulation. Simple Flex method
converts the modal representation into a semi-equivalent multi-force (NFORCE)
with multiple rigid body representation. It retains linear compliance of the flex
body and some dynamics (that is, damping). The stiffness and damping matrices
of the NFORCE is derived from the modal stiffness matrix of the flex body, and
the modal Damping Ratio settings. Rigid bodies are created and connected to the
NFORCE at the CM and each interface marker of the flex body. The inertia
properties of the rigid bodies are derived from Inertia Modeling with Partial
Coupling settings for the flex body. This results in some loss of accuracy, but
results in a faster solution. Also, flex body contact and modal force (MFORCE)
application are not permitted with the Simple Flex method. For more information
on this method, see the Solver guide for FLEX_BODY statement with
REPRESENTATION option.

Flex body animation with the Simple Flex method is limited to showing rigid
mesh of flex body while animating the displacement of flex body markers. Thus,
the animation of flex body markers may move away from the reference node from
a rigid animation of the mesh.

Result set components that appear on the Plotting dashboard for Simple Flex
method will vary greatly from those of Modal method. The REPRESENTATION
and RESULT_FILE_INDEX components are included in the flex body XFORM
result set. Typically, these will be constants set to 4 (for Simplified Representation)
and 0. Instead of MODES, a NODES component is included which provides the
list of node ID that were selected as nodal references on the flex body markers
(SELNOD). The kinematics (displacements, velocities and accelerations) of each
selected node are included as components. Finally, the kinematics of the rigid body
CM is included as components.
Inertia Modeling Select a formulation option or select Custom. Learn more about the options.

When you select Custom, Adams Flex displays a Custom Inertial Modeling dialog box
that lets you set up the invariants that you want selected.
Setting Plot Type
 E - I 871
Flexible Body Modify

For the option: Do the following:

Plot Type Select a plot type to view in Adams Flex:

n Contour - Sets Adams Flex so that it displays Contour plots. In addition,

you can view contour plots in Adams PostProcessor.
n Vector - Sets Adams Flex so that it displays Vector plots.
n None - Sets to display no plots.
n Both - Sets the display of both contour and vector plots.
Learn to set plot types in Adams PostProcessor.
Mode Filter Select to display the Flexible Body Mode Filter dialog box to exclude nodal
deformations from animations to increase animation performance.
Setting Deformation Scale
Deformation Scale Move the Deformation Scale Factor slider to change the amount by which Adams
Flex deforms a mode. For greater exaggeration, type a value in the text box next to
the slider. Changing the deformation scale lets you exaggerate deformations that
might otherwise be too subtle to see, or lets you limit the deformations. The
default scale factor is 1.

Note that setting the scale factor to a value other than 1 can make the joints at the
flexible body appear to separate. This is because the motion of a point on a flexible
body is the sum of the deformation that has been scaled and a rigid body motion
that is not scaled.

In addition, if you set the scale to 0, Adams Flex treats the flexible body as a rigid
body during animations.
Select to add any comments to help you manage and identify the flexible body. See
Comments.

Select to create a flexible body measure. Learn about creating Object Measures.
872 Adams View
Flexible Body Modify (NLFE)

Flexible Body Modify (NLFE)

This dialog box can also be accessed in the following ways:
n Right-click non-linear flexible body → Modify (shortcut: Double-click)
n Right-click non-linear flexible body in Model Browser → Modify
n From the standard menu bar: Select the non-linear flexible body and click on Edit Menu → Modify
Let's you modify a non-modal flexible body that was created using a Nastran .bdf file as input. For example,
you can activate or deactivate load cases read from the input BDF file during the simulation, by making
modifications in this dialog box.

For the option: Do the following:

Flexible Body Enter the name of the flexible body to modify.
Datum Node Set the datum node on the flexible body for which you want deformation color
changes to be relative to during animation otherwise Adams View considers the
deformation to be relative to the origin of the flexible body (its local body reference
frame, LBRF) which, for nonlinear flexible bodies, is the origin of the model and
will not move with the flexible body during the simulation. For example, if you
were modelling a beam that is clamped at one end to a moving part, you could
specify that deformations should be relative to a node on the clamped end.
Otherwise, the deformation color would include the total displacement of the flex
body which may not be as important to visualize in color.

To set the datum node:

1. Clear the selection of LBRF.

2. In the Datum Node text box, enter the number of the desired node.
Note: To select a node from the screen, right-click the Datum Node text box,
and then select Pick Flexbody Node. Select the node from the screen.
The node number appears in the Datum Node text box.
Location Click to display the Modify Body - Name and Position dialog box and set the name,
Adams Solver ID, and location of the flexible body.
Number of Threads Specifies the number of threads to be used on each nonlinear flexible body. A
separate process is used to solve a nonlinear flexible body. To specify more than one
thread in solving a flexible body on this process, set Number of threads > 1.
Typical, values are 1 through 4.
Position ICs Click to display the Modify Body - Position Initial Conditions dialog box and set the initial
position for a flexible body before the simulation starts, just as you can for any part
in Adams View. You can set how you want Adams View to calculate these
properties as well as define these properties yourself.
 E - I 873
Flexible Body Modify (NLFE)

For the option: Do the following:

Velocity ICs Click to display the Modify Body - Velocity Initial Conditions dialog box and set the initial
velocity for a flexible body before the simulation starts just as you can for any part
in Adams View. You can set how you want Adams View to calculate these
properties as well as define these properties yourself.
Compute Resource Specifies the name of a remote host machine for solving the nonlinear flexible
body. If specified and before launching a simulation, the NLFE name server has to
be started on the remote host machine, and then the remote kernel has to be
started on the machine where Adams is running using the Adams-NLFE Client
Manager. For more information on the Adams-NLFE Client Manager see “Using
Distributed Computing for Nonlinear Adams Flex Bodies” in Chapter 7 of the
Installation and Operations Guide.
Damping Tab - If the input BDF contains DAMPING information, this is used to populate the following
fields. If these cards are not present in the BDF, the default values are displayed for the fields. See the MSC
Nastran Quick reference Guide for more information on these fields belonging to the DAMPING card.
Structural Coefficient Specifies the structural damping coefficient. Enter a real number (default is 0).
(G)
Rayleigh Mass Factor Specifies the scale factor for mass portion of Rayleigh damping. Enter a real
(ALPHA1) number (default is 0). Rayleigh viscous damping is calculated as:

[ B ] Rayleigh = α 1 [ M ] + α 2 [ K ]

Rayleigh Stiffness Specifies the scale factor for stiffness portion of Rayleigh damping. Enter a real
Factor (ALPHA2) number (default is 0). Rayleigh viscous damping is calculated as:

[ B ] Rayleigh = α 1 [ M ] + α 2 [ K ]

Material Factor Specifies the scale factor for material damping. Enter a real number (default is 1).
(GEFACT) Structural damping specified by the G and GEFACT entries will replace any
structural damping by: new[K4] = G[K] + GEFACT[K4].

The GFACT value used is GEFACT = GE (default=0.0) * GEFACT (default=1.0)

where GE is the structural damping value on the material entry.
Structural Frequency Specifies the average frequency for calculation of structural damping in a transient
(W3) response. Enter a real number >= 0 (default is 0). The W3 and W4 values are used
in transient response only. A zero value (default) will result in no damping. The
equivalent viscous damping is calculated as:

[ B ] equiv = æ --------ö [ K ] + æ ------------------------ö [ K4 ]

G GEFACT
è W3ø è W4 ø
874 Adams View
Flexible Body Modify (NLFE)

For the option: Do the following:

Material Frequency Specifies the average frequency for calculation of material damping in a transient
(W4) response. Enter a real number >= 0 (default is 0). The W3 and W4 values are used
in transient response only. A zero value (default) will result in no damping. The
equivalent viscous damping is calculated as:

[ B ] equiv = æ --------ö [ K ] + æ ------------------------ö [ K4 ]

G GEFACT
è W3ø è W4 ø

Load Cases Tab - Building Flex Body Models > Load Case Selection.
Graphics Tab
Substituting Graphics with an Outline (Learn more about Substituting Outline Graphics for the Finite Element Mesh.)
Full graphics Select to turn on the viewing of the full graphics; clear to turn off the viewing.
Outline Select to turn on the viewing of the Outline.
Select to sketch an outline.

To sketch the outline:

n Select nodes on the flexible body using the left mouse button.
n When the outline is complete, right-click.
Contour Plots Sets Adams View so that it displays Contour plots. In addition, you can view contour
plots in Adams PostProcessor.

Note: When animating deformation while the analysis is still running, the
color scale can only take into account the maximum deformation to
that point in the simulation; so, the colors may appear differently when
animating partial results as opposed to when animating a completed
analysis.
Deformation Scale Move the Deformation Scale Factor slider to change the amount by which a
flexible body will displace. For greater exaggeration, type a value in the text box
next to the slider. Changing the deformation scale lets you exaggerate
deformations that might otherwise be too subtle to see, or lets you limit the
deformations. The default scale factor is 1.

Note: Setting the scale factor to a value other than 1 can make the joints at the
flexible body appear to separate. This is because the total displacement
of each point on the flexible body will be magnified. In addition, if you
set the scale to 0, the flexible body will not move during animations.
Select to add any comments to help you manage and identify the flexible body. See
Comments.

Select to create a flexible body measure. Learn about creating Object Measures.
 E - I 875
Flexible Body Modify (NLFE)

For the option: Do the following:

Results Tab
Stress This option controls the stress output to the Nastran result file (.op2 file) during
the simulation. If this option is not set, no stress will be computed during the
simulation for this flexible body, and you will not be able to post-process them.
Strain This option controls the strain output to the Nastran result file (.op2 file) during
the simulation. If this option is not set, no strains will be computed during the
simulation for this flexible body, and you will not be able to post-process them.
FEA Settings Tab
Self Contact Select to enable self-contact for this flex body during the simulation. Default is off.
Contact could increase the solution time so only use this option if you think the
flexible body may come in contact with itself.

Furthermore, the originating BDF must be setup for self-contact in the finite
element pre-processor. Specifically, there must be a "BCBODY" statement in the
bulk data section referencing a "BSURF" that defines the specific elements to be
used for contact detection. If the case control section of the original BDF also has
a "BCONTACT" statement then its ID is applied to the run-ready deck (.dat)
which Adams View creates. If not, the youngest ID of the "BCBODY" statements
in the BDF is applied. If the self-contact option is checked and no "BCBODY" is
present then the self-contact is deactivated.

A "BCTABLEx" statement might also be present in the originating BDF for

defining the details of the contact bodies (which ones contact which others). If no
"BCTABLEx" is found then all BCBODYs can contact each other and then the
CPU time for the analysis may be significantly larger than if anticipated contact is
specified in a "BCTABLEx."
Automatically If selected, the nonlinear flex body process will take half of the physical memory
Allocate Memory on the machine that it is executed on. If more than one nonlinear flexible body is
being solved on the same machine, this setting is divided by the number of flex
bodies. One should be careful to leave some memory for the Adams process to run
if it is executing on the same machine.
876 Adams View
Flexible Body Modify (NLFE)

For the option: Do the following:

Memory Scale Factor If selecting "Automatically Allocate Memory" this field can optionally be used to
manually specify the fraction of the machine's memory to be used to solve this
nonlinear flexible body. Enter a real number between 0 and 0.8. Be careful to leave
some memory for the Adams process or other processes if they are executing on
the same machine.

By default, here, Adams uses a value of 0.5 divided by the number of nonlinear
flexible bodies in the model solved on the same machine. One may want to use
this setting if they do not want to evenly distribute memory to each flexible body
in the model because some are much larger than others. If, for example, the model
has three nonlinear flexible bodies where two are relatively small compared to
another, then one may want to set Memory Scale Factor to 0.4 for the large one
and 0.05 for the two smaller ones.
Memory Setting If "Automatically Allocate Memory" is not selected, then specify the precise
amount of open core memory (in MB) to allocate to this nonlinear flexible body.
Be careful to leave some memory for the Adams process or other processes if they
are executing on the same machine.
Buffer Size Select from one of the following:

n "Auto"
n "8193 Words"
n "16385 Words"
n "32769 Words"
n "65537 Words"
This specifies the number of words in a physical record. If "Auto" is selected, then
the Buffer Size is computed internally based upon the degrees of freedom of the
Non-Linear flexible body. Please refer to the Note below, Estimating BUFFSIZE,
for more details.
 E - I 877
Flexible Body Modify (NLFE)

Notes: 1. Units (Mass, Length, Force and Time) specified in this dialog box indicate the Nastran
units specified in the BDF or while creating the non-linear flexible body and cannot be
modified using the Flexible Body Modify dialog box. If you wish to use different units from
what was specified during creation, please delete the flexible body and recreate it again
with the desired units.

2. Estimating BUFFSIZE:
The Table 4-1 presents recommendations for BUFFER SIZE based on model size.
These values have been chosen to represent the best compromise between database
access speed and storage requirements for typical problems. An excessively large
BUFFER SIZE can result in more I/O data transferred and wasted space in the
database for smaller problems; an excessively small BUFFER SIZE can result in
increase I/O counts for larger problems. You may be able to achieve higher
performance or smaller database using other values.
The Default Buffer Size is set to "Auto", in which the Degrees of Freedom (DOF) will
be computed approximately using the Nastran Estimate functionality and the Buffer
Size is then selected based on the Table 4-1 below.
The DOF can also be computed approximately by the following formula:
DOF ~= (Number of nodes on solid elements)* 3 + (Number of nodes on the other
elements) * 6
The Buffer Size can be then selected based on Table 4-1.

Table 4-1 Suggested BUFFER SIZE Values

Degrees of Freedom(DOF) BUFFER SIZE(words)

DOF ≤ 100000 8193
100000 < DOF ≤ 400000 16385
400000 < DOF ≤ 1,000,000 32769
DOF > 1,000,000 65537
878 Adams View
Force Create Element Like Friction

Force Create Element Like Friction

Models both static (Coulomb) and dynamic (viscous) friction in revolute, translational, cylindrical,
hooke/universal, and spherical joints.
For more information on the values to be entered in the dialog box, follow the information for the Adams
Solver FRICTION statement in the Adams Solver online help.

Force Graphics Settings

Settings → Force Graphics
Allows you to specify settings for force graphics.
Learn about Setting Up Force Graphics.

For the option: Do the following:

Force Scale Enter the amount by which you want to scale force (straight arrows)
graphics. The default scale is 1.0.
Torque Scale Enter the amount by which you want to scale torque (semi-circular arrows)
graphics. The default scale is 1.0.
Display Numeric Values Select if you want Adams View to continuously display the magnitudes for
all force and torque graphics during the animation.
Decimal Places Enter the number of decimal places to be written for force graphics numeric
values. The default value is 4.
Always in Foreground Select if you want Adams View to show force graphics in the foreground of
the model so model geometry does not obscure them.
Always Wireframe Vectors Select if you want Adams View to show the force graphics in wireframe
render mode even when you are rendering the view in shaded mode.

Notes: n If you defined force graphics for any force elements in your model, but do not see the
associated arrows during animation, you should probably increase the appropriate scale
and animate again. Repeat the scaling process until the arrows of interest are visible.
n Conversely, if you see force graphic arrows on the screen, but they are too large or not
completely visible, you should either zoom out, fit your view, or decrease the scale factor
and animate again. Repeat the scaling process until at least the arrows of interest are
completely visible.
 E - I 879
Force Modify Element Like Beam

Force Modify Element Like Beam

Right-click beam → Modify
After you’ve created a beam, you can modify the following:
n Markers between which the beam acts.
n Stiffness and damping values.
n Material properties of the beam, such as its length and area.
Learn more about Beams.

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Beam Name Enter the name of the beam to modify.
New Beam Name Enter a new name for the beam, if desired.
Adams Id Assign a unique ID number to the beam. See Adams Solver ID.
Comments Enter any comments about the beam that might help you manage and identify
it. See Comments.
Ixx Enter the torsional constant. The torsional constant is sometimes referred to
as the torsional shape factor or torsional stiffness coefficient. It is expressed as
unit length to the fourth power. For a solid circular section, Ixx is identical to
the polar moment of inertia J= . For thin-walled sections, open
sections, and non-circular sections, you should consult a handbook.
Iyy/Izz Enter the area moments of inertia about the neutral axes of the beam cross
sectional areas (y-y and z-z). These are sometimes referred to as the second
moment of area about a given axis. They are expressed as unit length to the
fourth power. For a solid circular section, Iyy=Izz= . For thin-walled
sections, open sections, and non-circular sections, you should consult a
handbook.
Area of Cross Section Enter the uniform area of the beam cross-section geometry. The centroidal axis
must be orthogonal to this cross section.
880 Adams View
Force Modify Element Like Beam

For the option: Do the following:

Y Shear Area Ratio/ Z Specify the correction factor (the shear area ratio) for shear deflection in the y
Shear Area Ratio and z direction for Timoshenko beams. If you want to neglect the deflection
due to shear, enter zero in the text boxes.

For the y direction:

where:

n Qy is the first moment of cross-sectional area to be sheared by a force

in the z direction.
n lz is the cross section dimension in the z direction.
For the z direction:

where:

n Qz is the first moment of cross-sectional area to be sheared by a force

in the y direction.
n Iy is the cross section dimension in the y direction.
n Common values for shear area ratio based on the type of cross section
are:
n Solid rectangular - 6/5
n Solid circular - 10/9
n Thin wall hollow circular - 2
Note: The K1 and K2 terms that are used by MSC.Nastran for defining
the beam properties using PBEAM are the inverse of the y shear and
z shear values that Adams View uses.
Young's Modulus Enter Young’s modulus of elasticity for the beam material.
Shear Modulus Enter the shear modulus of elasticity for the beam material.
Beam Length Enter the undeformed length of the beam along the x-axis of the J marker on
the reaction body.
 E - I 881
Force Modify Element Like Beam

For the option: Do the following:

Damping Ratio/Matrix of Select either:
Damping Terms
n Damping Ratio and enter a damping value to establish a ratio for
calculating the structural damping matrix for the beam. To obtain the
damping matrix, Adams Solver multiplies the stiffness matrix by the value
you enter for the damping ratio.
n Matrix of Damping Terms and enter a six-by-six structural damping
matrix for the beam. Because this matrix is symmetric, you only need to
specify one-half of the matrix. The following matrix shows the values to
input:

Enter the elements by columns from top to bottom, then from left to
right. The damping matrix defaults to a matrix with thirty-six zero entries;
that is, r1 through r21 each default to zero.
The damping matrix should be positive semidefinite. This ensures that
damping does not feed energy into the model. Adams Solver does not warn
you if the matrix is not positive semidefinite.
882 Adams View
Force Modify Element Like Field

For the option: Do the following:

I Marker/ J marker Specify the two markers between which to define a beam. The I marker is on
the action body and the J marker is on the reaction body. The J marker
establishes the direction of the force components.

By definition, the beam lies along the positive x-axis of the J marker.
Therefore, the I marker must have a positive x displacement with respect to the
J marker when viewed from the J marker. In its undeformed configuration, the
orientation of the I and the J markers must be the same.

When the x-axes of the markers defining a beam are not collinear, the beam
deflection and, consequently, the force corresponding to this deflection are
calculated. To minimize the effect of such misalignments, perform a static
equilibrium at the start of the simulation.

When the beam element angular deflections are small, the stiffness matrix
provides a meaningful description of the beam behavior. When the angular
deflections are large, they are not commutative; so the stiffness matrix that
produces the translational and rotational force components may not correctly
describe the beam behavior. Adams Solver issues a warning message if the beam
translational displacements exceed 10 percent of the undeformed length.
Specifies the theory to be used to define the force this element will apply. By
default the LINEAR theory is used. If the NONLINEAR option is used, the
full non linear Euler-Bernoulli theory is used. If the STRING option is used,
a simplified non linear theory is used. The simplified non linear theory may
speed up your simulations with little performance penalties.

Force Modify Element Like Field

Right-click field element → Modify
Modifies a field element to define a linear or nonlinear force.

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Field Name Enter the name of the field element to modify.
New Field Name Enter a new name for the field element, if desired.
Adams Id Assign a unique ID number to the field element. See Adams Solver ID.
Comments Enter any comments about the field element that might help you manage and
identify it. See Comments.
 E - I 883
Force Modify Element Like Field

For the option: Do the following:

I marker Name/ Specify the two markers between which the force and torque are to be exerted.
J marker Name Adams View applies the component translational and rotational forces for a field
to the I marker and imposes reaction forces on the J marker.
Translation at Enter the preload translational and rotational force for the field element.
Preload/ Rotation at
Preload n Translation at Preload to define three reference lengths. This is the
nominal (x0, y0, z0) position of the I marker with respect to the J marker,
resolved in the J marker coordinate system.
n Rotation at Preload to define the reference rotational displacement of the
axes of the I marker with respect to the J marker, resolved in the J marker
axes (a0, b0, and c0) (specified in radians).
If the reference force is zero, then the preload is the same as the free length.
Entering preload values is optional and defaults to a six zero entry.
Define Using Select one of the following:
Standard
Values/Define Using n Define Using Standard Values and enter values for the text boxes that
Subroutine appear in the dialog box as explained in the next rows of this table.
n Define Using Subroutine and enter parameters to be passed to the user-
written subroutine FIESUB to define a nonlinear field. Enter up to 30
values (r1[,...,r30]) that Adams View is to pass to FIESUB. For more on
the FIESUB subroutine and nonlinear fields, see the Adams Solver online
help.
If you selected Define Using Standard Values, the following options appear:
Force Preload/Torque Define three preload force components and three preload torque components
Preload transferred by the field element when the I and J markers are separated/misaligned
by the values specified in the Translation at Preload and Rotation at Preload text
boxes.The terms are the force components along the x-, y-, and z-axis of the
J marker and the torque components about the x, y-, and z-axis of the J marker,
respectively. Entering values for Force Preload and Torque Preload is optional and
defaults to six zero entries.
884 Adams View
Force Modify Element Like Field

For the option: Do the following:

Stiffness Matrix Define a six-by-six matrix of stiffness coefficients. The following matrix shows the
values to input.

Enter the elements by columns from top to bottom, then from left to right. Learn
about units.

Note: A finite element analysis program can give you the values for the
stiffness matrix.
Matrix of Damping Enter either a matrix of damping terms or a damping ratio if you want to include
Terms/Damping damping coefficients in the calculation of the field forces as explained below. The
Ratio damping matrix defaults to a matrix with thirty-six zero entries.

n To define a six-by-six matrix of viscous damping coefficients, select

Matrix of Damping Terms and enter the elements. The following matrix
shows the values to input.

Enter the elements by columns from top to bottom, then from left to right.

n To enter a damping ratio that defines the ratio of the damping matrix to
the stiffness matrix, select Damping Ratio and enter the value. If you
enter a damping ratio, Adams Solver multiplies the stiffness matrix by the
ratio to obtain the damping matrix. Do not enter a ratio without also
entering a stiffness matrix.
Note: A finite element analysis program can give you the values for the
damping matrix.
 E - I 885
Force Modify Element Like Friction

For the option: Do the following:

If you selected Define Using Subroutine, the following options appear:
User Function Enter up to 30 values (r1[,...,r30]) that Adams Solver is to pass to Learn about
units. For more on FIESUB and nonlinear fields, see the Adams Solver online help.
Routine Specify an alternative library and name for the user subroutine. Learn about
specifying your own routine with ROUTINE Argument.
FORMULATION By default, the LINEAR option is used. The LINEAR option matches the
behavior of previous releases. The NONLINEAR option forces Adams Solver to
add a geometric stiffness term; this option is useful if the FIELD is being used to
model beams.

Default: LINEAR
LENGTH_TOL When using FORMULATION=NONLINEAR, the geometric stiffness uses the
larger of the current length and length tolerance.

Default: 1.e-05

Force Modify Element Like Friction

Models both static (Coulomb) and dynamic (viscous) friction in revolute, translational, cylindrical,
hooke/universal, and spherical joints.
For more information on the values to be entered in the dialog box, follow the information for the Adams
Solver FRICTION statement in the Adams Solver online help.

Forces
Displays tools for creating forces. Learn more about Forces.
886 Adams View
Forces

Icon Link
Applied Forces
Single-Component Force tool

Three-Component Force tool

Six-Component General Force tool

Single-Component Torque tool

Three-Component Torque tool

Flexible Connections
Bushing Tool

Torsion SpringTool

Field Element Tool

Translational Spring Damper Tool

Beam

Special Forces
Create/Modify Contact
 E - I 887
Frustum Tool

Icon Link
Create/Modify Modal Force

Create/Modify Wheel and Tire

Gravity

Create an FE Load

Frustum Tool

Ribbon menu → Bodies tab → Solids container → Frustrum Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Bodies/Geometry → Frustrum Tool

Creates a frustum, which is a cone, the top of which has been cut off. You create a frustum by drawing its
length. The Frustum tool makes the bottom radius 12.5% of the length and makes the top radius of the
frustum 50% of the radius of the base radius. Before drawing, you can also specify the frustum's length and
the radii of its bottom and top

Learn about Creating a Frustum.

888 Adams View
Function Builder

For the option: Do the following:

New Part/Add to Select either:
Part/On Ground
n New Part - Creates a new part.
n Add to Part - Adds the frustum to another part in your model.
n On Ground - Adds the frustum to ground.
Note: Add geometry to ground if the geometry does not move or influence
the simulation of your model. For example, if you are simulating a car
driving around a race track, the geometry that defines the race track
can be added to ground.
Length If desired, select and enter the length for the frustum.
Bottom Radius If desired, select and enter the bottom radius for the frustum.
Top Radius If desired, select and enter the top radius for the frustum.

Note: Three hotpoints appear on a frustrum after you draw it. One controls the length of the
frustum, one controls its top radius, and the other controls the bottom radius. For more
information on modifying geometry using hotpoints, see Using Hotpoints to Graphically Modify
Geometry.

Function Builder
Tools → Function Builder
Helps you create and modify functions and parameterize values for various entities. You can either work in
the Expression mode or the Run-time mode.
 E - I 889
Function Builder

Expression Mode
890 Adams View
Function Builder

Run-time Mode
1. Standard run-time function mode
 E - I 891
Function Builder

2. User supplied run-time function mode

For more information on Function Builder, see the Adams View Function Builder online help.
892 Adams View
Function Builder

For the option: Do the following:

Create/modify a function object You can type in a function or choose from the list of system supplied
functions.
Expression Mode Function Use the pull-down menu to choose from:
Categories
n All Functions
n Math Functions
n Location/Orientation Functions
n Modeling Functions
n Matrix/Array Functions
n String Functions
n Database Functions
n File Functions
n Misc. Functions
Information on Types of Functions.
Runtime Mode Function Use the pull-down menu to choose from:
Categories
n Displacement
n Velocity
n Acceleration
n Contact Functions
n Clearance Functions
n Spline
n Force in Object
n Resultant Force
n Math Functions
n Data Elements
n Subroutines
n Constants & Variables
n FE Part
n All Functions
Assist Only available for certain functions. Displays a dialog box to help you
with function parameters.
 E - I 893
Function Builder

For the option: Do the following:

Click to add a plus (+) sign or right-click for more operators.

Name Enter a name of a new or existing function object.

Load Select to update with the properties of the current function object.
Type Select the type of value you want the function to return. Choose from:

n real
n integer
n array
n string
n object
n location_orientation
Arguments Enter the names of arguments for the function object.
Assumed Values Select to specify assumed values for arguments to be used during
validation and/or plotting.
Getting Object Data Select a type object allowed in the object field. Choose from:

n Markers
n Parts
n Design Points
n Design Variables
n Results Data
n Measures
n All Objects
Enter the name of an object to insert into your function definition in
the field next to the pull-down menu.
Get Data Owned By Object Select if you want to get the name of a data field owned by the object
and insert it into your function definition.
Insert Object Name Select if you want to insert the object name into your function
definition.
Plot Select to plot your function.
Plot Limits Select to specify the horizontal limits for plotting your function.
Evaluate Select to evaluate your function.
Verify Check run-time function syntax.
894 Adams View
Function Builder Plot Limits

Function Builder Plot Limits

Tools → Function Builder → Plot Limits
When working in the Function Builder in Run-time mode, you can set limits for the horizontal axis values.
Adams View plots the independent data on the horizontal axis.
For more information, see the Adams View Function Builder online help.

For the option: Do the following:

Begin Value Enter a value with which you want to start.
End Value Enter a value with which you want to end.
Number of Computed Points Enter the number of points to be computed.

Gain Block
Ribbon menu → Elements tab → Controls Toolkit container

or

(Classic) Build → Controls Toolkit → Standard Control Blocks → New/Modify →

Gain blocks create the s-domain (Laplace domain) representation of basic linear transfer functions. You
specify the gain as an Adams View scalar real value. You can parameterize this constant with an Adams View
real design variable to quickly study the effect of varying the gain of the associated block.
Specify the assembly name of any controls block as the input field to these blocks.

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the function block.
Input Specify the assembly name of any controls block.
Gain Specify the assembly name of any controls block.
Create an output measure. See Controls_measure_panel dialog box help.

Check the inputs to the function block.

Display the Information window to review the connections to the block.

 E - I 895
Gear Joint Tool

Gear Joint Tool

Ribbon menu → Connectors tab → Couplers container → Gear Joint Tool
or

(Classic) Build → Joints → Gear Joint Tool

Creates a gear pair that relates the motion of three parts and two joints using a marker, called the common
velocity (CV) marker, to determine the point of contact.

Learn about:
n Creating and Modifying Gears
n About Gears
n Equations for Gears
896 Adams View
General Point Motion Tool

General Point Motion Tool

Ribbon menu → Motions tab → General Motions container → General Point Motion Tool
or

(Classic) Build → Joints → General Point Motion Tool

Creates a general Point Motion.
Learn about:
n Motion
n Creating Point Motions Using the Motion Tools

For the option: Do the following:

1 location (Bodies Set how you want the motion connected to parts:
Implicit)/
2 Bodies -1 Location/ n 1 location (Bodies Implicit) - Lets you select the location of the joint and
2 Bodies -2 Locations have Adams View determine the two parts that should be connected.
Adams View selects the parts closest to the joint location. If there is only
one part near the joint, Adams View connects the joint to that part and
ground.
n 2 Bodies - 1 Location - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint. The joint remains
fixed on the first part and moves relative to the second part.
n 2 Bodies - 2 Locations - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint on each part. You
should use this option if you are working in exploded view. For more on
exploded view, see Initial Conditions Tool. For more on the effects of these
options, see About Connecting Constraints to Parts.
Normal to Grid/ Set how you want the motion oriented:
Pick Feature
n Normal to Grid - Lets you orient the motion along the current Working
grid, if it is displayed, or normal to the screen.
n Pick Feature - Lets you orient the motion along a direction vector on a
feature in your model, such as the face of a part.

Geometric Modeling Palette and Tool Stack

Ribbon menu → Bodies tab

or
 E - I 897
Geometric Modeling Palette and Tool Stack

(Classic) Build → Bodies/Geometry

(Classic) Main toolbox → Right-click Geometry tool stack

Displays tools for creating rigid body geometry.
898 Adams View
Geometric Modeling Palette and Tool Stack

Geometric Tool Stack Geometric Modeling Palette (from Build Menu)

 E - I 899
Geometric Modeling Palette and Tool Stack

Icon Link Icon Link

Link Tool Arc Tool

Box Tool Spline Tool

Cylinder Tool Unite Tool

Sphere Tool Intersect Tool

Frustum Tool Cut Tool

Torus Tool Split Tool

Extrusion Tool Merge Tool

Revolution Tool Chain Tool

Plate Tool Fillet Tool

Point Tool Chamfer Tool

Marker Tool Hole Tool

Plane Tool Boss Tool

Polyline Tool Hollow Tool

Construction or Contains options for creating the selected object. The options change
Settings depending on the type of object that you are creating. For example, when you
Container create a link, Adams View lets you specify its width, length, and height before
creating it. Then, as you create the link, these dimensions are set regardless of
how you move the mouse. You can also define design variables or expressions
for many values.
900 Adams View
Geometry Modify Curve Arc

Geometry Modify Curve Arc

Right-click an arc → Modify
Allows you to control the size and location of an arc. You can modify a circle by following the same steps.
Learn about the Arc Tool.

For the option: Do the following:

Arc Name Enter the name of the arc you want to modify.
New Arc Name If you want, enter a new name for the arc.
Adams Id Assign a unique ID number to the array. See Adams Solver ID.
Comments Enter any comments about the geometry to help you manage and identify
it. See Comments.
Center Marker Enter values for the marker at the center of the arc or circle. The plane of
the arc is normal to the z-axis of the center marker.
Angle Extent (arcs only) Enter values for the extended angle measured positive (according to the
right-hand rule) about the z-axis of the center marker of an arc. The angle
starts at the positive x-axis of the center marker and extends the arc.
 E - I 901
Geometry Modify Curve Polyline

For the option: Do the following:

Radius/Ref Radius By Marker Choose either Radius or Ref Radius By Marker.

Enter either the radius of the arc or circle or enter a radius marker. If you
specify a radius marker, Adams View calculates the radius of the arc or
circle as the distance from the center marker origin to the radius marker
origin. Adams View stores the radius value, not the marker name. If you
later move the marker, the radius does not change.
Segment Count Displays the number of straight line segments Adams View uses to draw
the circle or arc.
Close For an arc, select one of the following:

n Chord or Yes - Closes the arc from the starting point to the
ending point.
n Sector - Closes the arc so that it creates a pie-shaped arc.
n No - Creates an open arc.

Geometry Modify Curve Polyline

Right-click a polyline → Modify
Allows you to control the size and location of the polyline. Learn about the Polyline Tool.

For the option: Do the following:

Polyline Name Enter the name of the polyline to modify.
New Name If you want, enter a new name for the polyline.
Relative To Specify the location and orientation coordinates in the coordinate system.
902 Adams View
Geometry Modify Feature Blend - Chamfer or Fillet

For the option: Do the following:

Location/Path Curve Select either Location or Path Curve and then specify:

n Locations to be used to define the polyline. By default, you supply

Cartesian (x, y, z) coordinates. Adams View applies the location
coordinates in the coordinate system you identify using the Relative To
parameter.

To easily edit the locations, select the More button to display the
Location table.
n A geometry object whose path defines the polyline. You can select arcs,
circles, spline curves, polylines, and outlines. Adams View extracts the
values of the vertices of the path curve and uses them to create the
polyline.
Close Select if you want to create a closed polyline. If closed, the polyline can be filled
(shaded). The endpoints of the polyline do not need to be coincident for you to
close it; the two endpoints will be connected with a line segment.

If you do not select Close, you create a polyline that appears as a segmented curve.
Adams View creates the polyline by connecting the locations you specified in the
Location text box together with straight line segments in the order in which you
specified them.
Select to add any comments about the polyline that you want to enter to help you
manage and identify it. See Comments.

Select to display the Edit Appearance Dialog Box.

Geometry Modify Feature Blend - Chamfer or Fillet

Right-click a chamfer or fillet → BlendFeature → Modify
Allows you to control the radius of the chamfer or fillet. Learn more about:
n Chamfer Tool
n Fillet Tool

For the option: Do the following:

Blend Name Enter the name of the chamfer or fillet to modify.
 E - I 903
Geometry Modify Feature Hole

For the option: Do the following:

New Blend Name If you want, enter a new name for the chamfer or fillet.
Radius 1 Enter the width of the chamfer bevel or radius of the fillet.
Radius 2 Enter the ending radius of the fillet. You specify the end radius if you are creating a
variable blend fillet.

Geometry Modify Feature Hole

Right-click a hole or boss → Modify
Allows you to control the location and dimensions of a hole or boss.
Learn more:
n Hole Tool
n Boss Tool

For the option: Do the following:

Hole Name Enter the name of the hole to modify.
New Hole Name If you want, enter a new name for the hole.
Center Specify the location of the center of the hole or boss.
Radius Specify the radius of the hole or boss.
Depth Specify the depth of the hole or boss.

Geometry Modify Feature Thinshell

Right-click a hollow → Modify
Allows you to control the thickness of a hollowed shell. Learn about the Hollow Tool.

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name of the thinshell to modify.
New Name If you want, enter a new name for the thinshell.
Thickness Specify the depth of the remaining shell after you hollow the object.
904 Adams View
Geometry Modify Shape Block

Geometry Modify Shape Block

Right-click a block → Modify
Allows you to control the corner marker used as the anchor point of a block (box). By controlling the corner
marker, such as changing the marker used or changing its location, you change the block's location and
orientation.
Learn about the Box Tool.

For the option: Do the following:

Block Name Displays the name of the block you are modifying.
New Block Name If you want, enter a unique name for the block.
Adams Id Assign a unique ID number to the block. See Adams Solver ID.
Comments Add any comments about the block that you want to enter to help you manage and
identify it. See Comments.
Corner Marker Specify a marker used to define the anchor point for the block.
Diag Corner Coords Specify the location of the diagonal corner from the marker measured in the
coordinate system of the corner marker.

n Block Modify Options

Geometry Modify Shape Cylinder

Right-click a cylinder → Modify
Allows you to control the center marker used as the anchor point of a cylinder. By controlling the center
marker, such as changing the marker used or changing its location, you change the cylinder's location and
orientation.
Learn about the Cylinder Tool.

For the option: Do the following:

Cylinder Name Displays the name of the cylinder you are modifying.
New Cylinder Name If you want, enter a unique name for the cylinder.
Adams Id Assign a unique ID number to the array. See Adams Solver ID.
 E - I 905
Geometry Modify Shape Ellipsoid (Spheres)

For the option: Do the following:

Comments Add any comments about the cylinder that you want to enter to help you
manage and identify it. See Comments.
Cylinder Options

Center Marker Specify the center marker that defines the center of base of the cylinder. The
length of the cylinder is oriented along the z-axis of the center marker.
Angle Extent Specify the extended angle measured positive (according to the right-hand
rule) about the z-axis of the center marker. The angle starts at the positive x-
axis of the center marker and extends the arc of the cylinder.
Length Enter the length of the cylinder. Adams View uses the value of length to specify
the z distance between the two circles. A positive value specifies a cylinder
along the positive z-axis of the center marker.
Radius/Ref Radius By Specify the radius of circles at the top and bottom of the cylinder or a radius
Marker marker. If you enter a radius marker, Adams View calculates the radius of the
cylinder as the distance from the center marker z-axis to the radius marker.
Adams View stores the radius value, not the marker name. If you later move
this marker, the radius does not change.
Side Count for Body Enter the number of flat sides Adams View draws on the side of the cylinder.
The number of sides you specify affects the calculations Adams View uses to
determine a part’s mass and inertia.
Segment Count for Ends Displays the number of straight line segments Adams View uses to draw the
circles at the ends of the cylinder.

Geometry Modify Shape Ellipsoid (Spheres)

Right-click a sphere → Ellipsoid → Modify
Allows you to control the center marker used as the anchor point of a ellipsoid (sphere). By controlling the
center marker, such as changing the marker used or changing its location, you change the ellipsoid's location
and orientation.
Learn about the Sphere Tool.
906 Adams View
Geometry Modify Shape Frustum

For the option: Do the following:

Ellipsoid Name Displays the name of the ellipsoid you are modifying.
New Ellipsoid Name If you want, enter a unique name for the ellipsoid.
Adams Id Assign a unique ID number to the ellipsoid. See Adams Solver ID.
Comments Add any comments about the ellipsoid that you want to enter to help you manage
and identify it. See Comments.
Center Marker Specify the center marker that defines the center of the ellipsoid.
X Scale Specify the diameter dimension along the center marker's x-axis.
Y Scale Specify the diameter dimension along the center marker's y-axis.
Z Scale Specify the diameter dimension along the center marker's z-axis.

Geometry Modify Shape Frustum

Right-click a frustum → Modify
Allows you to control the location and orientation of a frustum.
Learn about the Frustum Tool.

For the option: Do the following:

Frustum Name Enter the name of the frustum to modify.
Center Marker Specify the marker at the center of the bottom of a frustum. Orient the center
marker so that its z-axis is normal to the bottom of the frustum and points
towards the top of the frustum.
Angle Extent Specify the extended angle measured positive (according to the right-hand
rule) about the z-axis of the center marker. The angle starts at the positive x-
axis of the center marker and extends the arc of the frustum.
Length Specify the height of the frustum. Adams View uses the length value to specify
the z distance between the two circles. A positive value specifies a frustum along
the positive z-axis of the center marker.
Side Count for Body Specify the number of flat sides Adams View draws on the side of the frustum.
The number of sides you specify affects the calculations Adams View uses to
determine a part’s mass and inertia.
Top Radius Specify the radius at the top of a frustum. The top is perpendicular to the
center marker z-axis.
Bottom Radius Specify the radius at the bottom of the frustum. The bottom is perpendicular
to the center marker z-axis, and the center of the bottom is at the center marker
origin.
 E - I 907
Geometry Modify Shape Link

For the option: Do the following:

Segment Count for Ends Displays the number of segments Adams View uses to draw the circles at the
ends of the frustum.
Select to add any comments about the frustum that you want to enter to help
you manage and identify it. See Comments.

Select to display the Edit Appearance Dialog Box.

Geometry Modify Shape Link

Right-click a link → Modify
Allows you to precisely control the size, location, and shape of a Link. Learn about the Link Tool.

For the option: Do the following:

Link Name Enter the name of the link to modify.
New Link Name If you want, enter a new name for the link.
Comments Add any comments about the link that you want to enter to help you manage and
identify it. See Comments.
I marker Specify the marker at one end of the link. Adams View calculates the length of the
link as the distance between the I marker and J marker.
J marker The J marker must lie along the I marker's x-axis.
Width Specify the width of the link. The width of the link also controls the radius of the
semicircular ends (the radius is equal to one half of the link’s width).
Depth Specify the depth of the link.

Geometry Modify Shape Plane

Right-click a plane → Modify
Allows you to control the location and orientation of planes and change the name of the planes.
Learn about the Plane Tool.

For the option: Do the following:

Plane Name Enter the name of the plane to modify.
New Plane Name If you want, enter a new name for the plane.
Adams Id Assign a unique ID number to the plane. See Adams Solver ID.
908 Adams View
Geometry Modify Shape Plate

For the option: Do the following:

Comments Add any comments about the plane that you want to enter to help you manage and
identify it. See Comments.
Ref Marker Name Specify the reference marker used to locate and orient the plane.
X Minimum Specify the location of one corner of the plane in coordinates relative to the reference
marker. If all values are positive, the values indicate the lower left corner of the plane.
For example, the values of X Minimum = 10 and Y Minimum = 20, place the lower
left corner at 10,20 in the reference marker's coordinate system.
X Maximum Specify the location of the opposite corner of the plane in coordinates relative to the
reference marker. If all values are positive, the values indicate the upper right corner
of the plane.
Y Minimum Specify the location of one corner of the plane in coordinates relative to the reference
marker. If all values are positive, the values indicate the lower left corner of the plane.
For example, the values of X Minimum = 10 and Y Minimum = 20, place the lower
left corner at 10,20 in the reference marker's coordinate system.
Y Maximum Specify the location of the opposite corner of the plane in coordinates relative to the
reference marker. If all values are positive, the values indicate the upper right corner
of the plane.

Geometry Modify Shape Plate

Right-click a plate → Modify
Allows you to control the location and orientation of a plate and allows you to rename the plate.
Learn about the Plate Tool.
See an example of Plate.

For the option: Do the following:

Plate Name Displays the name of the plate you are modifying.
New Plate Name If you want, enter a unique name for the plate.
Comments Add any comments about the plate that you want to enter to help you manage and
identify it. See Comments.
Marker Name Specify the markers used to define the vertices of the plate. The first marker listed is the
anchor point for the plate. It is the first point that you specified when you created the
plate.
Width Enter the thickness of the plate measured along the z-axis of the corner marker.
Radius Specify the radius of the corners of the plate.
 E - I 909
Geometry Modify Shape Torus

Note: To change the corner locations of a plate, modify the markers that define the corner locations.

Geometry Modify Shape Torus

Right-click a torus → Modify
Allows you to control the location and orientation of a torus.
Learn about Torus Tool.

For the option: Do the following:

Torus Name Displays the name of the torus you are modifying.
New Torus Name If you want, enter a unique name for the torus.
Adams Id Specify an integer to be used to identify this element in the Adams data file.
Comments Add any comments about the torus that you want to enter to help you manage
and identify it. See Comments.
Center Marker Specify the marker at the center of the torus.
Angle Extent Specify the extended angle measured positive (according to the right-hand
rule) about the z-axis of the center marker. The angle starts at the positive x-
axis of the center marker and subtends the arc of the torus.
Major Radius Specify the radius of the circular spine of the torus.
Minor Radius Specify the radius of the circular-cross sections of the torus.
Side Count for Perimeter Enter the number of circular cross-sections to create along the spine of the
torus. The number of sides you specify affects the calculations Adams View
uses to determine a part’s mass and inertia.
Segment Count Enter the number of sides for each of the circular cross-sections of the torus.

Graphical Topology
Database Navigator → Graphical Topology
Allows you to display a representation of the selected part and shows its connections to other parts. The
connections represent the joints, forces, coupler or gear constraint between the parts. Each time you select a
different part in the tree list of the Database Navigator, the graphical display changes to show the selected part
at the center of the display. If the object is inactive, the part appears dimmed.
Below is an example of graphical view topology.
Learn about Viewing Model Topology Through the Database Navigator.
910 Adams View
Gravity

Gravity

Settings → Gravity

Ribbon menu → Forces tab → Special Forces → Gravity Tool

Build → Forces → Gravity Tool

You can specify the magnitude and direction of the acceleration of gravity. For each part with mass, the
gravitational force produces a point force at its center of mass.
When you turn on gravity, an icon appears in the middle of the Adams View Main window. To turn off the
display of the gravity icon, see Displaying View Accessories.
Learn about setting gravity.
 E - I 911
Group Attributes

For the option: Do the following:

Gravity Select to turn on gravity. Clear to turn off gravity.
X Enter the acceleration value in the x direction or select + or - to enter a standard
positive or negative value.
Y Enter the acceleration value in the y direction or select + or - to enter a standard
positive or negative value.
Z Enter the acceleration value in the z direction or select + or - to enter a standard
positive or negative value.

Group Attributes

Object Manipulation Strip → Group → (Model browser) right click Attributes

or

(Classic) Build → Group → Attributes

Allows the specification of attributes to be set on a group.
Learn more about group attributes.

For the option: Do the following:

Group Name Enter a name of existing group.
Scale of Icons Specifies a unit-less scale factor to apply to the current icon size.
Size of Icons Specifies the size, in modeling units, the Adams View icons will appear in.
Visibility Specifies the visibility of graphic entities.
Name Visibility This parameter provides control over the visibility of the view name displayed at
the top center position of a given view.
Transparency Specifies the transparency level for graphic entities.
Lod Specifies the level of details for shells.
Color Specifies the color the modeling entity should be drawn in.
Entity Scope This parameter is used to control how a color modification is to affect a
particular graphic entity.
Active When you set ACTIVE=NO, that element is written to the data set as a
comment.
Dependents Active Specifies whether dependents of the group object are to be acted upon in the
same way as the active parameter does.
912 Adams View
Group Create

For the option: Do the following:

Member Dependents Specifies whether the dependents of the member objects of the specified group
Active are to be acted upon in the same way as the active parameter does.
Line Thickness Specifies the thickness of the line for a curve.
Line Type This parameter allows the selection of the line type for a curve.

Group Create
Model Browser → Groups tab (right click) → New Group
or

(Classic) Build → Group → New ...

Lets you group several objects so that you can work on them as a single object. This is particularly helpful for
objects that make up a unit or subsystem of your model, such as a suspension system or a handle of a latch.
Once you’ve grouped the objects, you can add them to the Select list all at once so that you can perform editing
operations on them, such as move or copy them. You can also set up their activation and deactivation status
during simulations. (Learn about Activating and Deactivating Objects.)
When you create a group, you can specify the objects to be included or set up a filter to specify the objects in
the group. You can also enter an expression that sets whether or not the objects are active or deactive during
a simulation.
Learn about the procedures for Grouping and Ungrouping Objects.

For the option: Do the following:

Group Name Enter a name for the group of objects or accept the default name.
Comments Add any comments about the group that you want to enter to help you manage
and identify the group. See Comments.
Objects in Group To explicitly specify the objects to be grouped:

n In the Objects in Group text box, enter the names of the objects.
Separate each name with a comma (,).
You can select an object on the screen or browse for an object in the
Database Navigator. If you select objects to group using the shortcut menu,
Adams View enters commas between the objects.
To set filters for specifying objects to be grouped:

n In the Objects in Group text box, enter a wildcard, and then specify the
type of objects in the Type Filter text box. For example, enter Parts to
include only rigid bodies or Markers to include only coordinate system
markers.
 E - I 913
Group Modify

For the option: Do the following:

Type Filter If you set a filter in Objects in Group, specify the type of objects to be included
in the group. For example, enter Parts to include only rigid bodies or Markers to
include only coordinate system markers.
Expand Group Do not use. It is only present to provide backward compatibility. We recommend
that you not use it.
Expr Active Specify whether or not the group of objects is active during a simulation. You
can enter an expression that evaluates to 0 (not active) or 1 (active) or enter 1 or
0. If you do not specify a value, Adams View uses the activation status you set
using the Activate and Deactivate commands.

Group Modify
Model Browser → Groups tab → Modify
or

(Classic) Build → Group → Modify ...

Lets you modify an exisitng group. A group is particularly helpful for objects that make up a unit or subsystem
of your model, such as a suspension system or a handle of a latch. Once you’ve grouped the objects, you can
add them to the Select list all at once so that you can perform editing operations on them, such as move or
copy them. You can also set up their activation and deactivation status during simulations. (Learn about
Activating and Deactivating Objects.)
When you create a group, you can specify the objects to be included or set up a filter to specify the objects in
the group. You can also enter an expression that sets whether or not the objects are active or deactive during
a simulation.
Learn about the procedures for Grouping and Ungrouping Objects.

