Measure Basics
As analysis packages, Structure and Thermal have different goals. Understanding the implications of this difference will help you understand the types of measures you can apply as well as how to use those measures to obtain the information you are interested in.
Structure—Focuses on structural stresses. Although you can apply temperature loads to your model, you can only obtain information on how the structure of the model behaves at a particular temperature—not on how heat flows through your model. Therefore, while you can measure structural stresses in your model, you cannot measure model temperature.
Thermal—Focuses on thermal behavior. Even though you can obtain information on how your model reacts to temperature, you cannot use Thermal to examine structural stresses resulting from the thermal conditions you applied to your model. In other words, you can measure thermal data, but not structural data.
Regardless of the product you are working with, there are several aspects of measures you should be aware of when deciding which measures to use or define for your model. To learn about these aspects, see the following: