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Frame Analysis overview

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Procedures | References

Use Frame Analysis to understand the structural integrity of a given frame with respect to deformations and stresses, when subjected to various loading and constraints. Once you define the criteria, you can run the simulation and view the behavior relative to the conditions you defined. Simulations help you identify performance issues and find better design alternatives.

Beam elements are linear. Frame analysis does not support curved beams. So the curved beams must be split into small linear pieces.

Each beam element has six degrees of freedom at the beam start and beam end (three rotational and three degrees of freedom of displacement). Nodes on beams define somehow important points on the structure can be used to define forces, for example. In modal analysis, nodes can concentrate masses.

The following key functionality is available in Frame Analysis:

Structural static and modal analysis of one or more simulation studies.
Automatic adaptive features for controlling accuracy of results.
Large selection of boundary conditions (loads and constraints).
Extensive post-processing functionality for 3D viewing of the results, and publishing Web reports.

Frame Analysis environment

The Frame Analysis interface is divided into two main areas: the Frame Analysis browser, and the graphics region. These areas display content associated with the active simulation. Inactive simulations have a gray background.

Frame Analysis browser

Displays the simulations with assembly and simulation parameters in a hierarchical view with nested levels of feature and attribute information. You can:

Copy whole simulations.
Right-click a node for context menu options.
Expand the folders, select the nodes, and see the selection cross-highlight in the graphics region.

Graphics Region

Displays the model geometry and simulation results.

Updates to show status of the simulation.
Includes view manipulation tools.

Access the Frame Analysis

You can access the Frame Analysis commands using two panels on ribbon:

Click Environments tab Begin panel Frame Analysis
Click Design tab Frame panel Frame Analysis

Frame Analysis workflow

From a high-level perspective, a typical frame analysis workflow looks like the following:

Set expectations: Estimate physical behavior using a conceptual model.
Pre-processing: Enter physics into the model and define analyses to perform.
Solving: Solve the mathematical model.
Post-processing: Display and evaluate the results.
Review expectations: Compare the results with the initial expectations.
Conclusion (Improve Inputs): Do the results match the expectations?
If the answer is NO, you review and modify the inputs to improve the results. The modifications could include, but are not limited to: suppressing unwanted beams, changing the loads or constraints, changing the analysis type, and so on. There are many avenues you can explore to refine the analysis results to bring them in line with expectations. The point is, the refinement is a highly iterative process.
If the answer is YES, your analysis work is concluded. A likely result is that your design is refined and improved.

Inventor Frame Analysis workflow

When you start Frame Analysis, the Frame Generator assembly model is automatically converted to beams and nodes. The information that is read from the source model include:

Beam section data
Beam materials
References of boundary condition are validated
Start and end points of beams are joined within specified degree of tolerance
Report displays the insufficient materials, or improper cross-sections properties

The following is an example of a typical workflow for analyzing a frame structure using Inventor Frame Analysis. The steps are not exhaustive, and they do not represent the only steps you can use in your analysis.

In this numbered list, the following applies:

Steps 1 through 9 are pre-processing.
Step 10 is the solving step.
Step 11 is the post-processing step.
Steps 12 through 15 are steps for improving inputs.

Open an assembly which contains frame components created using Frame Generator tools.
Enter the Frame Analysis environment.
Click Create Simulation.
Specify the simulation properties. The beam model is automatically converted into idealized nodes and beams to conduct structural analysis. The graphics window displays beams, nodes, and the gravity glyph. The Status folder in the browser displays the insufficient beam materials and cross-sections.
Exclude beams and boundary conditions you do not want in the simulation.
Specify material and physical properties for beams participating in the analysis.
Specify and apply the constraints.
Specify location and magnitude for loads.
Evaluate the connections and specify, as needed.
Run the simulation.
View the Results.
Make necessary changes to refine the assembly. Changes can include adding nodes, loads, and constraints or suppressing problematic ones.
Rerun the simulation to update the results.
Repeat the process until you optimize the component.
When ready, create reports based on the results.

Frame Analysis settings

The Frame Analysis settings are applicable on a per document basis. These settings define the defaults for all simulations. If you change the settings while working in a simulation, the simulation is affected immediately. Only simulations you create after you change the settings are affected.

Specify values in Frame Analysis

When you define loads and constraints in Frame Analysis, you can use Heads Up Display (HUD) and grips to define the inputs. Or, you can set values in the appropriate dialog boxes.

When you select Use HUD in Application option in the General tab of the Frame Analysis Settings dialog box, Heads Up Display is used as default method during edit. You can still display dialog boxes, however. Select the appropriate command in the ribbon, right-click in the graphics window and select More Options.

Warning messages

Warning messages are listed in the Status folder in the Frame Analysis browser. When you create a simulation and assembly frame model is automatically converted to beams and nodes, the messages about insufficient beam materials and cross-sections display. When you run a simulation, all messages about simulation display. Sometimes the data are critical and simulation fails when you run the Simulation. Then, the separate dialog box displays as well. Warning messages display with icon. Error messages display with icon.

Error message indicates that the simulation cannot proceed without modification. For example, the simulation can fail if you have an insufficient material assigned to a beam.