For the option: Do the following:

Group Name Enter a name of existing group.
New Group Name Enter a new name for the group.
Comments Add any comments about the group that you want to enter to help you manage
and identify the group. See Comments.
914 Adams View
Hole Tool

For the option: Do the following:

Objects in Group To explicitly specify the objects to be grouped:

n In the Objects in Group text box, enter the names of the objects.
Separate each name with a comma (,).
You can select an object on the screen or browse for an object in the
Database Navigator. If you select objects to group using the shortcut menu,
Adams View enters commas between the objects.
To set filters for specifying objects to be grouped:

n In the Objects in Group text box, enter a wildcard, and then specify the
type of objects in the Type Filter text box. For example, enter Parts to
include only rigid bodies or Markers to include only coordinate system
markers.
Type Filter If you set a filter in Objects in Group, specify the type of objects to be included
in the group. For example, enter Parts to include only rigid bodies or Markers to
include only coordinate system markers.
Expand Group Do not use. It is only present to provide backward compatibility. We recommend
that you not use it.
Expr Active Specify whether or not the group of objects is active during a simulation. You
can enter an expression that evaluates to 0 (not active) or 1 (active) or enter 1 or
0. If you do not specify a value, Adams View uses the activation status you set
using the Activate and Deactivate commands.

Hole Tool
Ribbon menu → Bodies tab → Features container → Hole Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Bodies/Geometry → Hole Tool

Creates circular holes in solid objects.
 E - I 915
Hollow Tool

As you create a hole, you can specify its radius and depth.

Note: You cannot specify the radius and depth of a hole so that it splits the current geometry into
two separate geometries.

Learn about Creating a Hole or Boss.

For the option: Do the following:

Radius Enter the radius of the hole.
Depth Enter the depth of the hole.

Hollow Tool
Ribbon menu → Bodies tab → Features container → Hollow Tool
or

Build → Bodies/Geometry → Hollow Tool

Hollows out one or more faces of a solid object to create a shell. As you hollow an object, you can specify the
thickness of the remaining shell and the faces to be hollowed. You can also specify that Adams View add
material to the outside of the object. In this case, Adams View uses the original object as a mold. Adams View
adds material of the specified thickness to the original object and then takes the original object away, leaving
a shell.
Example of Hollowed Boxes.

Note: You can hollow any object that has a face. You cannot hollow spheres, revolutions, or
Construction geometry
916 Adams View
Hooke/Universal Joint Tool

Learn about Hollowing Out a Solid.

For the option: Do the following:

Thickness Specify the thickness of the remaining shell after you hollow the object.
Inside Clear if you want to add the shell to the outside of the object.

Hooke/Universal Joint Tool

Ribbon menu → Connectors tab → Joints container → Hooke/Universal Joint Tool

or

Build → Joints → Hooke/Universal Joint Tool

Creates a hooke/universal joint that allows the rotation of one rigid body to be transferred to the rotation of
another rigid body.

This joint is particularly useful when transferring rotational motion around corners, when you need to
simulate the non-constant velocity of a physical universal joint, or when transferring rotational motion
 E - I 917
Hooke/Universal Joint Tool

between two connected shafts that are permitted to bend at the connection point (such as the drive shaft on
an automobile).
The location point of the universal joint represents the connection point of the two parts. For a hooke joint,
two shaft axes leading to the cross bars identify the axes about which the two parts are permitted to rotate
with respect to each other. Note that Adams View uses rotational axes that are parallel to the rotational axes
you identify but that pass through the location point for the hooke joint. For a universal joint, the cross bars
identify the axes about which the two parts are permitted to rotate with respect to each other.
Learn about:
n Creating Idealized Joints
n Adding Friction to Idealized Joints
918 Adams View
Hot Point Snapping Increments

For the option: Do the following:

1 Location (Bodies Set how you want the joint connected to parts:
Implicit)/
2 Bodies - 1 Location/ n 1 Location (Bodies Implicit) - Lets you select the location of the joint and
2 Bodies - 2 Locations have Adams View determine the two parts that should be connected.
Adams View selects the parts closest to the joint location. If there is only
one part near the joint, Adams View connects the joint to that part and
ground.
n 2 Bodies - 1 Location - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint. The joint remains
fixed on the first part and moves relative to the second part.
n 2 Bodies - 2 Locations - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint on each part. You
should use this option if you are working in exploded view. For more on
exploded view, see Initial Conditions Tool.
For more on the effects of these options, see about Connecting Constraints to Parts.
Normal to Grid/ Set how you want the joint oriented:
Pick Geometry Feature
n Normal to Grid - Lets you orient the joint along the current Working grid, if
it is displayed, or normal to the screen.
n Pick Geometry Feature - Lets you orient the joint along a direction vector
on a feature in your model, such as the face of a part.
First Body/Second Body Set the bodies on which you want to attach the joint. Select either:
(only appears if you select
to explicitly define the n Pick Body - Select to attach the joint to a body.
bodies using the options 2 n Pick Curve - Select to attach the joint to a curve. If you select to attach the
Bodies - 1 Location or 2 joint to a curve, Adams View creates a curve marker, and the joint follows
Bodies - 2 Locations the line of the curve. Learn more about curve markers with Marker Modify
explained above) dialog box help. Attaching the joint to a spline curve is only available with
Adams Solver (C++). Learn about switching solvers with Solver Settings -
Executable dialog box help.

Hot Point Snapping Increments

There is currently no help available for this dialog box. To return to the previous online help, select the
browser Back button, or select Show to see the table of contents for the entire help system.
 E - I 919
Icon Settings Dialog Box

Icon Settings Dialog Box

Settings → Icons
Sets up how you want Screen icons displayed for the entire Modeling database or a particular type of object, such
as all parts or joints. By default, all objects inherit the screen icon display options that you specify for the
modeling database. You can set screen icon options for the following types of objects:
n Curve-curves
n Couplers
n Data elements
n Equations (System elements)
n Forces
n Gears
n Joints
n Markers (Note that markers belong to parts and, therefore, by default, inherit screen icon display
options for parts.)Motion
n Parts
n Points
n Point-curves
n FE_Nodes (FE Part Nodes)
Learn more about Setting Screen Icon Display.

For the option: Do the following:

The next two options apply to the entire modeling database:
New Value Choose one of the following to select whether or not you want to turn on screen
icons:

n No Change - Select No Change to not change the current settings.

n On - Turns on all icons regardless of how you set the icon display for
individual objects or types of objects.
n Off - Turns off all icons regardless of how you set the icon display for
individual objects or types of objects.
New Size Enter the size you want for the screen icons. Note that any changes you make to the
size of icons for individual objects or types of objects take precedence over this size
setting.
The remaining options apply to a particular type of modeling object:
Specify Attributes Select the type of object for which you want to set the screen icon options
for
920 Adams View
Import - Adams Solver Analysis Files

For the option: Do the following:

Visibility Select whether or not you want to turn on screen icons for the selected object type.
You can select:

n On - Turns on the display of screen icons for the selected type of object.
n Off - Turns off the display of screen icons for the selected type of object.
Remember, however, that turning on the display of screen icons for the
entire database overrides this setting.
n Inherit - Lets the object type simply inherit the display settings from its
parent. For example, a coordinate system marker inherits settings from its
parent part.
n No Change - Does not change the current settings. Lets you make changes
to other display options without affecting the visibility of the icons.
Size of Icons/Scale Enter the size you want for the icons or select the amount by which you want to scale
of Icons the icons. The scale factor is relative to the current size set. A scale factor of 1 keeps
the icons the same size. A scale factor less than 1.0 reduces the size of the icons and
a scale factor greater than 1.0 increases the size of the icons. Note that these changes
take precedence over the size you specify globally for the modeling database.
Color Enter the color you want to use for the icons.

To browse for or create a color, right-click the Color text box, and then select Browse
or Create.
Name Visibility Select whether or not you want the names of objects of the selected type displayed
in the view. Refer to Visibility option above for choices.
Reset Select to reset the screen icon display to the previous values.

Import - Adams Solver Analysis Files

File → Import → Adams Solver Analysis, Adams Graphics, Adams Request, or Adams Results Shared Dialog Box
Imports Adams Solver analysis files, which are a set of output files that Adams Solver generates during a single
Simulation. The files include:
n Graphics
n Request
n Results
You can import multiple files if you associate and store the files with a model. Adams View reads and creates
all analyses under the specified model. If you do not provide a model name, Adams View reads each analysis
into its own model. For request files, when you specify multiple files, the Request IDs button only displays
the requests from the first file listed. The list of IDs will, however, be applied to all files.
If you select to associate the files with a particular simulation, you can only import one set of output files
generated from the same Adams Solver simulation. Adams View uses the time-date stamp placed at the
beginning of each output file to determine if the files were generated by the same simulation run.
 E - I 921
Import - Adams Solver Analysis Files

If you have very large request files that you want to import, Adams View lets you read in only a subset of the
request file to conserve memory use. You can specify to read in only the request IDs in which you are
interested and skip time steps. Note that this is only available when reading in a single request file, not when
reading in an entire set of analysis files.

Notes: Importing an entire set of analysis files works even if you have only one of the three files
included in the analysis set as explained below.

If Adams View cannot find any of the three files, it issues a message. The most common reasons
that Adams View cannot find one or more of the files are that the path to the files is incorrect
or you do not have permission to read the file. You can either:

n Import the files again using the correct path name.

n Move the files into the directory from which you are running Adams View and check the
file permission. Then, import the files again. You do not need to specify the file locations.

For the option: Do the following:

File Type n To import sets of analysis files, select Adams Solver Analysis Files.
n To import individual analysis files one at a time, select Graphics, Request, or
Results.
Note: When you import only a graphics file, you can select to display the
graphics and choose to store the data on your disk drive and not in the
Adams Modeling database. Then when Adams View or Adams PostProcessor
animates the model, it references the data on disk. By saving the data on
disk and not in the Adams database you can save substantial amounts of
memory, especially if the files are large (containing 20,000 output steps
or more). Note that storing the data on disk results in slightly longer
animation time.
File(s) to Read Enter the base name of the file or set of files. You do not need to enter their
extension.

Tips on Entering File Names in Text Boxes.

Model/Analysis Enter either the model or analysis name under which you want to store the analysis
files in the modeling database. You can enter multiple files if you select to store
them under a model.
View (Adams PostProcessor only)
Enter the viewport in which to display the data.

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

Display Model After (Graphics file only)
Completion
Select if you want to display the final results of the import.
922 Adams View
Import - Adams Solver Analysis Files

For the option: Do the following:

Keep Results Data Select if you want to avoid reading the entire contents of the graphics, request, or
On Disk results data (XML only) into the database. Adams View references the data only
when needed for animations or xy plotting. Storing the data on disk reduces the
memory footprint and improves performance for very large simulations, for
example, those containing durability results. Learn more about storing results files
in XML format with Results (.res) Options dialog box help.
If you selected to import a results file, the following two options appear:
Time Step Skip Specifies whether or not to skip time steps by specifying a pattern of time steps to
skip in the result file. This should be greater than or equal to 0. For XRF style result
files only.

If you have a large result file with unnecessarily fine time resolution, specifying
Time Skip Step can significantly reduce the amount of memory used to store the
data as well as reduce the reading time.

If the this is not specified or if the value is 1 then the entire result file is read as usual.
If this is for example 3, for a result file with the name test.res, then every 3rd step
(not including initialCondition, input and contact step is included in the new
results file with the name test_3.res. This file, after shrinking, is read into Adams
View instead of the original file. This file is stored in the same location as the
original result file. This can be combined with a Contact Step Skip specification
(two suffixes would be added to the filename in that case).
Contact Step Skip Specifies whether or not to skip contact steps by specifying a pattern of contact
steps to skip in the result file. This should be greater than or equal to 0. For XRF
style result files only.

If you have a large result file with unnecessarily fine resolution and employing
contacts, specifying Contact Skip Step can significantly reduce the amount of
memory used to store the data as well as reduce the reading time.

If the this is not specified or if the value is 1 then the entire result file is read as usual.
If this is for example 4, for a result file with the name test.res, then every 4th step
(not including initialCondition, input and contact step is included in the new
results file with the name test_4.res. This file, after shrinking, is read into Adams
View instead of the original file. This file is stored in the same location as the
original result file. This can be combined with a Time Step Skip specification (two
suffixes would be added to the filename in that case).
 E - I 923
Import - Adams Solver Dataset

For the option: Do the following:

If you selected to import a request file, the following two options appear:
Request IDs Enter the IDs of the requests in which you are interested and want read into the
Adams View database. Select the More tool to select from a list of all the
requests and their IDs in the specified request file.
Time Step Skip Enter whether or not to skip time steps by specifying a pattern of time steps to skip.
If you have a large request file with unnecessarily fine time resolution, this can
significantly reduce the amount of memory used to store the data. For example,
enter 1 to have Adams View store only the following time steps in the database: 1st,
3rd, 5th, and so on. Enter 2 to store only the 1st, 4th, 7th, and so on.

Import - Adams Solver Dataset

File → Import → Adams Solver Dataset Shared Dialog Box
Imports datasets that you created for Adams Solver into Adams View.
When you import an Adams Solver dataset, Adams View creates a new Model using the model description
defined in the dataset. It makes the model part of the current Modeling database. To display the model, see
Displaying Models in the Database.

Note: If Adams View encounters special characters in the file, such as <CTRL m>, it cancels the
operation. Special characters can appear in files that have been transferred between different
computer systems (for example, from Windows NT to Linux). If Adams View cancels the
operation, edit the file to remove the special characters and import the file into Adams View
again.

For the option: Do the following:

File Type Set it to Adams Solver Dataset.
File to Read Enter the name of the dataset that you want to import. You do not
need to enter the file extension .adm, since Adams View assumes that
this is the file extension.

Tips on Entering File Names in Text Boxes.

Model to Create Enter the name of the model you want to create from the dataset.
Set Default Units Set the default units for the model. For more information, see Units
Dialog Box.
Display Model Upon Completion Display the final results of the import.
924 Adams View
Import - Adams Solver Script

Import - Adams Solver Script

File → Import → Adams Solver Script (*.acf) Shared Dialog Box
Imports an Adams Solver script file (*.acf) into Adams View. After importing Adams View creates a
Simulation Script in the database.

For the option: Do the following:

File Type Set it to Adams Solver Script.
File to Read Enter the name of the solver script file that you want to import. You do not need
to enter the file extension .acf, since Adams View assumes that this is the file
extension.

Tips on Entering File Names in Text Boxes.

Simulation Script Name A new or an existing Simulation Script. If an existing script is specified, then the
import operation will modify the script with the commands from the specified
file.

Import - Adams View Command Files

File → Import → Command Files Shared Dialog Box
Imports a command file into Adams View so that Adams View executes the commands stored in the command
file.

Tip: You can also use Tools → Read Command File to import a command file, and set the options using
Settings → Command File.

Learn about:
n Sources of Command Files
n Command File Format
n Ensuring Upward Compatibility of Command Files
n Reading Command Files
 E - I 925
Import - CatiaV4, CatiaV5, Inventor, STEP, IGES, ACIS, Pro/Engineer, SolidWorks, Unigraphics, JT

For the option: Do the following:

File Type Set it to Adams View Command File.
File to Read Enter the name of the command file that you want to import. You do
not need to enter the file extension .cmd since Adams View assumes
that it is the file extension.

Tips on Entering File Names in Text Boxes.

Echo Commands Select to display the commands that Adams View executes as it
imports the file.
Update Screen Display the results of the commands in the main window. If you do
not select Update Screen, Adams View displays the results when it
finishes reading the command file.
Display Model Upon Completion Display the final results of the import.
On Error Set what Adams View does when it encounters an error.

Import - CatiaV4, CatiaV5, Inventor, STEP, IGES, ACIS,

Pro/Engineer, SolidWorks, Unigraphics, JT
File → Import → STEP or IGES
When you import CAD geometry, Adams reads the CAD file and converts the geometry into a set of Adams
geometric elements. By importing geometry from standard CAD packages you can reduce the need to
recreate geometry primitives within Adams, and you can enhance your ability to realistically view the
behavior of complicated mechanical systems. See Manage Geometry Options for more information.
Be sure that the model into which you want to import the geometry is currently open and displayed in
Adams. You can associate the geometry that you import with an existing part or create a new part with which
to associate it.

For the option: Do the following:

File Type Set it to the type of geometry that you want to import.
File to Read Enter the name of the file that you want to import.

Tips on Entering File Names in Text Boxes.

Part Name Enter the name of the part with which you want to associate the imported geometry.

Tips on Entering File Names in Text Boxes.

926 Adams View
Import - CatiaV4, CatiaV5, Inventor, STEP, IGES, ACIS, Pro/Engineer, SolidWorks, Unigraphics, JT

For the option: Do the following:

Model Name Enter the name of the model with which you want to import the geometry. If the
input data is an assembly, then individual parts in the assembly will be translated as
separate parts under the Adams model.
Level Enter the level or levels to be translated in the CAD file for IGES file. Levels let you
associate geometry into a group. These groups can be manipulated as a single entity
for purposes of visibility and color. The CAD program that generated the CAD file
defines the levels and are labeled with integers greater than or equal to 0. Levels are
typically used to organize data for viewing and are similar to layers. If you do not
specify the levels you want translated, Adams View reads all levels.

You can specify a single level or a range of levels. Separate the range with a comma (,).
For example, enter 10, 15 to translate levels 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15.
Scale Enter the factor by which you want to scale the size of the geometry created in Adams
View. The default scale factor is 1.0, meaning that the geometry in Adams View will
be the same size as the geometry in the CAD file. A scale factor less than 1.0 reduces
the size of geometry and a scale factor greater than 1.0 increases the size of the
geometry.

For example, if you specify a scale factor of 0.5, Adams translates a cylinder of length
2 meters and diameter of .5 meters to a length of 1 meter and diameter of .25 meters.
Adams also scales the distance from the geometry to the coordinate system specified
in the Relative To text box according to the scale value. If the cylinder was located at
3, 2, 0 in the file, it would be located at 1.5, 1, 0 after it is translated to Adams. The
orientation of the geometry is not effected by scale value.
Ref. Markers Upon import Adams creates reference markers to correspond with each piece of
(Reference geometry created in the Adams model. These markers are typically automatically
Markers) named with the prefix PSMAR. These reference markers are usually located and
oriented at the origin of the Adams model. However, sometimes the geometry in the
CAD file was created in such a way in the CAD system that it has a
location/orientation transformation value relative to the CAD assembly/part origin.

For example, the geometry was created via a copy/paste/move action performed on an
original piece of geometry, or an assembly is composed of a number of parts/sub-
assemblies re-located relative to the origins about which they were originally modelled.

In these scenarios, setting the option Reference Markers to “Local” will locate/orient
the Adams-created reference markers by applying the same location/orientation
transformation value used in construction in the CAD system to the marker relative
to the Adams model origin. Setting the option Reference Markers to “Global” will
locate/orient all reference markers at the origin of the Adams model.

The default is "Global".

 E - I 927
Import - CatiaV4, CatiaV5, Inventor, STEP, IGES, ACIS, Pro/Engineer, SolidWorks, Unigraphics, JT

For the option: Do the following:

Blanked Entities Select to translate entities that are blanked (made not visible). Adams View translates
the blanked entities and makes them invisible. If you do not select Blanked Entities,
Adams does not translate the blanked entities.

Blanked entities are typically construction entities that are used in the definition of
another geometric entity. For example, a line can be used as the center of rotation of
another line in the definition of a cylinder. The center line and the sweep line rotated
about the center line are both blanked because they are temporary entities used in the
construction of the cylinder.

Once you translate blanked entities to Adams, there is no distinction between

construction entities and other geometry. You can change the visibility of the entities.
Location Specify the translational position where the geometry in the CAD file is to be located,
relative to the Adams part coordinate system. These coordinates can be relative to any
other coordinate system defined in the model.

By default, you enter Cartesian (x,y,z) coordinates. You can change the convention for
entering translational positions. Learn about Setting Default Coordinate System.

Note: This parameter is valid only when importing the geometry under a part and
not a model. If the geometry is being imported under a model, the
parameter will simply be ignored.
Orientation Specify the angular position where the geometry in the CAD file is to be oriented
relative to the Adams part coordinate system. These orientation coordinates can be
relative to any other coordinate system defined in the model.

Adams View orients the coordinate system starting from the initial coordinate system
and applying three successive rotations. By default, you supply body-fixed 313 angles.
You can change the convention for entering orientation angles.Learn about Setting
Default Coordinate System.

Note: This parameter is valid only when importing the geometry under a part and
not a model. If the geometry is being imported under a model, the
parameter will simply be ignored.
Relative To Enter the coordinate system relative to which the translated geometry will be defined.
The coordinates you specified in the Location and Orientation text boxes are relative
to the coordinate system that you specify. You can specify a coordinate system, part,
or model.

Note: This parameter is valid only when importing the geometry under a part and
not a model. If the geometry is being imported under a model, the
parameter will simply be ignored.
928 Adams View
Import - DAC or RPC III

For the option: Do the following:

Naming This setting is applicable only for Unigraphics file import and impacts the way entities
are named in Adams.

n Flat: With this setting, the name of the part entity in Adams is the name of the
part in UG under which the geometry is present.
n Assembly: With this setting, the name of the part entity in Adams is a
combination of the names of all objects in the hierarchy of the part in UG where
the geometry is present, starting from the assembly name.
Consolidate To Set to import all the geometry as one shell. If you do not select Consolidate To Shells,
Shells Adams imports the geometry as individual entities. We recommend that you select
Consolidate To Shells to receive the best animation results.

Note: This parameter is valid only when importing the geometry under a part and
not a model. If the geometry is being imported under a model, the
parameter will simply be ignored.
Display Summary Select to write a verbose log file to the disk. A message will be displayed indicating the
log file to which the translation operation details have been written.
Translation Click on this button to invoke the Manage Geometry Translation Options dialog box
Options for the relevant geometry and translation operation (read or write). The dialog box
would be pre-filled with the option name, short description of what the option is for
and the default value.

Upon changing the desired option values, click on the 'Done' button. The translation
options so set will be used in the ensuing translation operation.
Clean on Import Enables an automatic geometry scanner and cleaner behind-the-scenes during import
of geometry files. This process looks for small imperfections in the geometry that
would render in not "watertight" and therefore cause problems with mass property
calculations based on geometry and density/material. In some cases this may slow
down import speed of certain geometry. If disabling this option, be sure to verify that
the volume Adams View calculates is still sufficiently accurate enough.

Import - DAC or RPC III

File → Import → DAC/RPC III Shared Dialog Box
You can import test data in DAC or RPC III format. The steps involved in importing the data are essentially
the same for both formats; however, it is important to remember that RPC III format supports multiple
channels per file while DAC format only has one channel per file.
Adams View creates a DAC_FILE or RPC_FILE object below Root in the database after you successfully
import these files. It only stores information about the imported file from the file header. It does not store
 E - I 929
Import Model From Adams Explore Workbook

time history data in the database. Adams View also creates Result_Set_Component placeholders below the
file object for each RPC III data channel or DAC file.

For the option: Do the following:

File Type Set it to DAC or RPC3.
File to Read Enter the name of the file or files that you want to import. With DAC files,
you may want to select multiple files because each file has only one result
set. You can use Shift+click or Ctrl+click multiple selection techniques.

Tips on Entering File Names in Text Boxes.

RPC Object Name/DAC Enter the RPC or DAC objects that you want to import.
Object Name

Import Model From Adams Explore Workbook

Design Exploration (Ribbon) → Adams Explore →

Import Model from XLSX file

Import an XLSX workbook file and apply the information to a model.

For the option: Do the following:

Workbook Name Enter the name of the workbook file (.xlsx) to read from.
Already Open Model / If selecting Model From Workbook, the model specified herein will be
Model From Workbook loaded into the Adams View session prior to the data import.
If Already Open Model is selected, an open model can be entered into the
model field.
If Already Open Model is selected, the following field will be available:
Model Enter the model to import information to.
Select All Enable this to enable import of all entity information available in the xlsx
workbook. Does not include running of analyses.
Run Analyses Select whether to run the analyses listed in the workbook “Analyses” sheet
or not.
Write Workbook Select if an output workbook containing plots and evaluated objective
values (if applicable) shall be written to working directory.
Design Variables Enable this to import design variable information from the xlsx workbook.
Points Enable this to import information about points from the xlsx workbook.
930 Adams View
Import - Parasolid

For the option: Do the following:

Mass Properties Enable this to import part information from the xlsx workbook.
Motions Enable this to import motion information from the xlsx workbook.
Splines Enable this to import spline information from the xlsx workbook.

Import - Parasolid
File → Import → Parasolid Shared Dialog Box
Imports Parasolid geometry. See Manage Geometry Options for more information.
When you import Parasolid geometry, Adams View reads the file and converts the geometry into a set of
Adams geometric elements. By importing geometry from standard CAD packages you can reduce the need
to recreate geometry primitives within Adams, and you can enhance your ability to realistically view the
behavior of complicated mechanical systems.
Be sure that the model into which you want to import the geometry is currently open and displayed in
Adams. You can associate the geometry that you import with an existing part or create a new part with which
to associate it.

For the option: Do the following:

File Type Set to Parasolid.
File to Read Enter the name of the file that you want to import.

Tips on Entering File Names in Text Boxes.

File Type Select the type of Parasolid file that you are importing.
 E - I 931
Import - Shell

For the option: Do the following:

Model Name/Part Select whether or not you want to store the geometry under a Model, Part or
Name/FE Part Name FE Part name in the Modeling database and enter the name of the object in the
text box.

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

Clean on Import Enables an automatic geometry scanner and cleaner behind-the-scenes during
import of geometry files. This process looks for small imperfections in the
geometry that would render in not "watertight" and therefore cause problems
with mass property calculations based on geometry and density/material. In
some cases this may slow down import speed of certain geometry. If disabling
this option, be sure to verify that the volume Adams View calculates is still
sufficiently accurate enough.
Ref. Markers (Reference Upon import Adams creates reference markers to correspond with each piece
Markers) of geometry created in the Adams model. These markers are typically
automatically named with the prefix PSMAR. These reference markers are
usually located and oriented at the origin of the Adams model. However,
sometimes the geometry in the CAD file was created in such a way in the CAD
system that it has a location/orientation transformation value relative to the
CAD assembly/part origin.

For example, the geometry was created via a copy/paste/move action performed
on an original piece of geometry, or an assembly is composed of a number of
parts/sub-assemblies re-located relative to the origins about which they were
originally modelled.

In these scenarios, setting the option Reference Markers to “Local” will

locate/orient the Adams-created reference markers by applying the same
location/orientation transformation value used in construction in the CAD
system to the marker relative to the Adams model origin. Setting the option
Reference Markers to “Global” will locate/orient all reference markers at the
origin of the Adams model.

The default is "Global".

Import - Shell
File → Import → Shell Shared Dialog Box
Imports shell geometry to enhance animations.
932 Adams View
Import - STEP, IGES

Note: In Adams PostProcessor, you can specify whether or not you want Adams PostProcessor to
import triangular geometry into trimesh strips when you import CAD geometry. Trimesh
strips display significantly faster than individual polygons, resulting in faster animations.
Adams PostProcessor automatically imports shell files (.shl , .slp, and .stl) as trimesh strips. For
more information, see PPT Preferences - Geometry.

For the option: Do the following:

File Name Enter the name of the file that you want to import.

Tips on Entering File Names in Text Boxes.

Shell Name Enter the name with which you want to associate the imported shell geometry.
Reference Marker Enter the name of the marker to which the shell is paired. During animations, the
shell geometry moves with the marker.

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

Wireframe Only Selecting this will import the shell geometry as wireframe and, thus, the geometry will
never be able to shaded in Adams View. Only vertices and lines will be shown
regardless of the Adams View session's render mode setting. No shaded surfaces will
appear.

Import - STEP, IGES

File → Import → STEP, IGES Shared Dialog Box
When you import CAD geometry, Adams View reads the CAD file and converts the geometry into a set of
Adams geometric elements. By importing geometry from standard CAD packages you can reduce the need
to recreate geometry primitives within Adams, and you can enhance your ability to realistically view the
behavior of complicated mechanical systems. See Manage Geometry Options for more information.
Be sure that the model into which you want to import the geometry is currently open and displayed in
Adams. You can associate the geometry that you import with an existing part or create a new part with which
to associate it.

For the option: Do the following:

File Type Set it to the type of geometry that you want to import.
File to Read Enter the name of the file that you want to import.

Tips on Entering File Names in Text Boxes.

Part Name Enter the name of the part with which you want to associate the imported geometry.
Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
 E - I 933
Import - STEP, IGES

For the option: Do the following:

Scale Enter the factor by which you want to scale the size of the geometry created in Adams
View. The default scale factor is 1.0, meaning that the geometry in Adams View will
be the same size as the geometry in the CAD file. A scale factor less than 1.0 reduces
the size of geometry and a scale factor greater than 1.0 increases the size of the
geometry.

For example, if you specify a scale factor of 0.5, Adams View translates a cylinder of
length 2 meters and diameter of .5 meters to a length of 1 meter and diameter of .25
meters. Adams View also scales the distance from the geometry to the coordinate
system specified in the Relative To text box according to the scale value. If the cylinder
was located at 3, 2, 0 in the file, it would be located at 1.5, 1, 0 after it is translated
to Adams. The orientation of the geometry is not effected by scale value.
Blanked Entities Select to translate entities that are blanked (made not visible). Adams View translates
the blanked entities and makes them invisible. If you do not select Blanked Entities,
Adams View does not translate the blanked entities.

Blanked entities are typically construction entities that are used in the definition of
another geometric entity. For example, a line can be used as the center of rotation of
another line in the definition of a cylinder. The center line and the sweep line rotated
about the center line are both blanked because they are temporary entities used in the
construction of the cylinder.

Once you translate blanked entities to Adams, there is no distinction between

construction entities and other geometry. You can change the visibility of the entities.
Location Specify the translational position where the geometry in the CAD file is to be located,
relative to the Adams part coordinate system. These coordinates can be relative to any
other coordinate system defined in the model.

By default, you enter Cartesian (x,y,z) coordinates. You can change the convention for
entering translational positions. Learn about Setting Default Coordinate System.
Orientation Specify the angular position where the geometry in the CAD file is to be oriented
relative to the Adams part coordinate system. These orientation coordinates can be
relative to any other coordinate system defined in the model.

Adams View orients the coordinate system starting from the initial coordinate system
and applying three successive rotations. By default, you supply body-fixed 313 angles.
You can change the convention for entering orientation angles. Learn about Setting
Default Coordinate System.
Relative To Enter the coordinate system relative to which the translated geometry will be defined.
The coordinates you specified in the Location and Orientation text boxes are relative
to the coordinate system that you specify. You can specify a coordinate system, part,
or model.
934 Adams View
Import - STEP, IGES

For the option: Do the following:

Consolidate To Set to import all the geometry as one shell. If you do not select Consolidate To Shells,
Shells Adams View imports the geometry as individual entities. We recommend that you
select Consolidate To Shells to receive the best animation results.
Display Summary Select to display a summary of the exporting in a message window.
Translation Click on this button to invoke the Manage Geometry Translation Options dialog box
Options for the relevant geometry and translation operation (read or write). The dialog box
would be pre-filled with the option name, short description of what the option is for
and the default value.

Upon changing the desired option values, click on the 'Done' button. The translation
options so set will be used in the ensuing translation operation.
Clean on Import Enables an automatic geometry scanner and cleaner behind-the-scenes during import
of geometry files. This process looks for small imperfections in the geometry that
would render in not "watertight" and therefore cause problems with mass property
calculations based on geometry and density/material. In some cases this may slow
down import speed of certain geometry. If disabling this option, be sure to verify that
the volume Adams View calculates is still sufficiently accurate enough.
Ref. Markers Upon import Adams creates reference markers to correspond with each piece of
(Reference geometry created in the Adams model. These markers are typically automatically
Markers) named with the prefix PSMAR. These reference markers are usually located and
oriented at the origin of the Adams model. However, sometimes the geometry in the
CAD file was created in such a way in the CAD system that it has a
location/orientation transformation value relative to the CAD assembly/part origin.

For example, the geometry was created via a copy/paste/move action performed on an
original piece of geometry, or an assembly is composed of a number of parts/sub-
assemblies re-located relative to the origins about which they were originally
modelled.

In these scenarios, setting the option Reference Markers to “Local” will locate/orient
the Adams-created reference markers by applying the same location/orientation
transformation value used in construction in the CAD system to the marker relative
to the Adams model origin. Setting the option Reference Markers to “Global” will
locate/orient all reference markers at the origin of the Adams model.

The default is "Global".

 E - I 935
Import - Stereolithography and Render Files

Import - Stereolithography and Render Files

File → Import → Stereolithography, Render Shared Dialog Box
You can import both Stereolithography (SLA) and render geometry into Adams. As you import the SLA and
render geometry, you associate the geometry with an existing part or you create a new part with which to
associate it.
Importing your geometry as SLA or render geometry is more reliable than using other CAD formats, such as
IGES or STEP, and the file formats are very simple. There are, however, the following disadvantages:
n The files are much larger than IGES file.
n Because the surfaces have been represented as polygons, you cannot change the accuracy of the
surface representations in Adams View. You must specify the accuracy when you create the files in
your CAD program.

Note: Only ASCII .stl files (Stereolithography) are supported. Binary .stl files are not currently
supported.

For the option: Do the following:

File Type Set it to Stereolithography or Render.
File to Read Enter the name of the file that you want to import.

Tips on Entering File Names in Text Boxes.

Part Name Enter the name of the part with which you want to associate the imported geometry.
Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Scale Enter the factor by which you want to scale the size of the geometry created in Adams.
The default scale factor is 1.0, meaning that the geometry in Adams will be the same
size as the geometry in the SLA or render file. A scale factor less than 1.0 reduces the
size of the geometry and a scale factor greater than 1.0 increases the size of the
geometry.

For example, if you specify a scale factor of 0.5, Adams translates a cylinder of length
2 meters and diameter .5 meters to a length of 1 meter and diameter of .25 meters.
Adams also scales the distance from the geometry to the coordinate system specified
in the Relative To text box according to the scale value. If the cylinder was located at
3, 2, 0 in the imported file, it would be located at 1.5, 1, 0 after it is translated to
Adams. The orientation of the geometry is not affected by scale value.
936 Adams View
Import - Test Data

For the option: Do the following:

Location Specify the translational position where the geometry in the file is to be located relative
to the Adams View part coordinate system. These coordinates can be relative to any
other coordinate system defined in the model.

By default, you enter Cartesian (x,y,z) coordinates. You can change the convention for
entering translational positions. Learn about Setting Default Coordinate System.
Orientation Specify the angular position where the geometry in the file is to be oriented relative to
the Adams View part coordinate system. These orientation coordinates can be relative
to any other coordinate system defined in the model.

Adams View orients the coordinate system starting from the initial coordinate system
and applying three successive rotations. By default, you supply body-fixed 313 angles.
You can change the convention for entering orientation angles.Learn about Setting
Default Coordinate System.
Relative To Enter the coordinate system to which the translated geometry will be defined relative
to. The coordinates you specified in the Location and Orientation text boxes are
relative to the coordinate system that you specify. You can specify a coordinate system,
part, or model.

Import - Test Data

File → Import → Test Data Shared Dialog Box
You can import test data, such as the results of hardware prototype testing, calculations, or Simulations
performed by other software or earlier sessions. When you import test data, you can compare it with Adams
simulation results or use the data in the definition of your model. For example, you might want to import
the results from physical tests of a mechanical system and compare them to the results of simulations in
Adams of the same mechanical system to evaluate the accuracy of a model or to help you improve your model.
Learn about Test Data Format.

For the option: Do the following:

File Type Set it to Test Data.
File to Read Enter the name of the file that you want to import. Tips on Entering File Names
in Text Boxes.
Create Splines/ Select whether you want to import the data as splines or as measures.
Create Measures
Time Column Index For measures only, specify which column in the data file contains the x-axis
data. Enter the column number. Adams uses all other columns as the y-axis
data.
 E - I 937
Import - Test Data

For the option: Do the following:

Independent Column Index For splines only, enter the column number to specify which column in the
file to use for the independent data (X parameter) in the Adams spline. The
columns are numbered sequentially from left to right starting with 1, 2, 3,
and so on.

If you specify an independent data index for splines, Adams does not create
a spline for the column of the file with that index. Instead, that column of
data is used as the x data for all splines. If you do not include an independent
column index, then the series of numbers 1, 2, 3, and so on is used for the x
data of all splines.
Units Specify the unit category to be applied to the dependent data for the spline.
You can provide a unit category for each dependent column in the file.

Once Adams assigns the units to the spline, it performs automatic unit
conversions based on the current default units specified (Settings → Units).
For example, if you import test data and assign the unit category of length,
and then you change the length unit from millimeter to meter, Adams View
automatically converts the test data by 0.001.

Note that you should take care to ensure the current units in Adams are set
to the appropriate units for the data in the file before importing the file. If
the Adams default units are millimeter, and you are importing data in inches,
the data in the file will be interpreted as millimeters.

The units field is optional. If you omit it, Adams assigns no_units to the
imported data, and performs no automatic unit conversion.
Model Name/ Specify the name of the model or, for measures, the name of the analysis in
Analysis Name which you want to store the data. Select:

n Model Name and then enter the name of the model in the text box next
next to the pull-down menu.
n Analysis Name and then enter the name of the simulation in the text
box next to the pull-down menu. You can only store measures under
simulation results. (Not available if you are importing the data as a spline.)
Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Names in File Specify how to define the names of the splines or measures

n If there are textual column headers in the file, select Names in File.
Adams uses the column header text as the names of each spline.
n If there are no textual column headers, do not select Names in File.
Adams automatically generates names for the splines (for example,
SPLINE_1, SPLINE_2, and so on).
938 Adams View
Import - Wavefront Files

Import - Wavefront Files

File → Import → Wavefront Shared Dialog Box
Lets you import Wavefront geometry (.obj) files to define polygon vertices and connectivity for all Adams
graphics, except deformable geometry (springdampers, force/torque vectors, and multi-part outlines). When
you import a Wavefront .obj file, Adams only interprets vertex, face, and group information. It ignores
smoothing groups, textures, and material properties.
You can associate the imported geometry with an entire model, single part, or marker. Each option is explained
below:
n Entire model - If you associate the contents of a Wavefront .obj with an entire model, Adams creates
a new part for each unique group name in the .obj file.
n Single part - If you associate the contents of a Wavefront .obj with a single Adams part, Adams
creates a separate shell graphic object for each occurrence of a group in the .obj file.
n Marker - If you associate the contents of a Wavefront .obj with a marker, Adams creates a separate
shell graphic object for each occurrence of a group in the .obj file. These shells become the children
of the part to which the marker belongs. The selected marker is the reference marker for the shells.
Learn about Export - Wavefront.
 E - I 939
Impose Motion(s)

For the option: Do the following:

File Type Set to Wavefront.
File to Read Enter the name of the Wavefront .obj file that you want to import.

Tips on Entering File Names in Text Boxes.

Part Name/ Set to whether you want to associate the geometry with a part or a model, and then
Model Name enter the name of the part or model in the text box located next to the pull-down
menu:

n Model Name - If you select to associate the geometry with a model, Adams View
creates a new part for each unique group name that appears in the file. If the same
group name appears more than once, Adams View adds a separate shell geometric
entity to the part with the same name as the group. It assigns names to the shell
using the convention SHLx, where x is a unique integer.
n Part Name - If you select to associate the geometry with a single part, Adams View
creates a new shell for each group that appears in the file. It assigns names to the
shells using the convention group_name_x where x is a unique integer.
n Marker Name - If you select to associate the geometry with a marker, Adams View
creates a new shell for each group that appears in the file. It assigns names to the
shells using the convention group_name_x where x is a unique integer.
The parts Adams View creates are massless and editing their properties and then
attaching them to your model could be cumbersome. Therefore, we suggest you use
the Part Name option. See also Tips on Importing Wavefront Files.

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

Scale Factor Enter the amount you want to scale the geometry in the Wavefront .obj file. Adams
View scales the geometry uniformly in the x, y, and z directions.
Geometry Placed Set to define whether the coordinates in the Wavefront file are to be interpreted as
relative to the part (relative_to_part) or relative to ground (relative_to_ground). By
default, Adams View writes Wavefront files with the coordinates relative to the part.
Set Read Only Set if you want all shells that are created as a result of importing a WaveFront file to
be tagged as read only. If you select read-only, Adams View does not export the read-
only shells, which protects your shell files from being overwritten. You cannot remove
the read-only setting once Adams View creates the shells.

Impose Motion(s)
Right-click general motion → Modify
Lets you modify a general Point Motion. It displays a set of options for each of the motion's six Degrees of freedom
(DOF). It displays a pull-down menu next to a DOF if it is free and can have motion applied to it, and
displays the label fixed if the DOF is constrained and cannot move.
940 Adams View
Information

Learn more:
n About Motion
n Modifying General Point Motion

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name of the point motion to modify.
Moving Point Change the marker that defines the location of the motion on the parts. Learn
About Point Motion. Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Reference Point Change the marker that defines the orientation of the motion on the parts.
Type Enter how you want to define the motion.
F(time) Enter the following in the F(time) text boxes. The text boxes that appear depend
on how the magnitude of the motion is defined.

n Numerical value (For rotational motion, specify the magnitude in

radians.)
n Function expression
n Parameters to be passed to a user-written subroutine
To enter a function expression, next to the Function (time) text box, select the
More tool to display the Function Builder.
Disp. IC and Velo. IC Enter the initial conditions for displacement or velocity. The text boxes that
appear depend on how the magnitude of the motion is defined.

Information
Database Navigator → Information
Allows you to view information about the selected object. This lists the database fields for the selected object.
Learn Viewing Object Information Through Database Navigator.

The option: Does the following:

Select to go back to the previous object.
Save to File Select to save the information to a file.

Information Window
Tools → Model Topology Map/Model Verify or Right-click on a part → Info
Adams View uses the Information window to display many different types of information about your model,
simulation, or motion data. In addition to just viewing information about your model, you can perform a
variety of operations in the Information window.
 E - I 941
Initial Conditions Tool

The information includes:

n Topology on the different objects in your model
n Object information, such as information about a part or a view
n Model verification results
n Measurements from one coordinate system marker to another
n Result set component information
n View attributes
n Results from a system command you run using the Tools → System Command
Learn more about:
n Information Window
n Viewing Model Topology Map Through Information Window
n Verifying Your Model

For the option: Do the following:

Apply Executes the command but leaves the dialog box open so you can execute the
command again.
Parent Displays an object's parent.
Children Displays an object's children.
Modify Select to display the modify dialog box for the object displayed in the text box at the
top of the Information window.
Verbose Select if you want to display more information about the object such as children of the
object, its geometry, whether or not commands are associated with it, and its attributes
like color and visibility.
Clear Removes all current information in the window.
Read from File Allows you to read information from a saved file.
Save to File Allows you to save the information.

Initial Conditions Tool

Simulation tab → Simulate container → Interactive Simulation icon → Initial Conditions tool

or

Interactive Simulation dialog box → Initial Conditions tool

Performs an initial conditions simulation to check for any inconsistencies in your model. An initial
conditions simulation tries to reconcile any positioning inconsistencies that exist in your model at its design
942 Adams View
Inline Joint Tool

configuration and make it suitable for performing a nonlinear or linear simulation. Most importantly, the
initial conditions simulation tries to ensure that all joint connections are defined properly.
For example, for a revolute joint to be defined properly, the origins of the Markers that define the joint must
be coincident throughout a simulation. If the markers are not coincident, the joint is broken and needs to be
repaired. In this example, the initial conditions simulation helps repair the broken revolute joint by moving
the origins of the two markers until they are coincident
You can also use the initial conditions simulation if you are creating parts in exploded view. Exploded view is
simply creating the individual parts separately and then assembling them together into a model. You might
find this convenient if you have several complicated parts that you want to create individually without seeing
how they work together until much later. Adams View provides options for specifying that you are creating
your model in exploded view as you create constraints.
After selecting the Initial Conditions tool, Adams View tells you when it has assembled your model properly.
You can revert back to your original design configuration or you can save your assembled model as the new
design configuration for your model.
Learn about Performing Initial Conditions Simulation.

Inline Joint Tool

Ribbon menu → Connectors tab → Primitives container → Inline Joint Tool

or

Build → Joints → Inline Joint Tool

Constrains one part so that it can only move along a straight line defined on a second part as shown below. In
the figure, the solid circle indicates the first part that the joint connects and the hollow circle indicates the
second part that the joint connects. The first part is constrained relative to the second part.

The location of the inline joint on the first part must remain on the z-axis of the second part.
Learn about Creating Joint Primitives.
 E - I 943
Inplane Joint Tool

For the option: Do the following:

1 Location (Bodies Set how you want the joint connected to parts:
Implicit)/
n 1 Location (Bodies Implicit) - Lets you select the location of the joint and
2 Bodies - 1 Location/ have Adams View determine the two parts that should be connected.
Adams View selects the parts closest to the joint location. If there is only
2 Bodies - 2 Locations one part near the joint, Adams View connects the joint to that part and
ground.
n 2 Bodies - 1 Location - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint. The joint remains
fixed on the first part and moves relative to the second part.
n 2 Bodies - 2 Locations - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint on each part. You
should use this option if you are working in exploded view. For more on
exploded view, see Initial Conditions Tool.
For more on the effects of these options, see about Connecting Constraints to Parts.
Normal to Grid/ Set how you want the joint oriented:

Pick Geometry Feature n Normal to Grid - Lets you orient the joint along the current Working grid, if
it is displayed, or normal to the screen.
n Pick Geometry Feature - Lets you orient the joint along a direction vector
on a feature in your model, such as the face of a part.

Inplane Joint Tool

Ribbon menu → Connectors tab → Primitives container → Inplane Joint Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Joints → Inplane Joint Tool

Constrains one part so that it can only move in a plane of a second part as shown below. In the figure, the
solid circle indicates the first part that the joint connects and the hollow circle indicates the second part that
the joint connects. The first part is constrained relative to the second part.
944 Adams View
Inplane Joint Tool

The origin of the inplane joint on the first part must remain in the xy plane of the second part.
Learn about Creating Joint Primitives.

For the option: Do the following:

1 Location (Bodies Set how you want the joint connected to parts:
Implicit)/
n 1 Location (Bodies Implicit) - Lets you select the location of the joint and
2 Bodies - 1 Location/ have Adams View determine the two parts that should be connected.
Adams View selects the parts closest to the joint location. If there is only
2 Bodies - 2 Locations one part near the joint, Adams View connects the joint to that part and
ground.
n 2 Bodies - 1 Location - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint. The joint remains
fixed on the first part and moves relative to the second part.
n 2 Bodies - 2 Locations - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint on each part. You
should use this option if you are working in exploded view. For more on
exploded view, see Initial Conditions Tool.
For more on the effects of these options, see about Connecting Constraints to Parts.
Normal to Grid/ Set how you want the joint oriented:

Pick Geometry Feature n Normal to Grid - Lets you orient the joint along the current Working grid, if
it is displayed, or normal to the screen.
n Pick Geometry Feature - Lets you orient the joint along a direction vector
on a feature in your model, such as the face of a part.
 E - I 945
Input-Signal Function Block

Input-Signal Function Block

Ribbon menu → Elements tab → Controls Toolkit container →

or

(Classic) Build → Controls Toolkit → Standard Control Blocks → New/Modify →

Input function blocks are needed wherever a control or filter block does not receive its input from another
control or filter block. This includes external time functions that need to be passed into a block, as well as
measures of your model that represent error signals to pass into a block.
An input function block takes any valid Adams Solver (run-time) expression as its input. The input function
block is a valid controls block to reference as the input to any other controls block.

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the function block.
Function Enter the function expression that defines the function block. Select the More button
to display the Function Builder and build an expression. See Function Builder and Adams
View Function Builder online help.
Check the inputs to the function block.

Display the Information window to review the connections to the block.

Create an output measure. See Controls_measure_panel dialog box help.

Integrator Block
Ribbon menu → Elements tab → Controls Toolkit container →

or

Build → Controls Toolkit → Standard Control Blocks → New/Modify →

Integrator filter blocks create the s-domain (Laplace domain) representation of basic linear transfer functions.
The filter coefficients are specified as an Adams View scalar real value. You can parameterize this constant
with an Adams View real design variable to quickly study the effect of varying the gain of the associated block.
Specify the assembly name of any controls block as the input field to these blocks.
946 Adams View
Interactive Simulation Palette and Container

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the function block.
Input Specify the assembly name of any controls block.
Initial Condition Specify the initial conditions.
Check the inputs to the function block.

Display the Information window to review the connections to the block.

Create an output measure. See Controls_measure_panel dialog box help.

Interactive Simulation Palette and Container

Simulation tab → Simulate →Click

Main toolbox → Click

Display tools for controlling Simulation. The dialog box contains a complete set of simulation controls, while
the Simulation container contains only a subset of the most commonly used simulation controls.
 E - I 947
Interactive Simulation Palette and Container

Simulation Control Palette

Simulation Container (from Simulation Tab)

Learn about:
n Simulation Basics
n Types of Simulations
n Performing an Interactive Simulation
n About Adjusting Your Model Before Simulation
n Using Toolboxes, Tool Stacks, and Palettes
948 Adams View
Interactive Simulation Palette and Container

Icon Description
Sets your model back to its initial design configuration so you can modify your
model or perform another simulation starting at time 0.

You do not have to set the model back to its design configuration to continue
simulating. You can pick up from the last frame of your animation and
continue.

Shortcut: Double-click the Select tool.

Stops any further processing, and the modeling objects appear in the positions
that Adams Solver last successfully calculated.

Starts the Simulation.

Replays an Animation of the last Simulation. Replaying an animation displays the

results much faster than if you simulate the model again and watch the frames
update as the solution calculates results. You can also replay an animation of a
saved simulation; for more information, see Animation Controls.

