Using Layers
You can group different kinds of modeling entities and control their visibility in part or assembly mode by creating and maintaining layers. For example, by placing items on a layer, you can show or blank the items by showing or blanking the layer. You create and maintain layers through the Layers dialog box.
When you select
on the
Creo Parametric toolbar, the
Layers dialog box appears. You can also access the
Layers dialog box by selecting
Show >
Layer Tree on the Model Tree. Use this dialog box to:
• create, edit, and delete layers
• add appropriate simulation features to a layer
• show, hide, or isolate features by layers
In Creo Simulate, you can place the following objects on layers:
• loads | • contacts |
• constraints | • rigid links (FEM mode) |
• simple or advanced shells | • weighted links (FEM mode) |
• shell pairs | • material assignments (FEM mode) |
• beams | • interfaces |
• springs | • end and perimeter welds |
• masses | |
You place idealizations on layers primarily so that you can hide and show the element renderings for a layer when working with or viewing the mesh. Note that elements associated with simulation objects are only visible if the parent objects are visible. Thus, to hide and show elements, you place the associated idealizations on layers.
In addition, you can use layers to hide and show particular idealizations or sets of idealizations as you develop your model. You also place idealizations on layers if you want to transfer them to independent mode as groups.
You can group layers and save them as an output file for ANSYS only if you set the
fem_ansys_grouping configuration option to
yes. For more details, see
Grouping in ANSYS.
In results, you can use layers to
selectively display parts of your model in the results window display. You can display or hide beam and shell definitions that you placed on layers before running an analysis, and you can display or hide different components of an assembly.
Here are some of the highlights of layer creation that you should consider as you develop layers for simulation features:
• You can create as many layers as you want in a model.
• You can associate items with more than one layer or create nested layers. For example, you can associate a mass with several layers.
• You can use simulation default layer types to organize families of simulation features in your model. For example, if you assign a newly-created layer as the SIM_BEAM default layer, Creo Simulate places all beams that you subsequently create on that layer.
For more detailed information on layers, search the Fundamentals area in the Creo Parametric Help Center.