Constraint Sets for Analysis
The Constraints area appears on the following dialog boxes:
• Pre-Stress Modal Analysis Definition
• Transient Thermal Analysis Definition
The Constraints area has the following items:
• Constraint Set / Component—Displays all the constraint sets defined for the model. Select a check box adjacent to a constraint set to include it in the analysis. This area also displays the component name for which you have defined the constraint set. The component name can be that of a part, subassembly, or assembly. If you move the pointer over the component name, the assembly path and component ID are displayed. The assembly path is a hierarchical list of all assemblies and subassemblies of which the component is a part of.
• Time Dependence—Defines individual histories for each constraint set. Available only if the Nonlinear / use load histories check box is selected. The time dependence function multiplies the values of the prescribed displacements or rotations (prescribed boundary conditions in the case of thermal analyses) in a constraint set by the value of the function at a given time. Use the default ramp function for time dependence or click 
to open the Functions dialog box. Click New to create a new table function using the Function Definition dialog box. The independent variable of the function is time and the dependent variable of the function is a quantity without units.
to open the Functions dialog box. Click New to create a new table function using the Function Definition dialog box. The independent variable of the function is time and the dependent variable of the function is a quantity without units. | You cannot create symbolic functions for time dependence. |
| | You need to note here that for a steady state thermal analysis or a static analysis the time dependence function is used only to define the order in which boundary conditions are applied. Thus true transient or dynamic effects are neglected. |
When you define output steps for an analysis you can specify the steps at which to display results. The maximum step is the maximum value of time in a table you define here.
• Combine Constraint Sets—Combines all the selected sets into a single new set during the analysis. Select the Combine Constraint Sets check box to select multiple constraints from the Constraints area. The new constraint set is named CombinedConstraintSet.
| | This check box is not available if you select the Nonlinear / use load histories check box. In this case if you have included more than one constraint set for an analysis, they are automatically combined. |
For more information about including constraint sets in structural analyses, see Constraint and Load Sets in Structural Analyses.