How Adams View replays your simulation depends on whether or not you
have finished the simulation and reset the model back to its initial design
configuration.

n If you have run a simulation, or part of a simulation, but not set the model
back to its initial configuration, when you select to replay the animation,
Adams View animates the model up to the last simulation step and leaves
your model there.
n If you reset your model back to its initial configuration, when you select to
replay the animation, Adams View automatically sets the model back to
the initial design configuration when the animation is complete.
Model Verify Tool

Sim. Type Sets the type of Simulation:

n Default
n Dynamic simulation
n Kinematic simulation
n Static equilibrium
 E - I 949
Interactive Simulation Palette and Container

Icon Description
End Time/ Enter the time interval over which the simulation takes place and set how you
Duration/Forever want it defined. You can select:
n End Time - Specify the absolute point in time at which you want the
simulation to stop.
n Duration - Specify the amount of time over which you want the
simulation to run.
n Forever - Adams View continues simulating until you stop the
simulation or until it can no longer solve the equations of motion to
within your specified tolerance. This option is only available on the
Simulation Control dialog box.
Steps/Step Size Set the frequency with which Adams View outputs data during your
simulation. You can specify:
n Steps - Represents the total number of times you want Adams View
to provide output information over your entire simulation. For
example, specify 50 steps over a 1-second simulation interval to define
an output period of 0.02 seconds per step, which yields an output
frequency of 50 steps/second.
n Step Size - Represents the amount of time, in current model units,
between output steps. The output frequency remains constant even if
you change your simulation end time or duration. For example, enter
a step size of 0.01 seconds to specify an output period of 0.01 seconds
per step, which yields an output frequency of 100 steps/second.
Static Equilibrium Tool

No Debug/Eprint/Table Select either:

n No Debug - Display no debugging information.
n Eprint
n Table
More button Displays the full Interactive Simulation dialog box.

Render See Rendering mode.

Icons By default, Adams View turns off all Screen icons during animations to speed
up the animation.

To turn on and off icons:

n On the Main toolbox, select the Icons button.
n On the Animation Controls dialog box, select Icons.
Shortcut: Type a lowercase v.
950 Adams View
Interactive Simulation Palette and Container

Icon Description
Start at equilibrium Select to have Adams View perform a static simulation before performing a
dynamic simulation.
Reset before running Sets your model back to its initial design configuration before you run the
Simulation.
Initial Conditions Tool

Allows the user to grab a part and drag it while the C++ Solver honors all of
the model's constraints. Useful for quickly verifying a model's behavior. If this
is attempted while a simulation is already running, the running simulation will
stop.
Displays the Compute Linear Modes dialog box.

Displays the Perform Vibration Analysis dialog box. Only available when you have
Adams Vibration. For more information, see the Adams Vibration help.

Computes system linear modes with or without damping. See Linear Modes.

Displays the Compute and Export Linear States dialog box letting you generate a
state-space matrix representation of your mechanical system.

Displays the Adams2Nastran dialog box allowing the export of a linearized

NASTRAN model from Adams.

Update Graphics Display Clear the selection to never have your model updated during the simulation.
Select this when you are sure that your simulation will run to completion
without difficulty, and you want to maximize the efficiency of the simulation.

Learn about setting more options for simulation display with Solver Settings -
Display dialog box help.
Interactive/Scripted Displays tools for controlling either an interactive or Scripted simulation.
Save/Delete Simulation Results

n Left-click to display the Save Run Results dialog box so you can save the
simulation results.
n Right-click to select a set of simulation results to delete.
 E - I 951
Intersect Tool

Icon Description
Save Simulated Position

Displays the Save Model at Simulation Position dialog box so you can save the
model at a simulated position into the Modeling database under a new name.
Save Model at Simulation States

Displays the Save Model at Simulation State dialog box so you can save the model
at a simulated state into the Modeling database under a new name so you can use
it as your new design configuration with states.
Displays the Animation Controls dialog box.

Displays the Linear Modes Controls dialog box.

Displays Adams PostProcessor.

Simulation Settings... Displays the Solver Settings dialog box, letting you set how you want the
Simulation performed.

Intersect Tool

Ribbon menu → Bodies tab → Booleans container → Intersect Tool

or

Build → Bodies/Geometry → Intersect Tool

Creates a single part that is made up of only the intersecting geometries of two solids. It merges the second
part that you select with the geometry of the first part that you select and forms one rigid body from the two
geometries.
952 Adams View
Intersect Tool

Learn about Creating One Part from the Intersection of Two Solids.

J-O
 J - O 953
Joint Initial Conditions

Joint Initial Conditions

Modify Joint dialog box → Initial Conditions
Sets initial conditions for revolute, translational, and cylindrical joints, including translational and rotational
displacement and velocity. If you specify initial conditions, Adams View uses them as the initial displacement
velocity of the part during an Initial conditions simulation regardless of any other forces acting on the part.
Some options in the dialog box are not available (ghosted) depending on the type of joint for which you are
setting initial conditions.
Learn more about initial conditions for joints.

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Joint Name Enter the name of the joint to modify.
Trans. Displ. Set the translational displacement.
Trans. Velo. Set the translational velocity.
Rot. Displ. Set the rotational displacement.
Rot. Velo. Set the rotational velocity.

Note: If the initial rotational displacement of a revolute or cylindrical joint varies by anywhere from
5 to 60 degrees from the actual location of the joint, Adams Solver issues a warning message and
continues execution. If the variation is greater than 60 degrees, Adams View issues an error
message and stops execution.

Joint Motion
Right-click joint motion → Modify
Lets you modify a Joint motion.
Learn more:
n Modifying Joint Motion
n Tips on Creating Motions
n Defining the Motion Magnitude
n DOF Removed by Motion
954 Adams View
Joint Palette and Joint and Motion Tool Stacks

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name of the joint motion to modify.
Joint Change the joint to which the motion is applied. The Joint Type text box
automatically updates to the selected type of joint.

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

Joint Type Displays the type of joint motion. For information only.
Direction Set to the desired motion direction (rotational or translational). You can select
only translational motion for a translational or cylindrical joint. You can select
only rotational motion for a revolute or cylindrical joint.
Define Using Enter how you want to define the motion. Select Function to define using a
numerical value or Subroutine to define using a user-written subroutine.
Function If you selected Function for Define Using, enter the following in the Function
(time) text box that appears:

n Numerical value (For rotational motion, specify the magnitude in

radians.)
n Function expression
To enter a function expression, next to the Function (time) text box, select the
More button

to display the Function Builder.

Tip: Use the DTOR or RTOD functions to specify rotation in degrees.

Parameters and ID If you selected Subroutine for Define Using, enter the parameters to be passed to
the MOTSUB user-written subroutine and its ID. Entering an ID is optional.
Routine Specify an alternative library and name for the user subroutine MOTSUB. Learn
about specifying routines with ROUTINE Argument.
Type Set to Displacement, Velocity, or Acceleration to specify how motion magnitude
is defined.
Displacement IC and Enter the initial conditions for displacement or velocity. The text boxes that
Velocity IC appear depend on how the magnitude of the motion is defined.

Joint Palette and Joint and Motion Tool Stacks

Ribbon menu → Connectors tab and Ribbon menu → Motions tab
or
 J - O 955
Joint Palette and Joint and Motion Tool Stacks

(Classic) Build → Joints

(Classic) Main toolbox → Right-click Joints and Motion tool stacks

Displays tools for creating joints. The palette contains the entire library of joints while the tool stacks on the
Main toolbox contain only subsets of the most commonly used joints.
Learn about Using Toolboxes, Tool Stacks, and Palettes. Also learn about:
n Types of Motion
n Overview of Constraints
956 Adams View
Joint Palette and Joint and Motion Tool Stacks

Joint Toolstack Motion Toolstack Create Joints Palette (from Build Menu)
 J - O 957
Joint Palette and Joint and Motion Tool Stacks

Icon Link Icon Link

Revolute Joint Tool Planar Joint Tool

Hooke/Universal Joint Tool Gear Joint Tool

Fixed Joint Tool Rotational Motion Tool

Translational Joint Tool Single Point Motion Tool

Constant-Velocity Joint Tool Translational Motion Tool

Point-Curve Constraint Tool General Point Motion Tool

Cylindrical Joint Tool Parallel Axes Joint Tool

Coupler Joint Tool Perpendicular Axes Joint Tool

2D Curve-Curve Constraint Tool Orientation Joint Tool

Spherical Joint Tool Inplane Joint Tool

Screw Joint Tool Inline Joint Tool

Create/Modify General Constraint

Construction Contains options for creating the selected object. The options change depending on
or Settings the type of object that you are creating. For example, when you create a link, Adams
Container View lets you specify its width, length, and height before creating it. Then, as you
create the link, these dimensions are set regardless of how you move the mouse. You
can also define design variables or expressions for many values.
958 Adams View
Lead-Lag Filter Block

Lead-Lag Filter Block

Ribbon menu → Elements tab → Controls Toolkit container →

or

Build → Controls Toolkit → Standard Control Blocks → New/Modify →

Lead-lag filter blocks create the s-domain (Laplace domain) representation of basic linear transfer functions.
The filter coefficients are specified as an Adams View scalar real value. You can parameterize this constant
with an Adams View real design variable to quickly study the effect of varying the gain of the associated block.
Specify the assembly name of any controls block as the input.

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the function block.
Input Specify the assembly name of any controls block.
Low Pass Specify the low pass constant.
Constant
The lead-lag filter is represented as: T(s) = s+ b/s+a
Lead constant Specify the value of b above.
Lag constant Specify the value of a above.
Check the inputs to the function block.

Display the Information window to review the connections to the block.

Create an output measure. See Controls_measure_panel dialog box help.

Lighting Settings
Settings → Lighting → Lighting Settings
Helps you enhance the quality and realism of your animations.
Click a tool below for more information.
 J - O 959
Lighting Settings

Learn more about Setting Up Lighting.

Icon Description
Intensity Slide to set how bright the overall light is.
Ambient Slide to set the ambient light.
Angle Slide to set how far from the center line the light source is. May not be appropriate for
all light sources, such as front.
Reflections Toggle to set up reflections off of parts. See Reflections Example.
Two-Sided Turn on to have lighting come from two sides.
Turns on and off the light
960 Adams View
Lighting Settings

Icon Description
Set from upper left corner.

Set from top

 J - O 961
Lighting Settings

Icon Description
Set from upper right corner

Set from left side

962 Adams View
Lighting Settings

Icon Description
Set from right side
 J - O 963
Lighting Settings

Icon Description
Set from lower right corner

Set from bottom

Set from lower left corner

964 Adams View
Linear Modes Controls

Linear Modes Controls

Ribbon menu → Results tab → Review container → Linear Modes Controls

or

(Classic) Review → Linear Modes Controls

Allows you to view your model oscillating at one of its natural frequencies. It cycles through the model
deformation starting from the operating point of the requested natural frequency of the eigensolution. You
can also see the effect of the damping on the model and display a table and plot of modes and frequencies.
Learn about Animating Natural Frequencies.

For the option: Do the following:

Eigen Enter the name of an eigensolution in an existing analysis. The eigensolution
must be in an existing analysis that is associated with the current model.
View Enter the name(s) of view(s) in which to display.
Mode Number/Frequency Select the mode to be used to calculate the deformation of the model. Set to
either:

n Mode - Enter the number of the mode to be used

n Frequency - Enter the frequency of the mode
Displays the next mode.

Select to animate the model.

Displays the previous mode.

Frames Per Cycle Enter the number of frames to be displayed for each cycle.

Adams View performs the interpolation between the frames using

trigonometric functions; therefore, the frames tend to be segregated at the
maximum deformation in the positive and negative directions.
Number of Cycles Enter the parameter used to specify the number of complete cycles to
animate.
Show time decay Select if you want the amplitudes of the deformations to remain constant or
decay due to the damping factor calculated in the eigensolution.
 J - O 965
Linear Modes Eigenvalue Plot

For the option: Do the following:

Show trail Select if you want to show the path, or trail, of parts from one frame to
another.

Showing the trail is useful in showing the relationship of the model parts
between frames but often obscures the view of the motion.
Show undeformed Select if you want the undeformed model to be displayed with the deformed
shape superimposed on top of it.

If you select Show undeformed, select a color for the underformed model. If
you do not specify a color, Adams View displays the undeformed model using
the same color as the deformed mode.
Show icons Select to turn on the display icons during an animation.
Undef. Color Specify the color for undeformed shape or use original colors.
Max. Translation Enter a value to scale mode shape so that translations are smaller than it.

Note: If you have not specified a either scales, then use 20% of the
maximum dimension of the model for translational and 20 degrees
for rotational.
Max. Rotation Enter a value to scale mode shape so that rotations are smaller than it.
Table Select to display eigenvalues in a tabular form.
Plot Select to plot complex eigenvalue scatter.
Select to switch to Simulation Controls.

Linear Modes Eigenvalue Plot

Ribbon menu → Results tab → Review container → Linear Modes Controls → Plot button

or

(Classic) Review → Linear Modes Controls → Plot

Displays the plot of eigenvalues and allows you to save or delete the plot.
Learn about Animating Natural Frequencies.
966 Adams View
Link Tool

For the option: Do the following:

Delete Plot Select if you want to delete the plot.
Save Plot Select if you want to save the plot.
Name Only available if you selected Save Plot. Enter a name for the plot you want to save.

Link Tool

Ribbon menu Bodies tab Solids container → Link Tool

or

Buid → Bodies/Geometry → Link Tool

Creates a link by drawing a line indicating the link’s length. By default, the Link tool creates the link with a
width that is 10% of the indicated length and a depth that is 5% of the length. The radius of the ends of the
link is equal to half the width. Before drawing, you can also define the length, width, and depth of the link.

Learn about Creating a Link.

 J - O 967
Location Table

For the option: Do the following:

New Part/Add to Select either:
Part/On Ground
n New Part - Creates a new part.
n Add to Part - Adds the link to another part in your model.
n On Ground - Adds the link to ground.
Note: Add geometry to ground if the geometry does not move or influence the
simulation of your model. For example, if you are simulating a car driving
around a race track, the geometry that defines the race track can be added
to ground.
Length If desired, select and enter the length for the link.
Width If desired, select and enter the width for the link.
Depth If desired, select and enter the depth for the link.

Note: Two hotpoints appear after you draw the link: one hotpoint lets you modify the length of the
link and the other hotpoint lets you modify the depth, width, and height. For more
information on modifying geometry using hotpoints, see Using Hotpoints to Graphically Modify
Geometry.

Location Table

Polyline, Spline, Extrusion, Revolution Modify dialog box → More button

Lets you view the points in polylines, splines, extrusions, and revolutions and edit them. You can also save
the location information to a file or read in location information from a file.
Learn more:
n Displaying the Location Table
n Working in the Location Table
n Reading and Writing Location Information
For general information on using tables in Adams View, see Using Tables to Enter Values.

LocationEvent
When Adams View asks you for a location, right-click
Lets you enter location coordinates to precisely set the location of an object, such as a design point or a force.
You can enter the location relative to the origin of the Working grid, the global coordinate system, or any other
object on the screen.
Learn about:
968 Adams View
Low-Pass Filter Block

n Entering Precise Location Coordinates

n Selecting Objects from a Crowd

For the option: Do the following:

Upper box (no title) Enter the coordinates at which to place the object. By default, displays the current
coordinates of the cursor.
Pull-down menu Select the element (working grid, global coordinate system, or modeling object) to
which the coordinates are relative. By default, the coordinates are relative to the
working grid.
Lower box (no title) In the lower box, enter the object to which the coordinates are relative. You only
need to enter an object if you selected that the coordinates are relative to an object.

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

Low-Pass Filter Block

Ribbon menu → Elements tab → Controls Toolkit container →

or

(Classic) Build → Controls Toolkit → Standard Control Blocks → New/Modify →

Low-pass filter blocks create the s-domain (Laplace domain) representation of basic linear transfer functions.
The filter coefficients are specified as an Adams View scalar real value. You can parametrize this constant with
an Adams View real design variable to quickly study the effect of varying the gain of the associated block.
Specify the assembly name of any controls block as the input field to these blocks.

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the function block.
Input Specify the assembly name of any controls block.
Low Pass Specify the low pass constant.
Constant
 J - O 969
MDI Insight Build

For the option: Do the following:

Check the inputs to the function block.

Display the Information window to review the connections to the block.

Create an output measure. See Controls_measure_panel dialog box help.

MDI Insight Build

Command Navigator → MDI → Insight → Build
This command enables you to write all the investigation .adm and .acf files out to disk. This can be helpful
if you do not want to run all the simulations in one Adams View session or if you want to distribute the jobs
to multiple CPUs. This command temporarily sets solver preferences to write_files_only and creates the
simulation and command files. You can subsequently use the primary driver .acf file (<prefix>_bat.acf) to run
all the simulations. When all the jobs have completed successfully, you use the commands MDI INSIGHT
LOAD to load the results back into the Adams Insight experiment file with the use of <prefix>_bat.cmd.
If you use the <prefix>_bat.acf file to launch all the simulations, note the following:
n Be sure your SENSOR statements do not have the HALT qualifier.
n If one job fails, the process will need to be restarted manually.
n Instead of the <prefix>_bat.acf you can create a script to run the jobs.
n Set nosep.
Once the analysis files have been written, it is important to check a few of the files to verify that the factors
are actually being altered the way you expect them to. Using a text file differencing tool is a convenient way
to accomplish this task.
To run the simulations external to Adams View, make sure you select the appropriate simulation script type
and that you're saving the appropriate OUTPUT files. It is recommended that you perform a Perimeter
Study exercising each aspect of this process before running the longer set of simulations.
Once the simulations have completed, be sure to review the simulations results by checking .req and .msg file
sizes. Also, perform a grep for ERROR in the .msg files.
After the simulation results have been completed and read back into Adams Insight, make sure you review
the contents of the response columns in the WorkSpace matrix.
970 Adams View
Macro Editor

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Experiment Enter the name of a previously-defined experiment. This experiment will be
referenced to build all the .adm and .acf files required to complete the investigation
defined in the experiment.
Ain Prefix Enter the prefix that will be added to the beginning of all the files generated during
the build process, and then subsequently during the simulations.

Macro Editor
Tools → Macro → Edit → New
Edits Macros that you recorded or that you created by reading in a macro file. You can also use the Macro
Editor to create a macro.

Note: If you select Modify from this menu, the Database Navigator appears. From the Database
Navigator, select a macro to modify.

Learn about Automating Your Work Using Macros.

For the option: Do the following:

Macro Name Enter the name of the macro.
User-Entered Command Enter the command string that executes the macro. To use the name of the
macro, select Use Macro Name.
Wrap in Undo Specify if the entire macro can be undone with a single Undo command. Note
that a single undo command can consume a great deal of memory for very large
macros, or slow macro execution noticeably, even if you do not actually use the
Undo.
Commands Enter the commands the macro is to execute.

Macro Read
Tools → Macro → Read
Allows you to read in an existing command file containing the commands to be executed as a macro. You can
also assign a help file or text string to the macro that explains the macro's use.
Learn about Automating Your Work Using Macros.
 J - O 971
Macro Write

For the option: Do the following:

Macro Name Enter the name of the macro that Adams View uses to save the macro in the
Modeling database.
File Name Enter the name of the file containing the commands to be executed.
User Entered Command Specify the command string that executes the macro. The command string
defaults to the name of the macro if you do not enter a command sting.

Note: The command string you enter must be unique. You cannot redefine
an existing command, although you can add a new keyword at any
level to an existing command.
Wrap in Undo Specify if the entire macro can be undone with a single Undo command. Note
that a single Undo, while convenient, can consume a great deal of memory for
very large macros or slow macro execution noticeably, even if you do not
actually use the Undo.
Create Panel Select Yes if you want to create a dialog box, or select no if you do not want to
create a dialog box.

Macro Write
Tools → Macro → Write
Saves the macro to a command file. Saving the macro to a command file lets you give the macro to another user,
and also helps you modify long macros when you do not have the original file.
If you used non-default values for the other macro data, such as the help string, the command file includes
comments with those values.

Note: Adams View saves all macros in the current Modeling database when you save the database.

Learn about Automating Your Work Using Macros.

For the option: Do the following:

Macro Name Enter the name of the macro to save to a file.
File Name Enter the file name in which to save the macro, and then select OK.

Main Toolbox
Displays commonly used tools for creating, editing, and selecting modeling elements, as well as simulating
the model and undoing operations. The tools are shortcuts to using the menus in the menu bar. In addition,
many of the tools are Tool stacks. Right-click a tool to display its tool stack.
972 Adams View
Main Toolbox

Icon Description
Select Tool

Geometric Modeling Palette and Tool Stack

Measure Toolstack
 J - O 973
Main Toolbox

Icon Description
Undoing and Redoing Operations

Joint Toolstack

Interactive Simulation Palette and Container

Object Color Tool Stack

Motion Toolstack

Animation Controls

Move Toolstack

Forces Tool Stack

Displays Adams PostProcessor

See Fitting a Model in a Window

See Defining a Zoom Area

See Setting the Center of a View Window

Dynamic Rotation Tool Stack

Translate Tool Stack

See Dynamically Zooming the Display

Increment Entering a value lets you more precisely control the view display changes, such
as zooming and rotations.
974 Adams View
Manage Geometry Options

Icon Description
View Orientation Tools

See Orienting the View Using an Object XY

See Orienting the View Using Three Points

Background Color Tool Stack

Toggle Tool Stack

Window Layout

Grid See Working grid

Depth See Setting the View Perspective
Render See Rendering mode
Icons Toggles the display of icons.

Manage Geometry Options

Geometry Translation Options

The following table shows the options used while importing/exporting geometry data in/from Adams.
The options are applicable for the following formats:

Note: All but STEP and IGES require the 'Adams Geometry Translators' license.

Import: IGES, STEP, ACIS, CATIA V4, CATIA V5, Pro/E (and Creo), Inventor, Solidworks, Unigraphics,
JT
Export: IGES, STEP
 J - O 975
Manage Geometry Options

Sew If set to true, all the bodies are sewed together. The default is 'false'.
Heal If set to true, geometry errors are corrected by adjusting data to Parasolid's
default precision. The default is 'true'.
TranslateBodies If set to true, solid/sheet bodies will be imported. The default is 'true'.
TranslateWires If set to true, free curves (curves that are not attached to any surface) will
be imported. The default is 'false'.
TranslatePoints If set to true, free points (points that are not attached to any curve) will be
imported. The default is 'false'.
TranslateCoordinateSystem If set to true, coordinate will be imported. The default is ‘false’.
CATIAV5GeometricSet If set to true, the exact model tree structure is provided for 'Geometric Set'
(applicable for CATIA V5 entities as in CATIA V5. The default is 'true'.
only)
Color (applicable for If set to true, color of the data will be taken into account during import.
Unigraphics, Solidworks and The default is 'true'. Setting to 'false' may improve import speed under
JT only) some conditions.
Use Direct Approach If set to true, the data translator component will save the data directly into
Parasolid. The default is 'false'.

Note: Direct approach has some limitations. It is recommended to use

this option only if the geometry is not obtained with the default
approach.

Geometry Rendering Options

All geometry imported into Adams View is translated into a Parasolid representation first then used this
Parasolid representation to render the geometry. For description of the translation options see Geometry
Translation Options. The following table shows the options used while rendering Parasolid geometry data
imported into Adams. It also applies for geometry created natively within Adams. This excludes native
standard geometry like cylinder, sphere and so on, where direct values like "side count" and so on, control the
rendering, but when one applies features (for example, chamfer, hole, fillet and so on.) or boolean operations
(union, subtract and so on.) these geometry rending options will also apply. When you set these geometry
rendering options, these option will be applicable for all consecutive import operations until you change it,
in that session. Existing geometry in the model will also be affected by the new rendering options. You can
use different options for individual pieces of geometry by changing the options for each import operation.
When you save the model as .bin, these options will persist the last set values and these saved options will be
used for all the geometry objects in that model. Other than .bin, these options will not persist in any way
outside of the session (for example, when exporting a .cmd file). If you used different settings upon import of
different pieces of geometry in a session, there is no way to apply these same geometry-specific settings to a
future Adams session. Instead, you must determine a single set of values which renders ALL pieces of
geometry in your model to your liking and then apply those values to future sessions either manually or
through an aviewBS.cmd or acarBS.cmd.
976 Adams View
Manage Geometry Options

You can also set geometry rendering options through the Adams View command language (see defaults
geometry command for more details).
 J - O 977
Manage Geometry Options
978 Adams View
Manage Geometry Options

CurveChordToleranceScale Curve chord tolerance scale is the multiplying factor for the curve chord tolerance.
Curve chord tolerance is the maximum chordal distance between a facet edge and its
original edge entity.

The default value is 0.3

If the curve chord tolerance scale is less than 0.3, the tessellation will be finer. A value
greater than 0.3 will result in a coarser tessellation.
 J - O 979
Manage Geometry Options

CurveChordAngle Curve chord angle is the maximum angle (always in radians, irrespective of model units)
which is permitted between a facet chord and its original edge entity.

The default is 0.26 (that is 15 deg) which means a value will be automatically set by
Adams if it is not explicitly set by the user.

Lesser curve chord angle will result in a finer tessellation. Greater angle will result in a
coarser tessellation.
980 Adams View
Manage Geometry Options

SurfacePlaneToleranceScale Surface plane tolerance scale is the multiplying factor for the surface plane tolerance.
Surface plane tolerance is the maximum distance between the mid-plane of a facet and
its original face entity.

The default value is 0.3.

If the surface plane tolerance scale is less than 0.3 the tessellation will be finer. A value
greater than 0.3 will result in a coarser tessellation.
 J - O 981
Manage Geometry Options

SurfacePlaneAngle Surface plane angle is the maximum angle (always in radians, irrespective of model
units) which is permitted between the surface normal at any two positions on the
surface which lie within the facet boundary.

The default is 0.26 (that is 15 deg) which means a value will be automatically set by
Adams if it is not explicitly set by the user.

Lesser surface plane angle will result in a finer tessellation. Greater angle will result in a
coarser tessellation.

Note: Finer or coarser tessellation will impact performance in loading the model and all graphics
operations like view manipulation, wireframe/shaded mode change and so on. Finer
tessellation will result in better rendering but will negatively impact the performance. Coarser
tessellation will improve the performance but will negatively impact the rendering quality.
982 Adams View
Marker Modify

Marker Modify
Right-click a marker → Modify
Allows you to precisely control the location and orientation of your marker. The options available depend on
whether or not the marker is attached to a part, ground, or curve or a node on a flexible body. Select a topic
below:
n Marker on Part, Ground, or Curve
n Marker Attached to Node on Flexible Body or an external system (when an MNF/MD DB is specified)

Marker on Part, Ground, or Curve

When you modify a marker on a part or ground, you can define its location and orientation more precisely
than when you created it.
If you are using Adams Solver (C++), you can define a curve along which the marker will move (splines and
data-element curves are all considered curves) and be oriented. You can then use the marker to define
constraints. For example, you could use it to define the position and orientation of a joint or joint primitive.
This requires two markers, one in each part that the joint or joint primitive connects. Learn about switching
solvers with Solver Settings - Executable dialog box help.

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name of the marker you are modifying.
Location Enter x, y, z coordinate defining the marker's location in a given reference
frame.
Location Relative To You can:

n Enter the marker in which you specify the location coordinates.

n Leave blank to use the default coordinate system.
Curve Enter the curve along which the marker will move. The curve (its direction
and curvature) define the position and orientation of the marker.

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

Curve Reference Marker Enter the marker that defines the location and orientation of the spline. The
marker acts as a reference coordinate system for the coordinate values used
to define the reference curve points.
 J - O 983
Marker Modify

For the option: Do the following:

Tangent Velocity/Vector Define the velocity of the marker origin along the curve. Select either:
Velocity
n Tangent Velocity - Defines the initial velocity of the marker origin
along the curve. It is negative if the marker is initially moving
toward the start of the curve, and it is positive if the marker is
moving toward the end of the curve.
n Vector Velocity - Specifies the initial translational velocity of the
marker along the x-, y-, and z-axes of the Curve Reference Marker
coordinate system. Adams View projects the initial velocity onto
the curve. Therefore, any contribution of the specified initial
velocity vector that is not along the curve is discarded.
Orientation/ Specify either of these three Orientation Methods:

Along Axis Orientation/ n Orientation

n Along Axis Orientation
In Plane Orientation
n In Plane Orientation
Orientation Relative To You can:

n Specify the orientation coordinates.

n Leave blank to use the default coordinate system.
Solver ID Enter a unique ID number for the marker. See Adams Solver ID.
Select to add any comments about the marker that you want to enter to help
you manage and identify it. See Comments.

Select to display the Edit Appearance Dialog Box.

Marker Attached to Node on Flexible Body or an external system

When you modify a marker attached to a node on a flexible body, you can define its location and orientation
more precisely than when you created it. If you are using Adams Solver (C++), you can define the marker so
it is offset from the node or you can attach it to several nodes. Learn about Adding Markers to Flexible Bodies.
984 Adams View
Marker Modify

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name of the marker you are modifying.
Location Enter x, y, z coordinate defining the marker's location in a given reference
frame. You can enter a location that is offset from the node ID to which
the marker is attached.
Location Relative To You can:

n Enter the marker in which you specify the location coordinates.

n Leave blank to use the default coordinate system.
Node ID Enter a node ID to which the marker is attached. If you are using Adams
Solver (C++), you can enter a comma-separated list of attachment nodes,
or right-click the text box, select Pick FlexBody Node, and then click the
desired attachment nodes with the mouse.
Snap Select to define the location of the marker so it is coincident with the node
listed in the Node ID text box. Note that when the option is checked, the
Node ID parameter is compulsory. If left unchecked, it is NOT mandatory
to define the Node Id parameter.
Orientation/ Specify either of these three Orientation Methods:

Along Axis Orientation/ n Orientation

n Along Axis Orientation
In Plane Orientation
n In Plane Orientation
Orientation Relative To You can:

n Specify the orientation coordinates.

n Leave blank to use the default coordinate system.
Solver ID Enter a unique ID number for the marker. See Adams Solver ID.
Select to add any comments about the marker that you want to enter to
help you manage and identify it. See Comments.

Select to display the Edit Appearance Dialog Box.

 J - O 985
Marker Tool

Marker Tool

Ribbon menu → Bodies tab → Construction container → Marker Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Bodies/Geometry → Marker Tool

Creates a marker on:
n Ground
n A part (including a flexible body or an external system)
n A curve (available in Adams Solver (C++) only) (Learn about switching solvers with Solver Settings -
Executable dialog box help.)
When you select to create a marker using the Marker tool, you specify the marker's location and orientation
(when you define a marker on a curve, its orientation is prescribed implicitly). You can align the orientation
of the marker with the global coordinate system, the current view coordinate system, or a coordinate system
that you define. When you define a coordinate system, you specify one or two of its axes and Adams View
calculates the other axes accordingly.
After you create the marker, you can make changes to it, such as attach it to several nodes of a flexible body and
align it so it stays along a specified curve. Learn about modifying marker with Marker Modify dialog box help.

Note: You can parameterize the locations and orientations of other objects to that of markers. For
example, you can align the location of a part to be the same as a marker regardless of how the
marker moves. Unlike points, whose parameterization is automatic, you must set up
relationship of markers to other objects. For more information on establishing parameteric
relationships, see, Improving Your Model Designs.

Tip: To reorient the marker, use the Align & Rotate tool from the Move tool stack, select Align One
Axis, and then follow the prompts:

n Select the object to align (the first marker)

n Select the axis on object to align (z-axis on first marker)
n Select the direction for the axis:
• Select the center of the first marker
• Select the center of the second marker

Learn about Creating Markers.

986 Adams View
Maximum Equation Error (Debug Table)

For the option: Do the following:

Add to Part/Add to Select either:
Ground/
n Add to Part - Adds the marker to another part in your model.
n Add to Ground - Adds the marker to ground.
n Add to Curve - Adds the marker to a spline curve.
Note: Add the geometry to ground if the geometry does not move or
influence the simulation of your model. For example, if you are
simulating a car driving around a race track, the geometry that
defines the race track can be added to ground.
For flex markers or markers on an external system (with a MNF/MD DB
specified), you can turn the snapping behavior on and off using the Snap to
Node checkbox. Note that the checkbox is seen, only while adding markers
to a flexible body or an external system with an MNF/MD DB specified.
Orientation Select an orientation method for how you want the marker oriented. When
you define a marker on a curve, its orientation is prescribed implicitly.

Maximum Equation Error (Debug Table)

Ribbon menu → Simulation Tab → Simulate container → Run an Interactive Simulation → Table

Displays the Debug table, which contains a running count of the iterations needed to solve the equations of
motion for the current Simulation. You can use the information as a measure of how many computations Adams
Solver is performing.
Learn more about Debugging Your Model.
 J - O 987
Maximum Equation Error (Debug Table)

The option: Displays the following:

Time The value of time at the beginning of a step.
Type The type of simulation currently being run. It can be one of the following:

n DYN for a Dynamic simulation.

n KIN for a Kinematic simulation.
n STA for a Static equilibrium simulation.
n TRA for Transient simulation.
n QST for Quasi-static simulation.
n ICD for initial conditions displacements.
n ICV for initial conditions velocity.
n ICA for initial conditions acceleration.
n EIG for Eigen solution.
n STM for state matrix solution.
Steps The current Output step number. It is a running count of the number of integration steps
taken, and you can use it as a measure of how hard Adams Solver is working. Learn about
displaying a strip chart of this information.
Step Size The current size of the integration time step.
Iterations The number of the current iteration. It is one at the beginning of each time step and
increments by one until Adams Solver converges to a solution or exceeds the maximum
allowable number of iterations.
Order The order of the predictor. It corresponds to the order of the polynomial Adams Solver
uses to predict the solution at the end of an integration step.
Rank The current ranking of the modeling objects in order of their experiencing the most error
or the greatest change, acceleration, or force, depending on the element that you are
currently tracking.
Element The modeling objects experiencing the most error or the greatest change, acceleration, or
force, depending on the element that you are currently tracking. The number of objects
listed depends on the number you requested in the Show box.
Hits The number of times the modeling object was placed in the top n of modeling objects
where n is the number of modeling objects that appear in the maximum list. You specify
the number of objects in the maximum list in the Show box.
988 Adams View
Measure Attributes

The option: Displays the following:

Percent The percentage of time the modeling object was placed in the top n of modeling objects
where n is the number of modeling objects that appear in the maximum list. You specify
the number of objects in the maximum list in the Show box.
History Depth Number of iterations for which the listed modeling objects appeared. You can change this
value.
Show The number of modeling objects that appear in the maximum list. You can change this
value. By default, Adams View displays three objects in the list at any one time.

Measure Attributes
Object Measure → Modify → Measure Attributes Tool
When you modify a measure, you can set the attributes for a Strip chart, including creating a legend, setting
axis limits, and setting the color and line type for the curve.

For the option: Do the following:

Measure Name Enter the name of the measure whose attributes you want to set.
General Attributes
Legend Enter text that describes the data that the curve in the strip chart represents. The
text appears in the title bar of the strip chart. Note that you have to redisplay the
strip chart to see the effects of changing the legend. Learn about redisplaying strip charts.
Comments Enter text that describes the measure. The text appears in Adams PostProcessor
when you transfer the strip chart to it for plotting. See Comments.

Learn how to transfer a strip chart to Adams PostProcessor.

Axis Attributes
Lower/Lower/Label Currently not available.
 J - O 989
Measure Distance

For the option: Do the following:

Type Select the type of plot to be displayed in Adams PostProcessor when you transfer the
strip chart to it for plotting:

n linear - Performs no transformation of data or axis values. This is the

default.
n logar (Logarithmic) - Scales the axis values so that each power of 10 is
separated by the same distance. For example, the values 1, 10, 100, 1000,
and 10,000 are equally spaced.
n db (Decibel) - Displays 20 * log 10 (value) for each value.
n default - Selecting this means no specific axis type is requested and it
appears in the default axis type, which is usually linear. Learn how to transfer a
strip chart to Adams PostProcessor.
Axis Attributes

Note that you have to redisplay the strip chart to see the effects of changing the legend using the options
below. Learn about redisplaying strip charts.
Line Type Select a type of line style for the curve. For example, you can select a line that
alternates between dots and dashes.
Symbol Set the type of symbol displayed at data points along the curve.
Color Change the color of the curve.
Thickness Change the weight of the curve line. Weight values range from 1 to 5 screen pixels.

Measure Distance
Tools → Measure Distance Shared Dialog Box
Calculates the relative distance and orientation between two positions in your model (Markers, Points, or a
marker/point) and ground. Adams View calculates the following distance information:
n Magnitude
n x, y, and z component
n Angular displacement
You can also select that Adams View calculate the results relative to a reference marker. You can select to
measure the distance at the model's initial configuration (how you built it) or at a particular simulation step.
You can specify a time, frame number, or a configuration of the model. You can view the results in an
Information window or have Adams View store the results in a file.
Learn more about Measuring Distance Between Positions.
990 Adams View
Measure Distance

For the option: Do the following:

First Position Enter the marker from which you want to measure the distance.
Second Position Enter the marker to which you want to measure the distance.
Ref Position You can:

n Enter a marker or point that defines the coordinate system in

which to represent distance information. Using a point as the
reference position is the same as using a marker whose
orientation is identical to the global orientation.
n Leave blank to define the distance information in the global
coordinate system.
Write Result to File Name Enter the name of the file in which you want to save the distance
information. If you want the information written to a directory other
than the one from which you are running Adams View, include the path.

Note: If you do not specify a file, your results will appear in an

Information window.
Model Name/ Choose either:

Analysis Name n Model Name - To calculate the distance based on the current
configuration of a model.
n Analysis Name - To calculate the distance based on a
configuration or simulation time in a particular Simulation.
If you selected Model Name, the following option appears:
Model Name Enter the name of the current model in the text box. If you want to
measure distance in the current model, you do not need to enter a model
name.
If you selected Analysis Name, the following options appear:
Analysis Name Enter the name of the simulation.
Configuration/Time/Frame Select to use a particular time, frame, or configuration store in the
Number selected simulation.
 J - O 991
Measure Toolstack

Measure Toolstack
Ribbon menu → Design Exploration tab → Measures container

or

(Classic) Main toolbox → Measure toolstack

Displays a shortcuts to creating measures.

See Creating a Point-to-Point Measure Using the Simple Method.

See Selecting Markers to Define Angle Measures - Select Method.

Merge Tool

Ribbon Menu → Bodies tab → Booleans container → Merge Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Bodies/Geometry → Merge Tool

Merges two non-intersecting rigid body geometries into one without performing any Boolean operations on
the geometry. The geometry can contain any type of geometry: solid, wire, or complex. If the geometry
belongs to the different parts, the merge tool merges the parts into one.
Because Adams View does not perform any Boolean operations on the merged geometries, overlapping
volumes produce double-density mass in the part and change the results of the mass property calculations.
Therefore, you should use this operation only for non-intersecting rigid bodies that the Unite Tool cannot
combine.
992 Adams View
Merge Two Models

Adams View merges the second geometry that you select into the first geometry you select.
Learn about Merging Geometry.

Merge Two Models

Tools → Merge Two Models
Allows you to merge one Model in your Modeling database into another model. Adams View maintains the
source model and does not change it after the merge operation.
This is helpful for merging two subsystems stored in the same database into a single model. It allows you to
work on each subsystem individually and merge them together when you are ready to work on them as a
whole.
Learn about the procedure for Merging Models.

For the option: Do the following:

Base Model Name Enter the name of the destination model.
Model to be merged Enter the name of the source model that you want merged into the
destination model.

You can browse for a model by right-clicking the text boxes and selecting the
appropriate commands.
Translate Specify the translations to apply to the source model before merging it with
the destination model.

By default, you enter Cartesian (x,y,z) coordinates. You can change the
convention for entering translational positions. Learn more about Coordinate
Systems in Adams View.
Rotation Specify the angular position of the parts and polylines in the source model.
Add all elements to a Group Optional. Enter a new or existing group into which Adams View adds all
named merged objects. Learn about Grouping and Ungrouping Objects.
Merge/Rename Select either:

n Merge - Merge parts that have the same name.

n Rename - Rename the parts before merging the models.
Note: This option affects parts only. All other objects in the “model to
be merged” which share the same name as those in the “base
model” will automatiocally have an indexing suffix (for example,
“_2”) added to their names in the merged model.
Merge ground parts When Rename parts is selected, this option will merge the ground parts
rather than renaming them.
 J - O 993
Message (.msg) Content

Message (.msg) Content

Settings → Solver → Output → More → Output Category → Message (.msg) Content
Selecting Message (.msg) Content as the Output Category in the Solver Settings dialog box lets you set the
contents of the Message file. You only receive a message file when you are using External Adams Solver. Learn about
setting the type of Adams Solver.

For the option: Do the following:

Topology Select to print model topological data in the message file.
Statistics Prints a block of information for each kinematic, static, or dynamic step. This
information helps you monitor the simulation process and locate the source of the
error if there is a problem. Each step consists of two phases:

n A forward step in time (the predictor for dynamics)

n The solution of the equations of motion (the corrector for dynamics)
For more information, see the argument EPRINT in the DEBUG command in the Adams
Solver online help.
Verbose Prints additional information, such as the name of the subroutine from which Adams
Solver sends each diagnostic, explanations, and possible remedies (when available). If
you set Verbose to No, Adams Solver outputs only basic error messages.

Message Settings
View → Message Window → Settings
Allows you to set the messages displayed in the Message Window and clear the messages from the window. By
default, the message window only displays error and fatal messages and messages from commands that you
execute from the user interface (for example, menus and dialog boxes). You can also display messages that you
execute from the Command window, Command Navigator, and command files. In addition, you can set the severity
level of the messages displayed, from informational to fatal messages. Learn about Managing Messages in
Adams View.

For the option: Do the following:

only Graphical User Interface Select if you want to display messages that are generated from
(GUI) widgets commands you execute from the user interface.
the GUI, the command line, and Select if you want to display messages that you execute from the user
command files interface, command window, Command Navigator, and command
files.
Don't display messages Select if you want to turn off the display of all messages.
994 Adams View
Message Window

For the option: Do the following:

Information Select to display messages about what is occurring during a command.
Setting the message window to display these types of messages helps you
understand what is happening in Adams View but requires no action
from you.
Warning Select to display messages that warn you that something unusual
occurred but the operation can continue. You may want to fix or change
something to complete the operation without warnings.
Error Select to display messages that indicate that the operation cannot be
executed. You need to fix or change something to complete the
operation.
Fault Select to display messages that indicate that a programming error
occurred. You should report the message to MSC’s Technical Support
staff.
Clear Select to clear the messages displayed.

Message Window
View → Message Window
Provides you with messages on the status of Adams View and displays helpful information while you are using
Adams.
Adams View displays messages about the execution of a command in the message window. By default, the
message window only displays messages about commands you execute from the user interface. You can also
set it to display messages about commands that you execute from the Command window, Command Navigator, and
command files.
Learn about Managing Messages in Adams View.

MNF and MD DB Transformation

Bodies tab → Flexible Bodies container → MNF Xform

or

(Classic) Build → Flexible Bodies → XForm

It performs transformation on an already existing flexible body or Modal Neutral File (MNF) or MD DB File
(.master). The types of transformation operations that can be performed are:
n Translation - Translate along a vector, by specified distance.
 J - O 995
MNF and MD DB Transformation

n Rotation - Rotate about an axis, by specified angle.

n Mirroring - Mirror about a plane.

For the option: Do the following:

Flexible Body Select either:
Name/MNF File/MD
DB n Flexible Body Name, and then select a flexible body that already exists.
n MNF File, and then select the name of the MNF to import.
n MD DB, and then select the name of the MD DB to import.
Tips on Entering File Names in Text Boxes.
Index The parameter applies only, when you select MD DB file. The parameter specifies
the index of the flexible body in the specified MD DB. The parameter is optional.
Default value is 1.

Note: You can view all the flexible bodies in the MD DB, using the “…”
button provided beside the Index. The desired flexible body can be
selected by double-clicking on the displayed list.
MNF/MD DB Select the appropriate option for Output File and enter the name of the MNF or
the MD DB file.
Create Flexible Body... Select to open Create a Flexible Body dialog box after the intended transformation is
carried out, so that you can create the flexible body and see the transformation.
Mirror Select to perform mirroring operation. You need to specify mirroring plane to
perform mirroring operation.
Translate Select to perform translation operation. You need to specify a direction for
translation and a distance to translate.
Rotate Select to perform rotation operation. You need to specify the axis about which
rotation can be done and an angle for rotation.
If Mirror option is selected, following options are available.
Plane Normal to Specify either of these three methods to specify the mirroring plane:
Vector/
Plane From 3 Points/ n Plane Normal to Vector - This option allows you to specify a vector
Plane Normal to 2 which is normal to the plane about which you want to mirror the flexible
Points body.
n Plane From 3 Points - This option allows you to specify three points to
define the mirroring plane.
n Plane Normal to 2 Points - This option allows you to specify 2 points
which define a vector normal to the plane about which you want to
mirror the flexible body.
If Plane Normal to Vector is selected, following options are available.
996 Adams View
MNF and MD DB Transformation

For the option: Do the following:

Direction Direction can be one of the following:

n Global X - This option specifies that the mirror plane is normal to the
global X axis.
n Global Y - This option specifies that the mirror plane is normal to the
global Y axis.
n Global Z - This option specifies that the mirror plane is normal to the
global Z axis.
n X axis of Marker - This option specifies that the mirror plane is normal
to the specified Marker's X axis.
n Y axis of Marker - This option specifies that the mirror plane is normal to
the specified Marker's Y axis.
n Z axis of Marker - This option specifies that the mirror plane is normal
to the specified Marker's Z axis.
n User Defined - This option specifies the mirror plane is normal to the
user entered vector.
Marker Only available if Direction is either X Axis, Y Axis or Z Axis of Marker.

Mirroring will be done with respect to marker's orientations (X Axis, Y Axis or Z Axis)
respectively.
Direction Vector Only available if Direction is User Defined.
Location Enter a location on the mirror plane.
If Plane From 3 Points is selected, the following options will be available.
Point 1, Point 2, Point3 Specify the coordinates of three points that define the mirroring plane.
If Plane Normal to 2 Points is selected, the following options will be available.
From Location, To Enter the coordinates of two end points of a vector that is normal to the mirroring
Location plane.
If Translate option is selected, the following options are available.
Direction From Specify either of these three methods to define the direction of translation:
Vector/
Direction Normal to 3 n Direction From Vector - direction is specified as a vector.
Points/ n Direction Normal to 3 Points - direction is specified as normal to a
Direction From 2 plane.
Points n Direction From 2 Points - direction is specified by two end points of a
vector.
If Direction From Vector option is selected, the following options will be available.
 J - O 997
MNF and MD DB Transformation

For the option: Do the following:

Direction Direction can be one of the following:

n Global X - This option translates the flexible body in the direction of

global X axis.
n Global Y - This option translates the flexible body in the direction of
global Y axis.
n Global Z - This option translates the flexible body in the direction of
global Z axis.
n X axis of Marker - This option translates the flexible body in the
direction of the specified Marker's X axis.
n Y axis of Marker - This option translates the flexible body in the
direction of the specified Marker's Y axis.
n Z axis of Marker - This option translates the flexible body in the
direction of the specified Marker's Z axis.
n User Defined - This option translates the flexible body in the specified
direction.
Marker Only available if Direction is either X Axis, Y Axis or Z Axis of Marker.

Translation will be done with respect to marker's orientation (X Axis, Y Axis or Z Axis)
respectively.
Direction Vector Only available if Direction is User Defined.
If Direction Normal to 3 Points option is selected, the following options will be available.
Point 1, Point 2, Point3 Specify the coordinates of three points that define a plane. Translation will be
performed in the direction which is normal to the plane.
If Direction From 2 Points option is selected, the following options will be available.
From Location, To Enter the coordinates of two end points; translation will be done in the direction
Location of the two end points.
Distance Enter the distance for translation of the flexible body. Except for the Direction
From 2 Points option you are required to specify a value for Distance. For
Direction From 2 Points option, if Distance is not specified it is calculated to be
the distance between the two points.
If Rotate option is selected, following options will be available.
Direction From Specify either of these three methods to specify an axis of rotation:
Vector/
Direction Normal to 3 n Direction From Vector - rotation axis is defined as a vector.
Points/ n Direction Normal to 3 Points - rotation axis is defined as a plane normal.
Direction From 2 n Direction From 2 Points - rotation axis is defined by two end points.
Points
If Direction From Vector option is selected, the following options are available.
998 Adams View
MNF and MD DB Transformation

For the option: Do the following:

Direction Direction either can be

n Global X - The rotation axis is parallel to the global X axis.

n Global Y - The rotation axis is parallel to the global Y axis.
n Global Z - The rotation axis is parallel to the global Z axis.
n X axis of Marker - The rotation axis is parallel to the specified Marker's X
axis.
n Y axis of Marker - The rotation axis is parallel to the specified Marker's Y
axis.
n Z axis of Marker - The rotation axis is parallel to the specified Marker's Z
axis.
n User Defined - The rotation axis is parallel to the user specified vector..
Marker Only available if Direction is either X Axis, Y Axis or Z Axis of Marker.

Rotation will be done with respect to marker's orientation (X Axis, Y Axis or Z Axis)
respectively.
Direction Vector Only available if Direction is User Defined.
Center of rotation Enter the coordinates for the center of rotation.
If Direction Normal to 3 Points option is selected, the following options are available.
Point 1 (center of Enter the coordinates of the three points that define a plane; rotation will be done
rotation), Point 2, about the axis which is normal to the plane, using Point 1 as the center of rotation.
Point3
If Direction From 2 Points option is selected, the following options are available.
From Location, To Enter the coordinates of end points; the end points define the axis for rotation.
Location
Angle Enter the angle for rotation of the flexible body.
 J - O 999
Model Verify Tool

For the option: Do the following:

Node Offset/ New This option allows you to offset all the node IDs or to specify new interface IDs
Interface IDs of the flexible body. This option is common for all the transformation options
(that is, Mirroring, Translation and Rotation).

n Node Offset - Enter a value to offset all the node IDs.

n New Interface IDs - Enter new interface IDs for the current interface
node IDs. Here the number of interface node ids entered have to be less
than or equal to current interface node IDs of the flexible body.
If you check the More option following parameter will appear.
MNF Write Options This option optimizes the MNF through Adams Flex toolkit. It corresponds to the
parameters in the MDI_MNFWRITE_OPTIONS environment variable.

For more information on the MDI_MNFWRITE_OPTIONS, see Setting Up

Translation Options through the MNF Toolkit.

Model Verify Tool

Simulation tab → Simulate container → Interactive/Scripted Simulation Dialog Box → Model Verify Tool
Tools → Model Verify
Checks for error conditions in your model, such as misaligned joints, unconstrained parts, or massless parts
in dynamic models, and alerts you to other possible problems. It is a good tool to use periodically as you add
detail to or refine your model.
The Model Verify tool calculates the number of Degrees of freedom (DOF) in your model. It gives you two
separate calculations:
n The Gruebler count, which is a rough estimate of the number of DOF in your model using the
Gruebler equation to add up the number of DOF introduced by parts and to subtract the number of
DOF removed by constraints.
n The actual number and type of movable parts and constraints in the model that Adams Solver
determines after it formulates your model’s equations of motion.
It issues warning messages to alert you to any inconsistencies in your model. For example, inconsistencies can
occur when you have not defined connections properly or parts are free to move but have no mass properties
assigned to them.
The verification results appear in the Information Window.
Learn about Verifying Your Model.
1000 Adams View
Modify Body

Modify Body
Right-click part → Part name → Modify
Modifies the following for a part:
n Name, location, and orientation
n Mass and inertia
n Initial velocities
n Initial location and orientation
In addition, it also defines a new ground part.

To modify these properties:

n Set Category to:
• Name and Position
• Mass Properties
• Velocity Initial Conditions
• Position Initial Conditions
• Ground Part

Modify Body - Ground Part

Defines a new or existing part as the ground part.
Examples of where defining a new part may be helpful:
n If you merge two models, each of which has its own ground part, after the merge, the resulting
ground part may not be what you want so you will need to define another part as the ground part.
n You build a model that represents a small subset of your actual system, and then want to expand the
model and need to redefine what is ground. For example, if you were modeling a door handle on a
car door, you might just have a simple model where the door is ground. Later, you may want to
expand the model so that the door swings on the car frame. In that case, you would want to define a
new part representing the car body as ground and attach the old ground to the car body with a
revolute joint.

For the option: Do the following:

New Ground Enter a new or existing part to be used as the ground part. Tips on Entering
Object Names in Text Boxes.
Add any comments about the variable to help you manage and identify it.
Learn about Comments.
 J - O 1001
Modify Body - Mass Properties

Modify Body - Mass Properties

By default, Adams View calculates the mass and inertia for a rigid body part based on the part’s geometry and
material type. The geometry defines the volume and the material type defines the density. The default
material type for rigid bodies is steel.
You can change the material type used to calculate mass and inertia or simply specify the density of the part.
If you do not want Adams View to calculate mass and inertia using a part’s geometry, material type, or density,
you can enter your own mass and moments of inertia.
It is possible to assign zero mass to a part whose six Degrees of freedom you constrain with respect to parts that
do have mass. You should not assign a part zero mass, however. Any part that has zero mass and translational
degrees of freedom can causes simulation failure (since a = F/m). Therefore, we recommend that you assign
finite masses and inertias to all parts. In addition, a part without mass cannot have mass moments of inertia.
Learn about Methods for Calculating Mass Properties.

For the option: Do the following:

Define Mass By Set to:

n Material Type
n Geometry and Density
n User Input
If you selected Material Type, the following options appears:
Material Type Enter the type of material for the rigid body. Adams View displays the
material’s composition below the text box. Adams View uses the density
associated with the material type and volume of the geometry of the part to
calculate the part’s mass and inertia. Learn about Standard Material Properties.
Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Show calculated inertia Select to view the mass-inertia tensor matrix that Adams View calculates.
If you selected Geometry and Density, the following options appears:
Density Enter the density of the part. Adams View uses the part’s density and the
volume of the geometry to calculate its mass and inertia.
Show calculated inertia Select to view the mass-inertia tensor matrix that Adams View calculates.
If you selected User Input, the following options appear:
Mass Enter the mass of the part.
Moments of inertia Enter the mass moments of inertia. Learn About Entering Mass Moments of Inertia.
Center of Mass Marker Enter the marker that is to be used to define the center-of-mass (CM) for the
part.
1002 Adams View
Modify Body - Name and Position

For the option: Do the following:

Off-Diagonal Terms Select to enter the cross-products of inertia (Ixy, Ixz, and Iyz). Clear to enter
just the principal mass moments of inertia (Ixx, Iyy, Izz).
Inertia Reference Marker Specify the marker that defines the axes for the inertia properties. If you do not
enter an inertia marker, Adams View uses the part CM marker for inertia
properties.
Add any comments about the variable to help you manage and identify it. You
can enter any alphanumeric characters. The comments appear in the
Information window when you select to display information about the
request, in the Adams View Log file, and in a command or dataset file when you
export your model to these types of files.

Modify Body - Name and Position

Changes the name of a part and sets its position. Learn about Modifying Part Name and Location.

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the rigid body.
Solver ID Assign a unique ID number to the rigid body. See Adams Solver ID.
Location Enter the coordinates to which you want to move an object. If you enter a location
in the Relative To text box, Adams View applies the coordinates relative to that
coordinate system.
Orientation/ Select one of the following to set different Orientation Methods:
Along Axis/
In Plane n Orientation
n Along Axis
n In Plane
Relative To Enter a reference frame relative to which the location and orientation are defined.
Planar Available for rigid bodies only

Set to identify a three-dimensional rigid body as a planar part.

If the selected part is a flexible body following 3 options will appear
Char Length Specify the characteristic length of the flexible body for linear limit check. This
should be in the model length unit.
 J - O 1003
Modify Body - Position Initial Conditions

For the option: Do the following:

Dynamic Limit Specify the threshold frequency for quasi-static modes.
Stability Factor Specify the amount of damping needed to add to the quasi-static modes.
Select to add any comments about the body to help you manage and identify it. Learn
about Comments.

Modify Body - Position Initial Conditions

In addition to specifying initial velocities, you can also control the initial position for a part’s location and
orientation. You should specify the initial position when you do not want Adams View to reposition the part.
Adams Solver uses the initial position during an Initial conditions simulation, which it runs before it runs a
Simulation of your model.
You can control initial locations and orientations for rigid bodies and flexible bodies but only initial locations for
Point masses.
n Location fixes any of the current translational coordinates (x, y, or z) of the part as the initial
location.
n Orientation fixes any of the current body-fixed 313 rotational coordinates (psi, theta, or phi angles) as the
initial orientation. These rotation angles are those associated with a body-fixed 313 rotation
sequence regardless of which sequence you set as the default for the modeling database. (Learn about
Rotation Sequences.)
If Adams Solver has to alter part positions to obtain consistent initial conditions during an initial conditions
simulation, it does not vary the coordinates you specify, unless it must vary them to satisfy the initial
conditions you specify for a joint or a motion.
If you fix the initial positions of too many parts, the initial conditions simulation can fail. Use initial positions
sparingly.

For the option: Do the following:

Positions held FIXED during assembly
Global X, Global Select the coordinates that you want fixed during initial conditions simulation.
Y,Global Z
1004 Adams View
Modify Body - Velocity Initial Conditions

For the option: Do the following:

Orientations held FIXED during assembly
PSI Orientation,THETA Select the angles that you want fixed during initial conditions simulation.
Orientation,PHI
Orientation
Add any comments about the part to help you manage and identify it. Learn
about Comments.

Modify Body - Velocity Initial Conditions

You can specify initial velocities for parts. Adams View uses the initial velocity during the Initial conditions
simulation, which it runs before it runs a Simulation of your model.
You can specify translational and angular velocities for rigid bodies and only translational velocity for point
masses.
n Translational velocity defines the time rate of change of a part’s center of mass with respect to
ground or another marker in your model. You can specify translational velocity for each vector
component of the marker.
n Angular velocity defines the time rate of change of a part’s rotational position with respect to the
CM marker of the part or another marker in your model. You can specify angular velocity for each
vector component of the marker.
If you specify initial velocities, Adams View uses them as the initial velocity of the part during assemble model
operations, regardless of any other forces acting on the part. You can also leave some or all of the velocities
unset. Leaving a velocity unset lets Adams View calculate the velocity of the part during an assemble
operation depending on the other forces and constraints acting on the part. Note that it is not the same as
setting the initial velocity to zero. Setting an initial velocity to zero means that the part will not be moving in
the specified direction when the simulation starts, regardless of any forces and constraints acting upon it.

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

Translational Velocity
Ground Select to specify the global reference coordinate system as the system in which
the translational velocity vector components will be specified.
Marker Select and enter a marker along whose axes the translational velocity vector
components will be specified.
 J - O 1005
Modify Bushing

For the option: Do the following:

X Axis/Y Axis/Z Axis Select the axes in which you want to define velocity and enter the velocity in
the text box that appears next to the axes check boxes. Remember, leaving a
velocity unset lets Adams View calculate the velocity of the part during an
initial conditions simulation, depending on the other forces and constraints
acting on the part. It is not the same as setting the initial velocity to zero.
Angular Velocity (Not available if you are modifying a point mass.)
Part CM Select to specify the part’s center-of-mass (CM) marker as the coordinate
system about whose axes the translational or angular velocity vector
components will be specified.
Marker Select and enter a marker about whose axes the translational or angular
velocity vector components will be specified.
X Axis/Y Axis/Z Axis Select the axes in which you want to define velocity and enter the velocity in
the text box that appears next to the axes check boxes. Remember, leaving a
velocity unset lets Adams View calculate the velocity of the part during an
initial conditions simulation, depending on the other forces and constraints
acting on the part. It is not the same as setting the initial velocity to zero.
Add any comments about the body to help you manage and identify it. Learn
about Comments.

Modify Bushing
Right-click bushing → Modify
Modifes the following for a bushing:
n The two bodies to which the forces are applied.
n Translational and rotational properties for stiffness, damping, and preload.
n Force graphics.
Learn more about Modifying Bushings.

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Name Enter the name of the bushing to modify.
Action Body Change the action body to which the force is applied.
Reaction Body Change the body that receives the reaction forces.
1006 Adams View
Modify Comment

For the option: Do the following:

Translational Properties:
Stiffness Enter three stiffness coefficients.
Damping Enter three viscous-damping coefficients. The force due to damping is zero
when there are no relative translational velocities between the markers on the
action and reaction bodies.
Preload Enter three constant force (preload) values. Constant values indicate the
magnitude of the force components along the x-, y-, and z-axeis of the
coordinate system marker of the reaction body (J marker) when both the
relative translational displacement and velocity of the markers on the action
and reaction bodies are zero.
Rotational (Torque) Properties:
Stiffness Enter three stiffness coefficients.
Damping Enter three viscous-damping coefficients. The torque due to damping is zero
when there are no relative rotational velocities between the markers on the
action and reaction bodies.
Preload Enter three constant torque (preload) values. Constant values indicate the
magnitude of the torque components about the x-, y-, and z-axes of the
coordinate system marker on the reaction body (J marker) when both the
relative rotational displacement and velocity of the markers on the action and
reaction bodies are zero.
Force Display Specify whether you want to display force graphics for one of the parts, both,
or none.
Select to add any comments about the variable to help you manage and
identify it. See Comments.

Select to change the position of the force using the Precision Move dialog box.

Select to create a force measure. Learn about creating Object Measures

Modify Comment

Modify/Create Dialog Box → Shared Dialog Box

Adds notes about the objects in your Model, and for Template-Based products, about entities in your subsystem,
to help you manage and identify them. The types of objects about which you can add comments in Adams
View are listed below. For parts, constraints, and forces, you add comments when you modify the object. For
models, you can add the comments as you create the model, and you can also modify the comments.
 J - O 1007
Modify Coupler

n Models
n Parts
n Constraint
n Forces
n Materials
The comments that you create appear in the following:
n Information window
n Adams View Log file
n Command or dataset files

For the option: Do the following:

Object Enter the name of the object or entity.
Type Enter the type of object for which you are creating comments.
Comment Text Enter your comments.
Date Select to add the date when you created the comments. In template-based products, it
adds both date and time.
Time Select to enter the time when you created the comments.
Clear Clear the text, time, and date.
Reset Set the comments to the previous ones.

Modify Coupler
Right-click coupler → Modify
Modifies a coupler allowing you to specify the relationship between the driver and the coupled joint or to
create a three-joint coupler.
Learn about:
n Modifying Couplers
n Creating Couplers

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name of the coupler to modify.
Two Joint Coupler/ Three Joint Select whether you want a two- or three-joint coupler.
Coupler
By Scales/By Displacement/User Select the relationship between the joints (either linear or nonlinear).
Defined
1008 Adams View
Modify Extrusion

For the option: Do the following:

Driver and Coupler Change the joints to be coupled, and then set Freedom Type to their
type. If you have any cylindrical joints, you can specify either
translational or rotational displacement. Translational joints always have
translational displacements. Revolute joints always have rotational
displacements.
Scale If the coupler is linear, enter a scale for the second and third coupled
joints. The scales are r2 and r3 in the following equation:

delta1 + r2 * delta2 + r3 * delta3 =0

If the joint displacement is rotational, its corresponding delta in the
equation above is in radians.
If you selected User Defined, the following options appear:
User-Written Subroutine If the coupler is nonlinear, specify the user parameters to be passed to
Parameters the User-written subroutine COUSUB, COUXX, COUXX2. For more
on user-written subroutines, see the Adams Solver online help.
Routine Specify an alternative library and name for the user subroutine
COUSUB, COUXX, COUXX2.

Modify Extrusion
Right-click an extrusion → Modify
Allows you to control the location and orientation of an Extrusion and allows you to rename the extrusion.
Learn about Extrusion tool.

For the option: Do the following:

Extrusion Name Displays the name of the extrusion you are modifying.
New Name If you want, enter a unique name for the extrusion.
Reference Marker Specify the marker used to locate and orient the extrusion.
Relative To Specify the coordinate system in which the location and orientation coordinates are
specified. If you do not specify this parameter, Adams View uses the reference marker.
 J - O 1009
Modify Extrusion

For the option: Do the following:

Profile Points/ Select either:
Profile Curve
n Profile Points - Enter the locations of the points that define the profile. The
points are relative to the reference marker.

To edit the locations of the points, select the More button to display the
Location table.
n Profile Curve - Enter the object used to define the profile of the extrusion. You
can specify an arc, circle, spline curve, polyline, chain, or outline as the profile
curve. The object should be in the xy plane of the reference marker.
Path Points/ Select either:
Path Curve/
Length along Z n Path Points - Enter points used to define the path of the extrusion. The points are
relative to the reference marker. The points define the path along which the
profile curve will be extended.

To edit the locations of the points, select the More button to display the
Location Table.
n Path Curve - Enter the object used to define the path of the extrusion. You can
specify an arc, circle, spline curve, polyline, chain, or outline. The object defines
the path along which the profile curve is extended.
n Length along Z - Z-axis of the reference marker defining the straight line along
which the profile curve will be extruded. Enter a positive length to extrude along
the +z-axis.
Select to add any comments about the extrusion that you want to enter to help you
manage and identify it.

Select to display the Edit Appearance Dialog Box.

1010 Adams View
Modify FEMDATA

Modify FEMDATA

Elements tab → Data Elements container → FEMDATA → Modify

or

(Classic) Build → Elements → Data Elements → FEMDATA → Modify

Produces data files of component loads, deformations, stresses, or strains for input to subsequent finite
element or fatigue life analysis. You use the Solver → Settings → Output → More → Durability Files to
specify the type of file to produce (for more information, see Solver Settings - Output dialog box help and Adams
Durability online help). Adams View will not output to any files unless you specify the format.

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Name Enter the name of the FEMDATA element to modify.
Type Select the information that you want output:

n Loads on Rigid Body/Flexible Body - Outputs all external forces (reaction and
applied forces except gravity) acting on the specified body and inertial forces of
the specified body (angular velocities and accelerations including effects of
gravity) as a function of time. Load data will be output in the simulation set of
units.
n Modal Deformation - Outputs modal deformations as a function of time of the
specified flexible body. Adams View will only export coordinates of the active
modes in the simulation.
n Nodal Deformation - Outputs nodal deformations as a function of time of the
specified flexible body. Adams View writes the deformations in the simulation
set of units.
n Strain - Outputs strain information if strain modes are available in the modal
neutral file (MNF) of the specified flexible body. Adams View outputs all six
components of strain (normal-X, normal-Y, normal-Z, shear-XY, shear-YZ,
shear-ZX). It outputs strains in the basic FEA coordinate system of the flexible
body.
n Stress - Outputs stress information if modal stresses are available in the Modal
Neutral File (MNF) of the flexible body. Adams View outputs all six components of
stress (normal-X, normal-Y, normal-Z, shear-XY, shear-YZ, shear-ZX). It
outputs stresses in the simulation set of units in the basic FEA coordinate
system of the flexible body
If you selected Loads on Rigid Body, the following options appear:
 J - O 1011
Modify FEMDATA

For the option: Do the following:

R Marker Enter the rigid body marker to be the reference coordinate system to output loads.
Because Adams Solver resolves all loads acting on the rigid body in the coordinate system
of the specified marker, the marker should represent the FEA basic coordinate system of
the part's finite element model (FEM).
Peak Slice Select that FEM load data are to be output only at those time steps where the specified
peak load occurred in the simulation. With the START and END, Adams View only
checks the time steps within those specifications for the peak load. You can specify one
or more of FX, FY, FZ, FMAG, and GMAG.
If you selected Loads on Flexible Body, the following options appear:
Flex Body Enter the name of the flexible body whose data Adams View outputs. Adams View
outputs the data in the FEM basic coordinate system that is inherent to the flexible body.
Peak Slice Select that FEM load data are to be output only at those time steps where the specified
peak load occurred in the simulation. With the START and END, Adams View only
checks the time steps within those specifications for the peak load. You can specify one
or more of FX, FY, FZ, FMAG, GMAG.
If you selected Modal Deformation, the following option appears:
Flex Body Specifies the name of the flexible body whose data FEMDATA outputs. FEMDATA
outputs the data in the FEM basic coordinate system that is inherent to the flexible body.
If you selected Nodal Deformation, the following option appears:
Flex Body Enter the name of the flexible body whose data FEMDATA outputs. FEMDATA
outputs the data in the FEM basic coordinate system that is inherent to the flexible body.
Nodes Enter the node numbers of a flexible body whose data is to be output. If you do not
specify a node list, FEMDATA exports nodal data at each attachment point of the
flexible body. Adams Solver issues a warning if a node id is specified that does not belong
to the flexible body.
Datum Enter a node ID of the flexible body to be the datum of the nodal displacements. Adams
Solver computes all nodal displacements relative to this node ID. If you do not specify
a datum node, Adams Solver generates an arbitrary relative set of nodal displacements.
It displays a warning message if the specified node does not belong to the flexible body.
If you selected Stress or Strain, the following two options appear:
Flex Body Specifies the name of the flexible body whose data FEMDATA outputs. FEMDATA
outputs the data in the FEM basic coordinate system that is inherent to the flexible body.
Nodes Enter the node numbers of a flexible body whose data is to be output. If you do not
specify a node list, FEMDATA exports nodal data at each attachment point of the
flexible body. Adams Solver issues a warning if a node id is specified that does not belong
to the flexible body.
1012 Adams View
Modify Force

For the option: Do the following:

For all types, set the following options:
File Enter the output file name for the FEM data. You can specify an existing directory, root
name, and/or extension. By default, the file name will be composed of the Adams run
and body IDs according to the type of data and file format that you specified in the
Solver → Settings → Output → More → Durability Files (for more information, see
Adams Durability online help).
Time Specify the start and end times for outputting the data:

n From - Enter the time at which to start outputting the data. The default is the
start of the simulation.
n To - Enter the time at which to end the output of the data or the search of a
peak load. The default is to output to the end of the simulation.

Modify Force
Right-click single-component force → Modify
Modifies the following for a Single-component force:
n Force direction, if only one part is affected.
n Action body to which the force is applied. If you created the force between two parts, you can also
change the reaction body. You cannot change a force created on one part and ground to a force
created between two parts because the direction methods are not compatible. You’ll have to delete
the force and create it again.
n Force magnitude.
n Force graphics
The options available in the dialog box change depending on the direction of the force.
Learn more about:
n How To create a single-component force:
n Specifying Force Direction for Single-Component Forces
n Modifying Single-Component Forces
 J - O 1013
Modify Force

For the option: Do the following:

Name Displays the name of the force.
Direction Set the number of parts affected and the direction of the force:

n On One Body, Fixed in Space - Sets the force direction so it is applied to a

part. The force direction is fixed on ground.
n On One Body, Moving with Body - Sets the force so it is applied to a part.
The part defines the direction of the force.
n On One Body, Moving with Other Body - Sets the force so it is applied to a
part. A second part (the direction part) defines the direction of the force.
n Between Two Bodies - Creates a force between two parts. One of the parts
can be ground. You cannot change a force on one part to a force defined
between two parts or the reverse. You can, however, change a torque on one
part to a torque on two parts or the reverse.
The following text boxes are available depending on how you defined the direction of the force.
Body Change the action body to which the force is applied.
Action Body For a force defined between two parts, change the action body to which the force is
applied.
Reaction Body Change the body that receives the reaction forces.
Direction Body Change the body that defines the direction of the force if you selected the direction
option, On One Body, Moving with Other Body.
Define Using Enter how you want to define the force. Select:

n Function to define using a numerical value or function expression.

n Subroutine to define using a user-written subroutine SFOSUB.
Function If you selected Function for Define Using, enter the following in the Function
(time) text box that appears:

n Constant force value

n Function expression
To enter a function expression, next to the

Function text box, select the More button to display the Function Builder.
1014 Adams View
Modify General Force

For the option: Do the following:

Parameters and ID If you selected Subroutine for Define Using, enter the parameters to be passed to a
user-written subroutine and its ID. Entering an ID is optional.
Routine Specify an alternative library and name for the user subroutine SFOSUB. Learn
about specifying routines with ROUTINE Argument.
Force Display Set whether you want to display force graphics for one of the parts, both, or none. By
default, Adams View displays the force graphic on the action body for single-
component forces.

Modify General Force

Right-click six-component general force → Modify
Modifies the following for a Six-component general force:
n Action and reaction body to which the force is applied or the action and reaction markers
n Reference marker
n Force magnitude
n Force graphics
Learn about Multi-Component Forces.

For the option: Do the following:

Force Name Enter the name of the general force to modify.
Action Part/ Change the action body or marker to which the force is applied.

Action Marker
Reaction Part/ Change the reaction body or marker that receives the reaction forces.

Reaction Marker
Reference Marker Change the reference marker that indicates the direction of the force.
Define Using Enter how you want to define the force. Select:

n X,Y,Z Functions to define using a numerical value or function function

expression.
n Vector Function (X,Y,Z)
n Subroutine to define using a User-written subroutine.
 J - O 1015
Modify Geometric Spline

For the option: Do the following:

X Force/ If you selected X,Y,Z Functions for Define Using, enter the following for each
component of the force or torque:
Y Force/
n Constant force value
Z Force/ n Function expression
AX Torque/ To enter a function expression, next to the X Force / Y Force / Z Force / AX
Torque / AY Torque / AZ Torque text box, select the More button to
AY Torque/ display the Function Builder.

AZ Torque
XYZ Force/ If you selected Vector Function (X,Y,Z) for Define Using, enter the following
for each component of the force or torque:
AXYZ Torque
n Constant force value
n Function expression
To enter a function expression, next to the XYZ Force / AXYZ Torque text box,
select the More button to display the Function Builder.
Parameters and ID If you selected Subroutine for Define Using, enter the parameters to be passed
to a user-written subroutine and the ID of the force being modified.
Routine Specify an alternative library and name for the user subroutine GFOSUB. Learn
about specifying routines with ROUTINE Argument.
Force Display Set to whether you want to display force graphics for one of the parts, both, or
none. By default, Adams View displays the force graphic on the action body.
Select to add any comments about the variable to help you manage and identify
it. See Comments.

Select to create a force measure. Learn about creating Object Measures

Modify Geometric Spline

Right-click a spline → Modify
Allows you to control the location and orientation of your splines.
Learn about the Spline Tool.
1016 Adams View
Modify Geometric Spline

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name of the spline to modify.
Closed Select Yes if you want the spline to be closed or select no if you want the spline to be
open.
Segment Count Displays the number of segments Adams View uses to graphically display the fitting
of the points in the curve. To have Adams View automatically calculate the number
of segments, select the Calculate tool .

For an open curve, Adams View defaults to a segment count that is five times the
number of curve points that you have provided. Specifying fewer segments results in
a coarser curve. For a closed curve, Adams View defaults to a segment count that is
five times the number of points, plus one. In mathematical terms:

5 * ( #pts + 1 )

For both closed and open curves, there are no limits to how many or how few
segments you use (other than hardware limitations), but for every curve there is a
plateau, beyond which increasing the number of segments does not enhance the
graphics of your spline.
Values Enter values for the locations of the points that define the spline. The points are
relative to the reference marker.

You can edit the locations of the points by selecting the More button to display
the Location table. The values cannot be modified if a reference_profile is specified.
Reference Marker Enter the marker that defines the location and orientation of the spline. The marker
acts as a reference coordinate system for the coordinate values used to define the
reference curve points.
Reference Curve Displays the existing data element curve that is used to mathematically define the
spline. When you define the points that make up the spline, Adams View creates a
curve fit through the points. Learn about Data Element Modify Curve dialog box.
Reference Profile Enter an existing Wire Geometry from which the bspline is to be created. Note that
the ref curve and matrix will be automatically generated and hence the corresponding
fields are disabled if a profile is specified.
Reference Matrix Displays a data element matrix that contains all the spline point coordinates. Learn
about Create/Modify Matrix dialog box.
Spread Points Specify the value to ‘yes’ or ‘no’ (applicable only when a ref profile is specified). If
specified to ‘yes’, then the generated bspline will have its points equally spaced.
 J - O 1017
Modify Joint

For the option: Do the following:

Num new pts Specify the number of points on the bspline. This parameter is usable only if spread
points is specified to ‘yes’.
Select to enter any comments about the geometry that you want to enter to help you
manage and identify it. See Comments.

Select to display the Edit Appearance Dialog Box.

Modify Joint
Right-click idealized or primitive joint → Modify
Changes several basic properties about an idealized or primitive joint, including:
n Parts that the joint connects. You can also switch which part moves relative to another part.
n What type of joint it is. For example, you can change a revolute joint to a translational joint.
n For a screw joint, you can also set the pitch of the threads of the screw.
1018 Adams View
Modify Joint

For the option: Do the following:

Joint Name Enter the name of the joint to modify.

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

Type Select the type of joint to which you want to change the current joint.

The following are exceptions to changing a joint’s type:

n You can only change a simple idealized joint to another type of simple
idealized joint or to a joint primitive.
n You cannot change a joint’s type if motion is applied to the joint. In addition,
if a joint has friction and you change the joint type, Adams View returns an
error.
First Body Change the part that moves relative to the second body.
Second Body Change the part that the first body moves relative to.
Force Graphics Select to display force graphics.
Pitch Value For a screw joint, enter its pitch value (translational displacement for every full
rotational cycle).
Impose Motion Select to impose motion on the joint. After selecting, set the translational or rotational
displacement or velocity, and then select OK.

Note: If the initial rotational displacement of a revolute or cylindrical joint varies

by anywhere from 5 to 60 degrees from the actual location of the joint,
Adams Solver issues a warning message and continues execution. If the
variation is greater than 60 degrees, Adams View issues an error message and
stops execution.
Initial Conditions Select to set initial conditions for a revolute, translational, or cylindrical joint using the
Joint Initial Conditions dialog box. Learn About Initial Conditions for Joints .
Add any comments about the joint that you want to enter to help you manage and
identify it. See Comments.

Select to change the position of the joint using the Precision Move dialog box.

Select to create a joint measure. Learn about creating Object Measures

Select to apply friction to the joint. See Create/Modify Friction dialog box help.
 J - O 1019
Modify Modal ICs

Modify Modal ICs

Flexible Body Modify dialog box → Modal ICs
Displays all the modes in the flexible body and lets you enable and disable them, and set their initial
conditions. An asterisk (*) appears next to all modes that are enabled.
To enable or disable modes:
n Highlight the modes that you want to enable or disable.
n Select Disable Highlighted Modes or Enable Highlighted Modes.
Learn more about:
n Enabling and Disabling Modes
n About Flexible Body Modal Content

For the option: Do the following:

Disabled Highlighted Modes Select to disable highlighted modes.
Enable Highlighted Modes Select to enable highlighted modes.
Set Exact Select to make Adams Flex enforce the initial conditions for displacements
exactly as specified.
Clear Exact Select to allow Adams Flex to modify the initial conditions for
displacements at the beginning of the simulation as necessary.
Text box and Apply In the text box, enter the initial condition for modal displacement, and
Displacement IC then select Apply Displacement IC to set the initial condition for the
highlighted mode.
Text box and Apply Velocity In the text box, enter the initial condition for modal velocity, and then
IC select Apply Velocity IC to set the initial condition for the highlighted
mode.

Modify Run-Time Clearance

Simulation tab → Simulate container → Run-Time Clearance → Modify
Run-Time Clearances can be used to monitor the clearance distance between two selected geometries/flexible
bodies. This clearance distance is based upon tesselation of geometry or analytical representation of known
geometry. For flexible parts, clearance is based upon the external face geometry in the MNF.
The clearance tool only considers distance between polygons (whether from a mesh for flexible parts or from
tesselation of geometry) so additional single point nodes are left out of the clearance analysis.
After a simulation is complete, the minimum clearance location between the two geometries/flexible bodies
may be animated. This is represented as a line between the objects involved. You can also plot the clearance
result sets and export the clearance data in the results file.
1020 Adams View
Modify Run-Time Clearance

Multiple clearance analyses may be conducted between the same two bodies by selecting different regions of
a flexible part for each analysis.

For the option: Do the following:

Clearance Name Enter the name of an existing Clearance object.
Clearance Type Set to the type according to the participating bodies in the clearance analysis.
Clearances can be created between geometries, flexible parts or between
flexible parts and geometries.The text boxes change depending on the
clearance type you selected.
Threshold Optional field allowing you to specify a distance for when a gross or precise
clearance calculation will be computed by Solver and animated by View. Set
to 0.0 by default. When set, Solver will compute the clearance between the
bounding box of each geometry if the distance between bounding boxes is
greater than the threshold. This is what is meant by gross (approximate)
clearance. Solver will calculate the precise clearance between actual geometries
when the distance between bounding boxes is equal to or below the threshold,
or when the threshold is set to zero (default). In addition, View will only
animate the precise clearance location, that is, when the tolerance is set to zero,
or when the clearance is less than or equal to the threshold and threshold is not
equal to zero. Setting the threshold can speed up simulations and animations
when one is not interested in clearance above a given threshold.
If you selected Geometry to Geometry, Adams View displays the following two options:
I Geometry Enter one or more geometry solids. The solids must all belong to the same
part.
J Geometry Enter one or more geometry solids. The solids must all belong to the same
part.
If you selected Geometry to Flexible Body, Adams View displays the following four options:
I Geometry Enter one or more geometry solids. The solids must all belong to the same
part.
J Flexible Body Select a Flexible Body.
J Region This Field that appears only for Flexible bodies and allows selection of specific
nodes in the MNF for clearance analysis. If this field is not entered, then all
the nodes in the MNF are considered for the clearance analysis. J Region
Nodes can be entered either by typing the node numbers or by right-clicking
on the field and selecting the "Pick FlexBody Node" option.Multiple flexible
body nodes can be selected by clicking on the nodes with the left mouse
button and then clicking on the right mouse button to finish.
Exclude J Regions Toggle Box that either excludes or includes all the nodes in the J Region
selected in the clearance Computation. If this field is not entered, all the J
Region nodes selected will be included in the Clearance computation.
 J - O 1021
Modify Run-Time Clearance

For the option: Do the following:

If you selected Flexible Body to Geometry Adams View displays the following four options:
I Flex Body Select a Flexible Body
I Region This Field that appears only for Flexible bodies and allows selection of specific
nodes in the MNF for clearance analysis. If this field is not entered, then all
the nodes in the MNF are considered for the clearance analysis. I Region
Nodes can be entered either by typing the node numbers or by right-clicking
on the field and selecting the "Pick FlexBody Node" option. Multiple flexible
body nodes can be selected by clicking on the nodes with the left mouse
button and then clicking on the right mouse button to finish.
J Geometry Enter one or more geometry solids. The solids must all belong to the same
part.
Exclude I Regions Toggle Box that either excludes or includes all the nodes in the I Region
selected in the clearance Computation. If this field is not entered, all the I
Region nodes selected will be included in the Clearance computation.
If you selected Flexible Body to Geometry Adams View displays the following five options:
I Flex Body Select a Flexible Body
I Region This Field that appears only for Flexible bodies and allows selection of specific
nodes in the MNF for clearance analysis. If this field is not entered, then all
the nodes in the MNF are considered for the clearance analysis. I Region
Nodes can be entered either by typing the node numbers or by right-clicking
on the field and selecting the "Pick FlexBody Node" option. Multiple flexible
body nodes can be selected by clicking on the nodes with the left mouse
button and then clicking on the right mouse button to finish.

Note: By default nodes can be selected from the last created/selected

flexible body. In case a new flexible body has been created or
selected after the I Flex Body or the J Flex Body fields have been
entered, the original flexible body needs to be made the default
flexible body by the command "defaults model
flexible_body_name= name"
J Flex Body Select a Flexible Body.
1022 Adams View
Modify Surface of Revolution

For the option: Do the following:

J Region This Field that appears only for Flexible bodies and allows selection of specific
nodes in the MNF for clearance analysis. If this field is not entered, then all
the nodes in the MNF are considered for the clearance analysis. J Region
Nodes can be entered either by typing the node numbers or by right-clicking
on the field and selecting the "Pick FlexBody Node" option.Multiple flexible
body nodes can be selected by clicking on the nodes with the left mouse
button and then clicking on the right mouse button to finish.

Note: By default nodes can be selected from the last created/selected

flexible body. In case a new flexible body has been created or
selected after the I Flex Body or the J Flex Body fields have been
entered, the original flexible body needs to be made the default
flexible body by the command "defaults model
flexible_body_name= name"
Exclude I Regions Toggle Box that either excludes or includes all the nodes in the I Region
selected in the clearance Computation. If this field is not entered, all the I
Region nodes selected will be included in the Clearance computation.
Exclude J Regions Toggle Box that either excludes or includes all the nodes in the J Region
selected in the clearance Computation. If this field is not entered, all the J
Region nodes selected will be included in the Clearance computation.

Modify Surface of Revolution

Right-click a revolution → Modify
Allows you to control the location and orientation of a revolution. Learn about the Revolution Tool.

For the option: Do the following:

Revolution Name Displays the name of the revolution you are modifying.
New Name If you want, enter a unique name for the revolution.
Reference Marker Specify the marker used to locate and orient a revolution.
Relative To Specify the coordinate system in which the location and orientation
coordinates are specified. If you do not specify this parameter, Adams View
uses the reference marker.
Angle Extent Specify the extended angle measured positive (according to the right-hand
rule) about the z-axis of the reference marker. The angle starts at the x-axis of
the reference marker and extends the arc of the revolution.
Number of Sides Enter the number of flat sides Adams View draws on a revolution. The number
of sides you specify affects the calculations Adams View uses to determine a
part’s mass and inertia.
 J - O 1023
Modify Torque

For the option: Do the following:

Profile Points/Profile Select either:
Curve
n Profile Points - Enter points used to define the profile of the
revolution. The points are relative to the revolution’s reference
marker. The profile defined by the points is swept around the
reference marker’s z-axis.

To edit the locations of the points, select the More button to

display the Location table.
n Profile Curve - Enter an object used to define the profile of the
revolution. You can specify an arc, circle, spline curve, polyline, chain,
or outline.
Select to add any comments about the revolution that you want to enter to
help you manage and identify it. See Comments.

Select to display the Edit Appearance Dialog Box.

Modify Torque
Right-click single-component torque → Modify
Modifies the following for a single-component torque:
n Force direction, if only one part is affected.
n Action body to which the force is applied.
n Force magnitude.
n Force graphics.
The options available in the dialog box change depending on the direction of the force.
Learn about:
n Single-Component Torque tool
n Modifying Single-Component Forces
n Specifying Force Direction for Single-Component Forces
1024 Adams View
Modify Torque

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name of the torque to modify.
Direction Set the number of parts affected and the direction of the torque:

n On One Body, Fixed in Space - Sets the force direction so it is applied to

a part. The force direction is fixed on ground.
n On One Body, Moving with Body - Sets the force so it is applied to a
part. The part defines the direction of the force.
n On One Body, Moving with Other Body - Sets the force so it is applied
to a part. A second part (the direction part) defines the direction of the
force.
n Between Two Bodies - Creates a force between two parts. One of the
parts can be ground. You cannot change a force on one part to a force
defined between two parts or the reverse. You can, however, change a
torque on one part to a torque on two parts or the reverse.
Note: You cannot change a force created on one part and ground to a force
created between two parts because the direction methods are not
compatible. You’ll have to delete the force and create it again.
The following text boxes are available depending on how you defined the direction of the force:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

Body Change the action body to which the force is applied.
Action Body For a force defined between two parts, change the action body to which the force
is applied.
Reaction Body Change the body that receives the reaction forces.
Direction Body Change the body that defines the direction of the force if you selected the direction
option, On One Body, Moving with Other Body.
Define Using Enter how you want to define the force. Select:

n Function to define using a numerical value or function expression.

n Subroutine to define using a user-written subroutine.
Function If you selected Function for Define Using, enter the following in the Function
(time) text box that appears:

n Constant force value

n Function expression
To enter a function expression, next to the Function text box, select the More
button to display the Function Builder.
 J - O 1025
Modify Torque Vector

For the option: Do the following:

Parameters and ID If you selected Subroutine for Define Using, enter the parameters to be passed to
a user-written subroutine and its ID.
Routine Specify an alternative library and name for the user subroutine. Learn about
specifying routines with ROUTINE Argument.
Torque Display Set to whether you want to display force graphics for one of the parts, both, or
none. By default, Adams View displays the force graphic on the action body for
single-component torques.

Modify Torque Vector

Right-click multi-component torque → Modify
Modifies the following for a Three-component torque:
n Action and reaction body to which the force is applied or the action and reaction markers
n Reference marker
n Force magnitude
n Force graphics
Learn about Multi-Component Forces.

For the option: Do the following:

Force Name Enter the name of the force to modify.
Action Part/Action Change the action body or marker to which the force is applied.
Marker
Reaction Part/Reaction Change the reaction body or marker that receives the reaction forces.
Marker
Reference Marker Change the reference marker that indicates the direction of the force.
Define Using Enter how you want to define the force. Select:

n X,Y,Z Functions to define using a numerical value or function expression.

n Vector Function (X,Y,Z)
n Subroutine to define using a user-written subroutine.
AX Torque/ If you selected X,Y,Z Functions for Define Using, enter the following for each
component of the force:
AY Torque/
n Constant force value
AZ Torque
n Function expression
To enter a function expression, next to the AX Torque / AY Torque / AZ Torque
text boxes, select the More button to display the Function Builder.
1026 Adams View
Modify Torque Vector/Modify General Force

For the option: Do the following:

Parameters and ID If you selected Subroutine for Define Using, enter the parameters to be passed to
a user-written subroutine and the ID of the torque being modified.
Routine Specify an alternative library and name for the standard user subroutine. Learn
about specifying routines with ROUTINE Argument.
Force Display Set to whether you want to display force graphics for one of the parts, both, or
none. By default, Adams View displays the force graphic on the action body.

Modify Torque Vector/Modify General Force

Right-click multi-component torque → Modify

Right-click six-component force → Modify

Modifies either a Three-component torque or a Six-component general force. Its title and options change depending
on the type of force. Select a title below for more information on the options available:
n Modify Torque Vector (three-component torque)
n Modify General Force

Modify a Request

Ribbon menu → Design Exploration tab → Instrumentation container → Create a new Request

or

(Classic) Build → Measure → REQUEST → Modify

Modifies a request.
Learn about Creating Requests.

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Request Name Enter the name of the request to modify.
Adams Id Assign a unique ID number to the request. See Adams Solver ID.
Comments Add any comments about the request to help you manage and identify
it. See Comments.
 J - O 1027
Modify a Spring-Damper Force

For the option: Do the following:

Define Using Type & Set to:
Markers/Define Using Function
Expressions/Define Using n Define Using Type & Markers
Subroutines n Define Using Function Expressions
n Define Using Subroutines
If you selected Define Using Type & Markers, the following options appear:
Output Type Select the type of output ( Displacement, Velocity, Acceleration, or Force).
I Marker/J Marker/R Marker Specify the markers with respect to which the output will be calculated.
If you selected Define Using Subroutines, the following options appear:
User Function Enter parameters to the user-written subroutine REQSUB. Enter the user
function using the following format where r1 through r30 are
constants passed to the subroutine: r1, ..., r30. Learn About Specifying a
Subroutine.
Routine Specify an alternative library and name for the user subroutine
REQSUB. Learn about specifying routines with ROUTINE Argument..
Title If you specified to write an output file (.out), enter up to eight headings
for columns of request output. Separate each heading with a comma
(,). Each heading can have as many as eight alphanumeric characters,
including underscores (_). The first character in each heading must be
alphabetic. You cannot use a comma (,), a semicolon (;), an ampersand
(&), or an exclamation point (!). If you do not want to specify a title
for a particular column, use two quotation marks (" ") with no
characters between them.
If you selected Define Using Function Expressions, the following options appear:
f2 , f3 , f4 , f6 , f7 , and f8 Enter function expressions in the boxes f2 , f3 , f4 , f6 , f7 , and f8 . Do
not use f1 and f5 . Adams Solver uses them to hold magnitudes for the
three functions that follow. You do not need to enter a function in
every text box. Learn About Specifying Function Expressions.
Title Enter a title for the top of each set of information output. The entire
comment must be on one line. The title can be only eighty characters
long. You can use blank spaces and all alphanumeric characters.
However, you cannot use the comma (,), the semicolon (;), the
ampersand (&), and the exclamation point (!).

Modify a Spring-Damper Force

Right-click spring damper → Modify
For a Translational spring damper, you can modify:
n Parts between which the spring damper acts.
1028 Adams View
Modify a Spring-Damper Force

n Stiffness and damping values, including specifying splines that defines the relationship of stiffness to
displacement and damping to velocity. Learn about defining Splines.
n Preload values.
Learn about:
n Translational Spring Damper Tool
n Equations Defining the Force of Spring Dampers

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Name Enter the name of the spring damper to modify.
Action Body Change the action body to which the force is applied.
Reaction Body Change the body that receives the reaction forces.
Stiffness and Damping:
Stiffness Coefficient/ Select one of the following:

No Stiffness/ n Stiffness Coefficient and enter a stiffness value for the spring damper.
n No Stiffness to turn off all spring forces and create a pure damper.
Spline: F=f(defo)
n Spline: F=f(defo) and enter a spline that defines the relationship of
force to deformation.
Damping Coefficient/ Select one of the following:

No Damping/ n Damping Coefficient and enter a viscous damping value for the spring
damper.
Spline: F=f(velo) n No Damping to turn off all damping forces and create a pure spring.
n Spline: F=f(velo) and enter a spline that defines the relationship of
force to velocity.
Length and Preload:
Preload Enter the preload force for the spring damper. Preload force is the force of the
spring damper in its reference position.
Default Length/ Select either:

Length at Preload n Default Length to automatically use the length of the spring damper
when you created it as its reference length.
n Length at Preload and enter the reference length of the spring at its
preload position.
Tip: If you set preload to zero, then displacement at preload is the same as
the spring’s free length. If the preload value is non-zero, then the
displacement at preload is not the same as the spring’s free length.
 J - O 1029
Modify a Torsion Spring

For the option: Do the following:

Spring Graphic Specify whether coil spring graphics are always on, always off, or on whenever
you have defined a spring coefficient.

modify: Click to modify the Spring Graphic values.

Damper Graphic Specify whether cylinder damper graphics are always on, always off, or on
whenever you have defined a damping coefficient.

modify: Click to modify the Damper Graphic values.

Force Display Specify whether you want to display force graphics for one of the parts, both, or
none. By default, Adams View displays the force graphic on the action body.
Select to add any comments about the variable to help you manage and identify
it. See Comments.

Select to change the position of the spring damper using the Precision Move
dialog box.

Select to create a force measure.

Learn about creating Object Measures.

Modify a Torsion Spring

Right-click torsion spring → Modify
After you’ve created a Torsion spring, you can modify:
n Parts between which the torque acts
n Stiffness and damping values
n Preload values
n Force graphics

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name of the torsion spring to modify.
Action Body Change the action body to which the force is applied.
Reaction Body Change the body that receives the reaction forces.
Stiffness and Damping:
1030 Adams View
Motions

For the option: Do the following:

Stiffness Coefficient/ Select one of the following:

No Stiffness/ n Stiffness Coefficient to enter a stiffness value for the torsion spring.
n No Stiffness to turn off all spring forces and create a pure damping force.
Spline: F=f(defo)
n Spline: F=f(defo) and enter a spline that defines the relationship of stiffness to
rotational deformation (radians). Learn about defining Splines.
Damping Coefficient/ Select one of the following:

No Damping/ n Damping Coefficient and enter a viscous damping coefficient for the torsion
spring.
Spline: F=f(velo)
n No Damping to turn off all damping forces and create a pure spring force.
n Spline: F=f(velo) and enter a spline that defines the relationship of force to
angular velocity (radians per second).
Length and Preload:
Preload Enter the preload force for the torsion spring. Preload force is the force of the
torsion spring in its preload position.
Default Angle/ Select one of the following:

Angle at Preload n Default Angle to set the rotation angle of the spring when you created it at its
preload position.
n Angle at Preload and enter the angle of the spring at its preload position.
Torque Display Specify whether you want to display force graphics for one of the parts, both, or
none.

Motions
Displays tools for creating motions.
 J - O 1031
New Color

Icon Link Icon Link

Joint Motions General Motions
Translational Motion Tool Single Point Motion Tool

Rotational Motion Tool General Point Motion Tool

Construction Contains options for creating the selected object. The options change depending on
or Settings the type of object that you are creating. For example, when you create a link, Adams
Container View lets you specify its width, length, and height before creating it. Then, as you
create the link, these dimensions are set regardless of how you move the mouse. You
can also define design variables or expressions for many values.

New Color
Postprocessing → Edit → Preferences → Colors Tab → New Color button
Defines a new color name in the Modeling database. After creating the new color, return to the Colors tab in
the PPT Preferences dialog box to define its color values. See PPT Preferences - Colors.

For the option: Do the following:

Color Name Enter a name for the new color.

New Dialog Box

Tools → Dialog Box → Create → Dialog Box → New
Creates a new dialog box.
Learn Customizing Dialog Boxes Using the Dialog-Box Builder.

For the option: Do the following:

Library Enter the library in which to store the dialog box. By default, the library is .gui.
Name Enter a title for your dialog box.
Create Buttons Select any predefined buttons you'd like on your dialog box.
1032 Adams View
No Help Available

No Help Available
There is currently no help available for this dialog box.

Node Finder Dialog Box

Ribbon menu → Bodies tab → Flexible Bodies container
or

(Classic) Build → Flexible Bodies → Rigid to Flex/Flex to Flex → Node Finder

Searches for nodes on the replacement flexible body that are within a specified radius or closest to a given
marker. It displays the nodes that it found in the lower portion of the dialog box. This is helpful if you are not
sure to which node to transfer a marker.
Learn about Replacing Existing Bodies with Flexible Bodies.

For the option: Do the following:

Find Nodes Select how you want to find nodes:

n Closest to Marker - Find those nodes closest to the marker specified.

n By Radius Around Marker - Find those nodes within a specified radius of the
marker.
Marker Name Enter the name of the marker that you want to search for nodes closest to.

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.

Number of Nodes Available only when Closest to Marker is selected.

Enter the number of nodes to search for which are closest to the specified marker.
For example, find the 10 nodes closest to a marker.
Radius Available only when By Radius Around Marker is selected.

Enter the radius around the marker to search for nodes.

Interface Nodes Only Select to search only interface nodes.
Find Nodes Select to search for closest nodes.
Node listing Lists the nodes found. You can copy one of the nodes to the Swap a rigid body for
another flexible body or Swap a flexible body for another flexible body dialog box:

1. Right-click a node, and then select Copy.

2. In the swap a rigid body/flexible body dialog box, right-click the Node ID
text box, and then select Paste.
 J - O 1033
Object Color Tool Stack

Object Color Tool Stack

(Classic) Main Toolbox → Object Color Tool Stack
Contains 15 colors to which you can set the color of an object.

Learn about Changing an Object's Color.

Object Measure
Design Exploration tab → Measures container

or

(Classic) Select object → Build → Measure → Object → Create/Modify

Creates a measure on an object in your model, including Point Measures. Its title changes depending on the type
of object. For example, its title is Joint Measure if you are creating a measure on a joint.
In general, all objects in your model have some pre-defined measurable characteristics. For example, you can
capture and investigate the power consumption of a motion, or measure a part’s center-of-mass velocity along
the global x-axis, taking time derivatives in the ground reference frame. The default coordinate system is the
ground coordinate system, but you can use any marker as the coordinate system.

Note: You cannot modify a point measure from the Build menu as noted above. Instead, right-click
in the Strip chart of the point measure and select Modify Measure. You can also clear the select
list and, from the Edit menu, select Modify.

Learn more about:

n Object Characteristics You Can Measure
n Point Characteristics you can measure
n About Simulation Output
1034 Adams View
Object Position Handle

For the option: Do the following:

Measure Name Enter the name for the measure.
Characteristic Select the object characteristic to measure.
Component Select the component on which to report. You can select x, y, z, or
magnitude (Mag).
Cartisian/Cylindrical/Spherical Set to the desired coordinate system (Cartesian, spherical, or cylindrical).
From/At area If it is appropriate, select a reference point indicating where the force
will be measured or from where the kinematic quantities will be
measured.

Note: The From/At selection does not apply to point measures

because all forces are measured at the selected marker point
and all kinematic quantities are measured from the global
origin to the selected marker point.
Orientation Select to help you keep track of the orientations of your local part
coordinate systems as you define them. See Orientation Measure dialog box
help.
Represent coordinates in Enter the marker on which the vector quantity is projected. The default
is the global coordinate system.
Create Strip Chart Select to display a Strip chart of the measure.
Select to set the attributes of the measure. Only available when you are
modifying a measure. See Measure Attributes dialog box help.

Object Position Handle

Settings → Object Position Handle

Main Menu →Object Manipulation Strip

Main toolbox → Move toolstack →

Allows you to create a global position handle with respect to the which you can translate and rotate selected
objects. When you create a global position handle, Adams View turns off the object position handle for
individual objects.
Learn more about Using Object Position Handle.
Learn more about Using Object Position Handle (Classic Interface).
 J - O 1035
Optimize Constraint Evaluate

For the option: Do the following:

Set Handle Location Select and click on the screen to indicate the location of the handle.
Orientation Via First, in the pull-down menu, select how you want to orient the handle. You can
orient the axes of the handle. By default, the orientation of the position handle is
set to that of the current working grid axes.

Next, select Orientation Via to set.

Reset Select if you want to reset the location of the global position handle to the location
of the selected object's position handle.

Optimize Constraint Evaluate

Simulation tab → Simulate Container → Design Constraint → Evaluate
Lets you interactively apply the design constraint to an analysis and print the resulting value. This helps you
develop and debug constraints. It is a good idea to test your constraint on an existing analysis before using it
in an optimization.
Adams View prints the constraint value in the Information window.
Learn more About Optimization.

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Constraint Name Enter the name of a constraint.
Analysis Name Enter the name of an analysis

Optimize Objective Evaluate

Simulation tab → Simulate Container → Design Objective → Evaluate
Lets you interactively apply the design objective to an analysis and print the resulting value. This helps you
develop and debug objectives. It is a good idea to test your objective on an existing analysis before using it in
an optimization.
Adams View prints the objective value in the Information window.
Learn more About Optimization.
1036 Adams View
Orientation Joint Tool

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Objective Name Enter the name of a objective.
Analysis Name Enter the name of an analysis

Orientation Joint Tool

Ribbon menu → Connectors tab → Primitives container → Orientation Joint

or

(Classic) Build → Joints → Orientation Joint Tool

Constrains the marker of one part so that it cannot rotate with respect to a second part as shown below. In the
figure, the solid circle indicates the first part that the joint connects and the hollow circle indicates the second
part that the joint connects. The first part is constrained relative to the second part. The axes of the coordinate
systems must maintain the same orientation.

The location of the origins of the coordinate systems does not matter.
Learn:
n About Joint Primitives
n Creating Joint Primitives
 J - O 1037
Orientation Measure

For the option: Do the following:

1 Location (Bodies Set how you want the joint connected to parts:
Implicit)/
n 1 Location (Bodies Implicit) - Lets you select the location of the joint and have
2 Bodies - 1 Adams View determine the two parts that should be connected. Adams View
Location/ selects the parts closest to the joint location. If there is only one part near the
joint, Adams View connects the joint to that part and ground.
2 Bodies - 2
n 2 Bodies - 1 Location - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be connected by
Locations
the joint and the location of the joint. The joint remains fixed on the first part
and moves relative to the second part.
n 2 Bodies - 2 Locations - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be connected
by the joint and the location of the joint on each part. You should use this option
if you are working in exploded view. For more on exploded view, see Initial
Conditions Tool.
For more on the effects of these options, see about Connecting Constraints to Parts.
Normal to Grid/ Set how you want the joint oriented:

Pick Geometry n Normal to Grid - Lets you orient the joint along the current Working grid, if it is
Feature displayed, or normal to the screen.
n Pick Geometry Feature - Lets you orient the joint along a direction vector on a
feature in your model, such as the face of a part.

Orientation Measure
Ribbon menu → Design Exploration tab → Measures container → Orientation Measure

or

(Classic) Build → Measure → Orientation → New/Modify

Measures an orientation characteristic listed in Orientation Characteristics You Can Measure.

Note: When creating an object or point measure, select the Orientation button from the Object Measure
Dialog Box.

Learn more :
n About Measuring Orientation Characteristics
n About Simulation Output
1038 Adams View
Output (Out) Content

For the option: Do the following:

Measure Name Enter the name of the measure.
Characteristic Select a characteristic convention with which to associate the component.
Component Set to the rotational component you want to measure.
To Marker Enter the marker representing the coordinate system to which to measure.
From Marker Enter the marker representing the coordinate system from which to measure.
Create Strip Chart Select to display a Strip chart of the measure.
Select to set the attributes of the measure. Only available when you are modifying a
measure. See Measure Attributes dialog box help.

Output (Out) Content

Settings → Solver → Output → More → Output Category → Output (.out) Content
Selecting Output (Out) Content as the Output Category in the Solver Settings dialog box lets you set the
format of the tabular output file. You only receive a tabular output file when you are using External Adams Solver.
Learn about setting type of Adams Solver.

For the option: Do the following:

Jacobian Matrix Prints the Jacobian matrix at each iteration. Learn about setting Jacobian matrix.
Request Data Prints the requests output at each iteration.
RHS and States Prints the YY array (state vector), RHS array (error terms), and DELTA array
(increment to state vector) at each iteration.
Degrees of Freedom Prints a degree-of-freedom table in the tabular output file. The table indicates
whether or not each of the six components of motion (that is, translation along the
x- , y- , and z-axis and rotation about the x- , y- , and z-axis) is constrained for each
part center of mass relative to the origin of the ground reference frame. These are
the degrees of freedom as input.

To determine the degrees of freedom for the degree-of-freedom table, Adams Solver
factorizes the constraint matrix. Adams Solver then checks for columns that are
linear combinations of the other columns of the matrix. The components of motion
corresponding to these columns are not constrained. After the matrix has been
factored, Adams Solver selects the components corresponding to the zero pivot
elements as the degrees of freedom. Adams Solver reports these as the independent
coordinates in the degree-of-freedom table.
Equation Map Writes the internal representation of a model in the tabular output file after Adams
Solver reads and checks the input. It maps the equations and variables in the system
and provides their numeric codes.
 P - Z 1039
PPT Preferences

P-Z
PPT Preferences
Edit → Preferences
Changes the ways in which Adams PostProcessor works. In addition, you can specify the directory to which
Adams PostProcessor saves files.

For description on each tab click the link below

1040 Adams View
Page Layouts

Tab Link
Animation PPT Preferences - Animation
Colors PPT Preferences - Colors
Curves PPT Preferences - Curves
Files PPT Preferences - Files
Fonts PPT Preferences - Fonts
Geometry PPT Preferences - Geometry
Orientation PPT Preferences - Orientation
Page PPT Preferences - Page
Plot PPT Preferences - Plot
Units PPT Preferences - Units
Stereo PPT Preferences - Stereo
Restore Select to restore the settings to their defaults
Save Save

Page Layouts
View → Page→ Page Layouts
Allows you to select different page layouts so you can see more than one viewport. Page layout is also referred
to as the viewport layout.

Note: A page that contains a Fast fourier transform (FFT) or Bode plot has two viewports. For an FFT
plot, the top viewport contains the plot with the input data and the bottom viewport contains
the plot with the output from the FFT. For a Bode plot, the top viewport contains the gain
plot and the bottom viewport contains the phase plot.

Selecting a Layout
You can access the page layout palette in two ways. Both methods contain the same set of viewport options.
 P - Z 1041
Parallel Axes Joint Tool

To select a layout:
1. Do either of the following:
• On the View menu, point to Page, and then select Page Layouts. The palette appears.

• On the Main toolbar, right-click the Page Layout tool stack . A selection of layouts
appears.
2. Select a layout.
3. If you used the palette, select Close to close the palette. You can leave the palette open and continue
working so you can quickly change the window.

Parallel Axes Joint Tool

Ribbon menu → Connectors tab → Primitives container

or

(Classic) Build → Joints → Parallel Axes Joint Tool

Constrains the z-axis of the marker of one part so that it remains parallel to the z-axis of the marker of a second
part, as shown below. In the figure, the solid circle indicates the first part that the joint connects and the
hollow circle indicates the second part that the joint connects. The first part is constrained relative to the
second part.
1042 Adams View
Parallel Axes Joint Tool

The marker of the first part can only rotate about one axis with respect to the coordinate system of the second
part.
Learn:
n About Joint Primitives
n Creating Joint Primitives

For the option: Do the following:

1 Location (Bodies Set how you want the joint connected to parts:
Implicit)/
n 1 Location (Bodies Implicit) - Lets you select the location of the joint and
2 Bodies - 1 Location/ have Adams View determine the two parts that should be connected. Adams
View selects the parts closest to the joint location. If there is only one part
2 Bodies - 2 Locations near the joint, Adams View connects the joint to that part and ground.
n 2 Bodies - 1 Location - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint. The joint remains fixed
on the first part and moves relative to the second part.
n 2 Bodies - 2 Locations - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint on each part. You should
use this option if you are working in exploded view. For more on exploded
view, see Initial Conditions Tool.
For more on the effects of these options, see about Connecting Constraints to Parts.
Normal to Grid/ Set how you want the joint oriented:

Pick Geometry Feature n Normal to Grid - Lets you orient the joint along the current Working grid, if it
is displayed, or normal to the screen.
n Pick Geometry Feature - Lets you orient the joint along a direction vector on
a feature in your model, such as the face of a part.
 P - Z 1043
Part Create Equation Linear State Equation

Part Create Equation Linear State Equation

Ribbon menu → Elements tab → System Elements → Linear State Equation

or

(Classic) Build → System Elements → Linear State Equation → New

Creates a linear state equation.
Learn about:
n Creating and Modifying Linear State Equations
n System Elements

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Linear State Equation Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the linear state equation.
Adams Id Assign a unique ID number to the equation. See Adams Solver ID.
Comments Add any comments about the equation to help you manage and identify
it. See Comments.
X State Array Name Enter the array element that defines the state array for the linear system.
The array must be a states (X) array. It cannot be used in any other linear
state equation, general state equation, or transfer function.
U Input Array Name Enter the array element that defines the input (or control) array for the
linear system. Entering an inputs (U) array is optional. The array must be
an inputs (U) array. If you enter an inputs (U) array, you must also specify
either a B input matrix, a D feedforward matrix, or both.

The B and D matrices must have the same number of columns as there are
elements in the inputs (U) array.
Y Output Array Name Enter the array element that defines the column matrix of output variables
for the linear system. Entering an outputs (Y) array is optional. If you enter
an outputs (Y) array, you must also specify a C output matrix or a D
feedforward matrix. The corresponding matrix elements must have the
same number of rows as there are elements in the outputs (Y) array. It also
must be an outputs (Y) array, and it cannot be used in any other linear state
equation, general state equation, or transfer function.
IC Array Name Enter the array element that defines the column matrix of initial
conditions for the linear system. Entering the IC array is optional. The IC
array must have the same number of elements as the states (X) array (equal
to the number of rows in the A state matrix). When you do not specify an
IC array, Adams Solver initializes all states to zero.
1044 Adams View
Part Modify Equation Linear State Equation

For the option: Do the following:

A State Matrix Name Enter the matrix data element that defines the state transition matrix for
the linear system. The matrix must be a square matrix (same number of
rows and columns), and it must have the same number of columns as the
number of rows in the states (X) array.
B Input Matrix Name Enter the matrix data element that defines the control matrix for the linear
system. The B input matrix must have the same number of rows as the A
state matrix and the same number of columns as the number of elements
in the inputs (U) array.

Entering a B input matrix is optional. If you enter a B input matrix, you

must also include an inputs (U) array.
C Output Matrix Name Enter the matrix data element that defines the output matrix for the linear
system. The C output matrix must have the same number of columns as
the A state matrix and the same number of rows as the number of elements
in the outputs (Y) array. Entering a C output matrix is optional. If you
enter a C output matrix, you must also include an outputs (Y) array name.
D Feedforward Matrix Name Enter the matrix data element that defines the feedforward matrix for the
linear system. The D feedforward matrix must have the same number of
rows as the number of elements in the Y output array and the same
number of columns as the number of elements in the inputs (U) array.

When you enter a D feedforward matrix, you must also include both a Y
output matrix and an inputs (U) array.
Static Hold Select yes to hold states at the constant value determined during static and
quasi-static simulations; select no if they can change. Learn about
Controlling Equilibrium Values When Using System Elements.

Part Modify Equation Linear State Equation

Ribbon menu → Elements tab → System Elements → Linear State Equation

or

(Classic) Build → System Elements → Linear State Equation → Modify

Modifies a linear state equation.
Learn about:
n Creating and Modifying Linear State Equations
n System Elements
 P - Z 1045
Part Modify Equation Linear State Equation

For the option: Do the following:

Linear State Equation Name Change the name that you want assigned to the linear state equation.
Adams Id Assign a unique ID number to the equation. See Adams Solver ID.
Comments Add any comments about the equation to help you manage and identify it.
See Comments.
X State Array Name Enter the array element that defines the state array for the linear system.
The array must be a states (X) array. It cannot be used in any other linear
state equation, general state equation, or transfer function.
U Input Array Name Enter the array element that defines the input (or control) array for the
linear system. Entering an inputs (U) array is optional. The array must be
an inputs (U) array. If you enter an inputs (U) array, you must also specify
either a B input matrix, a D feedforward matrix, or both.

The B and D matrices must have the same number of columns as there are
elements in the inputs (U) array.
Y Output Array Name Enter the array element that defines the column matrix of output variables
for the linear system. Entering an outputs (Y) array is optional. If you enter
an outputs (Y) array, you must also specify a C output matrix or a D
feedforward matrix. The corresponding matrix elements must have the
same number of rows as there are elements in the outputs (Y) array. It also
must be an outputs (Y) array, and it cannot be used in any other linear state
equation, general state equation, or transfer function.
IC Array Name Enter the array element that defines the column matrix of initial conditions
for the linear system. Entering the IC array is optional. The IC array must
have the same number of elements as the states (X) array (equal to the
number of rows in the A state matrix). When you do not specify an IC
array, Adams Solver initializes all states to zero.
A State Matrix Name Enter the matrix data element that defines the state transition matrix for
the linear system. The matrix must be a square matrix (same number of
rows and columns), and it must have the same number of columns as the
number of rows in the states (X) array.
B Input Matrix Name Enter the matrix data element that defines the control matrix for the linear
system. The B input matrix must have the same number of rows as the
A state matrix and the same number of columns as the number of elements
in the inputs (U) array.

Entering a B input matrix is optional. If you enter a B input matrix, you

must also include an inputs (U) array.
1046 Adams View
Perpendicular Axes Joint Tool

For the option: Do the following:

C Output Matrix Name Enter the matrix data element that defines the output matrix for the linear
system. The C output matrix must have the same number of columns as
the A state matrix and the same number of rows as the number of elements
in the outputs (Y) array. Entering a C output matrix is optional. If you
enter a C output matrix, you must also include an outputs (Y) array name.
D Feedforward Matrix Name Enter the matrix data element that defines the feed forward matrix for the
linear system. The D feedforward matrix must have the same number of
rows as the number of elements in the Y output array and the same number
of columns as the number of elements in the inputs (U) array.

When you enter a D feedforward matrix, you must also include both a Y
output matrix and an inputs (U) array.
Static Hold Select yes if you do not want the linear state equation states to change
during static and quasi-static simulations; select no if they can change. For
more information on holding values constant, see Controlling Equilibrium
Values When Using System Elements..

Perpendicular Axes Joint Tool

Ribbon menu → Connectors tab → Primitives container → Perpendicular Axes

or

(Classic) Build → Joints → Perpendicular Axes Joint Tool

Constrains the marker of one part so that it remains perpendicular to the z-axis of a second part as shown
below. In the figure, the solid circle indicates the first part that the joint connects and the hollow circle
indicates the second part that the joint connects. The first part is constrained relative to the second part.

The marker of the first part can rotate about two axes with respect to the second part.
Learn:
n About Joint Primitives
n Creating Joint Primitives
 P - Z 1047
Perpendicular Axes Joint Tool

For the option: Do the following:

1 Location (Bodies Set how you want the joint connected to parts:
Implicit)/
n 1 Location (Bodies Implicit) - Lets you select the location of the joint and
2 Bodies - 1 Location/ have Adams View determine the two parts that should be connected. Adams
View selects the parts closest to the joint location. If there is only one part
2 Bodies - 2 Locations near the joint, Adams View connects the joint to that part and ground.
n 2 Bodies - 1 Location - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint. The joint remains fixed
on the first part and moves relative to the second part.
n 2 Bodies - 2 Locations - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint on each part. You should
use this option if you are working in exploded view. For more on exploded
view, see Initial Conditions Tool.
For more on the effects of these options, see about Connecting Constraints to Parts.
Normal to Grid/ Set how you want the joint oriented:

Pick Geometry Feature n Normal to Grid - Lets you orient the joint along the current Working grid, if it
is displayed, or normal to the screen.
n Pick Geometry Feature - Lets you orient the joint along a direction vector on
a feature in your model, such as the face of a part.
1048 Adams View
Picture of Marker and Node Table

Picture of Marker and Node Table

PID Controller

Ribbon menu → Elements tab → Controls Toolkit container → Standard Control Blocks → New/Modify →

or

(Classic) Build → Controls Toolkit → Standard Control Blocks → New/Modify →

The PID controller creates a general proportional-integral-derivative control block. Two inputs are necessary
for this block: the proportional input and the derivative input. You must specify the derivative state for input
to this block that is consistent with the proportional state. For example, if the proportional input is the
measured x position of a part, the derivative input should be the linear velocity in the x direction.
This block automatically creates the integrated state of the proportional input for use as the integrated input.
You can parameterize the P, I, and D gains of this block with an Adams View real design variable to quickly
study the effect of changing control gains.
 P - Z 1049
Planar Joint Tool

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the function block.
Input Specify the assembly name of any controls block.
Deriviative Input Specify the signal representing the first-time derivative of the input.
P Gain Specify the gain applied to the input signal.
I Gain Specify the gain applied to the integral of the input signal.
D Gain Specify the gain applied to the derivative input.
Initial Condition Enter the initial condition for the input signal.
Check the inputs to the function block.

Display the Information window to review the connections to the block.

Create an output measure. See Controls_measure_panel dialog box help.

Planar Joint Tool

Ribbon menu → Connectors tab → Joints container → Planar Joint Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Joints → Planar Joint Tool

Creates a planar joint that allows a plane on one part to slide and rotate in the plane of another part. The
location of the planar joint determines a point in space through which the joint’s plane of motion passes.
1050 Adams View
Planar Joint Tool

The orientation vector of the planar joint is perpendicular to the joint’s plane of motion. The rotational axis
of the planar joint, which is normal to the joint’s plane of motion, is parallel to the orientation vector.
Learn about:
n Creating Idealized Joints
n Modeling Two-Dimensional Body Using Planar Option
 P - Z 1051
Plane Tool

For the option: Do the following:

1 location (Bodies Set how you want the joint connected to parts:
Implicit)/
2 Bodies -1 Location/ n 1 location (Bodies Implicit) - Lets you select the location of the joint and have
2 Bodies -2 Locations Adams View determine the two parts that should be connected. Adams View
selects the parts closest to the joint location. If there is only one part near the
joint, Adams View connects the joint to that part and ground.
n 2 Bodies - 1 Location - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be connected
by the joint and the location of the joint. The joint remains fixed on the first
part and moves relative to the second part.
n 2 Bodies - 2 Locations - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be connected
by the joint and the location of the joint on each part. You should use this
option if you are working in exploded view. For more on exploded view, see
Initial Conditions Tool. For more on the effects of these options, see Connecting
Constraints to Parts.
Normal to Grid/ Set how you want the joint oriented:
Pick Geometry
Feature n Normal to Grid - Lets you orient the joint along the current working grid, if it
is displayed, or normal to the screen.
n Pick Geometry Feature - Lets you orient the joint along a direction vector on a
feature in your model, such as the face of a part.
First Body/Second Set the bodies on which you want to attach the joint. Select either:
Body (only appears if
you select to n Pick Body - Select to attach the joint to a body.
explicitly define the n Pick Curve - Select to attach the joint to a curve. If you select to attach the
bodies using the joint to a curve, Adams View creates a curve marker, and the joint follows the
options 2 Bodies - 1 line of the curve. Learn more about curve markers with Marker Modify dialog
Location or 2 Bodies box help. Attaching the joint to a spline curve is only available with Adams
- 2 Locations Solver (C++). Learn about switching solvers with Solver Settings - Executable
explained above) dialog box help.

Plane Tool

Ribbon menu → Bodies tab → Solids container → Plane Tool

or
1052 Adams View
Plate Tool

(Classic) Build → Bodies/Geometry → Plane Tool

Creates a two-dimensional box. You can draw a plane’s length and width in the plane of the screen or the
Working grid, if it is turned on. You will find planes most useful when you are creating contact forces between
objects, as explained in Contacts.
When you create a plane, you can select to create a new part consisting of the plane geometry or add the plane
geometry to an existing part or ground. If you create a new part, it has no mass since it is composed of only
wire geometry.
Learn about Creating Two-Dimensional Plane.

For the option: Do the following:

New Part/Add to Part/On Select either:
Ground
n New Part - Creates a new part.
n Add to Part - Adds plane to another part in your model.
n On Ground - Adds the plane to ground.
Tip: Add geometry to ground if the geometry does not move or
influence the simulation of your model. For example, if you are
simulating a car driving around a race track, the geometry that
defines the race track can be added to ground.

Notes on Modifying Planes: One hotpoint appears after you draw the plane. It lets you modify the length
and height of the plane. For more information on modifying geometry using hotpoints, see Using Hotpoints to
Graphically Modify Geometry.

Plate Tool

Ribbon menu → Bodies tab → Solids container → Plate Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Bodies/Geometry → Plate Tool

Creates a plate, which is an extruded polygon solid with rounded corners. You create a plate by indicating the
location of its corners. You must select at least three locations. The first location you select acts as an anchor
point defining the position and orientation of the plate in space. The Plate tool creates markers at each
location. The marker at the anchor point is called the reference marker.
 P - Z 1053
Plate Tool

After you indicate the locations, the Plate tool creates a polygon with the specified number of sides and
extrudes it. By default, it creates the plate with a depth that is 1 and has corners with radii of 1 in current
length units. Before drawing, you can also specify the thickness and radius of the corners of the plate.

Note: The reference marker of the plate determines the plate orientation and defines the plane of the
plate to its x and y axes. Adams View defines the x and y axes of the reference marker using the
working grid, if it is turned on, or the view screen. Adams View defines the plate vertices as the
component of distance from the reference marker to the vertex marker as defined along the
reference marker's y-axis. Therefore, if you choose a plate vertex marker that is out-of-plane
from the xy plane of the reference marker, the vertex marker is not the actual plate vertex.

Learn about Creating a Plate.

1054 Adams View
Plot Design Evaluation Results

For the option: Do the following:

New Part/Add to Select either:
Part/On Ground
n New Part - Creates a new part.
n Add to Part - Adds plate to another part in your model.
n On Ground - Adds the plate to ground.
Tip: Add geometry to ground if the geometry does not move or influence the
simulation of your model. For example, if you are simulating a car
driving around a race track, the geometry that defines the race track can
be added to ground.
Thickness Select and then enter the thickness of the plate.

If you do not specify a thickness, Adams View creates the plate with a thickness of
1 in current length units.
Radius Select and then enter the radius of the plate corners.

If you do not specify a radius, Adams View creates the plate with corners with radii
of 1 in current length units.

Note: After you draw a plate, a hotpoint appears at the reference marker. It lets you change the depth
of the plate. For more information on modifying geometry using hotpoints, see Using Hotpoints
to Graphically Modify Geometry

You can also use the Geometry Modify Shape Plate dialog box to change the markers used to define
the plate, the thickness of the plate, and the radius of the corners of the plate.

Plot Design Evaluation Results

Design Evaluation →

Automatically plots the results of a parametric analysis.

Learn about Generating Plots.
 P - Z 1055
Plots Transfer Function

For the option: Do the following:

Result Set Enter the name of the parametric analysis result set you want to plot.
Create plot of Select if you want to generate a plot of the measure or objectives versus
measure/objective value vs. run the variable value, trial number, or iteration number.
Create plot of measure vs. time Select if you want to generate a plot of the measure or objectives versus
for all runs time with a curve for each trial or iteration. If you use this option, you
must have specified a measure or an objective that refers to a measure or
result set component (not a macro or function). In addition, you must
have saved the results from the individual runs. Learn more about Saving
Results from individual runs.

Plots Transfer Function

Ribbon menu → Elements tab → System Elements container → Transfer Function → Check Format and

Display Plot

or

(Classic) Build → System Elements → Transfer Function → New or Modify → Check Format and Display Plot
Displays a plot of the transfer function you created using the Create/Modify Transfer Function dialog box. Learn
more about Creating and Modifying Transfer Functions.
1056 Adams View
Plots Transfer Function
 P - Z 1057
Plugin Manager

For the option: Do the following:

Plot Select the type of plot to display:

n Magnitude - The magnitude of the transfer function element's frequency

response.
n Phase Angle - Phase of the transfer function element's frequency response.
n Real Part - Real part of the frequency response of the transfer function
element.
n Imaginary Part - Imaginary part of the frequency response of the transfer
function element.
Plot Display Display a plot of the transfer function. Right-click to perform operations on
the plot, such as clear the plot. Right-click on each element in the plot to
delete that element.

Note: There are several operations displayed in the shortcut menu when you
right-click but many are not supported in the plot display.
Min Set the minimum value for the frequency axis (horizontal). Press Enter to
enable the Redraw button.
Max Set the maximum value for the frequency axis (horizontal). Press Enter to
enable the Redraw button.
Scale Select either:

n log - Scales the axis values so that each power of 10 is separated by the
same distance. For example, the values 1, 10, 100, 1000, and 10,000 are
equally spaced.
n lin - Displays the axis values linearly, starting at 0.
Redraw Redraws the plot after you change the scale of the plot.

Plugin Manager
Tools → Plugin Manager Shared Dialog Box
Manages the add-on modules or plugins to Adams View, which expand its functionality. The MSC plugins
include Adams Vibration, Adams Controls, and Adams Durability. The Plugin Manager lets you run these
products from within Adams View and set Adams View to load them automatically when you start up. It also
lets you unload them while in your current session of Adams View, and view whether or not there is a license
available to run them.
Learn about Loading and Unloading Plugins.
1058 Adams View
Point Motion

For the option: Do the following:

Name Displays the names of the plugins installed.
Load To load a plugin, next to the name of the plugin, select Yes. To unload a plugin, clear
the selection of Yes.
Load at Startup To load a plugin automatically at startup, next to the name of the plugin, select Yes.
To not have the plugin load automatically, clear the selection of Yes.
Description Displays a description of the plugin selected in the Name column.
Version Displays the version of the plugin selected in the Name column.
Author Displays the company that published the plugin selected in the Name column.
License Displays the number of total licenses of the plugin selected in the Name column, and
how many of those licenses are available. A license must be available for you to load
the plugin.

Point Motion
Right-click point motion → Modify
Lets you modify a single Point Motion.
Learn more about:
n Tips on Creating Motions
n Defining the Motion Magnitude
n DOF Removed by Motion

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name of the point motion to modify.
Moving Point Change the marker that defines the location of the motion on the parts. Learn
About Point Motion.
Reference Point Change the marker that defines the orientation of the motion on the parts.
Direction Specify direction axis on reference point marker.
Define Using Enter how you want to define the motion. Select Function to define using a
numerical value or Subroutine to define using a user-written subroutine.
 P - Z 1059
Point Motion/Joint Motion

For the option: Do the following:

Function If you selected Function for Define Using, enter the following in the Function
(time) text box that appears:

n Numerical value (For rotational motion, specify the magnitude in

radians.)
n Function expression
To enter a function expression, next to the Function (time) text box, select the
More button

to display the Function Builder.

Parameters and ID If you selected Subroutine for Define Using, enter the parameters to be passed to
the MOTSUB user-written subroutine and its ID. Entering an ID is optional.
Routine Specify an alternative library and name for the user subroutine MOTSUB. Learn
about specifying routines with ROUTINE Argument.
Type Set to Displacement, Velocity, or Acceleration to specify how motion magnitude
is defined.
Displacement IC and Enter the initial conditions for displacement or velocity. The text boxes that
Velocity IC appear depend on how the magnitude of the motion is defined.

Point Motion/Joint Motion

Right-click point/joint motion → Modify
Modifies either a Point Motion or a Joint motion. Its title and options change depending on the type of motion.
Select a motion below for more information on the options available:
n Point Motion
n Joint Motion

Point Tool

Ribbon menu → Bodies tab → Construction container → Point Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Bodies/Geometry → Point Tool

Defines locations in three-dimensional space upon which you can build your model. Points allow you to build
parameterization between objects, as well as position objects. For example, you can attach a link to points so
that each time you move the points, the link’s geometry changes accordingly.
You can also use points to define the location where modeling objects connect, such as the point where a joint
connects two parts. Points do not define an orientation, only a location.
1060 Adams View
Point Tool

As you create a point, you define whether Adams View should add it to ground or to another part. In
addition, you specify whether other parts near the same location should be attached (parameterized) to the
point. If you attach other bodies to the point, then the location of those bodies is tied to the location of that
point. As you change the location of the point, the location of all attached bodies change accordingly.

Note: You should not attach a part’s center of mass marker to a point, however. If you attach a center
of mass marker, Adams View removes the parameterization whenever it recomputes the center
of a part, unless you defined mass properties for the part.

Learn about:
n Creating Points
n Parameterization

For the option: Do the following:

New Part/Add to Select either:
Part/On Ground
n New Part - Creates a new part.
n Add to Part - Adds point to another part in your model.
n On Ground - Adds the point to ground.
Note: Add geometry to ground if the geometry does not move or influence the
simulation of your model. For example, if you are simulating a car
driving around a race track, the geometry that defines the race track can
be added to ground.
Don't Attach/Attach Don't Attach - Keep other objects surrounding the point unattached to the point.
Near There will be no parameterization relationship set up.

Attach Near - Attach other nearby objects to the point. When you change the
location of the points, the other objects locations and orientations update
accordingly.

Note: After creating the point, you can modify its name and set its location using the Table Editor.
Learn about Editing Objects Using the Table Editor.
 P - Z 1061
Point-Curve Constraint Tool

Point-Curve Constraint Tool

Ribbon menu → Connectors tab → Special container → Point-Curve Constraint

or

(Classic) Build → Joints → Point-Curve Constraint

The point-curve constraint restricts a fixed point defined on one part to lie on a curve defined on a second
part. The first part is free to roll and slide on the curve that is fixed to a second part. The curve on the second
part can be planar or spatial or open or closed. The first part cannot lift off the second part; it must always
lie on the curve. A point-curve constraint removes two translational Degrees of freedom from your model.
When you specify the location of the point-curve constraint on the first part, Adams View creates a marker
at that location. The marker is called the I marker. The I marker can only translate in one direction relative to
the curve. The I marker, however, is free to rotate in all three directions.
You can use the point-curve constraint to model a Pin-in-slot mechanism or a Simple Cam Follower mechanism
where a lever arm is articulated by the profile of a revolving cam.
When modeling a pin-in-slot mechanism, the point-curve constraint keeps the center of the pin in the center
of the slot, while allowing it to move freely along the slot and rotate in the slot.
Learn more about:
n Point-Curve Constraints
n Tips on Creating Higher-Pair Constraints

For the option: Do the following:

Curve/Edge Select whether you are defining the point-curve constraint along a curve or an edge of
a part:

n Curves - Splines, chains, and data-element curves are all considered curves.
n Edge - An edge is one of the wireframe outlines drawn on a solid. For
example, you can use a Parasolid object representing a cam that you imported
into Adams View.

Point-to-Point Measure

Ribbon menu → Design Exploration tab → Measure container → Point-to-Point tool

1062 Adams View
Point-to-Point Measure

or

(Classic) Select object → Build → Measure → Point-to-Point → Create/Modify

Measures kinematic characteristics, such as displacement or velocity, between two locations on a model
during a Simulation.
Learn more about:
n Point-to-Point Measures
n Methods for Creating Point-to-Point Characteristics
n About Simulation Output

For the option: Do the following:

Measure Name Enter the name of the measure.
To Point Enter the marker or point to which to measure.
From Point Enter the marker or point from which to measure.
Characteristic Select the kinematic characteristic to be measured. The values you enter
in the next text boxes depend on whether you select a translational or
angular characteristics.

Learn about Point-to-Point Characteristics You Can Measure.

Component Select the component in which you are interested. The components
available depend on the coordinate system.
Cartisian/Cylindrical/Spherical For translational characteristics only, set to the associated coordinate
system (Cartesian, spherical, or cylindrical).
Represent Coordinates in Specify:

n A marker along whose axes the measure will be represented.

n Leave blank to represent in the ground reference frame.
Do time derivatives in (Available if you selected translational velocity, translational acceleration,
or angular acceleration as the characteristic.)

You can:

n Enter a marker representing the measure reference frame.

n Leave blank to use ground as the reference frame.
Create Strip Chart Select to display a Strip chart of the measure.
Select to set the attributes of the measure. Only available when you are
modifying a measure. See Measure Attributes dialog box help.
 P - Z 1063
Polyline Tool

Polyline Tool

Ribbon menu → Bodies tab → Construction container → Polyline Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Bodies/Geometry → Polyline Tool

Creates single- and multi-line segments (polylines) and create open or closed polylines (polygons)

Before drawing lines or polylines, you can specify the length of the line or lines to be created so you can
quickly create perfectly sized lines and polylines.
When creating a single line, you can also specify the angle of the line. The angle you specify is relative to the
x-axis of the global coordinate system or the working grid, if it is turned on. When you create line geometry,
you can select to create a new part consisting of the line geometry or add the line geometry to an existing part.
If you create a new part, it has no mass since it is composed of only wire geometry. You can extrude the lines
into solid geometry that has mass. For more information, see Extruding Construction Geometry Along a Path.
Learn about Creating Lines and Polylines.
1064 Adams View
Precision Move

For the option: Do the following:

New Part/Add to Part/On Select either:
Ground
n New Part - Creates a new part.
n Add to Part - Adds the polyline to another part in your model.
n On Ground - Adds the polyline to ground.
Tip: Add geometry to ground if the geometry does not move or
influence the simulation of your model. For example, if you are
simulating a car driving around a race track, the geometry that
defines the race track can be added to ground.
Polyline/One Line Select either:

n Polyline - Creates a line made up of multiple lines.

n One Line - Creates a single line.
Length Set the length of the single line or the individual lines making up the polyline.
This should give you greater control.
Angle Set the angle of the line. If you set the angle for a polyline, Adams View creates
all the lines making up the polyline at the same angle.
Closed Set to create a closed polygon.

Note: Adams View places hotpoints at the endpoint of each line segment after you draw the objects.
The hotpoints let you reshape the lines. If you create a closed polyline, Adams View maintains
it as a closed polyline regardless of how you move the hotpoints. For more information on
modifying geometry using hotpoints, see Using Hotpoints to Graphically Modify Geometry.

You can also use the line or polyline modify dialog box to more accurately place the points that
make up the line or polyline. You can also read in location points from a file. For more
information, see Using Dialog Boxes to Precisely Modify Geometry and Using the Location Table.

Precision Move
Edit → Move
Moves objects either by increments or to precise coordinates.
You can select to move the objects relative to a specified object’s coordinate system, called the reference
coordinate system. You can also select to move objects relative to the screen. In addition, you can use the
Precision Move dialog box to view the coordinates of one object in relation to another.
 P - Z 1065
Precision Move

Learn about Moving Objects Using the Precision Move Dialog Box (Classic Interface).

Option Description
Rotate Y, X, Z Select each to rotate an object with respect to a body-fixed or reference
coordinate system in incremental amounts specified in the +/- text box. You
specify the reference coordinate system using the Relative to/About the options.
Translate Y, X, Z Select each box to translate an object with respect to a body-fixed or reference
coordinate system in incremental amounts specified in the +/- text box. You
specify the reference coordinate system using the Relative to/About the options.
Relocate the Enter the object or objects to be moved.
Relative to/About the Select to define the coordinate system whose axes are to be used for defining
rotations and translations. For rotations:

n Relative to rotates objects in place (their locations do not change) and their
rotations are with respect to the coordinate system specified in the Relative
to the text box.
n About the rotates the objects rotate about the origin of the coordinate
system specified (their locations change) and the rotations are with respect
to the coordinate system specified in the About the text box.
Translations are with respect to the coordinate system defined as either
Relative to the or the About the.
1066 Adams View
Precision Move

Option Description
Model/Part/Marker/View By default, the Precision Move dialog box moves the selected objects relative
/Entity/Screen to the default coordinate system. You can specify that Adams View use a
different coordinate system as the reference coordinate system. The rotational
and translational coordinates you enter for the move or the incremental values
you select are with respect to the origin and orientation of this coordinate
system.

You can select the following types of objects:

n Model - Global coordinate system.

n Part or marker - Part or marker in your model.
n View - Adams View defined View, such as front, right, or left. Use the
Database Navigator to select the name of the view.
n Entity - Any entity, including those that are not on the screen. Entities also
include the working grid and gravity.
n Screen - The plane of the screen. When you select to move objects relative
to the screen, the Precision Move dialog box changes the dials on the left to
those shown in this picture. The dials translate and rotate the objects:
n Think of the translation as pulling the object in the direction of the
arrow. For example, when you select the small arrow that points up,
you pull an object up along the vertical axis. The double arrows to the
right translate an object along an axis that is normal to the screen
(works only if the view is in perspective mode).
n Think of the rotation as pushing on an object at that point. For
example, if you select the arrow that points to the right, you are
pushing the horizontal axis back, resulting in a positive rotation
around the vertical axis.
 P - Z 1067
Print

Option Description
C1 - C3 Enter the coordinates to which you want to move an object relative to another
object’s coordinate system (the reference coordinate system). You specify the
reference coordinate system using the Relative to the and About the options.

Enter the coordinates in the default coordinate system ( Cartesian, spherical, or

cylindrical).

Note: If you select Load, C1 displays the current coordinates of an object.

A1 - A3 Enter the coordinates to which you want to rotate an object relative to another
object’s coordinate system (the reference coordinate system). You specify the
reference coordinate system using the Relative to the and About the options.

Enter the coordinates in the default coordinate system (Cartesian, cylindrical,

or spherical).

Note: If you select Load, C1 displays the current coordinates of an object.

Load Select to view the current coordinates of an object with respect to the
coordinate system of another object (reference coordinate system). Adams
View displays the coordinates in the six position text boxes (C1 through C3
for translation and A1 through A3 for rotation).

For example, if you want to ensure that two markers, which you want to
connect using an inplane joint, are in the same plane, you can set one marker
as the object to be moved and the other object as the relative to object. You can
then view the rotation coordinates of the first marker to ensure that they are
(0, 0, 0).

Print
Adams PostProcessor → File → Print
You can print pages directly to a printer or store them in a file for printing at a later time.

Notes: Adams PostProcessor only prints the portion of a report or table that fits on the paper.

n To print a multi-page report, open the report in a browser and print from there.
n To print a multi-page table, export the table in HTML format, open the report in a
browser, and print from there. Pages with only reports and tables on them print
significantly faster than pages with mixed views (for example, plot and report), depending
on the type of printer being used.
1068 Adams View
Print

For the option: Do the following:

Print to Select either:

n Printer:
n On Linux, in the Print to area, select Printer and enter an operating system
command to execute the print job (for example, lpr -Psp2 or lp -c -Ppd1).
n On Windows, select also show Windows print dialog to display the default
Windows printer dialog box from which you can select a printer. The dialog
box appears after you select OK.
n File:
n In the Print to area, select File and enter the location and name of the file to
which you want to print the page.
Note that if you print more than one page to a file, Adams PostProcessor uses
the page number of each page as the name of the file.
If you selected to print to a file, select the type of file format. You can select
BMP, XPM, JPG, TIFF and PNG.
Note: If you select jpg format, you can set the level of quality.
(A)Paper Size Select the size of paper, or to accept the current default paper for the printer, select
default.
Landscape Select if you want the page to print horizontally.
Portrait Select if you want the page to print vertically.
Black and White Select if you want the page to print in black and white.

If you select Black and White, Adams PostProcessor prints all colors in black and the
background in white even if you are using a color printer.

Selecting black and white is generally considered more readable for presentations, but
you should use altering line style or line thickness to distinguish between the curves
on the plot.
Color Select if you want to print the plot in color.

If you print a plot in color but send it to a black-and-white printer, the printer
approximates the colors using grayscale.
Current Page Select to print the page you currently have displayed.
All Pages Select to print all the pages.
Page Range Select to print specific pages and enter the first page and last page.
 P - Z 1069
Range Measure

Range Measure

Ribbon menu → Design Exploration tab → Measures container → Range tool →

or

(Classic) Build → Measure → Range → New/Modify

Creates range measures with which you can obtain statistical feedback about any existing measure. Ranges
dynamically calculate the maximum, minimum, average, or variation characteristics of any measure.
Learn about Range Measures.

For the option: Do the following:

Measure Name Enter the name of the measure.
Type Select the range characteristic to measure.
Of Measure Enter an existing measure to analyze.
Create Strip Chart Select to display a Strip chart of the measure.
Select to set the attributes of the measure. Only available when you are modifying a
measure. See Measure Attributes dialog box help.

Reading a Command File

Before reading a command file, set the display and error options as described in Command File dialog box help.

To read (import) a command file:

1. From the Tools menu, select Read Command File.
2. Select the command file to import.
Shortcut: Press F2.
Learn about importing command files using Import - Adams View Command Files.

Rename
Database Navigator → Rename
Renames any object in the Modeling database.
Learn about Renaming Objects Through the Database Navigator.
1070 Adams View
Rename Dialog Box

For the option: Do the following:

Text box Enter the new name for the object you selected in the tree list.
Apply Select to apply the new name to the object.

Rename Dialog Box

Tools → Dialog Box → Modify → Dialog Box → Rename
Renames a dialog box.
Learn more about Customizing Dialog Boxes Using the Dialog-Box Builder.

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter a new name for your dialog box.

Rename Object
Edit → Rename

Model Browser → Right-click on the model and select → Rename

Lets you rename any object in your Modeling database. You can change the default name assigned to the object
but you cannot change its full name.
Learn About Object Naming.

For the option: Do the following:

New Name Enter the name you want to assign to the object.
Select to display the Database Navigator and rename another object in the database.

Remove Unused Markers

Tools → Remove unused markers
Identifies and deletes the markers that are unused anywhere in a single model in an Adams View or Adams
Car Template Builder session.
Learn about Deleting Objects.
 P - Z 1071
Results (.res) Content

For the option: Do the following:

Model Choose the model to process using the option menu below the listing which displays
a list of all the unused markers for that model.

By default, it displays unused markers for currently displayed model in the graphics
window and model browser.
Delete Clicking "Delete" will delete all the listed unused markers.
Cancel If there are no unused markers in a selected model or if you don’t want to delete the
markers, then click "Cancel" to close the dialog box.

Results (.res) Content

Settings → Solver → Output → More → Output Category → Results (.res) Content
Selecting Results (.res) Content as the Output Category in the Solver Settings dialog box lets you set the content
of the results file.
Select the options for the content you want in the results file. See RESULTS section for more information.
1072 Adams View
Results (.res) Options

Results (.res) Options

Settings → Solver → Output → More → Output Category → Results (.res) Options
Selecting Results (.res) Options as the Output Category in the Solver Settings dialog box lets you set the format
of the results file.

For the option: Do the following:

Comment Enter a title for the results file.
Format Set the type of format:

n Binary - By default, Adams View saves the results file as a binary file. You
cannot view a binary file nor can you move it to different computer
platforms. It, however, provides greater precision, faster access, and more
compact size than a standard Adams View text file.
n ASCII - Standard Adams View text file with no formatting.
n XML - XML is a license-free, platform-independent file format used often
for Web applications. The XML format's structured data representation is
an ideal framework for storing Adams information. Because XML is an
ASCII file, you can use it across all platforms and read it in a text editor.
Although the formatting is not optimized for reading in text editors, you
will find it useful to quickly check the progress of a simulation, or
debugging a model. You can tag XML-formatted results for retrieval from
many database or pdm systems. Freely available tools for reading and
writing XML files makes it easy to incorporate Adams results into other
programs.
If you selected XML as the format, the following options are active:
Decimal Places Specify how many digits are written after the decimal point for real numbers. The
default value is 17 decimal places (full precision for recovery of double-precision
numbers).
Round Off Set to On to turn on the roundoff feature for real numbers (the default is disabled).
The Significant digits option controls the actual numbers of digits retained during
rounding off.
Scientific Notation Specify the boundaries at which the format for real numbers switches from a fixed
point format to scientific notation. The values are exponents for the base ten. The
default values are -4 and 5, meaning that any number less than or equal to 1.0E-04
or greater than or equal to 1.0E+05 will be written in scientific notation.
 P - Z 1073
Revolute Joint Tool

For the option: Do the following:

Shift Width Specify a positive integer that defines the number of spaces added at the left of each
level of hierarchy in the XML data structure. The default is zero spaces to minimize
the file size, but provides the lowest level Kof readability. The following shows an
example of a portion of an XML file when Shift Width is set to 3.

-------------------------------------
xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Results>
< Analysis>
< ModelInfo title="model_1" />
< Units angle="deg" length="mm" mass="kg" time="sec"
/>
...
Significant digits Specify how many significant figures of a real number are retained during round off
(when round off is enabled). The default is to use ten significant figures. This
number is distinct from the number of places actually printed for a real number,
which the Decimal Places option controls. Significant Figures includes digits to the
left and right of the decimal point.
Trailing Zeros Set to On to specify that trailing zeros are printed for real numbers. The default is
not to print trailing zeros. When enabled, all the digits after the decimal point will
be printed, whether they are zero or not. When disabled, any zeros at the end of the
fractional part of the number will be dropped, leaving the last digit as a non-zero
digit.
Zero Threshold Enter the zero threshold value for numbers being written to an output file. If a
number has an absolute value smaller than the zero threshold value, then it will be
written out as zero. This value is independent of units.

Revolute Joint Tool

Ribbon menu → Connectors tab → Joints container → Revolute Joint Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Joints → Revolute Joint Tool

Creates a revolute joint that allows the rotation of one part with respect to another part about a common axis.
The revolute joint can be located anywhere along the axis about which the joint’s parts can rotate with respect
to each other.
1074 Adams View
Revolute Joint Tool

The orientation of the revolute joint defines the direction of the axis about which the joint’s parts can rotate
with respect to each other. The rotational axis of the revolute joint is parallel to the orientation vector and
passes through the location.
Learn about:
n Creating Idealized Joints
n Adding Friction to Idealized Joints
 P - Z 1075
Revolute Joint Tool

For the option: Do the following:

1 Location (Bodies Set how you want the joint connected to parts:
Implicit)/
2 Bodies - 1 Location/ n 1 Location (Bodies Implicit) - Lets you select the location of the joint and
2 Bodies - 2 Locations have Adams View determine the two parts that should be connected.
Adams View selects the parts closest to the joint location. If there is only
one part near the joint, Adams View connects the joint to that part and
ground.
n 2 Bodies - 1 Location - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint. The joint remains
fixed on the first part and moves relative to the second part.
n 2 Bodies - 2 Locations - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint on each part. You
should use this option if you are working in exploded view. For more on
exploded view, see Initial Conditions Tool. For more on the effects of these
options, see Connecting Constraints to Parts.
Normal to Grid/ Set how you want the joint oriented:
Pick Geometry Feature
n Normal to Grid - Lets you orient the joint along the current Working grid, if
it is displayed, or normal to the screen.
n Pick Geometry Feature - Lets you orient the joint along a direction vector
on a feature in your model, such as the face of a part.
First Body/Second Body Set the bodies on which you want to attach the joint. Select either:
(only appears if you select
to explicitly define the n Pick Body - Select to attach the joint to a body.
bodies using the options 2 n Pick Curve - Select to attach the joint to a curve. If you select to attach the
Bodies - 1 Location or 2 joint to a curve, Adams View creates a curve marker, and the joint follows
Bodies - 2 Locations the line of the curve. Learn more about curve markers with Marker Modify
explained above) dialog box help. Attaching the joint to a spline curve is only available with
Adams Solver (C++). Learn about switching solvers with Solver Settings -
Executable dialog box help.
1076 Adams View
Revolution Tool

Revolution Tool

Ribbon menu → Bodies tab → Solids container → Revolution Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Bodies/Geometry → Revolution Tool

Creates geometry by revolving a profile. You specify the profile and the axis about which to revolve the profile.
The Revolution tool revolves the profile around the axis in a counterclockwise direction (right-hand rule)

You can create an open or closed revolution. If you create a closed revolution, the Revolution tool closes the
profile by drawing a line segment between the profile’s first and last points and creates a solid revolution from
this profile. If you leave the revolution open, the Revolution tool creates a skin that has no mass properties.
You can also select to create the revolution using the Non-analytical Method or Analytical Method.
Learn about Creating a Revolution.
 P - Z 1077
Revolution Tool

For the option: Do the following:

New Part/Add to Part/On Select either:
Ground
n New Part - Creates a new part.
n Add to Part - Adds the revolution to another part in your model.
n On Ground - Adds the revolution to ground.
Tip: Add geometry to ground if the geometry does not move or influence the
simulation of your model. For example, if you are simulating a car driving
around a race track, the geometry that defines the race track can be added to
ground.
Create by Picking Select:

n Points to select the locations on the screen that define the profile.
n Curve to select the curve to be used to define the profile.
Closed Select to create a closed revolution. (Available only when you set Create by
Picking to Points.)
Analytical Select to create a revolution using the analytical method. Clear to use the non-
analytical method

Notes: After you draw a revolution, hotpoints appear. If you used the non-analytical method to create
the revolution, the hotpoints appear at the vertexes of the profile. If you used the analytical
method, hotpoints appear at points along the curves that define the revolution. The hotpoints
let you resize and reshape the revolution. For more information on modifying geometry using
hotpoints, see Using Hotpoints to Graphically Modify Geometry.

You can also use the revolution modify dialog box to more accurately place the points that
make up the profile and read in location points from a file. For more information, see Using
Dialog Boxes to Precisely Modify Geometry and Using the Location Table.
1078 Adams View
Rotational Motion Tool

Rotational Motion Tool

Ribbon menu → Motions tab → Joints Motions container → Rotational Joint Motion Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Joints → Rotational Motion Tool

Rotates the first part that the joint connects about the z-axis of a second part. The right-hand rule determines
the sign of the motion. The z-axis of the first part must be aligned with the z-axis of the second part at all
times. The angle is zero when the x-axis of the first part is also aligned with the x-axis of the second part.
Learn about:
n Overview of Motion
n Creating Joint Motion

For the option: Do the following:

Rot. Speed Specify the speed of the motion in displacement units per second. By default,
creates a rotational motion with a speed of 30 degrees per second.

To enter a function expression or User-written subroutine, right-click the Rot. Speed

text box, point to Parameterize, and then select Expression Builder to display
the Adams View Function Builder. For information on using the Function
Builder, see Function Builder and Adams View Function Builder online help.

Save Binary Notebook As

Postprocessing → File → Save As
In stand-alone mode, Adams PostProcessor saves your current session in notebooks, which are binary files
that store all the simulation results, animations, and plots that you are working on. You can also save a copy
of a notebook with a different name or in a different location. When you save a notebook, Adams Posrocessor
saves all the pages you created and their content. It also saves the simulation results in the binary file. The
results are not associated with the files you imported.

Notes: n Currently we only support saving of binary files having a file size of less than 2 GB. If the
binary file size exceeds 2GB, you will be given an error message at the time of creating the
binary file.
n If your database file is approaching the 2GB limit, you should delete results, plots or
animations to keep the file size down before saving the binary. An alternative is to export
the model as an Adams View command file and the simulation results should be exported
as an Adams Solver results file, if the binary size exceeds 2 GB.
 P - Z 1079
Save Database

For the option: Do the following:

File Name Enter a name for the notebook.

To save the document in a different directory, right-click the File Name text box, select
Browse, and then select the desired directory.

Save Database
File → Save Database
Alerts you that Adams View is saving the current Modeling database as an Adams View binary file and asks you
if you want to create a backup file. To save the model data in another format, see the File Export dialog box.
Learn about Modeling Database.

For the option: Do the following:

model_name exists. n Yes - Creates a backup file of the existing database file and saves the
Create backup? database. When Adams View creates a backup file, it adds a % to the end
of the file extension (for example, model.bin%).
n No - Overwrites the existing database file with the current database
contents without creating a backup.
n Cancel - Exits the command without saving the database.

Save Database As
File → Save Database As
Saves the current Modeling database to a binary file with a new name. This lets you keep several versions of your
database under different names and reduces the risk of losing your work if you inadvertently change or delete
your model. Saving your modeling database saves all modeling information, including any customization
changes you made.
To save the model data in another format, export the data as explained Exchanging Data in Adams. To save your
preferences, see Saving and Restoring Settings.

For the option: Do the following:

File Name Specify the name you want to assign to the file.

If you want the file written to a directory other than the one from which you are
running Adams View, enter the path name in the File Name text box.

Tips on Entering File Names in Text Boxes.

1080 Adams View
Save Design Evaluation Results

Save Design Evaluation Results

Design Evaluation →
Allows you to save a single set of results for a parametric analysis.
Learn about Saving Results.

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter a name for the analysis.
Auto-Increment Name Select if you want Adams View to add a unique number at the end of the name.
Adams View copies the current parametric results to a new analysis with the
name you specify.

Save Model at Simulation Position

Simulation tab → Simulate container → Interactive →

Saves the model at a simulated position into the Modeling database under a new name so you can use it as your
new design configuration.
Learn about Saving a Simulation Frame as New Model.

For the option: Do the following:

New Model Enter a name for the model to be created.
Analysis Specify the simulation containing the frame you want to save.
Frame Enter the frame number of the configuration you want to save to a new model.

Save Model at Simulation State

Simulation tab → Simulate container → Interactive →

Saves the model at a simulated state into the Modeling database under a new name so you can use it as your
new design configuration with states.
Learn about Saving a Simulation State as New Model.
 P - Z 1081
Save Run Results

For the option: Do the following:

New Model Enter a name for the model to be created.
Analysis Specify the simulation containing the time you want to save.
Time Enter the time of the configuration you want to save to a new model.
Index Time Check if you want to shift all time variables in runtime functions.

Save Run Results

Simulation tab → Simulate container → Interactive →

Saves the results of the last Simulation under a new name so that you can animate or plot the results at a later
time. Saving simulation results is particularly important when you want to compare the results from several
design variations.
Be sure to save your Modeling database after you save your simulation results (File → Save Database).

Note: By default, the results of a simulation are only saved to the modeling database, not to external
Adams Solver analysis files. To save the results to external Adams Solver analysis files, set the
simulation output before you run the simulation, as explained in Setting Simulation Controls. To
export the results to analysis files, see Export - Adams Solver Analysis Files.

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name for the simulation results.
Auto-Increment Name Select if you want Adams View to automatically increment the run names when
you save subsequent simulations.

Screw Joint Tool

Ribbon menu → Connectors tab → Joints container → Screw Joint Tool
1082 Adams View
Screw Joint Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Joints → Screw Joint Tool

Creates a screw joint that specifies the rotation of one part about an axis, as the part translates along the axis
with respect to a second part.

The screw joint does not require that the two parts remain parallel with respect to the axis of rotation and
translation. However, the z-axis of the coordinate system marker on the first part and the z-axis of the
coordinate system marker on the second part must always be parallel and co-directed. Although the screw
joint does not enforce this parallelism, the chain of parts and joints that connects the two markers should.
After you create a screw joint, you need to specify the pitch value. The pitch value is the distance from one
peak on a thread of the screw to the next thread. It defines the amount of translational displacement of the
first part for every rotation of the second part about the axis of rotation.
By default, Adams View sets the pitch value to 1. The pitch value is in length units. A positive pitch creates
a right-hand thread, and a negative pitch creates a left-hand thread.
Learn about Creating Idealized Joints.
 P - Z 1083
Scripted Simulation

For the option: Do the following:

1 Location (Bodies Set how you want the joint connected to parts:
Implicit)/
2 Bodies - 1 Location/ n 1 Location (Bodies Implicit) - Lets you select the location of the joint and
2 Bodies - 2 Locations have Adams View determine the two parts that should be connected.
Adams View selects the parts closest to the joint location. If there is only
one part near the joint, Adams View connects the joint to that part and
ground.
n 2 Bodies - 1 Location - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint. The joint remains
fixed on the first part and moves relative to the second part.
n 2 Bodies - 2 Locations - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint on each part. You
should use this option if you are working in exploded view. For more on
exploded view, see Initial Conditions Tool. For more on the effects of these
options, see about Connecting Constraints to Parts.
Normal to Grid/ Set how you want the joint oriented:
Pick Feature
n Normal to Grid - Lets you orient the joint along the current Working grid, if
it is displayed, or normal to the screen.
n Pick Feature - Lets you orient the joint along a direction vector on a
feature in your model, such as the face of a part.
First Body/Second Body Set the bodies on which you want to attach the joint. Select either:
(only appears if you select
to explicitly define the n Pick Body - Select to attach the joint to a body.
bodies using the options 2 n Pick Curve - Select to attach the joint to a curve. If you select to attach the
Bodies - 1 Location or 2 joint to a curve, Adams View creates a curve marker, and the joint follows
Bodies - 2 Locations the line of the curve. Learn more about curve markers with Marker Modify
explained above) dialog box help. Attaching the joint to a spline curve is only available with
Adams Solver (C++). Learn about switching solvers with Solver Settings -
Executable dialog box help.

Scripted Simulation

Simulation tab → Simulate container → Scripted

Display tools for performing Scripted simulation.

Learn about Performing a Scripted Simulation.
1084 Adams View
Scripted Simulation
 P - Z 1085
Scripted Simulation

Icon Description
Sets your model back to its initial design configuration so you can modify your
model or perform another simulation starting at time 0.

You do not have to set the model back to its design configuration to continue
simulating. You can pick up from the last frame of your animation and
continue.

Shortcut: Double-click the Select tool.

Stops any further processing, and the modeling objects appear in the positions
that Adams Solver last successfully calculated.

Starts the Simulation.

Replays an Animation of the last Simulation. Replaying an animation displays the

results much faster than if you simulate the model again and watch the frames
update as the solution calculates results. You can also replay an animation of a
saved simulation; for more information, see Animation Controls.

How Adams View replays your simulation depends on whether or not you
have finished the simulation and reset the model back to its initial design
configuration.

n If you have run a simulation, or part of a simulation, but not set the model
back to its initial configuration, when you select to replay the animation,
Adams View animates the model up to the last simulation step and leaves
your model there.
n If you reset your model back to its initial configuration, when you select to
replay the animation, Adams View automatically sets the model back to
the initial design configuration when the animation is complete.
Model Verify Tool

Simulation Script Name Enter the name of the simulation Script.

Reset before and after Sets your model back to its initial design configuration before you run the
Simulation.
Interactive/Scripted Displays tools for controlling either an interactive or Scripted simulation.
1086 Adams View
Second-Order Filter Block

Icon Description
Save/Delete Simulation Results

n Left-click to display the Save Run Results dialog box so you can save the
simulation results.
n Right-click to select a set of simulation results to delete.
Save Simulated Position

Displays the Save Model at Simulation Position dialog box so you can save the
model at a simulated position into the Modeling database under a new name.
Save Model at Simulation States

Displays the Save Model at Simulation State dialog box so you can save the model
at a simulated state into the Modeling database under a new name so you can use
it as your new design configuration with states.
Displays the Animation Controls dialog box.

Displays the Linear Modes Controls dialog box.

Displays Adams PostProcessor.

Simulation Settings... Displays the Solver Settings dialog box, letting you set how you want the
Simulation performed.

Second-Order Filter Block

Ribbon menu → Elements tab → Controls Toolkit →

or

(Classic) Build → Controls Toolkit → Standard Control Blocks → New/Modify →

The second-order filter block creates a second-order filter by specifying the undamped natural frequency and
the damping ratio. You can parameterize the undamped natural frequency or damping ratio constant with an
Adams View real design variable to quickly study the effect of varying the frequency or damping ratio of the
associated block.
 P - Z 1087
Select List

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the function block.
Input Specify the assembly name of any controls block.
Natural Specify the natural frequency.
Frequency
Damping Ratio Specify the damping ratio.
Check the inputs to the function block.

Display the Information window to review the connections to the block.

Create an output measure. See Controls_measure_panel dialog box help.

Select List
Database Navigator → Select List
Allows you to view objects that you've selected. You can also add and remove objects from the select list.
Learn about:
n Managing the Select List
n Showing, Hiding, and Selecting Objects in the Database Navigator

For the option: Do the following:

Add Select to add objects from the tree list or view window.
Remove Select to remove the highlighted objects from the list.
Clear All Select to clear all objects from the select list.

Select List Manager

Edit → Select List
Lets you view objects you’ve selected and add to and remove objects from the select list. You can add and
remove objects based on their name, type, group, and parent.
Learn more about Selecting Objects (Classic Interface).
1088 Adams View
Setting Screen and Printer Fonts

For the option: Do the following:

Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
Number of Objects in Select List Lists the objects currently selected (in the select list).
Object Name Enter the name of the object that you want to add, and then select the
Add button next to the text box.
Add Select to add the object in the Object Name text box to the select list.
Name Filter Enter the name of the objects that you want to add to or remove from
the select list. Type any wildcards that you want included. For example,
to remove all objects that contain a particular character, such as an h.
Type Filter Set to the type of object or objects that you want to add or remove. To
display all the different object types, select Browse.
Scope Limit the scope of objects to be added or removed to only objects
belonging to a certain object by entering the name of the parent object.
For example,you can tell Adams View to limit the scope from all
markers to only markers belonging to a PART_1.
Expand Groups Select to add or remove objects in a group to the Select List Manager.
Before adding the object to the select list, you can set whether or not
you want to list each object in the group in the Select List Manager or
just list the name of the group.
Remove Objects Select and then select the objects to be removed from a list.

Tips To select objects: in a list.

Clear All Select to quickly remove all objects in the select list.
Refresh Select to update the list of objects in the Select List Manager window
so that it reflects any selections that you made using the mouse or
Shortcut menus.
Add Select to add the object in objects to and from the select list based on
search criteria.
Remove Removes multiple objects from the select list based on search criteria.

Setting Screen and Printer Fonts

Settings → Fonts
Changes the font Adams View uses to display text in a view, such as the name of a part or a note on the screen,
or to print text to a printer. The fonts available for displaying text in a view are those available with your
operating system. The fonts available for printing text are a fixed set of 12 fonts.

Note: Your printer may not support all of these printer fonts.
 P - Z 1089
Setup for MSC CoSim

For the option: Do the following:

Screen Font Enter the name of the font you want Adams View to use to display text in a view.

To browse for a font, right-click the text box, point to Browse, and then select a font.
Postscript Font Select the font you want to use to print the text.

Setup for MSC CoSim

Plugins → MSC CoSim → Create Gforce/Modify Gforce

For the option: Do the following:

Model Name It will automatically display the current model name.
GFORCE Name Specify the prefix to be applied to the GFORCE name.
Prefix
By Default: GFO_Cosim
ID This will be appended to the end of the GFORCE name. If unspecified Adams will
apply integers starting from 1.
Location (Marker) Pick or browse the marker where you want to create the GFORCE which will act
as the interface location between Adams-Marc or Adams-scFlow.
With Rigid Part This will create a rigid part at the selected marker location.

OFF: It will only create a GFORCE on the selected marker, and that marker’s
parent part will be the action part of the created GFORCE.

ON: It will create a new rigid part at the selected Marker location which will be
Action part of the GFORCE.

By Default it is Off

A good rule of thumb is set this ON when the mass and inertia of the Marc model
are not negligible compared to the rest if the Adams model.

Mass of the rigid part is set to 1 Kg by default and can be adjusted manually like
any other part in Adams.
Flexbody If the marker selected for “Location (Marker)” belongs to a flexible body, then this
field will display the name of that parent flexible body.
1090 Adams View
Setup for MSC CoSim

For the option: Do the following:

Attach ON: When “With Rigid Part” is checked, a fixed joint will be created between the
rigid part and the flexible body.

OFF: No fixed joint will be created between the rigid part and flexible body.

By Default it is OFF
MSC CoSim Select the product with which you want to co-simulate: scFLOW or Marc.
Product
If scFLOW is selected then the following settings are enabled (and automatically written into an Adams
Array known as the "cosim_protocol_array"):
Job ID Specify the scFLOW Job ID to which this GFORCE will correspond. Setting this
field is useful when co-simulating between one Adams process (from this one
Adams model) and multiple scFLOW processes and, therefore, one wants to
instruct MSC CoSim which GFORCEs in the model correspond to interaction
with which scFLOW process.

Default =1.
 P - Z 1091
Setup for MSC CoSim

For the option: Do the following:

Execution Mode This defines the order in which the processes participating in the co-simulation
proceed. In a co-simulation, the software with higher execution mode number
starts first.

Also, if this number is set to 0, the application software stops when it detects the
termination of the communication partner software. If this number is greater than
zero, an application software moves forward till the end of its process using the
extrapolated data sent from the MSC CoSim process even if the communication
partner has terminated.

As a practical example, let us consider the co-simulation between Adams and Marc.
In most of the cases, the time information at the beginning of co-simulation in both
application software are zero. If the user wants Adams to move forward before Marc
does, the user should define the execution mode number of Adams higher than
Marc's execution mode number. If the execution numbers in both application
software are identical, the application software that has bigger time step moves
forward first. The table below illustrates a few cases:
Execution Mode number Result
Adams Marc
5 4 Adams will start first.
0 1 Adams will stop the moment Marc stops.
1 2 Adams will NOT stop even if Marc stops. Adams
will continue using the extrapolated data.
2 2 The process with the bigger time step will start first.
Interpolation Mode MSC CoSim supports different interpolation algorithms for forces and
displacements.

Type of Interpolation Mode supported are:

Quadratic, Linear and Constant Last

Default: Quadratic
1092 Adams View
Simulation Controls

Simulation Controls
Simulation tab → Simulate container → Interactive/Scripted

Main toolbox → Click

Displays tools for controlling Interactive Simulation and Scripted simulations. Select a topic below:
n Interactive Simulation Palette and Container
n Scripted Simulation

Single-Component Force tool

Ribbon menu → Forces tab → Applied Forces container→ Single-Component Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Forces → Single-Component Tool

Applies a translational force in one of two ways:
n To one movable part - You select the part, the location of the point of application, and the
direction. Adams View automatically applies the force to ground.
n To two parts - You select the parts and the locations of the point of application on each part. Adams
View automatically defines the direction based on the line of sight between the two locations. The
direction is continuously updated during Simulation.

You cannot use the line-of-sight method if the two points that define the force will become coincident during
a simulation because the force direction becomes undefined. When running a simulation, Adams Solver
warns you when the points become nearly coincident. The following shows an example of a warning:
 P - Z 1093
Single-Component Force tool

Caution: The direction cosines for SFORCE model_1.FORCE_1 are invalid. This is usually caused by
a (nearly) zero length SFORCE or SPRINGDAMPER.

You can ignore the warning only if the computed force is zero when the points are coincident (for example,
when you are using a BISTOP function that is inactive when its markers are coincident). Otherwise, having
coincident points is a modeling error with unpredictable results.
Learn more about:
n Single-Component Forces

For the option: Do the following:

Run-Time Direction Specify the number of parts and the nature of the force direction. You can
select the following:

n Space Fixed
n Body Moving
n Two Bodies
Learn about Specifying Force Direction for Single-Component Forces.
Construction Set how you want the force oriented. You can select:

n Normal to Grid - Lets you orient the force normal to the current working
grid, if it is displayed, or normal to the screen.
n Pick Feature - Lets you orient the force along a direction vector on a
feature in your model, such as along an edge or normal to the face of a
part.
Characteristic Specify the characteristics of the force:

n Constant torque - Lets you enter a constant torque value or let Adams
View use a default value.
n Spring-Damper - Lets you enter stiffness and damping coefficients and
lets Adams View create a function expression for damping and stiffness based
on the coefficient values. (Not available when you are using the Main toolbox
to access the force tool.)
n Custom - Adams View does not set any values for you, which, in effect,
creates a force with zero magnitude. After you create the force, you modify
it by entering a function expressions or parameters to a User-written
subroutine that is linked to Adams View. You can also specify an alternative
library and name for the user subroutine. Learn about specifying routines
with ROUTINE Argument.
1094 Adams View
Single-Component Torque tool

For the option: Do the following:

If you selected Constant Torque, the following option appears:
Force Value Enter a constant torque value.
If you selected Spring-Damper, the following two options appear:
Translational K Enter the stiffness coefficients.
Translational C Enter the damping coefficients.

Single-Component Torque tool

Ribbon menu → Forces tab → Applied Forces container → Single-Component Torque Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Forces → Single-Component Torque Tool

Applies a rotational force to either one part or two about a specified axis. You specify the point of application
and the direction. The following figure shows an example of a single-component torque applied to one part.

Learn more about:

n Single-Component Forces
 P - Z 1095
Single-Component Torque tool

For the option: Do the following:

Run-Time Direction Specify the number of parts and the nature of the force direction. You can
select the following:

n Space Fixed
n Body Moving
n Two Bodies
Learn about Specifying Force Direction for Single-Component Forces.
Construction Set how you want the force oriented. You can select:

n Normal to Grid - Lets you orient the force normal to the current Working
grid, if it is displayed, or normal to the screen.
n Pick Feature - Lets you orient the force along a direction vector on a
feature in your model, such as along an edge or normal to the face of a
part.
Characteristic Specify the characteristics of the force:

n Constant torque - Lets you enter a constant torque value or let Adams
View use a default value.
n Spring-Damper - Lets you enter stiffness and damping coefficients and
lets Adams View create a function expression for damping and stiffness based
on the coefficient values. (Not available when you are using the Main toolbox
to access the force tool.)
n Custom - Adams View does not set any values for you, which, in effect,
creates a force with zero magnitude. After you create the force, you modify
it by entering a function expressions or parameters to a User-written
subroutine that is linked to Adams View. You can also specify an alternative
library and name for the user subroutine. Learn about specifying routines
with ROUTINE Argument.
If you selected Constant Torque, the following option appears:
Force Value Enter a constant torque value.
If you selected Spring-Damper, the following two options appear:
Translational K Enter the stiffness coefficients.
Translational C Enter the damping coefficients.
1096 Adams View
Single Point Motion Tool

Single Point Motion Tool

Ribbon menu → Motions tab → General Motions container → Single Point Motion Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Joints → Single Point Motion Tool

Creates a single Point Motion.
Learn more about:
n Tips on Creating Motions
n Defining the Motion Magnitude
n Types of Motion
n Creating Point Motions Using the Motion Tools

For the option: Do the following:

1 location (Bodies Set how you want the motion connected to parts:
Implicit)/
2 Bodies -1 Location/ n 1 location (Bodies Implicit) - Lets you select the location of the joint and
2 Bodies -2 Locations have Adams View determine the two parts that should be connected.
Adams View selects the parts closest to the joint location. If there is only
one part near the joint, Adams View connects the joint to that part and
ground.
n 2 Bodies - 1 Location - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint. The joint remains
fixed on the first part and moves relative to the second part.
n 2 Bodies - 2 Locations - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint on each part. You
should use this option if you are working in exploded view. For more on
exploded view, see Initial Conditions Tool. For more on the effects of these
options, see About Connecting Constraints to Parts.
Normal to Grid/ Set how you want the motion oriented:
Pick Feature
n Normal to Grid - Lets you orient the motion along the current Working
grid, if it is displayed, or normal to the screen.
n Pick Feature - Lets you orient the motion along a direction vector on a
feature in your model, such as the face of a part.
 P - Z 1097
Six-Component General Force tool

For the option: Do the following:

Characteristic Specify the direction of the motion.
Trans. Speed If you set Characteristic to Translational, specify the speed of the motion in
displacement units per second. By default, Adams View creates a translational
motion with a speed of 10 millimeters per second.

To enter a function expression or user-written subroutine, right-click the

Trans. Speed text box, point to Parameterize, and then select Expression
Builder to display the Function Builder. For information on using the Function
Builder, see Function Builder and the Adams View Function Builder online help.
Rot. Speed If you set Characteristic to Rotational, specify the speed of the motion in
displacement units per second. By default, creates a rotational motion with a
speed of 30 degrees per second.

To enter a function expression or user-written subroutine, right-click the Rot.

Speed text box, point to Parameterize, and then select Expression Builder to
display the Adams View Function Builder.

Six-Component General Force tool

Ribbon menu → Forces tab → Applied Forces container → Six-Component General Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Forces → Six-Component General Tool

Creates rotational and translational force between two parts in your model using six orthogonal components.
Learn more about:
n Multi-Component Forces
1098 Adams View
Sizes

For the option: Do the following:

Construction Set the method you want to use to define the bodies and force-application
points. You can select the following:

n 1 Location
n 2 Bodies - 1 Location
n 2 Bodies - 2 Locations
Learn about Applying Multi-Component Forces to Parts.
Normal to Grid/ Set how you want the force oriented. You can select:

Pick Feature n Normal to Grid - Lets you orient the force normal to the current Working
grid, if it is displayed, or normal to the screen.
n Pick Feature - Lets you orient the force along a direction vector on a
feature in your model, such as along an edge or normal to the face of a
part.
Characteristic Specify the characteristics of the force:

n Constant - Lets you enter a constant force and torque values or lets Adams
View use a default value.
n Bushing Like- Lets you enter stiffness and damping coefficients and lets
Adams View create a function expression for damping and stiffness based
on the coefficient values.
n Custom - Adams View does not set any values for you, which, in effect,
creates a force with zero magnitude. After you create the force, you modify
it by entering a function expressions or parameters to a User-written subroutine
that is linked to Adams View. You can also specify an alternative library
and name for the user subroutine. Learn about specifying routines with
ROUTINE Argument.
If you selected Constant Force, the following options appears:
Force and Torque Enter a constant force value.
If you selected Bushing Like, the following options appear:
K and KT Enter the stiffness coefficients.
C and CT Enter the damping coefficients.

Sizes
Dialog-Box Builder → Preferences → Sizes
Displays the default size of a new interface object if you create it by clicking in the new dialog box or container.
 P - Z 1099
Snap Grid

It does not display the size for the objects you created and modified by dragging the item to a desired size.
Learn more about Customizing Dialog Boxes Using the Dialog-Box Builder.

For the option: Do the following:

Default Height Displays the default height for the object.
Default Width Displays the default width for the object.

Snap Grid
Dialog Box-Builder →Preferences → Snap Grid
Allows you to restrict the possible positions and sizes of your interface objects, similar to the Working grid in the
modeling window.
When you drag an item with the mouse to move or resize it, the mouse position will snap to the nearest grid
point. Because the snap grid points are not visible, and the default grid is very fine (2 pixel distance) it is
generally not very noticeable.
You can turn this option on or off in the Option menu in the Dialog-Box Builder.

For the option: Do the following:

Horizontal Grid Spacing Enter a value to set the horizontal distance between grid points.
Vertical Grid Spacing Enter a value to set the vertical distance between grid points.
Horizontal Grid Offset/ Enter the number of pixels from the top left border to begin grip snaps.

Vertical Grid Offset

Solver Settings
Settings → Solver → Dynamics/Kinematics/Equilibrium/Initial

Conditions/Executable/Display/Output/Optimizer/Debugging
Displays options for setting the Simulation depending on the command you selected:
n Dynamics
n Kinematics
n Equillibrium
n Initial Conditions
n Executable
n Display
n Output
n Pattern for Jacobian
1100 Adams View
Solver Settings - Advanced

n Optimizer
n Debugging
n Contacts
n Linear Solver
n Flexible Bodies
n Advanced

Solver Settings - Advanced

Settings → Solver → Advanced
Allows one to specify advanced settings, which can influence the Adams Solver simulation. Any advanced
settings specified here would be included in the Adams Solver Dataset (.adm) via the ENVIRONMENT
statement. For listings, describing Adams Solver Advanced Settings, see Adams Solver Advanced Settings.

For the option: Do the following:

Category Set to Advanced.
Advanced Setting Enter the name of the advanced setting to specify. Note one may want to copy/paste
this name from the documentation at Adams Solver Advanced Settings.
Value Optionally provide a value for this advanced setting. Note that for some advanced
settings simply choosing it here without any value may be a valid thing to do
because that particular advanced setting accepts no values but declaring it here will
influence the simulation. See Adams Solver Advanced Settings for the details of valid
values for each of the settings
Deactivate Optionally check this box to deactivate the specified advanced setting so as to
ensure it will not be used during the simulation even if, for example, it is set via the
machine's operating system via an environment variable. Note that anything
entered in the Value field for rows with Deactivate selected will be ignored. If this
checkbox is left blank, then Adams Solver will be instructed to apply the particular
advanced setting on this row of the table.

Solver Settings - Contacts

Settings → Solver → Contacts
You can set default options for the performing three-dimensional contact operations.
 P - Z 1101
Solver Settings - Debugging

For the option: Do the following:

Category Set to Contacts.
Model Enter the name of the model associated with the settings.
Geometry Library Select the geometry library to be used for contact operations:

n Parasolids - Specifies that the Parasolid geometry library to be used for three-
dimensional contact determination. Adams Solver (FORTRAN) supports
Parasolid version 28.1.238.
n Default_Library - Specifies that the default geometry library to be used for
three-dimensional contact determination. The default library is based on
RAPID, a polygon-based interference detection package developed at the
University of North Carolina. Currently, Adams Solver supports RAPID version
2.01.
For many models, the Default Library can substantially reduce simulation time.
Because it is polygon-based, however, it is not always as accurate as the Parasolids
geometry engine. Parasolids is an exact boundary-representation geometric
modeler, which makes it highly accurate, but not as fast as a polygon-based engine.
For these reasons, you can switching from one to the other depending on your
needs.
Faceting Tolerances Specify the faceting tolerances when you select the Default_Library as the geometry
library (see above). Faceting is the process of approximating the surface of an object
by a mesh of triangles. All polygon-based geometry engines used faceted
representations of surfaces.

The default value Faceting Tolerances is 300.0028. Increasing this value will result
in a finer mesh of triangles, which gives a more accurate representation of surfaces
which are curved. Increasing the tolerance, however, also increases the memory
requirements of the geometry engine and adds to the computational overhead,
which makes it run slower. Setting the faceting tolerance to values greater than 1000
is not recommended. Values smaller than 300.0028 will give negligible
performance improvements. The faceting tolerance has no effect on inherently
polygonal surfaces such as boxes.

Solver Settings - Debugging

Settings → Solver → Debugging
You can set default options for the debugging information that appears when you run a Simulation.
You can also turn on the display of Strip charts and step through a simulation. Learn more about Debugging Your
Model.
1102 Adams View
Solver Settings - Debugging

Note: The debugging tools from this dialog function only when using the internal solver. For
external and standalone solver runs please consider Debugging Your Model Using Eprint.

For the option: Do the following:

Category Set to Debugging.
Debugger Set to:

n On - Turn on the Simulation Debugger

n Off - Turn off the Simulation debugger
Display Set to:

n None - Displays no information.

n Table - Displays the Debug table.
n Highlighting - Highlights those objects experiencing the most error or the
most change, force, or acceleration, depending on the element you select to
track. Note that selecting highlighting of objects will significantly slow down
your simulation.
n Table and Highlighting - Displays both the Debug table and highlights
objects. The objects highlighted are the same objects shown at the top of the
Element list in the Debug table.
Track Maximum Set to track:

n Error - Track objects with the largest equation residual error. This number is
an indicator of how far Adams Solver is from a solution. It should decrease
with every iteration.
n Force - Track objects generating the greatest force. Includes forces and
constraints.
n Change - Track variables with the most change.
n Acceleration - Track objects experiencing the greatest acceleration. Includes
only parts.
 P - Z 1103
Solver Settings - Display

For the option: Do the following:

More Select to display options for stepping through a simulation and displaying strip charts.
Single Step Set to Yes to single step through a simulation. The Simulation Debugger pauses after
each simulation output step, time step, or iteration so you can closely inspect the
simulation behavior. You can step through a simulation with any of the other
debugger options selected, such as strip charts, tables, or object highlighting. As you
run a simulation, Adams View displays a dialog box that gives you the option to
continue with the simulation or cancel it.
Display Stripchart Select the type of strip chart you want to display to provide you with insight into the
simulation.

Learn about the types of strip charts.

Solver Settings - Display

Settings → Solver → Display
Controls how Adams View displays your model during a single Simulation or how it displays your model
during a parametric analysis. You can also set the information that Adams View displays during a parametric
analysis.
Use the Solver Settings dialog box so you see just the amount of information you need during a simulation.
For example, when you perform a simulation on a new model, set up the display to see the model change as
the solution proceeds to determine if the simulation is working properly. Updating the display of the model
frequently can, however, slow down the overall solution process. Once your model runs properly, change the
options so Adams View only updates the model at the end of the simulation. You can even set Adams View
so it never updates the model. You can then play an animation of the simulation, as required.
1104 Adams View
Solver Settings - Display

For the option: Do the following:

Category Set to Display.
Show Messages If you are running Adams Solver externally, set to Yes to display the messages that
Adams Solver generates into an Information window. The messages include the
diagnostic messages that Adams Solver generates during a simulation, as well as
warnings and errors, which are always displayed. Adams View displays all messages
output during a simulation to the message window and to its Log file.
Update Graphics Set to one of the options below to indicate when you want your model updated
during the simulation. The options are listed from option that sets the fewest updates
to the option that sets the most.

n Never - No updates. Use this option only when you are sure that your
simulation will run to completion without difficulty, and you want to
maximize the efficiency of the simulation. (You can also set this option
directly from the Interactive Simulation Palette and Container when Running an
Interactive Simulation.)
n At Simulation - Update your model display only at the end of the
simulation.
n At Output Step - Update your model display at every output time step that
you specified when you submitted your simulation and omit any contact
steps. Because it does not display contact steps, your simulation time may
improve because the graphical processing operations will not be burdened
with intermediate contact events.
n At Contact/Output Step - Update the model display at each output time step
and contact step. This is the default.
n At Integration Step - An update of your model display at every integration
time step that Adams Solver requires to provide a solution to your specified
level of accuracy. This option only applies to dynamic simulations since they
are the only type requiring numerical integration. It is helpful for debugging
purposes but can lead to significantly longer simulation times. For more
information, see Solver Settings - Dynamics.
n At Iteration - Update your model display at every iteration. This option is
most useful when debugging static simulations because they are purely
iterative in nature since there is no integration required. This option is also
available for dynamic simulations, in which case Adams View displays the
model at every corrector step associated with each predictor step.
Using the At Every Iteration option with dynamic simulations can result in
significantly longer simulation times.
Icons To see all your model icons as your model is updated, set to On. Keeping your icons
on as your model is updated can help you understand how model objects behave,
especially constraints and forces. By default, icons are not visible during animations.
 P - Z 1105
Solver Settings - Dynamics

For the option: Do the following:

More Select to more display options, including those for parametric analysis.
Prompt Set to Yes to indicate that you want to be prompted whether or not Adams View
should display each updated frame. By default, there is no delay and you are not
prompted to display each updated frame.
Time Delay Enter the number of seconds Adams View should pause after displaying each updated
frame so you can study it. By default, there is no delay.
Update Toolbar Select an option to set how Adams View should update the simulation information
that appears in the status bar as the solution proceeds. The options are a subset of the
options available under the Update Graphics pull-down menu and behave in a similar
way.
Chart Objective Select to display a strip chart of the following depending on the type of parametric
analysis:

n Objective value versus variable value for a Design study.

n Objective value versus trial for a Design of experiments (DOE).
n Objective value versus iteration number for an Optimization.
Adams View updates the strip chart at every trial or iteration.
Chart Variables Displays a strip chart for each design variable, plotting its value versus the trial or
iteration number. Adams View updates the strip chart every trial or iteration.
Save Curves Clears all displayed measures at the beginning of the parametric analysis and
automatically saves the curve from each trial or iteration. If you do not select Save
Curves, Adams View does not clear or save any curves. It only displays the curve for
the current simulation and any curves you previously saved.
Show Report Automatically displays a tabular report at the end of the parametric simulation. You
can use the Tabular Report

tool to display this table at any time, write it to a file, and control its format
(see Generating a Table).

Solver Settings - Dynamics

Settings → Solver → Dynamics
Dynamic simulations are transient or time-varying simulations used to investigate the movements of parts over
time; these movements result from the combined effects of forces and constraint relationships. You can
perform dynamic simulations on models that have any number of Degrees of freedom (DOF).
It is computationally more efficient, however, to perform Kinematic simulations on models with zero DOF and
to perform dynamic simulations only on models with one or more DOF. For dynamic simulations, Adams
1106 Adams View
Solver Settings - Dynamics

Solver can use several numerical algorithms to calculate an approximate solution to the equations of motion
it formulates for your mechanical system.
Learn more About Dynamic Simulations.

For the option: Do the following:

Category Set to Dynamic.
Integrator Select an integrator (the integrators HASTIFF, HHT and Newmark are only available
with Adams Solver (C++)).

For more on the integrators, see Comparison of Integrators and the:

n INTEGRATOR statement in the Adams Solver (FORTRAN) online help

n INTEGRATOR statement in the Adams Solver (C++) help
Note: Unknown appears if your model uses an integrator that is not used or no
longer supported. For example, if you import a dataset (.adm) file that
contains the statement "INTEGRATOR/HASTIFF", which is discontinued,
Adams View displays Unknown. If you try to select Unknown, Adams View
defaults to GSTIFF.
Formulation If you selected the integration method GSTIFF, WSTIFF, HASTIFF or Constant BDF,
select a formulation for the integrator:

n I3
n SI2
n SI1 - only available in Adams Solver (FORTRAN)
See Equation Formulation Comparison and the INTEGRATOR statement in the Adams Solver
online help, for more on the integrators.

Note: Unknown appears if your model uses an integration method that is not used
or no longer supported. If you try to select Unknown, Adams View defaults to
I3.
 P - Z 1107
Solver Settings - Dynamics

For the option: Do the following:

Corrector Specify the corrector algorithm that is to be used with the currently selected Integrator.
The corrector in a stiff integrator ensures that all the unknowns satisfy the equations of
the system. The algorithms, original and modified, differ primarily in the algorithm that
they use to define when the corrector iterative process has converged.

n Original - Specifies that the corrector available in the previous releases of Adams
Solver be used. This is the default. This implementation of the corrector
requires that at convergence, the error in all solution variables be less than the
corrector error tolerance. Note that sometimes when achieving convergence
becomes difficult during a simulation, Adams Solver will switch to the Modified
corrector and mention this in the message file (.msg).
n Modified - Specifies that a modified corrector is to be used. This
implementation of the corrector requires that at convergence, the error in only
those variables for which integration error is being monitored, be less than the
corrector error tolerance. This is a slightly looser definition of convergence, and
you should use proper care when using this. The modified corrector is helpful
for models containing discontinuities in the forcing functions. Problems with
contacts belong in this category.
n Original (Constant) - Specifies that during the simulation Adams Solver cannot
switch from the original corrector to the modified corrector.
For additional information, see Extended Definition in the INTEGRATOR statement in the
Adams Solver online help.
Error Specify the relative and absolute local integration error tolerances that the integrator
must satisfy at each step. For BDF, HHT, and Newmark integrators, Adams Solver
monitors the integration errors in the displacement and state variables that the other
differential equations (differential equations, linear state equations, general state
equations, and transfer functions) define. ABAM, SI1, and SI2 formulations also
monitor errors in velocity variables. The larger the error, the greater the error per
integration step in your solution.

Note that the value for error is units-sensitive. For example, if a system is modeled in
mm-kg-s units, the units of length must be in mm. Assuming that all the translational
states are larger than 1 mm, setting ERROR=1E-3 implies that the integrator monitors
all changes of the order of 1 micron.

The error tolerances (e) are enforced as:

|| Yc - Y || < MAX (e, e * ||Y||)

where:
n Yc is the column matrix of computed values for the unknowns, Y.
n The symbol || . || indicates the root-mean-square of the array of numbers.
1108 Adams View
Solver Settings - Dynamics

For the option: Do the following:

Hmax Enter the maximum time step that the integrator is allowed to take.

When setting the Interpolate option, the integration step size is limited to the value that is
specified for Hmax. If Hmax is not defined, no limit is placed on the integration step
size. If you do not set the Interpolate option, the maximum step size is limited to the
output step.

Range is 0 < Hmin Hinit Hmax.

Note: In the dialog box, click More to see Interpolate, Hinit, and Hmin options.
More Click to set more advanced options.
Hmin Specify the minimum time step that the integrator is allowed to take.

Default is 1.0E-6*HMAX for GSTIFF and WSTIFF integrators, and machine precision
for ABAM, SI1, and SI2 formulations and HHT and Newmark integrators.

Range is 0 < HMIN HINIT HMAX.

Hinit Enter the initial time step that the integrator attempts. The default is 1/20 of the output
step.

Range is 0 < HMIN HINIT HMAX.

 P - Z 1109
Solver Settings - Dynamics

For the option: Do the following:

Adaptivity All of the BDF integrators (GSTIFF, WSTIFF, HASTIFF and Constant BDF) use
Newton-Raphson iterations to solve the nonlinear Differential-Algebraic equations of
motion. This iteration process is referred to as correcting the solution. The adaptivity
value modifies the corrector error tolerance to include a term that is inversely
proportional to the integration step size. This is intended to loosen the corrector
tolerance when the step size gets small (many corrector failures occur because of small
step size). If the integration step size is equal to h, Adaptivity/h is added to the corrector
tolerance.

When setting a value for Adaptivity, begin with a small number, such as 1E-8. Note that
this relaxes the tolerance of the corrector, which can introduce additional error into the
dynamic solution. The corrector tolerance must be at least a factor of 10 stricter than the
integration tolerance. The ratio advocated in theoretical literature ranges from .1 to .001
and is a function of the integrator order and step size. The ratio that Adams Solver uses
varies with the integrator chosen, but is within the range specified above. If you use an
Adaptivity value to relax the corrector tolerances, be sure to validate your results by
running another simulation using a different integration error tolerance.

The Adaptivity value affects only the GSTIFF, WSTIFF, and Constant BDF integrators.

An Adaptivity value is typically required to overcome corrector convergence difficulties

and you should not use it in normal situations.

The default is 0, and the range is Adaptivity 0.

Interpolate Set to Yes when you don't want the integrator to control the integration step-size to
precisely hit an output step. The integrator might then overshoot an output point and
in this case an interpolation algorithm will provide an approximation of the solution at
the output point. This approximate is then refined to provide for the consistent solution
at the output point.
1110 Adams View
Solver Settings - Dynamics

For the option: Do the following:

Kmax Specify the maximum order that the integrator can use. The order of integration refers
to the order of the polynomials used in the solution. The integrator controls the order of
the integration and the step size, and, therefore, controls the local integration error at
each step so that it is less than the error tolerance specified.

For problems involving discontinuities, such as contacts, setting Kmax to 2 can improve
the speed of the solution. However, we do not recommend that you set the Kmax option
unless you are a very experienced user. Any modification can adversely affect the
integrator’s accuracy and robustness.

Kmax's default and range depend on the integrator you selected:

For the The default
integrator: is: The range is:
ABAM 12 1 Kmax 12
GSTIFF, 6 1 Kmax 6
WSTIFF,
HASTIFF,
Constant
BDF
RKF45, Not Not applicable
HHT, applicable
Newmark
Note: KMAX is irrelevant (ignored) if the integrator selected is HHT or Newmark.
Both these integrators are constant order (order 2 and 1, respectively) and,
therefore, the order does not change during simulation as is the case for the
rest of the integrators available in the solver.
Maxit Enter the maximum number of iterations allowed for the Newton-Raphson iterations to
converge to the solution of the nonlinear equations. The correctors in GSTIFF and
WSTIFF use the Newton-Raphson iterations. ABAM also uses Newton-Raphson
iterations to solve for the dependent coordinates.

We recommend that you do not set Maxit larger than 10. This is because round-off
errors start becoming large when a large number of iterations are taken. This can cause
an error in the solution.

The default is 10, and the range is Maxit > 0.

 P - Z 1111
Solver Settings - Dynamics

For the option: Do the following:

Scale Enter the sum of the relative and absolute error tolerances. If T is the sum of the relative
and absolute error tolerances applied to the state vector, then the following tolerance is
applied:

r1 * T to the translational displacements

r2 * T to the angular displacements
r3 * T to the modal coordinates

The scale applies to only WSTIFF and ABAM. It is does not apply to GSTIFF and
Constant BDF. The use of scale factors is not supported in Adams Solver (C++).
Beta One of the two defining coefficients associated with the Newmark method. Learn more
about the Newmark integrator with INTEGRATOR statement help.

Default value is 0.36.

Range is defined in conjunction with Gamma. Together they must satisfy the stability
condition.

Gamma One of the two (together with Beta) defining coefficients associated with the Newmark
method.

Default value is 0.7.

Range is defined in conjunction with Beta. Together they must satisfy the stability
condition.

Alpha Defining coefficient for the HHT method.

Default value is -0.3.

Range is -0.3 < Alpha < 0.

1112 Adams View
Solver Settings - Equilibrium

For the option: Do the following:

Fixed Iterations Specify the number of iterations per integration step for the GSTIFF and HHT method.
Valid values: off, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

Default value is off.

Learn more about the Fixed Step Integrator Option in the INTEGRATOR statement help.
Hratio Specify the number of times the step size goes into the output sampling rate (that is,
hratio=dtout/h) for the GSTIFF and HHT method. Hratio is relevant if fixed_iterations
is specified.

Default value is 1.

Learn more about the Fixed Step Integrator Option in the INTEGRATOR statement help.
Max Error Specifies the amount of error above which the user would like Adams Solver to stop
trying to solve the problem for the GSTIFF and HHT method. Value is positive real and
it is relevant if fixed_iterations is specified.

Learn more about the Fixed Step Integrator Option in the INTEGRATOR statement help.

Solver Settings - Equilibrium

Settings → Solver → Equilibrium
Specifies error tolerances and other parameters for Static equilibrium and Quasi-static simulations.
A static or quasi-static equilibrium analysis is appropriate only when inertia forces, such as, d’Alembert forces,
are not important and the system has one or more Degrees of freedom (degrees of freedom after Adams Solver
has removed any redundant constraints). Static and quasi-static equilibrium simulations solve for
displacement and static forces, but not for velocity, acceleration, or inertia forces, which are all assumed to be
zero.
To set the Jacobian matrix for dynamic simulations, see Solver Settings - Pattern for Jacobian.

For the option: Do the following:

Category Set to Equilibrium.
Equilibrium Type Select either:

n Static - Performs a static equilibrium operation. Learn more.

n Dynamic - Performs a dynamic simulation to find the static equilibrium.
Learn more
If you selected Static, the following options are available:
 P - Z 1113
Solver Settings - Equilibrium

For the option: Do the following:

Error Specifies the relative correction convergence threshold. The iterative process carried
out during the equilibrium analysis can not converge prior to all relevant relative
corrections being smaller than this value.

The default is 1.0E-04 and the range is Error > 0

Tlimit Specifies the maximum translational increment allowed per iteration during static
simulations performed using static simulations.

The default is 20 and the range is Tlimit > 0.

Alimit Specifies the maximum angular increment allowed per iteration. The default is 10
degrees, and the range is Alimit > 0. Enter the value in the current modeling units
(degrees by default).
Maxit Specifies the maximum number of iterations allowed for finding static equilibriums.

The default is 25 and the range is Maxit > 0.

Stability Specifies the fraction of the mass and damping matrices Adams Solver adds to the
stiffness matrix. Adding a fraction of the mass and damping matrices to the stiffness
matrix can stabilize the iteration process and prevent the iteration from diverging.
Often the stiffness matrix is singular for a system because the system is neutrally stable
(for example, the system moves in certain directions without affecting the potential
energy). Adding a fraction of the mass and damping matrices to the stiffness matrix
removes this singularity and makes it possible to solve for equilibrium positions. The
value of Stability does not affect the accuracy of the solution, but it does affect the
rate of convergence of the iteration process.

The default is 1.0E-05 and the range is Stability > 0.

Imbalance Specifies the equation imbalance convergence threshold. The iterative process carried
out during the equilibrium analysis can not converge prior to each equation
imbalance being smaller than this value.

The default is 1.0E-04 and the range is Imbalance > 0.

1114 Adams View
Solver Settings - Equilibrium

For the option: Do the following:

Static Method Select either:

1. ORIGINAL, for running only the ORIGINAL Solver

2. ADVANCED, runs, in order, the following methods until one shows
progress:
a. ORIGINAL
b. ORIGINAL+Krylov
c. ORIGINAL+UMF
d. Newton+Krylov
e. Tensor-Krylov block-3
f. Tensor-Krylov block-2+
3. AGGRESSIVE, runs, in order, the following methods until one shows
progress:
a. ORIGINAL
b. ORIGINAL+Krylov
c. ORIGINAL+UMF
d. Newton+Krylov
e. Tensor-Krylov block-3
f. Tensor-Krylov block-2+
g. Broyden-Armijo
h. Trust-Region
4. ALL, runs, in order, all the available methods, until one shows progress:
a. ORIGINAL
b. ORIGINAL+Krylov
c. ORIGINAL+UMF
d. Newton+Krylov
e. Tensor-Krylov block-3
f. Tensor-Krylov block-2+
g. Broyden-Armijo
h. Trust-Region
i. Hooke-Jeeves
If you selected Advanced, the following options are available:
Atol Specify the absolute tolerance value.

The default is 1.0E-06 and the range is 0.0 ≤ atol < 1.0
 P - Z 1115
Solver Settings - Equilibrium

For the option: Do the following:

Rtol Specify the relative tolerance value.

For all solvers, except ORIGINAL and ORIGINAL+Krylov, the tolerance is defined
as : TOL=ATOL+||xIC||*RTOL.

For ORIGINAL and ORIGINAL+Krylov solvers the tolerance is equal to ERROR.

The default is 0.0 and the range is 0.0 ≤ rtol < 1.0 .
Maxitl Specifies the maximum number of allowed inner loops in all the solvers, except
ORIGINAL, ORIGINAL+Krylov and ORIGINAL+UMF. For Hooke-Jeeves
method, allowed budget of function evaluations is set to MAXITL*N, where N is the
size of the problem (number of unknowns).

The default is 40 and the range is maxit1 ≥ 1.0 .

Etamax Specify the maximum threshold for the error tolerance of the linear Krylov solver (for
Newton+Krylov and Tensor-Krylov methods), that solves the linear systems, required
by Krylov algorithm. Maximum error tolerance for residual in inner iteration. The
inner iteration terminates when the relative linear residual is smaller than eta*| F(x_c)
|. eta is determined by the modified Eisenstat-Walker formula if etamax > 0. If etamax
< 0, then eta = |etamax| for the entire iteration.

The default is 0.9 and the range is 0.0 ≤ etamax < 1.0 .
If you selected Aggressive or All, along with the above options (i.e Atol, Rtol, Maxitl and Etamax) following
additional options will also be available:
Eta Specify the initial residual tolerance for the linear Krylov Solver for Tensor_Krylov
method. The Tensor-Krylov ETA parameter is maintained adaptively by the Krylov
algorithm but ETA is the indicated starting value, while ETAMAX is the maximum
threshold for ETA.

Default: 1.0e-4
Range: 0.0 < ETA < 1.0

Specify the dimensionless radius of the trust-region for Trust-region method. The
smaller the value, the more the refinement of Trust-region solution (hence more
work).

Range: 0.0 < ETA < 0.25

If you selected Dynamic, the following options are available:
Global Damping Specify the coefficient for global damping applied to all bodies during static
simulations performed using dynamic analyses.

The default is 0 and the range is Global Damping > 0.

1116 Adams View
Solver Settings - Flexible Bodies

For the option: Do the following:

Settling Time Specify the maximum time allowed to reach equilibrium during static simulations
performed using dynamic analyses.

The default is 100 and the range is Settling Time > 0.

Acceleration Error Specify the maximum acceleration error allowed during static simulations performed
using dynamic analyses.

The default is 1.0E-02 and the range is Acceleration Error > 0.

Kinetic Energy Specify the maximum kinetic energy error allowed in static simulations performed
Error using dynamic analyses.

The default is 1.0E-02 and the range is Kinetic Energy Error > 0.

Notes: Convergence happens when both of the following occur:

n Maximum (Static Equation Residual Values) < Imbalance

AND
n Maximum (Relative State Errors) < Error

Solver Settings - Flexible Bodies

Settings → Solver → Flex Bodies
Sets the options for flexible body linear limit feature.
 P - Z 1117
Solver Settings - Executable

For the option: Do the following:

Category Set to Flexible Bodies.
Model Enter the name of the model associated with the settings.
Limit Check Select the limit check option to be used

n Skin - Adams Solver C++ will check the deformation of all the nodes on the
skin to see whether they exceed the linear limit. To use this option, MNF_FILE
or DB_FILE need to be specified in FLEX_BODY statement.
n Selnod - Adams Solver C++ will only check the nodes specified in SELNOD
section in MTX file.
n None
The linear limit is defined as 10% of the characteristic length of the flexible body.
You can use CHAR_LEN in FLEX_BODY statement to specify the characteristic
length. If CHAR_LEN is not specified, Adams Solver C++ will calculate the
characteristic length using MNF or MD DB if MNF_FILE or DB_FILE is
specified. Otherwise, Adams Solver C++ issues a warning.
Limit Action Select the action to be performed when flexible body exceeds its linear limit.

n Halt - Terminates execution of Adams Solver C++.

n Return - Stops the simulation and returns to the command level.
n Message Only - Issues a warning message only (Default).
Formulation Select the flexible body formulation to be used. “Original” is applicable to all
models with flexible bodies, “Optimized” and “Max Optimization” may enable
models with flexible bodies to solve faster but come with some restrictions on usage.
See the help on the PREFERENCES statement for more detail.

Solver Settings - Executable

Settings → Solver → Executable
Sets the type of Adams Solver to run.
1118 Adams View
Solver Settings - Executable

For the option: Do the following:

Category Set to Executable.
Executable Select:

n Internal - Run Adams Solver from within Adams View and animate the
results as they are calculated, which is the default
n External - Perform a Simulation with Adams Solver while in Adams View, but
without seeing the model update on your screen during the simulation.
Adams View automatically plays an animation of the simulation when the
simulation is complete.
n Write Files Only - Instruct Adams View to write out the files that are needed
to run a simulation using Adams Solver from outside of Adams View. The
files include the:
• Dataset (.adm) file
• Command (.acf) file, which contains the commands necessary to run the
desired simulation.
If you select Internal, you can perform either an Interactive Simulation or a Scripted
simulation. If you select External or Write Files Only, you can only perform a scripted
simulation. Adams View issues an error if you try to perform an interactive simulation
after choosing either of these options.
If you selected Internal or External, you can set the following options:
Solver Library Set it to use the standard Adams Solver executable (leave it blank) or a user-defined
or customized Adams Solver library. A customized Adams Solver library is required if
you used subroutines to define any objects in your model, such as motions or forces.
For more information, see the following:

n Adams Solver help

n Running and Configuring Adams
Note: On Linux, you can use the Adams Toolbar to set the Adams Solver library
to run and create different tools on the Adams Toolbar for each library you
have.
 P - Z 1119
Solver Settings - Executable

For the option: Do the following:

Choice Select either:

n FORTRAN - Our existing version of Adams Solver.

n C++ - Our new, C++-based version of Adams Solver, which promises to be
faster, provide new linear analysis capabilities, and have an improved
methodologies. For a detailed comparison, see section Adams Solver C++ vs.
FORTRAN.
As you create modeling objects in Adams View, it lets you know whether or not they
are compatible with the C++ version or the FORTRAN. If you use the Adams Solver
C++, please provide us with feedback through the Adams Feedback Database at
http://simcompanion.mscsoftware.com/KB8019304. Be sure to select the product Adams
Solver (C++). For more information on the different solvers, see Release Notes and
Adams Solver (C++) help.
Verify First Set to yes to verify your model before running a simulation. See Model Verify Tool dialog
box help.
Hold License Set whether or not the Adams Solver license is checked back in once the simulation
is complete. By default, Adams View does not check the license back in for another
user. You must exit Adams View before other users can use the Adams Solver license.

n If you set Hold License to Yes, then Adams View checks out the necessary
licenses when you perform a model verify operation (because of the degrees
of freedom calculation, which uses Adams Solver) or any type of simulation
using the internal Adams Solver. It only releases the licenses when you exit
Adams View or when you run a simulation using the external Adams Solver.
n If you set Hold License to No, Adams View releases all Adams Solver licenses
(static, kinematic, and dynamic) in these cases:
• You run a simulation using the external Adams Solver (as before).
• After a model verify operation.
• When you reset after a single simulation using the internal Adams
Solver.
• After a parametric analysis (licenses are held throughout the parametric
analysis)
More Select to display options for setting the remote computer on which to run Adams
Solver.
1120 Adams View
Solver Settings - Executable

For the option: Do the following:

Remote Compute n Linux only; not displayed when running on Windows
n Enter the name of the remote host where you run Adams Solver or leave
blank to use local machine. The option you select depends on where the
Adams Solver is licensed at your site.
Note: Network access and multi-task package licenses allow you to submit tasks
to Adams Solver while Adams View runs on one of many desktop
workstations. To see if you can submit multiple tasks to Adams Solver,
check the licensing information on the password certificate that is included
in the Installer’s Kit. If you do not know the type of license you have, check
with the administrator who installed the Adams.
If you set Remote Compute to Yes, the following options are available:
Node Name Enter the node ID of the remote computer.
MDI Directory Enter the name of the Adams Solver installation directory on the remote machine.
Remote Directory Specify a directory that Adams Solver uses to write out its files and search for input
files. The directory is optional. You need to specify it only if the user’s file system is
not automounted on the remote machine upon log in.
The following options are available for Adams Solver (C++) only
Thread Count Adams Solver (C++)

Specify the number of parallel threads that Adams Solver (C++) uses when
performing the simulation. The number of threads, n, must be an integer in the range
of 1 to 128. The default value is 1. This value will be applied even if the field is left
blank. Also, this field will not reset to its default value of 1 when one clicks the
Defaults button. By executing multiple threads in parallel across multiple processors,
Adams Solver (C++) can reduce the walltime required for a simulation.

Typically, the optimal number of threads is between N and 2N, where N is the
number of processors (including virtual processors in the case of Pentium processors
with HyperThreading enabled, refer below note for more information).

Note: The Intel® Pentium® 4 processor introduced a feature called Hyper

Threading, where a single physical processor can support more than one
logical instruction stream, simulating multiple logical processors on a single
physical processor. For many applications and environments, this capability
may offer performance improvements over non-Hyper Threading
processors. If multiple analysis jobs are running concurrently, however,
there may be performance degradations. If an installation determines this
to be the case, hyper threading should be disabled. This can be done on a
permanent basis through BIOS operations or, for Windows platforms,
hyper threading may be disabled on a process by process basis using the
“hyperthreads” keyword.
Learn more about Threaded (Parallel) Operation of Adams Solver(C++).
 P - Z 1121
Solver Settings - IC (Initial Conditions)

Solver Settings - IC (Initial Conditions)

Settings → Solver → IC (Initial Conditions)
Sets error tolerances and other parameters for an Initial conditions simulation. By default, the integrators ABAM,
WSTIFF, and HASTIFF reconcile integrator results to be consistent with constraints; GSTIFF does not,
unless you set Interpolate to Yes in Solver Settings - Dynamics.
The initial conditions simulation ensures that the system satisfies all constraints within the system. If
necessary, Adams Solver moves parts until both parts of each joint are in contact. The simulation involves
three separate phases:
n First, Adams Solver makes the displacements between all parts and joints in the system physically
consistent. This requires the use of Newton-Raphson iteration to solve a set of nonlinear algebraic
equations. (To learn more about Newton-Raphson solutions, see the DEBUG statement in the Adams
Solver online help.)
n Once the displacements are consistent, Adams Solver makes the velocities physically consistent.
Because this requires solving a set of linear equations, iteration is not necessary.
n Finally, Adams Solver calculates consistent accelerations and forces. This solution also requires
solving a set of nonlinear equations using Newton-Raphson iteration.
When reconciling, the integrator uses the initial conditions solution process at each Output step to ensure that
velocities, accelerations, and forces are consistent with the system constraints. If you set Interpolate to Yes, the
integrator also uses the initial conditions solution at each output step to ensure displacements are consistent
with the constraints. The IC parameters control those solutions as well as the initial conditions solution.
Because the initial conditions simulation relies on an iterative procedure, it is possible for it to fail if model
inconsistencies are initially too large. If this ever occurs, you should review your model for errors in part and
constraint inconsistencies. When using the Stabilized Index 2 (SI2) and Stabilized Index 1 (SI1) integrators,
it is also important to ensure that initial velocities do not introduce discontinuities at time equal to zero. The
initial conditions settings can be used to adjust the convergence criteria as appropriate for problematic
modeling scenarios. See Equation Formulation Comparison for more information.
To set the Jacobian matrix for initial condition simulations, see Solver Settings - Pattern for Jacobian.

For the option: Do the following:

Category Set to IC (Initial Conditions).
Error Specify the maximum displacement error Adams Solver is to allow for the assembly
process.

The default is 1.0E-10 and the range is Error > 0.

Tlimit Specify the maximum translational increment Adams Solver is to allow while testing
trial solutions during a solution step.

The default is 1.0E10 (no limit) and the range is Tlimit > 0.
1122 Adams View
Solver Settings - Kinematic

For the option: Do the following:

Alimit Specify the maximum angular increment Adams Solver is to allow while testing trial
solutions for a set of consistent initial conditions that satisfy all system constraints. The
default units for Alimit are radians. To specify Alimit in degrees, add a D after the
value.

The default is 30D and the range is Alimit > 0.

More Click to set more advanced options.
Maxit Specify the maximum number of iterations Adams Solver is to allow for finding
displacements during initial conditions, or when reconciling displacement output.

The default is 25 and the range is Maxit > 0.

Amaxit Specify the maximum number of iterations Adams Solver is to allow for finding
accelerations during an initial conditions solution or for reconciling acceleration
output.

The default is 25 and the range is Amaxit > 0.

Aerror Specify the maximum acceleration error Adams Solver is to allow during an initial
conditions solution or for reconciling acceleration output.

The default is 1.0E-4 and the range is Aerror > 0.

Solver Settings - Kinematic

Settings → Solver → Kinematic
Specifies error tolerances and other parameters for Kinematic simulations.
A kinematic simulation is only appropriate when a system has zero Degrees of freedom. A kinematic analysis
solves for the displacements, velocities, accelerations, and forces (if any) at a series of points in time. To find
the displacements,Adams Solver uses Newton-Raphson iteration to solve a nonlinear set of algebraic
equations. (To learn more about Newton-Raphson solutions, see the DEBUG statement in the Adams Solver
online help.)
After finding the displacements, Adams Solver solves a system of linear equations to find the velocities, then
solves another set of nonlinear equations to find accelerations and forces. Adams Solver repeats this procedure
at successively later times until it obtains results over the period of time specified in a SIMULATE command.
To set the Jacobian matrix for dynamic simulations, see Solver Settings - Pattern for Jacobian.
 P - Z 1123
Solver Settings - Linear Solver

For the option: Do the following:

Category Set to Kinematic.
Model Enter the name of the model associated with the settings.
Error Specifies the maximum displacement error Adams Solver is to allow for each time step.

The default is 1.0E-4 and the range is Error > 0.

Tlimit Specifies the maximum translational increment Adams Solver is to allow per iteration.

The default is 1.0E10 (no limit) and the range is Tlimit > 0.
Alimit Specifies the maximum angular increment Adams Solver is to allow per iteration. The
default units for Alimit are radians. To specify Alimit in degrees, add a D after the
value.

The default is 30D and the range is ALIMIT > 0.

More Click to set more advanced options.
Maxit Enter the maximum number of iterations Adams Solver is to allow for finding the
displacements at a point in time.

The default is 25 and the range is Maxit > 0.

Aerror Enter the maximum acceleration error Adams Solver is to allow for each time step.

The default is 1.0E-4 and the range is Aerror > 0.

Amaxit Enter the maximum number of iterations Adams Solver is to allow for finding
accelerations at a point in time.

The default is 25 and the range is Amaxit > 0.

Hmax Enter the maximum time step that the kinematics solver is allowed to take.

The default is the output step size.

Solver Settings - Linear Solver

Settings → Solver → Linear Solver
Sets the options for Linear Solver stability feature.
1124 Adams View
Solver Settings - Optimizations

For the option: Do the following:

Category Set to Linear Solver.
Model Enter the name of the model associated with the settings.
Solver Type Select the solver type to be used.

n If the solver preference is C++ then solver type should be Auto and UMF.
n If the solver preference is FORTRAN then solver type should be Harwell and
Calahan.
Stability The default is 1.0E-02 and the range is Stability ≥0

For More information, see LSOLVER.

Solver Settings - Optimizations

Settings → Solver → Optimizer
Allows you to set options for Optimizations.
 P - Z 1125
Solver Settings - Optimizations

For the option: Do the following:

Category Set to Optimization.
Algorithm Specify the algorithm used to perform the optimization. The OPTDES algorithms are
provided with Adams View. The DOT algorithms can be purchased from
Vanderplaats R&D, Inc. You can also include your own optimization algorithm. The
contact information for Vanderplaats R&D, Inc. is:

Vanderplaats R&D, Inc.

1767 S. 8th Street, Suite. 100

Colorado Springs, CO 80906

http://www.vrand.com/

http://www.vrand.com/dot.htm

More about Algorithms.

Tolerance Specify the limit below which subsequent differences of the objective must fall before
an optimization is considered successful. If the condition: ABS(objective[now] -
objective[now-1]) < convergence_tolerance is true for a certain number of iterations
(usually two), then the convergence tolerance criterion is met. Note that this is only
one test that is made by most optimization algorithms before they terminate
successfully.

Like other Adams Solver tolerances, you may need to experiment with this tolerance
to find the right value for your application. Display the objective versus iteration Strip
chart. (See Solver Settings - Display) If the optimizer quits even though the last iteration
made noticeable progress, try reducing the tolerance. If the optimizer continues
iterating even after the objective has stopped changing very much, make the tolerance
larger.
Max. Iterations Set how many iterations the optimization algorithm should take before it admits
failure. Note that a single iteration can have an arbitrarily large number of analysis
runs.
Rescale Enter the number of iterations after which the design variable values are rescaled. If
you set the value to -1, scaling is turned off.
Differencing Control how the optimizer computes gradients for the design functions. Centered
differencing perturbs each design variable in the negative direction from the nominal
value, then again in the positive direction using finite differencing between the
perturbed results to compute the gradient. If you choose forward differencing, each
design variable is perturbed in a positive direction only. Centered differencing can
sometimes generate smoother, more reliable gradients (especially in noisy models), but
it causes twice as many analysis runs to be performed.
1126 Adams View
Solver Settings - Optimizations

For the option: Do the following:

More Click to set more advanced options, listed below.
Increment The differencing increment specifies the size of increment to use when performing
finite differencing to compute gradients. When using forward differencing, this value
is added to the nominal value of each design variable on successive runs. When using
central differencing, this value is first subtracted from the nominal value and then
added to it.

Smaller increments may give more accurate approximations of the gradient, but are
also more susceptible to random variations from run to run. Larger increments help
minimize the effects of variations, but give less accurate gradients.
Debug Set to display messages from the optimizer. Turning on debugging output sends
copious optimizer diagnostics to the window that launched Adams View. Keep an eye
on that window anyway, as some important warnings might be written there. The
debugging output shows you the data the optimizer is receiving from Adams View,
among other things. If the optimizer is behaving erratically, this may help you
determine the source of the problem.
User Adams View passes the user parameters to a user-written optimization algorithm.
Realizing that there may be parameter information that is not conveyed through the
existing parameter set, this parameter was added to allow you to pass any real numeric
data to your algorithm.
Min. Converged The number of consecutive iterations for which the absolute or relative convergence
criteria must be met to indicate convergence in the DOT Sequential Linear
Programming method.
 P - Z 1127
Solver Settings - Output

Solver Settings - Output

Settings → Solver → Output
Sets whether or not Adams View stores Simulation results in three external files: graphics, request, and results.
Selecting More lets you set options for the format and content of the results files, and the format and content
of the message and tabular output file when you are using External Adams Solver. In addition, you can set up how
Adams View stores the simulation results in the Modeling database.
To learn more, see the DEBUG statement in the Adams Solver online help.

For the option: Do the following:

Category Set to Output.
Save Files Set to Yes to create Adams Solver analysis files in the directory from which you ran
Adams View. Adams View saves the files after each simulation.
Prefix After setting Save Files to Yes, enter the prefix you want added to the name of each
saved analysis file to help identify it.
Graphics Set to Yes to save a graphics file.
Request Set to Yes to save a request file.
Results Set to Yes to save a results file.
1128 Adams View
Solver Settings - Output

For the option: Do the following:

More Select to display more files to which to save output.
Output Category Select what you'd like to set about the files. Click the output category to learn more
about its options.

n Files
n Database Storage
n Results (.res) Options
n Results (.res) Content
n Output (Out) Content
n Message (.msg) Content
n Durability Files - For more information, see Adams Durability online help.
n RPC File(s) - turn On or Off the output of request data to RPC III file
format
n DAC Files - turn On or Off the output of request data to DAC file format
n Component Loads - Specify the output format of rigid/flex body loads. Valid
options are:
• None - disable the output of component load FEMDATA
• NASTRAN
• ABAQUS
• ANSYS
• MARC
• DAC
• RPC3
n Modal Deformation - Specify the output format of modal deformation states
of flex body. Valid options are:
• None - disable the output of modal deformation FEMDATA
• Generic - output modal deformations to asci text file format
• ANSYS
• NASTRAN - Nastran INPUT2 binary format
• PUNCH - Nastran INPUT2 asci format
• DAC
• RPC3
• FEMFAT
 P - Z 1129
Solver Settings - Pattern for Jacobian

For the option: Do the following:

n Nodal Deformation - Specify the output format of nodal deformation
FEMDATA. Valid options are:
• None - disable the output of nodal deformation FEMDATA
• Generic - output nodal deformations to asci text file format
• ANSYS
• NASTRAN
n Nodal Strain - Specify the output format of nodal strain FEMDATA. Valid
options are:
• None - disable nodal strain FEMDATA output
• Generic - output nodal strain data to asci text file format
• DAC
n Nodal Stress - Specify the output format of nodal stress FEMDATA. Valid
options are:
• None - disable nodal stress FEMDATA output
• Generic - output nodal stress data to asci text file format
• DAC
n Monitor Points - Specify the output format of monitor point FEMDATA.
Valid options are:
• None - disable monitor point FEMDATA output
• Generic - output monitor data to REQUEST file format
• RPC3 - output monitor point data to RPC III file format
• CSV - output monitor point data to Excel® Comma Separated Variable
format

Solver Settings - Pattern for Jacobian

Settings → Solver → Pattern for Jacobian
Specifies as many as ten character strings that together establish the pattern for evaluating the Jacobian matrix
during the modified Newton-Raphson solution for a dynamic, kinematic, or Initial conditions simulation. (To learn
more about Newton-Raphson solutions, see the DEBUG statement in the Adams Solver online help.)
For each iteration, T or TRUE indicates that Adams Solver is to evaluate the Jacobian, and F or FALSE
indicates that Adams Solver is not to evaluate the Jacobian, instead it is to use the previously calculated
Jacobian matrix as an approximation of the current one. Therefore, cj determines whether or not Adams
Solver is to evaluate the Jacobian at the jth iteration. If necessary, Adams Solver repeats the pattern of
evaluations until it reaches the maximum number of iterations (set by the option Amaxit or Maxit).
1130 Adams View
Sorting Settings

For the option: Do the following:

Category Set to Pattern for Jacobian.
Integrator Pattern Select a pre-defined pattern:

The default setting for Pattern varies base on the choice of integrator:

n Default: T:F:F:F:T:F:F:F:T:F (For GSTIFF and WSTIFF and for

HHT/Newmark when FIXIT is specified)
n Default: F (For HHT/Newmark when FIXIT is not specified)
n Advanced - Indicates that you created a custom pattern by selecting More
and setting options as explained below. Select More to see the custom
pattern. Not available until you created a custom pattern.
Note: Selecting a pattern to request less frequent evaluations of the Jacobian
matrix can decrease the computation time, decreasing the cost and
improving the response time. However, infrequent evaluations could also
be more expensive since the modified Newton-Raphson algorithm might
require more iterations due to the slower convergence rates.
More Select to create your own pattern.
Specify Pattern for Set the type of solution for which you are setting the Jacobian pattern.
Number of Entries Enter the number of TRUE's and FALSE's. The number of T’s or TRUE’s and F’s
or FALSE’s together must be at least one and no more than 10.
Pattern Click a box to set the pattern. A check mark indicates TRUE.

Sorting Settings
Tools → Table Editor → Sorting
Allows you to sort the type of objects and category information after you have set it up in the Filter menu of
the Table Editor.
You can sort the information by object name or by a particular column. You can set the type of sorting. You
can select:
n Alphanumeric sorting - Sorts the information so that alphabetic characters are first followed by
numeric characters
n Numeric sorting - Sorts objects based on their numeric values. It sorts any alphanumeric characters
as zeros.

Note: When you sort the Table Editor, Adams View sets the values displayed in cells back to those
stored in the Modeling database. Therefore, you lose any changes you made to cells and did not
apply to your modeling database.
 P - Z 1131
Sphere Tool

Learn more about Editing Objects Using the Table Editor.

For the option: Do the following:

Category on which objects Choose from:
are sorted
n No sorting - Object appear in the Table Editor in the order they are
stored in the modeling database.
n Sort By Name - Sorts the objects by their name (by rows).
n Sort By Column Labeled - Select and enter the name of the column
on which to sort the objects. To select a column name from a list,
select Select.
Type of Sorting n Choose alphanumeric to sort alphabetic characters first.
n Choose numeric to sort in numeric order. It sorts any alphabetic
characters as zero.

Sphere Tool

Ribbon menu → Bodies tab → Solids container → Sphere Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Bodies/Geometry → Sphere Tool

Creates a solid ellipsoid whose three radii are of equal length. You draw the sphere by indicating its center
point and the radius for the three radii.
Before you draw the sphere, you can also specify the radius value for the three radii

Learn about Creating a Sphere.

1132 Adams View
Spherical Joint Tool

For the option: Do the following:

New Part/Add to Part/On Select either:
Ground
n New Part - Creates a new part.
n Add to Part - Adds the sphere to another part in your model.
n On Ground - Adds the sphere to ground.
Note: Add geometry to ground if the geometry does not move or
influence the simulation of your model. For example, if you are
simulating a car driving around a race track, the geometry that
defines the race track can be added to ground.
Radius Select, and then enter the desired radius.

Note: After you draw the sphere, three hotpoints appear on it that let you reshape the radii of the
sphere. For example, you can elongate the sphere into an ellipsoidal shape. For more
information on modifying geometry using hotpoints, see Using Hotpoints to Graphically Modify
Geometry.

Spherical Joint Tool

Ribbon menu → Connectors tab → Joints container → Spherical Joint Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Joints → Spherical Joint Tool

Creates a spherical joint that allows the free rotation about a common point of one part with respect to
another part. The location of the spherical joint determines the point about which the joint’s parts can pivot
freely with respect to each other.
 P - Z 1133
Spherical Joint Tool

Learn about:
n Creating Idealized Joints
n Adding Friction to Idealized Joints

For the option: Do the following:

1 Location (Bodies Implicit)/ Set how you want the joint connected to parts:

2 Bodies - 1 Location/ n 1 Location (Bodies Implicit) - Lets you select the location of the joint
and have Adams View determine the two parts that should be
2 Bodies - 2 Locations connected. Adams View selects the parts closest to the joint location.
If there is only one part near the joint, Adams View connects the joint
to that part and ground.
n 2 Bodies - 1 Location - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint. The joint remains
fixed on the first part and moves relative to the second part.
n 2 Bodies - 2 Locations - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint on each part. You
should use this option if you are working in exploded view. For more
on exploded view, see Initial Conditions Tool.
For more on the effects of these options, see About Connecting Constraints to
Parts.
Normal to Grid/ Set how you want the joint oriented:

Pick Geometry Feature n Normal to Grid - Lets you orient the joint along the current Working
grid, if it is displayed, or normal to the screen.
n Pick Geometry Feature - Lets you orient the joint along a direction
vector on a feature in your model, such as the face of a part.
First Body/Second Body (only Set the bodies on which you want to attach the joint. Select either:
appears if you select to
explicitly define the bodies n Pick Body - Select to attach the joint to a body.
using the options 2 Bodies - 1 n Pick Curve - Select to attach the joint to a curve. If you select to attach
Location or 2 Bodies - 2 the joint to a curve, Adams View creates a curve marker, and the joint
Locations explained above) follows the line of the curve. Learn more about curve markers with
Marker Modify dialog box help. Attaching the joint to a spline curve is
only available with Adams Solver (C++). Learn about switching solvers.
1134 Adams View
Spline Tool

Spline Tool

Ribbon menu → Bodies tab → Construction container → Spline Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Bodies/Geometry → Spline Tool

Creates a spline, which is a smooth curve that a set of location coordinates define.
You create splines by defining the locations of the coordinates that define the curve or by selecting an existing
geometric curve or edge and specifying the number of points to be used to define the spline. The Spline tool
produces a smooth curve through the points.
You can also close the spline or leave it open. A closed spline must be composed of at least eight points; an
open spline must be composed of at least four points.

Tip: You can also create a spline in the following ways:

n Creating Trace Spline

n Creating and Modifying Data Element Splines

Learn about Creating Splines.

 P - Z 1135
Spline Tool

For the option: Do the following:

New Part/Add to Select either:
Part/On Ground
n New Part - Creates a new part.
n Add to Part - Adds the spline to another part in your model.
n On Ground - Adds the spline to ground.
Note: Add geometry to ground if the geometry does not move or influence
the simulation of your model. For example, if you are simulating a car
driving around a race track, the geometry that defines the race track
can be added to ground.
Closed Select if you want to create a closed spline. Note that it must contain eight points.

Note: You can extrude a closed spline into solid geometry that has mass. For
more information, see the Extrusion Tool.
Create by Picking Select:

n Points to select the locations on the screen where you want the spline to
pass through. You must specify at least eight locations for a closed spline
and four locations for an open spline.
n Curve to select the curve to define the spline.
n Edge to select the edge to define the edge.
If you selected Curve or Edge for Create by Picking, you have one additional option:
Spread Points Set how many points you want used to define the curve or clear the selection and
let Adams View calculate the number of points needed.

Note: If you are using this tool from the Main toolbox, the Spread Points text box
is called # of Points.

Notes: Adams View places hotpoints at locations on the spline as you draw it. The hotpoints let you
reshape the spline. For more information on modifying geometry using hotpoints, see Using
Hotpoints to Graphically Modify Geometry.

You can also modify the spline by editing the point locations directly or by changing the curve
and matrix data elements that Adams View creates to support the spline. In addition, you can
change the number of segments that Adams View creates through the spline. For more
information on modifying splines, see Using Dialog Boxes to Precisely Modify Geometry.
1136 Adams View
Split Tool

Split Tool

Ribbon menu → Bodies tab → Booleans container → Split Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Bodies/Geometry → Split Tool

Splits a complex solid (often referred to as a CSG) that you created using the other Boolean tools back into
its primitive solids. It creates a part for each solid resulting from the split operation.
Learn about Splitting a Solid.

Static Equilibrium Tool

Simulation tab → Simulate container → Interactive Simulation dialog box → Static Equilibrium Tool
Performs a static simulation on your model. Adams Solver iteratively repositions all the parts in an attempt to
balance all the forces for one particular point in time. Each static simulation is independent of the time-
varying effects of velocity and acceleration. Therefore, no inertial forces are taken into account. A positioning
of your parts for which all your forces balance is known as an equilibrium configuration.
If your force and motion inputs change over time and you want to investigate how your equilibrium
configurations change, you can choose to perform a series of static simulations over an interval of time. A
series of static simulations is often referred to as a quasi-static simulation because time is allowed to vary
between static simulations but time-varying inertial effects are neglected for each individual static simulation.
Quasi-static simulations are useful for approximating the dynamic response of models that move very slowly
and for which you can assume that the effects of inertial force can be neglected.
Since Adams Solver must be able to move parts around as it attempts to iterate to an equilibrium
configuration, it does not make sense to perform a static simulation on a model that has no Degrees of freedom
(DOF). If the model has no DOF, no parts are allowed to move.
Learn about Performing Static Equilibrium Simulations.

Stereo Viewing
Settings → Stereo Viewing
Sets options for using Adams View with stereo viewing. Stereo viewing is available on all Linux platforms but
not Windows.
Before running Adams View in stereo-viewing mode, you need to set the MDI_STEREO environment
variable MDI_STEREO (setenv MDI_STEREO 1). Learn more about setting Adams View Environment
Variables.
 P - Z 1137
Stereo Viewing

Stereo viewing is only available when running Native OpenGL graphics with the
OpenGL_Software_Assisted registry setting set to disabled. You use the Registry Editor.

To set this registry setting:

1. From the Adams Toolbar, right-click the Toolbar tool , and then select Registry Editor.
The Registry Editor appears.
2. Select AView → Preferences → Graphics → OpenGL_Software_Assisted.

Using Stereo Viewing on SGI Machines

There are two types of stereo views available on SGI machines:
n Above-and-below viewing - The first, and least useful, is above-and-below viewing. This type of
viewing is used with non-stereo- ready hardware and splits the screen into two halfs, a top half and
bottom half. The result is that the screen size in pixels is effectively cut in half in the vertical
direction. For example, on a monitor set for a screen size 1024 x 768 pixels, the screen size changes
to 1024 x 384. This changes the aspect ratio of the screen and of the resulting images displayed
within Adams View and Adams PostProcessor. They appear to be one half as tall as they should be.
n Interlaced stereo viewing - The second type of viewing is Interlaced stereo viewing, which is
available on stereo-capable graphics cards. This approach has the advantage that the screen aspect
ratio is not changed and, therefore, the resulting images maintain the same proportions has their
non-stereo counterparts. To enable this mode in the current Adams code, the video format for the
monitor must be set to a format that supports interlaced stereo viewing. To do this, use the SGI
setmon(1) shell command. For example, on a SGI tezro machine with a V12 graphics card, you
could use the following command:
/usr/gfx/setmon -n 1280x1024_100s

For the option: Do the following:

Stereo viewing Select to enable stereo viewing.
Depth of Field Slide to control the depth of the perspective matrix.
1138 Adams View
Summing Junction Block

For the option: Do the following:

Eye Separation Slide to control of offset between the left and right modeling views.
Parallax Control the type of parallax view used to display the model:

n Positive - Positive parallax viewing produces images that appear to be within

the space of the monitor. For engineering purposes where objects are often
cut off by the window borders or partially obscured by dialog boxes, positive
parallax viewing produces images that are less confusing to the viewer and are,
therefore, easier to view.
n Negative - Negative parallax viewing produces images that appear to float in
space in front of the display. Viewing floating images that are partially
obscured by interface items produces confusing cues to the viewer. While the
image appears in front of the screen, the interface items appear to be on the
screen but these interface items can obscure part of the image. These
conflicting inputs can be confusing and lead to extra strain.
Eye Position Use with Negative parallax viewing and use it to control how far the image floats in
front of the screen.

Summing Junction Block

Ribbon menu Elements tab → Controls Toolkit → Standard Control Blocks → New/Modify →

or

(Classic) Build → Controls Toolkit → Standard Control Blocks → New/Modify →

Summing junction blocks add or subtract the outputs from other standard blocks. You can select whether the
positive or negative value of an input to a summing junction is used by single-clicking on the +/- sign button.
A summing junction block takes any valid controls block output as its input.
 P - Z 1139
Swap a flexible body for an external system

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the function block.
Input 1/ Specify the assembly name of any controls block, including input function blocks, in
Input 2 either text box. You can select whether the positive or negative value of the input to a
summing junction is used by single-clicking on the +/- sign button. Single-click on the
+/- button to select whether the positive or negative value of an input to a summing
junction is used.
Check the inputs to the function block.

Display the Information window to review the connections to the block.

Create an output measure. See Controls_measure_panel dialog box help.

Swap a flexible body for an external system

Ribbon menu → Bodies tab →Flexible Bodies container → Flex to External System
Lets you substitute an existing flexible body in your model for an external system.

To substitute a flexible body for an external system, use the following tabs:
n Alignment
n Connections
1140 Adams View
Swap a flexible body for an external system

Alignment

For the option: Do the following:

Flexible Body Enter the flexible body to be replaced
External System Select either:
n An existing external system in the model
n Or Create an external system on the fly
The “…” button can be used to invoke the ‘External System Cremod’ dialog, in
order to create an external system as a replacement for the rigid body.
Note: Only external systems with an MNF or an MD DB specified are
supported for the swap operation. If the selected external system does
not have either an MNF or an MD DB specified, then an error
message is seen, indicating that such external systems are not
supported.
External System Positioning
Align External System Select to align the external system by comparing the center of mass and inertia
CM with CM of tensor of the two bodies. The external system is:
Current Part
n Positioned such that its center of mass (CM) is coincident with the
flexible body CM.
n Oriented such that its principal inertia directions are coincident with the
part's principal inertia directions.
If the inertia properties of the two bodies are similar, this method closely aligns
the external system with the flexible body. If the bodies are symmetric about a
plane, this method may rotate the external system 180° from the flexible body. In
this case, you can use the Flip about buttons to rotate the flexible body 180° back
into position.
Launch Precision Move Displays the Precision Move dialog box, which lets you move objects either by
Panel increments or to precise coordinates.
3 Point Method Select to specify three point pairs to define the location and orientation of the
external system. A point pair consists of a point on the original flexible body and
a point on replacement external system. The three points on each body must
uniquely define a plane. The first point pair defines the location of the flexible
body and the second and third points define the orientation. The external system
is positioned by making the first point pair coincident. It is then oriented by
making points 2 and 3 on the External System reside in the plane defined by
points 2 and 3 on the flexible body.
 P - Z 1141
Swap a flexible body for an external system

For the option: Do the following:

Flip about Only available if you used Align External System CM with CM of Current Part.

Select either of the following to rotate the flexible about the corresponding axis:

n X axis - Rotate external system 180° about its largest principal inertia
direction.
n Y axis - Rotate external system 180° about its second largest principal
inertia direction.
n Z axis - Rotate external system 180° about its smallest principal inertia
direction.
View parts only Select to display only the flexible body and its replacement external system.
View topology Select to display a flexible representation of the body and its connections to other
parts. Learn more about Graphically Viewing Model Topology.
Copy original part Leave a copy of the flexible body in the modeling database. This is helpful if you
want to reactivate the flexible body.
1142 Adams View
Swap a flexible body for an external system

Connections

For the option: Do the following:

Update Table Select to update the Marker and Node table with the changes you have made.
Reset Table Select to reset the Marker and Node table to the original connections found.
Node Finder Select to display the Node Finder Dialog Box and search for nodes.
Node Enter a node ID, and then select Apply to replace the node in a selected row of the Marker
ID/Apply and Node table with the node ID you entered.
Move to node Select to move the marker in the selected row of the Marker and Node table to the location of
the specified node.
Preserve Select to maintain the parameterization of the marker in the selected row of the Marker and
expression Node table. The parameterization would be specified through Adams View expressions. This
will keep the marker at its parameterized position.
Preserve Select to maintain the location of the marker in the selected row of the Marker and Node table.
location If a marker is not coincident with the attachment node, Adams Flex preserves the offset.
This is helpful if you have defined a joint location on the marker. It keeps the joint from
breaking.

Note: Adams Solver (FORTRAN) does not support markers offset from their
attachment nodes. Therefore, Adams Flex (FORTRAN) automatically
introduces a massless link between the marker and the flexible body. Learn more.
 P - Z 1143
Swap a flexible body for an external system

For the option: Do the following:

Number of Enter the number of digits displayed to the right of the decimal point in the Marker and Node
digits table.
Sort by Select how to sort the Marker and Node table based on the headings of the columns. For
example, you can sort the table by the marker that is the most distant from its selected
node.

n Marker - Sort alphabetically by marker name

n Connections - Sort by markers with connections
n Node ID - Sort by the ID of the node
n Interface - Sort by interface nodes
n Distance - Sort by markers that are most distant from the selected node
n Move - Sort by the values in the Move column
1144 Adams View
Swap a flexible body for an external system

For the option: Do the following:

Marker and Displays the markers on the existing body and the node to which the marker will be
Node Table transferred on the replacement external system. See the Picture of Marker and Node Table. Note
that if a marker is attached to more than one node, the marker is listed in the table for each
node to which it is attached. You need to change the marker individually for each of the
nodes.

n Marker - All the markers on the flexible body that will be transferred to the
external system.
n Connections - All the forces and joints on the flexible body that use the marker
for their definitions. These joints and forces will be transferred to the external
system.
n Old Node - The nodes the marker is attached to on the replacement external
system.
n Interface - The existing or replacement node may or may not be an interface
node. An asterisk appears if the node is an interface node.
n Old Relative Location - The x, y, and z coordinates of the old node relative to the
marker's current position, resolved in the marker's coordinate system.
n Old Distance - The magnitude of the old relative location vector.
n New Node - The attachment node chosen for the marker when it is transferred to
the external system. When Adams Flex initially creates the table, it chooses the
closest node. You can change the chosen node using the Node ID text box.
n New Distance - The magnitude of the relative location vector.
n New Relative Location - The x,y,z coordinates of the chosen attachment node
relative to the marker's current position, resolved in the marker's coordinate
system. A perfect match is 0.
n Move column - Indicates how Adams Flex will position the marker. The three
options are:
• move - When Adams Flex transfers the marker to the external system, it will
move it to the chosen attachment node. How far the marker will be moved is
given in the Distance column.
• loc - The current location of the marker will be preserved. If the marker's
position was defined by an Adams View expression, the parameterization will
be lost.
• expr - If the marker's position is defined by an Adams View expression, the
parameterization will be preserved. Otherwise, the marker's current position
will be preserved. This is helpful if you have defined a joint location using the
marker. It keeps the joint from breaking.
Use the Move to node, Preserve location, and Preserve expression buttons to set the Move
column value.
 P - Z 1145
Swap a flexible body for another flexible body

Swap a flexible body for another flexible body

Ribbon menu → Bodies tab →Flexible Bodies container → Flex to Flex

or

(Classic) Build → Flexible Bodies → Flex to Flex

(Template-based products, Standard Interface: Adjust → Flexible Body → Modify)

Lets you substitute an existing flexible body in your model for another flexible body. The name of the
replacement flexible body is the name of the existing body with _flex appended to it.
Learn more about Replacing Existing Bodies with Flexible Bodies.
To substitute a flexible body for a flexible body, you use the following tabs:
n Alignment
n Connections

Alignment

For the option: Do the following:

Flexible Body Enter the flexible body to be replaced.
MNF File/ n Select the Modal Neutral File (MNF) containing the replacement flexible body.
MD DB file/ n MD DB File, and then select the name of the MD DB to import. The index
BDF parameter applies only to MD DBs.
n Bulk Data File (BDF) for a nonlinear flexible body.
Index The parameter applies only, when the user is creating a flexible body out of the
MD DB. The parameter specifies the index of the flexible body in the specified
MD DB. The parameter is optional. If not specified, it is assumed to have the
value 1.

Note: The user can wish to view all the flexible bodies in the MD DB, using
the “…” button provided beside the index. The desired flexible body
can be selected by double-clicking on the displayed list.
Flex body positioning
Node ID Method Select this method to automatically align the flexible body based on the locations
of three Markers with identical Node ID specified in both the original and
swapped bodies. Three markers that are not collinear are selected for the swap,
and the swap is performed automatically if the triangle formed by the three
markers of both bodies are identical. If no Markers with Node ID specified can
be found that meet this criteria, an error message is issued and the swap is
aborted.
1146 Adams View
Swap a flexible body for another flexible body

For the option: Do the following:

Align Flex Body CM Select to align the flexible body by comparing the center of mass and inertia
with CM of Current tensor of the two bodies. The flexible body is:
Part
n Positioned such that its center of mass (CM) is coincident with the rigid
body CM.
n Oriented such that its principal inertia directions are coincident with the
part's principal inertia directions.
If the inertia properties of the two bodies are similar, this method closely aligns
the flexible body with the rigid body. If the bodies are symmetric about a plane,
this method may rotate the flexible body 180° from the rigid body. In this case,
you can use the Flip about buttons to rotate the flexible body 180° back into
position.
Launch Precision Move Displays the Precision Move dialog box, which lets you move objects either by
Panel increments or to precise coordinates.
3 Point Method Select to specify three point pairs to define the location and orientation of the
flexible body. A point pair consists of a point on the original flexible body and a
point on replacement flexible body. The three points on each body must
uniquely define a plane. The first point pair defines the location of the flexible
body and the second and third points define the orientation. The flexible body
is positioned by making the first point pair coincident. It is then oriented by
making points 2 and 3 on the flexible body reside in the plane defined by points
2 and 3 on the original flexible body.
Flip about Only available if you used Align Flex Body CM with CM of Current Part.

Select either of the following to rotate the flexible about the corresponding axis:

n X axis - Rotate flexible body 180° about its largest principal inertia direction
n Y axis - Rotate flexible body 180° about its second largest principal inertia
direction
n Z axis - Rotate flexible body 180° about its smallest principal inertia
direction
View parts only Select to display only the original flexible body and its replacement.
View topology Select to display a flexible representation of the body and its connections to
other parts. Learn more about Graphically Viewing Model Topology.
Copy original part Leave a copy of the original flexible body in the modeling database. This is
helpful if you want to reactivate the original flexible body.
 P - Z 1147
Swap a flexible body for another flexible body

Connections

For the option: Do the following:

Update Table Select to update the Marker and Node table with the changes you've made.
Reset Table Select to reset the Marker and Node table to the original connections found.
Node Finder Select to display the Node Finder Dialog Box and search for nodes.
Node Enter a node ID, and then select Apply to replace the node in a selected row of the Marker
ID/Apply and Node table with the node ID you entered.
Move to node Select to move the marker in the selected row of the Marker and Node table to the location
of the specified node.
Preserve Select to maintain the parameterization of the marker in the selected row of the Marker and
expression Node table. The parameterization would be specified through Adams View expressions. This
will keep the marker at its parameterized position.
Preserve Select to maintain the location of the marker in the selected row of the Marker and Node
location table. If a marker is not coincident with the attachment node, Adams Flex preserves the
offset. This is helpful if you have defined a joint location on the marker. It keeps the joint
from breaking.

Note: Adams Solver (FORTRAN) does not support markers offset from their
attachment nodes. Therefore, Adams Flex (FORTRAN) automatically
introduces a massless link between the marker and the flexible body. Learn more.
Number of Enter the number of digits displayed to the right of the decimal point in the Marker and
digits Node table.
Sort by Select how to sort the Marker and Node table based on the headings of the columns. For
example, you can sort the table by the marker that is the most distant from its selected
node.

n Marker - Sort alphabetically by marker name.

n Connections - Sort by those markers with connections.
n Node ID - Sort by the ID of the node.
n Interface - Sort by those nodes that are interface nodes.
n Distance - Sort by those markers the most distant from the selected node.
n Move - Sort by the values in the Move column.
1148 Adams View
Swap a flexible body for another flexible body

For the option: Do the following:

Marker and Displays the markers on the existing body and the node to which the marker will be
Node Table transferred on the replacement flexible body. See a Picture of Marker and Node Table. Note
that if a marker is attached to more than one node, the marker is listed in the table for
each node to which it is attached. You need to change the marker individually for each of
the nodes.

n Marker - All the markers on the rigid body that will be transferred to the flexible
body.
n Connections - All the forces and joints on the rigid body that use the marker for their
definitions. These joints and forces will be transferred to the flexible body.
n Old Node - The nodes the marker is attached to on the replacement flexible body.
n Interface - Whether or not the existing or replacement node is an interface node. An
asterisk appears if the node is an interface node.
n Old Relative Location - The x, y, and z coordinates of the old node relative to the
marker's current position, resolved in the marker's coordinate system.
n Old Distance - The magnitude of the old relative location vector.
n New Node - The attachment node chosen for the marker when it is transferred to the
flexible body. When Adams Flex initially creates the table, it chooses the closest node.
You can change the chosen node using the Node ID text box.
n New Distance - The magnitude of the relative location vector.
n New Relative Location - The x,y,z coordinates of the chosen attachment node relative
to the marker's current position, resolved in the marker's coordinate system. A perfect
match is 0.
n Move column - Indicates how Adams Flex will position the marker. The three options
are:
n move - When Adams Flex transfers the marker to the flexible body, it will move
it to the chosen attachment node. How far the marker will be moved is given in
the Distance column.
n loc - The current location of the marker will be preserved. If the marker's
position was defined by an Adams View expression, the parameterization will be
lost.
n expr - If the marker's position is defined by an Adams View expression, the
parameterization will be preserved. Otherwise, the marker's current position will
be preserved. This is helpful if you have defined a joint location using the
marker. It keeps the joint from breaking.
You use the Move to node, Preserve location, and Preserve expression buttons to set the
Move column value.
If Bulk Data File (BDF) option is selected the following options displayed:
 P - Z 1149
Swap a rigid body for an external system

For the option: Do the following:

Mass, Force, If the BDF does not specify its modeling units, they must be specified here. If the BDF
Length, Time does specify its modeling units, they will be shown here. If the BDF units differ from those
of the Adams model, Adams View will scale the geometry and mass properties
appropriately in session; however, it does not edit the values within the BDF to reflect the
Adams model units

Swap a rigid body for an external system

External Systems → Rigid to External System
Lets you substitute a rigid body for an external system.
To substitute a rigid body for an external system, use the following tabs:
n Alignment
n Connections

Alignment

For the option: Do the following:

Current Part Enter the rigid body to be replaced
External System Select either:

n An existing external system in the model

n Or Create an external system on the fly
The “…” button can be used to invoke the ‘External System Cremod’ dialog,
in order to create an external system as a replacement for the rigid body.

Note: Only external systems with an MNF or an MD DB specified are

supported for the swap operation. If the selected external system
does not have either an MNF or an MD DB specified, then an
error message will be shown, indicating that such external systems
are not supported.
External System Positioning
1150 Adams View
Swap a rigid body for an external system

For the option: Do the following:

Align External System CM Select to align the external system by comparing the center of mass and inertia
with CM of Current Part tensor of the two bodies. The external system is:

n Positioned such that its center of mass (CM) is coincident with the
flexible body CM.
n Oriented such that its principal inertia directions are coincident with
the part's principal inertia directions.
If the inertia properties of the two bodies are similar, this method closely
aligns the external system with the rigid body. If the bodies are symmetric
about a plane, this method may rotate the external system 180° from the rigid
body. In this case, you can use the Flip about buttons to rotate the rigid body
180° back into position.
Launch Precision Move Displays the Precision Move dialog box, which lets you move objects either by
Panel increments or to precise coordinates.
3 Point Method Select to specify three point pairs to define the location and orientation of the
external system. A point pair consists of a point on the original rigid body and
a point on replacement external system. The three points on each body must
uniquely define a plane. The first point pair defines the location of the rigid
body and the second and third points define the orientation. The external
system is positioned by making the first point pair coincident. It is then
oriented by making points 2 and 3 on the External System reside in the plane
defined by points 2 and 3 on the rigid body.
Flip about Only available if you used Align External System CM with CM of Current Part.

Select either of the following to rotate the flexible about the corresponding
axis:

n X axis - Rotate external system 180° about its largest principal inertia
direction.
n Y axis - Rotate external system 180° about its second largest principal
inertia direction
n Z axis - Rotate external system 180° about its smallest principal
inertia direction.
View parts only Select to display only the rigid body and its replacement external system.
View topology Select to display a representation of the rigid body and its connections to
other parts. Learn more about Graphically Viewing Model Topology.
Copy original part Leave a copy of the rigid body in the modeling database. This is helpful if you
want to reactivate the rigid body.
 P - Z 1151
Swap a rigid body for an external system

Connections

For the option: Do the following:

Update table Select to update the Marker and Node table with the changes you have made.
Reset table Select to reset the Marker and Node table to the original connections found.
Node Finder Select to display the Node Finder Dialog Box and search for nodes.
Node ID/Apply Enter a node ID, and then select Apply to replace the node in a selected row of the
Marker and Node table with the node ID you entered.
Move to node Select to move the marker in the selected row of the Marker and Node table to the
location of the specified node.
Preserve expression Select to maintain the parameterization of the marker in the selected row of the
Marker and Node table . The parameterization would be specified through Adams View
expressions. This will keep the marker at its parameterized position.
Preserve location Select to maintain the location of the marker in the selected row of the Marker and
Node table. If a marker is not coincident with the attachment node, Adams Flex
preserves the offset. This is helpful if you have defined a joint location on the
marker. It keeps the joint from breaking.
1152 Adams View
Swap a rigid body for an external system

For the option: Do the following:

Number of digits Enter the number of digits displayed to the right of the decimal point in the Marker
and Node table.
Sort By Select how to sort the Marker and Node table based on the headings of the columns.
For example, you can sort the table by the marker that is the most distant from its
selected node.

n Marker - Sort alphabetically by marker name

n Connections - Sort by markers with connections
n Node ID - Sort by the ID of the node
n Interface - Sort by interface nodes
n Distance - Sort by markers most distant from the selected node
n Move - Sort by the values in the Move column
 P - Z 1153
Swap a rigid body for another flexible body

For the option: Do the following:

Marker and Node Displays the markers on the external system and the node to which the marker will
Table be transferred on the replacement external system.

n Marker - All the markers on the rigid body that will be transferred to the
external system.
n Connections - All the forces and joints on the rigid body that use the
marker for their definitions. These joints and forces will be transferred to
the external system.
n Node ID - The attachment node chosen for the marker when it is
transferred to the external system. When Adams Flex initially creates the
table, it chooses the closest node. You can change the chosen node using
the Node ID text box.
n Interface - An asterisk (*) in this column indicates that the chosen
attachment node is an interface node.
n Relative Location - The x,y,z coordinates of the chosen attachment node
relative to the marker's current position, resolved in the marker's
coordinate system. A perfect match is 0.
n Distance - The magnitude of the relative location vector.
n Move column - Indicates how Adams Flex will position the marker. The
three options are:
• move - When Adams Flex transfers the marker to the external system, it
will move it to the chosen attachment node. How far the marker will be
moved is given in the Distance column.
• loc - The current location of the marker will be preserved. If the marker's
position was defined by an Adams View expression, the parameterization
will be lost.
• expr - If the marker's position is defined by an Adams View expression,
the parameterization will be preserved. Otherwise, the marker's current
position will be preserved. This is helpful if you have defined a joint
location using the marker. It keeps the joint from breaking.
Use the Move to node, Preserve location, and Preserve expression buttons to set
the Move column value.

Swap a rigid body for another flexible body

Ribbon menu → Bodies tab →Flexible Bodies container → Rigid to Flex

or
1154 Adams View
Swap a rigid body for another flexible body

(Classic) Build → Flexible Bodies → Rigid to Flex

(Template-based products, Standard Interface: Adjust → General Part → Rigid to Flex)

Lets you substitute a rigid body for an Adams Flex flexible body. The name of the replacement flexible body is
the name of the existing body with _flex appended to it.
Learn more about Replacing Existing Bodies with Flexible Bodies.
To substitute a rigid body for a flexible body, you use the following tabs:
n Alignment
n Connections

Alignment

For the option: Do the following:

Current Part Enter the rigid body to be replaced.

For template-based products: Enter the general part to be replaced. If the

general part has a symmetric brother (counterpart), both the left/right general
parts will be set to asymmetric, and only the general part specified will be
made flexible.
Flex Body/ Select either:
MNF File/
MD DB File/ n Flex Body, and then select a flexible body that already exists.
BDF n MNF File, and then select the name of the MNF to import.
n MD DB File, and then select the name of the MD DB to import. The
index parameter applies only to MD DBs. The appropriate index of the
body in the specified DB file, is input here. If not specified, it is assumed
that the value is 1.
n Bulk Data File (BDF) for a nonlinear flexible body.
Index The parameter applies only, when the user is creating a flexible body out of
the MD DB. The parameter specifies the index of the flexible body in the
specified MD DB. The parameter is optional. If not specified, it is assumed
to have the value 1.

Note: The user can wish to view all the flexible bodies in the MD DB,
using the “…” button provided beside the index. The desired
flexible body can be selected by double-clicking on the displayed
list.
 P - Z 1155
Swap a rigid body for another flexible body

For the option: Do the following:

Load The load button needs to be/can be used only when the user specifies a MD
DB option, to create the replacement flexible body from. Pressing the load
button, after specifying a valid MD DB file (and index if specified), loads the
appropriate flexible body from the MD DB.

For the flex-body and MNF option, the load button stays disabled and cannot
be used.
Flex Body Positioning
Node ID Method Select this method to automatically align the flexible body based on the
locations of three Markers with identical Node ID specified in both the
original and swapped bodies. Three markers that are not collinear are selected
for the swap, and the swap is performed automatically if the triangle formed
by the three markers of both bodies are identical. If no Markers with Node ID
specified can be found that meet this criteria, an error message is issued and
the swap is aborted.
Align Flex Body CM with Select to align the flexible body by comparing the center of mass and inertia
CM of Current Part tensor of the two bodies. The flexible body is:

n Positioned such that its center of mass (CM) is coincident with the
rigid body CM.
n Oriented such that its principal inertia directions are coincident with
the part's principal inertia directions.
If the inertia properties of the two bodies are similar, this method closely
aligns the flexible body with the rigid body. If the bodies are symmetric about
a plane, this method may rotate the flexible body 180° from the rigid body.
In this case, you can use the Flip about buttons to rotate the flexible body 180°
back into position.
Launch Precision Move Displays the Precision Move dialog box, which lets you move objects either by
Panel increments or to precise coordinates.
3 Point Method Select to specify three point pairs to define the location and orientation of the
flexible body. A point pair consists of a point on the rigid body and a point
on the flexible body. The three points on each body must uniquely define a
plane. The first point pair defines the location of the flexible body and the
second and third points define the orientation. The flexible body is positioned
by making the first point pair coincident. It is then oriented by making points
2 and 3 on the flexible body reside in the plane defined by points 2 and 3 on
the rigid body.
1156 Adams View
Swap a rigid body for another flexible body

For the option: Do the following:

Flip about Only available if you used Align Flex Body CM with CM of Current Part.

Select either of the following to rotate the flexible about the corresponding
axis:

n X axis - Rotate flexible body 180° about its largest principal inertia
direction
n Y axis - Rotate flexible body 180° about its second largest principal
inertia direction
n Z axis - Rotate flexible body 180° about its smallest principal inertia
direction
View Parts Only Select to display only the rigid body and the replacement flexible body.
View Topology Select to display a representation of the rigid body and its connections to
other parts. Learn more about Graphically Viewing Model Topology.
Copy original part Leave a copy of the original rigid body in the modeling database. This is
helpful if you want to reactivate the rigid body.

For template-based products: The original part is always copied.

Connections

For the option: Do the following:

Update table Select to update the Marker and Node table with the changes you've made.
Reset table Select to reset the Marker and Node table to the original connections found.
Node Finder Select to display the Node Finder Dialog Box and search for nodes.
Node ID/Apply Enter a node ID, and then select Apply to replace the node in a selected row
of the Marker and Node table with the node ID you entered.
Move to node Select to move the marker in the selected row of the Marker and Node table to
the location of the specified node.
Preserve expression Select to maintain the parameterization of the marker in the selected row of
the Marker and Node table. The parameterization would be specified through
Adams View expressions. This will keep the marker at its parameterized
position.
 P - Z 1157
Swap a rigid body for another flexible body

For the option: Do the following:

Preserve location Select to maintain the location of the marker in the selected row of the Marker
and Node table. If a marker is not coincident with the attachment node, Adams
Flex preserves the offset. This is helpful if you have defined a joint location on
the marker. It keeps the joint from breaking.

Note: Adams Solver (FORTRAN) does not support markers offset from
their attachment nodes. Therefore, Adams Flex (FORTRAN)
automatically introduces a massless link between the marker and
the flexible body. Learn more.
Number of digits Enter the number of digits displayed to the right of the decimal point in the
Marker and Node table.
Sort By Select how to sort the Marker and Node table based on the headings of the
columns. For example, you can sort the table by the marker that is the most
distant from its selected node.

n Marker - Sort alphabetically by marker name.

n Connections - Sort by those markers with connections.
n Node ID - Sort by the ID of the node.
n Interface - Sort by those nodes that are interface nodes.
n Distance - Sort by those markers the most distant from the selected
node.
n Move - Sort by the values in the Move column.
1158 Adams View
Swap a rigid body for another flexible body

For the option: Do the following:

Marker and Node Table Displays the markers on the existing body and the node to which the marker
will be transferred on the replacement flexible body.

n Marker - All the markers on the rigid body that will be transferred to
the flexible body.
n Connections - All the forces and joints on the rigid body that use the
marker for their definitions. These joints and forces will be
transferred to the flexible body.
n Node ID - The attachment node chosen for the marker when it is
transferred to the flexible body. When Adams Flex initially creates
the table, it chooses the closest node. You can change the chosen
node using the Node ID text box.
n Interface - An asterisk (*) in this column indicates that the chosen
attachment node is an interface node.
n Relative Location - The x,y,z coordinates of the chosen attachment
node relative to the marker's current position, resolved in the
marker's coordinate system. A perfect match is 0.
n Distance - The magnitude of the relative location vector.
n Move column - Indicates how Adams Flex will position the marker.
The three options are:
• move - When Adams Flex transfers the marker to the flexible
body, it will move it to the chosen attachment node. How far the
marker will be moved is given in the Distance column.
• loc - The current location of the marker will be preserved. If the
marker's position was defined by an Adams View expression, the
parameterization will be lost.
• expr - If the marker's position is defined by an Adams View
expression, the parameterization will be preserved. Otherwise, the
marker's current position will be preserved. This is helpful if you
have defined a joint location using the marker. It keeps the joint
from breaking.
You use the Move to node, Preserve location, and Preserve expression
buttons to set the Move column value.
If Bulk Data File (BDF) option is selected the following options displayed:
Mass, Force, Length, Time If the BDF does not specify its modeling units, they must be specified here. If
the BDF does specify its modeling units, they will be shown here. If the BDF
units differ from those of the Adams model, Adams View will scale the
geometry and mass properties appropriately in session; however, it does not
edit the values within the BDF to reflect the Adams model units
 P - Z 1159
Switch Block

Switch Block

Ribbon menu → Elements tab → Controls Toolkit → Standard Control Blocks → New/Modify →

or

(Classic) Build → Controls Toolkit → Standard Control Blocks → New/Modify →

The switch is a convenient means to “zero” the signal into any block. Connect the switch at a point in the
feedback loop to quickly see the change from open loop control to closed loop control. The switch takes any
control block as its input.

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the function block.
Input Specify the assembly name of any controls block.
Close Switch Set the loop to be closed.
Check the inputs to the function block.

Display the Information window to review the connections to the block.

Create an output measure. See Controls_measure_panel dialog box help.

Table Editor
Tools → Table Editor
Allows you to enter values for all types of objects. It displays the objects in your Modeling database in table
format so you can compare, update, and manage the objects. The object information you can view and
update depends on the type of object. You can create and delete object.
To set the type of objects displayed:
n Select a check box of the desired object type from along the bottom of the Table Editor.
Adams View updates the Table Editor to display the selected type of object.
Learn about Editing Objects Using the Table Editor.
1160 Adams View
Table Editor Filters

For the option: Do the following:

Select to insert the text in the input cell into the selected cell.

(Insert tool) Select to insert text from the input cell into the selected cells.

(Object Name & Field tool) Select to insert the database name for the next selected cell into the input
box. Learn about entering database names into cells.

(Cell Variable tool) Select to insert the self-reference operator into the input cell. Learn about
entering modifying cells based on their current contents.

Input cell Enter text to add to more than one cell at a time and quickly update the
values in the cell. Learn more about Working with Cells in the Table Editor.
Apply Click to execute the object table's commands.
OK Click to execute the object table's commands and close the Table Editor.
Create Select to create a new object for the current table type.
Filters Displays the Table Editor Filters dialog box.
Sorting Displays the Sorting Settings dialog box.
Write Select to write out the contents of this object table.
Reload Select to reload the values in the database into the Table Editor.

Table Editor Filters

Tools → Table Editor → Filters
Narrows the display of objects in Table Editor based on an object’s name or parent, such as to display only
markers that belong to PART_1, which is called setting the scope. You can also narrow the display based on
the names of objects. For example, you can set the name filter to only display the names of objects that
contain the number 2 (MARKER_20, MARKER_21, and so on). Using the scope and name filter together,
you can focus on those objects of interest and filter out the rest.
The categories of information that you can display about an object depend on the type of object. For example,
for parts, you can display their location, initial conditions, and attributes, such as whether they are visible or
active in the current Simulation. For markers, you can view their locations, as well as their locations relative to
 P - Z 1161
Three-Component Force tool

ground. For forces, you cannot change the information displayed, only the types of forces displayed. For
joints, you can change the information displayed as well as the type of joints displayed.
Learn more about Editing Objects Using the Table Editor.

For the option: Do the following:

Scope You can limit the scope of the search, if you want, to all objects beneath a particular
object in the database hierarchy by entering the name of the object.

For example, enter .model_1 to display all objects under your entire model or enter
.model_1.PART_3 to display objects belonging only to PART_3.

Note: You cannot enter wildcards.

Name Filter Enter the name of the object or objects that you want to display. Type any
wildcards that you want included. By default, Adams View displays all objects that
meet the scope entered in the previous step regardless of their name.
Select the categories of information or set the type of object that you want displayed and then select OK.

Three-Component Force tool

Ribbon menu → Forces tab → Applied Forces container → Three-Component Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Forces → Three-Component Tool

Creates a translational force between two parts in your model using three orthogonal components.
Learn more about:
n Multi-Component Forces
1162 Adams View
Three-Component Torque tool

For the option: Do the following:

Construction Set the method you want to use to define the bodies and force-application
points. You can select the following:

n 1 Location
n 2 Bodies - 1 Location
n 2 Bodies - 2 Locations
Learn about Applying Multi-Component Forces to Parts.
Normal to Grid/ Set how you want the force oriented. You can select:

Pick Feature n Normal to Grid - Lets you orient the force normal to the current Working
grid, if it is displayed, or normal to the screen.
n Pick Feature - Lets you orient the force along a direction vector on a
feature in your model, such as along an edge or normal to the face of a
part.
Characteristic Specify the characteristics of the force:

n Constant force - Lets you enter a constant force value or let Adams View
use a default value.
n Bushing Like- Lets you enter stiffness and damping coefficients and lets
Adams View create a function expression for damping and stiffness based
on the coefficient values.
n Custom - Adams View does not set any values for you, which, in effect,
creates a force with zero magnitude. After you create the force, you modify
it by entering a function expressions or parameters to a User-written subroutine
that is linked to Adams View. You can also specify an alternative library
and name for the user subroutine. Learn about specifying routines with
ROUTINE Argument.
If you selected Constant Force, the following option appears:
Force Value Enter a constant force value.
If you selected Bushing Like, the following two options appear:
Translational K Enter the stiffness coefficients.
Translational C Enter the damping coefficients.

Three-Component Torque tool

Ribbon menu → Forces tab → Applied Forces container → Three-Component Torque Tool

or
 P - Z 1163
Three-Component Torque tool

Build → Forces → Three-Component Torque Tool

Creates a rotational force between two parts in your model using three orthogonal components.
Learn more about:
n Multi-Component Forces

For the option: Do the following:

Construction Set the method you want to use to define the bodies and force-application
points. You can select the following:

n 1 Location
n 2 Bodies - 1 Location
n 2 Bodies - 2 Locations
Learn about Applying Multi-Component Forces to Parts.
Normal to Grid/ Set how you want the force oriented. You can select:

Pick Feature n Normal to Grid - Lets you orient the force normal to the current Working
grid, if it is displayed, or normal to the screen.
n Pick Feature - Lets you orient the force along a direction vector on a
feature in your model, such as along an edge or normal to the face of a
part.
Characteristic Specify the characteristics of the force:

n Constant - Lets you enter a constant force value or let Adams View use a
default value.
n Bushing Like- Lets you enter stiffness and damping coefficients and lets
Adams View create a function expression for damping and stiffness based
on the coefficient values.
n Custom - Adams View does not set any values for you, which, in effect,
creates a force with zero magnitude. After you create the force, you modify
it by entering a function expressions or parameters to a User-written subroutine
that is linked to Adams View. You can also specify an alternative library
and name for the user subroutine. Learn about specifying routines with
ROUTINE Argument.
If you selected Constant , the following option appears:
Torque Enter a constant torque value.
If you selected Bushing Like, the following two options appear:
KT Enter the stiffness coefficients.
CT Enter the damping coefficients.
1164 Adams View
Tool Settings

Tool Settings
View → Toolbox and Toolbars
Turns on and off the Model Browser, Ribbon Capability and Standard toolbar. You can also set where the model
browser and status toolbars appear. By default, the model browser appears at the left of the main window and
the status bar appears at the bottom of the window.

For the option: Do the following:

Model Browser Select to display the Modal Browser.
Ribbon Select to display the Ribbon Capability.
Status toolbar Select to display the Status toolbar.

Tool Settings (Classic)

View → Toolbox and Toolbars
Turns on and off the Main toolbox and the Standard toolbar and Status bars. You can also set where the Standard
and status toolbars appear—either at the top of thes main window under the menu bar or at the bottom of
the window. By default, the Main toolbox appears at the left of the main window, the Standard toolbar is
turned off, and the status bar appears at the bottom of the window.

For the option: Do the following:

Main toolbox Select to display the Main toolbox.
Standard toolbar Select to display the Standard toolbar.
Status toolbar Select to display the Status toolbar.

Toolbar Settings
View → Toolbars → Settings
Allows you to turn the display of toolbars on and off. The toolbars are:
n Main toolbar - The Main toolbar appears by default. It contains tools for setting options and
performing operations. The contents of the toolbar change depending on the Adams PostProcessor
mode. Learn About the Main Toolbar.
n Curve Edit toolbar - Lets you manipulate curve data. Learn about using the Curve Edit toolbar.
n Statistics toolbar - Lets you view statistics about curves, such as the minimum and maximum values.
Learn about viewing statistics.
n Status bar - Displays information messages and prompts while you work. The right side of the status
bar displays the number of the displayed page and the total number of pages.
 P - Z 1165
Topology By Connections

You can also set where the toolbars appear—either at the top of the window under the menu bar or at the
bottom of the window. You can also turn on and off the dashboard and treeview. By default, the dashboard
and treeview are displayed, the Main toolbar appears at the top of the window, the Curve Edit and Statistics
toolbars are turned off, and the status bar appears at the bottom of the window.

For the option: Do the following:

Main Toolbar, Curve Edit Toolbar, Select which toolbars you want visible. The changes take place
Statistics Toolbar, and Status immediately.
Toolbar
Top Select if you want the toolbar placed at the top of your screen.
Treeview Select if you want to display the treeview.
Dashboard Select if you want to display the dashboard.

Topology By Connections
Database Navigator → Topology By Connections
Allows you to display information about a selected constraint or force with the parts that they connect and
act on.
Learn about Viewing Model Topology Through the Database Navigator.

The option: Does the following:

Save to File Select if you want to save the topology to a file.

Topology By Parts
Database Navigator → Topology By Parts
Allows you to display information about a selected part of your model. It displays information of the selected
part and shows its connections to other parts.
Learn about Viewing Model Topology Through the Database Navigator.

The option: Does the following:

Save to File Select if you want to save the topology to a file.

Torsion SpringTool

Ribbon menu → Forces tab → Flexible Connections container → Torsion SpringTool

1166 Adams View
Torus Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Forces → Torsion SpringTool

Creates a Torsion spring.
Learn about:
n Torsion Springs

For the option: Do the following:

Construction Set the method you want to use to define the bodies and force-application
points. You can select the following:

n 1 Location
n 2 Bodies - 1 Location
n 2 Bodies - 2 Locations
Learn about Applying Multi-Component Forces to Parts.
Normal to Grid/ Set how you want the force oriented. You can select:
Pick Feature
n Normal to Grid - Lets you orient the force using the x-, y-, and z-axes of
the current Working grid, if it is displayed, or using the x-, y-, and z-axes of
the screen.
n Pick Feature - Lets you orient the force along a direction vector on a
feature in your model, such as the face of a part. The direction vector you
select defines the z-axis for the force; Adams View automatically calculates
the x- and y-axes.
KT Enter the torsional stiffness coefficients.
CT Enter the torsional damping coefficients.

Torus Tool

Ribbon menu → Bodies tab → Solids container → Torus Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Bodies/Geometry → Torus Tool

Creates a solid circular ring. You draw the ring from the center outward. By default, the Torus tool makes the
radius of outer ring (minor radius) 25% of the inner ring (major radius).
 P - Z 1167
Torus Tool

You can also specify the minor and major radii before you draw.
Learn about Creating a Torus.

For the option: Do the following:

New Part/Add to Part/On Select either:
Ground
n New Part - Creates a new part.
n Add to Part - Adds the torus to another part in your model.
n On Ground - Adds the torus to ground.
Tip: Add geometry to ground if the geometry does not move or
influence the simulation of your model. For example, if you are
simulating a car driving around a race track, the geometry that
defines the race track can be added to ground.
Minor Radius If desired, select and enter the inner radius for the torus.
Major Radius If desired, select and enter the outer radius for the torus.

Note: Two hotpoints appear on a torus after you draw it. One controls the centerline of the torus’
circular shape and the other controls the radius of the circular cross-section. For more
information on modifying geometry using hotpoints, see Using Hotpoints to Graphically Modify
Geometry.
1168 Adams View
Translate Test Modal Model to Modal Neutral File

Translate Test Modal Model to Modal Neutral File

Ribbon menu → Bodies tab → Flexible bodies container → Adams Flex

or

(Classic) Build → Flexible Bodies → Adams Flex → Test Modal

Universal file into an MNF that you can use to create a flexible body with a constant coupling inertia
invariant formulation. Learn more.

For the option: Do the following:

Universal File Enter the name of the Universal file containing datasets 15, 55, 82.
I-DEAS/CADAX/STAR Specifies the program from which the Universal file was generated.
MNF File Enter the name of the MNF to be created. If you do not provide a file name,
Adams Flex generates an MNF with the same path and prefix as the
Universal file.
Total Mass Enter the global mass of the tested component.
Center of Mass Enter the x, y, and z coordinates of the tested component’s center of mass,
relative to datum used to measure the nodal positions in dataset 15 of the
Universal file.
Inertia Tensor Enter the inertia tensor of the tested component relative to the center of
mass.
Title Enter a title for the MNF to help you identify it (optional).
Comment #1/ Comment Enter comments for the MNF to help you identify it (optional).
#2/ Comment #3
Length/Mass/Time/Force Set Length Units, Mass Units, Time Units, and Force Units to, Mass
Units Units, Time Units, and Force Units toto the units used in the Universal file
and the data entered in this dialog box.

Translate Tool Stack

Main menu → View Manipulation Strip → Translate Tool Stack

Main Toolbox → Translate Tool Stack

Contains tools for translating the view in the View window and setting the perspective.
 P - Z 1169
Translational Joint Tool

Icon Link
Dynamically Translating a View

Setting the View Perspective

Translational Joint Tool

Ribbon menu → Connectors tab → Joints container → Translational Joint Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Joints → Translational Joint Tool

Creates a translational joint that allows one part to translate along a vector with respect to another part. The
parts can only translate, not rotate, with respect to each other.

When you create a translational joint, you specify its location and orientation. The location of a translational
joint does not affect the motion of the joint. It simply determines where Adams View places the joint. The
orientation of the translational joint, however, determines the direction of the axis along which the parts can
slide with respect to each other. The direction of the motion of the translational joint is parallel to the
orientation vector and passes through the location.
1170 Adams View
Translational Motion Tool

Learn about:
n Creating Idealized Joints
n Adding Friction to Idealized Joints

For the option: Do the following:

1 Location (Bodies Set how you want the joint connected to parts:
Implicit)/
2 Bodies - 1 Location/ n 1 Location (Bodies Implicit) - Lets you select the location of the joint and
2 Bodies - 2 Locations have Adams View determine the two parts that should be connected.
Adams View selects the parts closest to the joint location. If there is only
one part near the joint, Adams View connects the joint to that part and
ground.
n 2 Bodies - 1 Location - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint. The joint remains
fixed on the first part and moves relative to the second part.
n 2 Bodies - 2 Locations - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to be
connected by the joint and the location of the joint on each part. You
should use this option if you are working in exploded view. For more on
exploded view, see Initial Conditions Tool. For more on the effects of these
options, see About Connecting Constraints to Parts.
Normal to Grid/ Set how you want the joint oriented:
Pick Geometry Feature
n Normal to Grid - Lets you orient the joint along the current Working grid, if
it is displayed, or normal to the screen.
n Pick Feature - Lets you orient the joint along a direction vector on a
feature in your model, such as the face of a part.
First Body/Second Body Set the bodies on which you want to attach the joint. Select either:
(only appears if you select
to explicitly define the n Pick Body - Select to attach the joint to a body.
bodies using the options 2 n Pick Curve - Select to attach the joint to a curve. If you select to attach the
Bodies - 1 Location or 2 joint to a curve, Adams View creates a curve marker, and the joint follows
Bodies - 2 Locations the line of the curve. Learn more about curve markers with Marker Modify
explained above) dialog box help. Attaching the joint to a spline curve is only available with
Adams Solver (C++). Learn about switching solvers.

Translational Motion Tool

Ribbon menu → Motions tab → Joints Motions container → Translational Motion Tool

or
 P - Z 1171
Translational Spring Damper Tool

(Classic) Build → Joints → Translational Motion Tool

Moves the first part that the joint connects along the z-axis of the second part.
Learn about:
n Overview of Motion
n Creating Joint Motion

For the option: Do the following:

Trans. Speed Specify the speed of the motion in displacement units per second. By default, Adams
View creates a translational motion with a speed of 10 millimeters per second. To enter
a function expression or User-written subroutine, right-click the Trans. Speed text box, point
to Parameterize, and then select Expression Builder to display the Adams View Function
Builder. For information on using the Function Builder, see Function Builder and Adams
View Function Builder online help.

Translational Spring Damper Tool

Ribbon menu → Forces tab → Flexible Connections container → Spring-Damper Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Forces → Spring-Damper Tool

Adds a translational spring damper to your model by defining the locations on two parts between which the
spring-damper acts. You define the action force that is applied to the first location, and Adams Solver
automatically applies the equal and opposite reaction force to the second location.
Learn about:
n Equations Defining the Force of Spring Dampers
n Translational Spring Dampers

For the option: Do the following:

Translational K Enter stiffness coefficients.
Translational C Enter damping coefficients.

ude attributes
Sets appearance and activity of a User Defined Element (UDE) instance.
1172 Adams View
ude attributes

Format:
ude attributes
instance_name = an existing UDE instance
scale_of_icons = real
size_of_icons = length
visibility = on/off/no_opinion/toggle
name_visibility = on/off/no_opinion/toggle
transparency = integer
lod = integer
color = an existing color
entity_scope = color scope
active = on/off/no_opinion/toggle
dependents_active = on/off/no_opinion/toggle

Example:
ude attributes &
instance_name = .MODEL_1.my_ude_inst1 &
size_of_icons = 20 &
visibility = on &
name_visibility = on &
transparency = 50 &
lod = 100 &
color = .colors.CYAN &
entity_scope = all_color &
active = on &
dependents_active = on

Description:

Parameter Value Type Description

instance_name An Existing UDE Instance Specifies the name of an existing UDE
scale_of_icons Real Specifies unit-less scale factor for existing size of
icons
size_of_icons Length Specifies the size of icon in modeling units
visibility On/Off/No_Opinion/Toggle Specifies the visibility of graphic icons
 P - Z 1173
ude autoconnect

Parameter Value Type Description

name_visibility On/Off/No_Opinion/Toggle Specifies the visibility of the entity names
transparency Integer Specifies the transparency level for graphic
entities
lod Integer Specifies the level of detail for shells
color An Existing Color Specifies the color of the modeling entities
entity_scope Color Scope Specifies the control of color modification for
graphic entities
active On/Off/No_Opinion/Toggle Specifies whether or not the UDE is active
dependents_active On/Off/No_Opinion/Toggle Specifies whether or not the UDE’s dependents
are active

ude autoconnect
This command has been deprecated. It will be ignored by Adams View.

ude build
This command launches a dialog to add objects/parameters to a User Defined Element (UDE) definition.

Format:
ude build

ude connect
Connects the output parameters of one User Defined Element (UDE) instance to the input parameters of
another. The UDE instances need not be instances of the same UDE definition.

Format:

ude connect
instance_name = an existing UDE instance
to_instance_name = an existing UDE instance
1174 Adams View
ude copy

Example:

ude connect &

instance_name = .MODEL_1.my_ude_inst1 &
to_instance_name = .MODEL_1.my_other_ude_inst2

Description:

Parameter Value Type Description

instance_name An Existing UDE Instance Specifies the name of an existing UDE whose
output parameters will be connected to the
input parameters of the UDE specified for
to_instance_name.
to_instance_name An Existing UDE Instance Specifies the name of an existing UDE whose
input parameters will be connected to the
output parameters of the UDE specified for
instance_name.

ude copy
Copies a User Defined Element (UDE) definition or instance.

Format:

ude copy
definition_name = an existing UDE definition
new_definition_name = a new UDE definition
instance_name = an existing UDE instance
new_instance_name = a new UDE instance

Example:

ude copy &

definition_name = .my_ude_lib.ude_def_A &
new_definition_name = .my_ude_lib.ude_def_A2
 P - Z 1175
ude create definition

Description:

Parameter Value Type Description

definition_name An Existing UDE Definition Specifies the name of an existing UDE
definition to be copied
new_definition_name A New UDE Definition Specifies the name to be applied to the copy of
the UDE definition
instance_name An Existing UDE Instance Specifies the name of an existing UDE instance
to be copied
new_instance_name A New UDE Instance Specifies the name to be applied to the copy of
the UDE instance

ude create definition

Creates a User Defined Element (UDE) definition

Format:

ude create definition

definition_name = a new UDE definition
isa = an existing UDE defintion
comments = string
objects = existing entity/entities
parameters = existing design variable(s)
input_parameters = design variable(s) of type object
output_parameters = design variable(s) of type object

Example:

ude create definition &

definition_name = .my_ude_lib.ude_def_A &
isa = .my_ude_lib.ude_def &
comments = "this UDE represents a simple spring loaded
actuator" &
1176 Adams View
ude create definition

ude create definition &

objects = .model_1.PART_2,.model_1.PART_3,.model_1.SFOR
CE_1 &
parameters = .model_1.cyl_rho,.model_1.pist_rho,.model_1.s
tiffness &
input_parameters = .model_1.cyl_attach_frame,.model_1.pist_attac
h_frame &
output_parameters = .model_1.acutator_ref

Description:

Parameter Value Type Description

definition_name a new UDE definition Specifies the name of the UDE definition to be
created; note that the name must also include
the parent library in which the UDE definition
will reside (UDE definitions are not children of
models)
isa an existing UDE definition Specifies the name of an existing UDE
definition in the same “class” as this new UDE
definition. That is, UDE instances can only be
replaced with UDE definitions that are of the
same “class” (a grouping defined by this “isa”
argument). Note that both the input and
output parameters must match to be able to
replace between UDE definitions.
comments string Specifies comments for the UDE definition
being created
objects existing entity/entities Specifies the set of objects that make up the
UDE definition
 P - Z 1177
ude create instance

Parameter Value Type Description

parameters existing design variable(s) Design variables used to control the
parameterization of the UDE (spring stiffness
for example)
input_parameters design variable(s) of type Entities outside the UDE referenced by the
object UDE (typically a reference marker). The
parameter itself is an object variable containing
the marker reference.
output_parameters design variable(s) of type Entities inside the UDE that should be
object accessible outside the UDE (often a marker that
can be used as reference for another UDE or
other entities). This parameter is an object
variable containing the object that should be
referenced.

ude create instance

Creates a User Defined Element (UDE) instance.

Format:

ude create instance

instance_name = a new UDE instance
definition_name = an existing UDE definition
comments = string
location = location
orientation = orientation
relative_to = an existing model, part or marker

Example:

ude create instance &

instance_name = .model_1.ude_inst_1 &
definition_name = .my_ude_lib.ude_def_A &
comments = "this is the lower outboard actuator instance" &
location = 10, 20, 10 &
1178 Adams View
ude delete

ude create instance &

orientation = 0, 0, 0 &
relative_to = .model_1.outboard_cage.mar_23

Description:

Parameter Value Type Description

instance_name a new UDE instance Specifies the name of the UDE instance to be
created; note that UDE instances are children of
models
definition_name an existing UDE definition Specifies the name of the UDE definition upon
which this instance is based.
comments string Specifies comments for the UDE instance being
created.
location location Specifies the location of the origin of the UDE
instance using three coordinates.
orientation orientation Specifies the orientation of the UDE instance
using three rotation angle.
relative_to an existing model, part or Specifies the coordinate system to which the
marker location coordinates and orientation angles
correspond.

ude delete
Deletes a User Defined Element (UDE) definition or instance.

Format:

ude delete
definition_name = an existing UDE definition
instance_name = an existing UDE instance

Example:

ude delete &

definition_name = .my_ude_lib.ude_def_A
 P - Z 1179
ude disassemble

Description:

Parameter Value Type Description

definition_name An Existing UDE Definition Specifies the name of an existing UDE
definition to be deleted
instance_name An Existing UDE Instance Specifies the name of an existing UDE instance
to be deleted

ude disassemble
Moves the basic Adams elements (for example: parts, force and so on.) that compose a User Defined Element
(UDE) instance from the UDE instance and into the model in which the instance resided. The now emptied
instance is then deleted from the model.

Format:

ude disassemble
instance_name = an existing UDE instance
top_level_only = yes/no

Example:

ude disassemble &

instance_name = .model_1.ude_inst_1 &
top_level_only = no
1180 Adams View
ude disconnect

Description:

Parameter Value Type Description

instance_name An Existing UDE Instance Specifies the name of an existing UDE instance
to be disassembled.
top_level_only Yes/No If "top_level_only" is "yes", this command
disassembles only the instance that is passed to
the command. Otherwise, it recursively
disassembles all the children of the input
instance.

ude disconnect
Disconnects the output parameters of one User Defined Element (UDE) instance to the input parameters of
another.

Format:

ude disconnect
instance_name = an existing UDE instance
from_instance_name = an existing UDE instance

Example:

ude disconnect &

instance_name = .MODEL_1.my_ude_inst1 &
from_instance_name = .MODEL_1.my_other_ude_inst2
 P - Z 1181
ude modify definition

Description:

Parameter Value Type Description

instance_name An Existing UDE Instance Specifies the name of an existing UDE whose
output parameters will be disconnected from
the input parameters of the UDE specified for
from_instance_name.
from_instance_name An Existing UDE Instance Specifies the name of an existing UDE whose
input parameters will be disconnected from the
output parameters of the UDE specified for
instance_name.

ude modify definition

Modifies a User Defined Element (UDE) definition.

Format:

ude modify definition

definition_name = an existing UDE definition
new_definition_name = new UDE definition
isa = an existing UDE defintion
comments = string
objects = existing entity/entities
parameters = existing design variable(s)
input_parameters = design variable(s) of type object
output_parameters = design variable(s) of type object

Example:

ude modify definition &

definition_name = .my_ude_lib.ude_def_A &
new_definition_name = .my_ude_lib.ude_def_B &
isa = .my_ude_lib.ude_def &
1182 Adams View
ude modify definition

ude modify definition &

comments = "this UDE represents a simple spring loaded
actuator" &
objects = .model_1.PART_2,.model_1.PART_3,.model_1.S
FORCE_1, .sforce_1_force_graphic_1 &
parameters = .model_1.cyl_rho,.model_1.pist_rho,.model_
1.stiffness &
input_parameters = .model_1.cyl_attach_frame,.model_1.pist_at
tach_frame &
output_parameters = .model_1.acutator_ref

Description:

Parameter Value Type Description

definition_name An existing UDE definition Specifies the name of the UDE definition to be
modified; note that the name must also include
the parent library in which the UDE definition
will reside (UDE definitions are not children of
models)
new_definition_name New UDE definition Specifies new name of the UDE definition. You
may use this name later to refer to this UDE
definition.
isa An existing UDE Definition Specifies the name of an existing UDE
definition in the same “class” as the UDE
definition being modified here. That is, UDE
instances can only be replaced with UDE
definitions that are of the same “class” (a
grouping defined by this “isa” argument). Note
that both the input and output parameters must
match to be able to replace between UDE
definitions.
comments string Specifies comments for the UDE definition
being created
objects existing entity/entities Specifies the set of objects that make up the
UDE definition
 P - Z 1183
ude modify instance

Parameter Value Type Description

parameters existing design variable(s) Design variables used to control the
parameterization of the UDE (spring stiffness
for example)
input_parameters design variable(s) of type Entities outside the UDE referenced by the
object UDE (typically a reference marker). The
parameter itself is an object variable containing
the marker reference.
output_parameters design variable(s) of type Entities inside the UDE that should be
object accessible outside the UDE (often a marker that
can be used as reference for another UDE or
other entities). This parameter is an object
variable containing the object that should be
referenced.

ude modify instance

Modifies a User Defined Element (UDE) instance; primarily for modifying its location orientation not its
parameter values.

Format:

ude modify instance

instance_name = an existing UDE instance
new_instance_name = new UDE instance
comments = string
location = location
orientation = orientation
relative_to = an existing model, part or marker

Example:

ude modify instance &

instance_name = .model_1.ude_inst_1 &
new_instance_name = .model_1.ude_inst_2 &
definition_name = .my_ude_lib.ude_def_A &
1184 Adams View
ude replace instance

ude modify instance &

comments = "this is the lower outboard actuator
instance" &
location = 500, 0, 10 &
orientation = 180, 0, 0 &
relative_to = .model_1.outboard_housing.mar_100

Description:

Parameter Value Type Description

instance_name An existing UDE instance Specifies the name of the UDE instance to be
modified; note that UDE instances are children
of models
new_instance_name a new UDE instance Specifies new name of the UDE instance. You
may use this name later to refer to this UDE
instance.
comments string Specifies comments for the UDE instance being
created
location location Specifies the location of the origin of the UDE
instance using three coordinates
orientation orientation Specifies the orientation of the UDE instance
using three rotation angle
relative_to an existing model, part or Specifies the coordinate system to which the
marker location coordinates and orientation angles
correspond

ude replace instance

Replaces the "type" (that is, the definition) associated with the instance. This is useful, for example, when
there are multiple modeling methods for the same physical item and one wants to switch between them.

Format:

ude replace instance

instance_name = an existing UDE instance
with_type = an existing UDE definition
 P - Z 1185
ude replace type_of_instance

Example:

ude replace instance &

instance_name = .model_1.ude_inst_1 &
with_type = .my_ude_lib.ude_def_B

Description:

Parameter Value Type Description

instance_name An Existing UDE Instance Specifies the name of an existing UDE instance
whose UDE definition will be replaced.
with_type An Existing UDE Definition Specifies the name of an existing UDE definition
that will replace the UDE definition upon which
the UDE instance specified in "instance_name" is
based. The definition specified here as
"with_type" must be of the same "class" of UDE
definitions as defined via the "isa" argument when
ude create definition or ude modify definition.

ude replace type_of_instance

Replaces the all UDE instances of one definition with another. This is useful, for example, when there are
multiple modeling methods for the same physical item and one wants to switch between them, and there are
multiple instances of that item in the model.

Format:

ude replace type_of_instance

instance_type = an existing UDE definition
parent = an existing model
with_type = an existing UDE definition
1186 Adams View
ude sync

Example:

ude replace type_of_instance &

instance_type = .my_ude_lib.ude_def_A &
parent = .model_1 &
with_type = .my_ude_lib.ude_def_B

Description:

Parameter Value Type Description

instance_type An Existing UDE Definition Specifies the UDE definition on which all the
instances to be replaced are based.
parent An Existing Model Specifies the parent object, typically a model,
representing the boundary of the search are for
UDE instances that are based on instance_type.
with_type An Existing UDE Definition All the UDE instances which are currently based
on the UDE definition specified in instance_type
will be replaced such that they will now be based
upon the UDE definition specified here.

ude sync
Copies the parameter settings from one UDE instance to another so, when done, the two instances are
identical.

Format:

ude sync
instance_name = an existing UDE instance
from = an existing UDE instance
 P - Z 1187
Unite Tool

Example:

ude sync &

instance_name = .model_1.ude_inst_1 &
from = .model_1.ude_inst_9

Description:

Parameter Value Type Description

instance_name An Existing UDE Instance Specifies the name of an existing UDE instance
whose parameter settings will get modified.
from An Existing UDE Instance Specifies the name of an existing UDE instance
whose parameter settings will be applied to the
UDE instance specified in instance_name.

Unite Tool

Ribbon menu → Bodies tab → Booleans container → Unite Tool

or

(Classic) Build → Bodies/Geometry → Unite Tool

Creates complex geometry by joining two intersecting solids. It merges the second part you select into the
first part, resulting in a single part.
The union has a mass computed from the volume of the new solid. Any overlapping volume is only counted
once.
1188 Adams View
Units

Learn about Creating One Part from the Union of Two Solids

Units
Settings → Units
Changes the default units Adams View uses in modeling, importing, and exporting files. You can select
individual units or select a set group of units.
Learn about:
n Units of Measurement in Adams View
n Unit Labels
n Entering Unit Measurements in Text Boxes

For the option: Do the following:

Length Select the desired unit.
Mass Select the desired unit.
Force Select the desired unit.
Time Select the desired unit.
Angle Select the desired unit.
Frequency Select the desired unit.
MMKS Select to set length to millimeters, mass to kilograms, and force to Newtons. When
you select a predefined unit system, the units selected appear in the upper portion of
the dialog box.
MKS Select to set length to meters, mass to kilograms, and force to Newtons. When you
select a predefined unit system, the units selected appear in the upper portion of the
dialog box.
CGS Select to set length to centimeters, mass to grams, and force to Dyne. When you select
a predefined unit system, the units selected appear in the upper portion of the dialog
box.
IPS Select to set length to inches, mass to pound mass, and force to PoundForce. When
you select a predefined unit system, the units selected appear in the upper portion of
the dialog box.

Note: In all the unit systems, time is in seconds and angle is in degrees.
 P - Z 1189
Update Design Variables

Update Design Variables

Ribbon menu → Design Exploration tab → Design Evaluation container

or

(Classic) Simulate → Design Evaluation →

Allows you to set the design variable values to those of a trial or iteration. This is helpful if you want to:
n Update your model to match the best trial of a Design study or Design of experiments (DOE).
n Visualize the variable settings of a particular trial or iteration.
n Use an intermediate iteration in an optimization instead of the final values.
Learn more about Updating Variables.

For the option: Do the following:

Result Set Enter the name of the parametric analysis result set that you want to use to update the
variables.
Trial Enter the trial or iteration number you want to use. Adams View sets the design
variable values to match those used in the specified trial or iteration, and updates the
model graphics to reflect the new values.

User-Defined Transfer Function Block

Ribbon menu → Elements tab → Controls Toolkit → Standard Control Blocks → New/Modify →

or

(Classic) Build → Controls Toolkit → Standard Control Blocks → New/Modify →

The user-defined transfer function block creates general rational polynomial blocks by specifying the
polynomial coefficients. Specify the coefficients in the order n0, n1, n2 for the numerator.
Specify the assembly name of any controls block as the input.
1190 Adams View
View Accessories

For the option: Do the following:

Name Enter the name that you want assigned to the function block.
Input Specify the assembly name of any controls block.
Numerator Specify the polynomial coefficients in the order n0, n1, n2.
Coefficients/
Denominator
Coefficients
Check the inputs to the function block.

Display the Information window to review the connections to the block.

Create an output measure. See Controls_measure_panel dialog box help.

View Accessories
View → View Accessories
Sets the display of the following in the currently active View window:
n Working grid
n Screen icons
n View triad
n View title

Note: You can also use the tools in the Main toolbox to set the display of these items. If you use the
tools, you can change the accessories for all view windows at once but you cannot change the
view title.

For the option: Do the following:

Working grid Select to display the working grid.
 P - Z 1191
View Orientation Tools

For the option: Do the following:

Screen icons Select to display the screen icons.
View triad Select to display the view triad.
View title Select to display the view title.

View Orientation Tools

View → Pre-Set → A View
Main Toolbox → View Orientation tool
Provide seven pre-set views of your model that you can display in any of your view windows. You can access
the pre-set views using the Pre-set command on the View menu or using the set of View Orientation Tool Stacks
on the Main toolbox.
Learn about:
n The different Orientations and the tools that activate them
n Changing the View in a Window

View Rotation

Main Menu → View Manipulation Strip

or

(Classic) Main toolbox → Toggle toolstack → View Rotation

Rotates the View in a View window about the x, y and z screen axes by a specified increment.

Learn about Dynamically Rotating a View.

Icon Description
Rotate view about the screen’s z-axis

Rotate view about screen’s x- and y-axis

1192 Adams View
Welcome to Adams

Welcome to Adams
Lets you start your Adams session by creating a new model or opening an existing one. It also lets you to
specify your working directory.

For the option: Do the following:

How would you like to Sets how you will proceed with Adams View:
proceed?

n New Model - Lets you start a new modeling session with a new
modeling database.

n Existing Model - Lets you open an existing model.

n Exit - Lets you exit Adams View without performing an operation.

If you selected New Model, following options available.

Model name Enter the name you want assigned to the new Model. You can enter up to 80
alphanumeric characters. You cannot include special characters, such as spaces or
periods.
Gravity Select the gravity settings for the new model. You can select:

n Earth Normal - Sets the gravity to 1 G downward.

n No Gravity - Turns off the gravitational force.
n Other - Lets you set the gravity as desired. The Gravity Settings dialog box
appears after you select OK on the Welcome dialog box. Learn about
Specifying Gravitational Force.
Units Select a preset unit system for your model. In all the preset unit systems, time is
in seconds and angles are in degrees. You can set:

n MMKS - Sets length to millimeter, mass to kilogram, and force to

Newton.
n MKS - Sets length to meter, mass to kilogram, and force to Newton.
n CGS - Sets length to centimeter, mass to gram, and force to Dyne.
n IPS - Sets length to inch, mass to slug, and force to PoundForce.
If you do not want any of the preset unit systems, you can change the units as
required. Learn about Setting Units of Measurement.
Working Directory Specify the directory to be used as your working directory. Adams View saves all
files in this directory. Learn about Specifying Working Directory.
 P - Z 1193
Welcome to Adams (Classic Interface)

For the option: Do the following:

If you selected Existing Model, following options available.
File Name Specify the file name you wish to open. Use the browse option to locate the files.
Working Directory The set working directory will be displayed. It defaults to the directory in which
the selected file resides. Optionally, you can also browse for a different directory.
Learn about Specifying Working Directory.

Welcome to Adams (Classic Interface)

Appears when you start Adams View or create a database (File - New Database)
Lets you create a new Modeling database or use an existing one. It also lets you import modeling data and specify
your working directory. Learn about creating a modeling database.

For the option: Do the following:

How would you like to Sets how you will proceed with Adams View:
proceed?
n New Model - Lets you start a new modeling session with a new
modeling database.
n Existing Model - Lets you open an existing modeling database.
n Exit - Lets you exit Adams View without performing an operation.
Model name Enter the name you want assigned to the new Model. You can enter up to 80
alphanumeric characters. You cannot include special characters, such as spaces or
periods.
1194 Adams View
Window Layout

For the option: Do the following:

Gravity Select the gravity settings for the new model. You can select:

n Earth Normal - Sets the gravity to 1 G downward.

n No Gravity - Turns off the gravitational force.
n Other - Lets you set the gravity as desired. The Gravity Settings dialog box
appears after you select OK on the Welcome dialog box. Learn about
Specifying Gravitational Force.
Start in Specify the directory to be used as your working directory. Adams View saves all
files in this directory. Learn about Specifying Working Directory.
Units Select a preset unit system for your model. In all the preset unit systems, time is
in seconds and angles are in degrees. You can set:

n MMKS - Sets length to millimeter, mass to kilogram, and force to

Newton.
n MKS - Sets length to meter, mass to kilogram, and force to Newton.
n CGS - Sets length to centimeter, mass to gram, and force to Dyne.
n IPS - Sets length to inch, mass to slug, and force to PoundForce.
If you do not want any of the preset unit systems, you can change the units as
required. Learn about Setting Units of Measurement.

Window Layout
View → Layout

Main toolbox → Window Layouts toolstack

Provides 12 View window layouts for the Main window. The layouts vary from a single view window of your
model up to six windows. Each window displays a different view of your model. Adams Views displays the
current model (if there is one) into any of the views that are empty.
 P - Z 1195
Window Layout

You select the layout you’d like for your main window from a palette of layouts or from the Window Layouts
tool stack on the Main toolbox. The palette and tool stack contain the same set of view layouts. If you display
the palette, you can keep it open so that you can quickly select another layout.
1196 Adams View
Working Grid

For the option: Do the following:

Any of layout choices Select the choice to change the view window to your desired layout.
Close Select to close the palette. You can keep it open to quickly switch between layouts.

Working Grid
Settings → Working Grid

Main tool box → Move toolstack →

Sets the appearance of various elements in the Working grid and toggle their visibility.
.

Learn about Setting Up the Working Grid.

 P - Z 1197
Working Grid

For the option: Do the following:

Show Working Grid Set to display the working grid.
Rectangular Set to select a Rectangular working grid. Adams View changes the coordinate
system settings accordingly.
Polar Set to select a Polar working grid. Adams View changes the coordinate system
settings accordingly. For more information, see Coordinate System dialog box.
Size For a rectangular grid only, enter the size of the grid in the x and y directions
in length units.

Spacing For a rectangular grid only, enter the spacing between each point in the grid
in the x and y directions in length units.
Maximum Radius For polar grid only, enter the radius of the working grid from its origin to its
outermost circle.
1198 Adams View
Working Grid

For the option: Do the following:

Circle Spacing For polar grid only, enter the amount of space between each circle in the
working grid. The smaller the spacing, the more circles Adams View defines.
Radial Increments For polar grid only, enter the number of lines radiating from the origin of the
working grid. Adams View spaces the lines equally around the working grid.
The lines do not include the axes. The number of lines (N) determines the
angle increment between lines (q), as shown in the formula:

θ = 360×/N

In the picture above 8 lines are specified for an angle increment between the
lines of 45.
Dots, Axes, Lines, and Select the color and weight (thickness) of each object in the grid. You can also
Triad set the color of the objects to Contrast, which indicates that Adams View
should select a color that contrasts with the color currently set for the view
background. Setting the color to Contrast is particularly helpful when you set
each of your view windows to a different background color or when you
frequently change the view background.

The colors listed for the working grid elements are the same colors provided
for setting the color of objects. The colors do not include any new colors that
you created.

The weight values are from 1 to 3 screen pixels.

Set Location Select either:

n Global Origin to set the center location of the working grid to the
center of the view window.
n Pick and click a location on the screen to set as the center of the
working grid.
Set Orientation Select how you want to orient the working grid. You can set its orientation by
picking points or by aligning it with the screen plane. Note that if you select
Pick for orientation, you will also set the location of the working grid.