This error message prevents the simulation from continuing without modification. In this case, change beam material. Click the Material command on the Beams panel and select the material in the Beam Material dialog box. Or, change the material in the source model directly, and click the Update command in the Beams panel to recompute the beam model.

Right-click and select How To... to open a Help page with a list of warnings and errors that can occur when you run simulations, and suggestions on resolving them.

Procedures:

How to analyze frames using Frame Analysis

Use the Frame Analysis environment to perform basic analysis of frame structures. Also use it to define boundary conditions (constraints and loads) and various connections between the nodes and beams (releases, rigid links).
Open an assembly that contains frame structures inserted using Content Center.
On the ribbon, click Environments tab Begin panel Frame Analysis . The assembly is automatically simplified to a beam calculation model. The graphics window displays beams, nodes, and the gravity glyph. The Status folder displays the insufficient beam materials and cross-sections.
Click Frame Analysis tab Manage panel Create Simulation . In the Create New Simulation, set the simulation properties, and click OK. An assembly can keep multiple simulations with different properties.
Beam Properties are based on the assembly data, but you can customize them for the simulation. On the ribbon, click Frame Analysis tab Beams panel Properties . Check the Customize box, enter the desired values and click OK. List of sections with overridden beam section properties is displayed in the Sections folder in the browser.
Beam Material can be customized as well, to fine-tune the material values. To change the material, on the ribbon, click Frame Analysis tab Beams panel Material . Check the Customize box, use the drop-down list to select a desired material, and click OK. List of materials with overridden materials is displayed in the Materials folder in the browser.
All constraints and loads use Heads Up Display and grips to define the inputs easily. More complex settings are available in the dialog boxes. (To display the particular dialog box, right-click the graphics window after you execute the command from the ribbon, and select More Options.) To avoid unnecessary usage of complex constraints and loads, typical simplified cases use appropriate simplified commands.
Specify constraints. Select beam or node to specify their origin. Use glyphs or dialog boxes to specify the origin and values such as Magnitude or Angle in Plane.
A similar interactive approach is used to define the loads. The HUD always corresponds to the currently selected grip. Enter an exact value of the given parameter directly. Define Offset using absolute or relative values.
When the loads and constrains are defined, click Simulate to generate accurate results. By default, the simulation scene displays the displacement values.
The Results incorporate different kinds of output properties. Selection of a browser node displays the appropriate results.
To display important results for given beams, you can add user-defined diagrams to the graphics window. On the ribbon, click Frame Analysis tab Result panel Diagram . You can adjust the display of beam diagrams in the Diagram Scales dialog box. In the browser, select Diagrams, right-click, and select Diagram Scales .
You can easily animate the results. On the ribbon, click Frame Analysis tab Result panel Animate .
You can customize the Color Bar to fulfill your needs. On the ribbon, click Frame Analysis tab Display panel Color Bar .
Report includes all the simulation data and outputs. To create a report, click Report on the Publish tab.

You can also edit the simulation properties. You can change Static analysis to a Modal Analysis. Modal analysis provides modal frequency results. To change the simulation properties, select the Simulation node in the browser, right-click, and select Edit Simulation.

Individual simulations can use different positional representations of the assembly. The beam placements differ.

Frame Analysis browser

The Frame Analysis browser shows the mechanism's elements. It provides access to each of them so that you can select, modify, or remove them.

In an assembly, the Frame Analysis browser displays the document name with unique simulation nodes beneath it. The component, can have multiple simulations. Each simulation node contains the subfolders for Nodes, Beams, Materials, Sections, Rigid Links, Releases, Constraints, Loads, Results, and Status.

The component node displays the assembly components based on the View Representation you specify. You can select features in the browser and apply loads and constraints to the selection. When you select a feature in the browser, the feature highlights in the model.

Each simulation can have a different set of materials, loads, constraints, and corresponding sets of results. Expand a Results node to select results you want to display. In the graphics window, you can view the outcome of the simulations and compare iterations. The browser background for inactive simulations is gray to differentiate between the active and inactive state.

Each node has a context menu with commands available for that context.

Element names

The Frame Analysis browser contains the following folders:

Assembly	Name of the mechanism.
Simulation	Simulation name (assigned during simulation creation), a colon (:), and the occurrence number.
Nodes	"Node", a colon (:), and the node number (assigned according to the order of node creation).
Beams	"Beam", a colon (:), and the beam number (assigned according to the order of beam creation).
Materials	Contains set of beams with overridden materials.
Sections	List section types included in the structure.
Rigid Links	"Rigid Link", a colon (:), and the rigid link number (assigned according to the order of rigid link creation).
Releases	"Release", a colon (:), and the release number (assigned according to the order of release creation).
Constraints	"Fixed Constraint", "Pinned Constraint", "Floating Pinned Constraint", "Custom Constraint", a colon (:), and the constraint number (assigned according to the order of constraints creation).
Loads	Gravity, and "Force", "Continuous Load", "Moment", "Bending Moment", "Axial Moment", a colon (:), and the load number (assigned according to the order of loads creation).
Results	Contains all results graphs, including user-created Diagrams.
Status	Contains status messages with warnings or errors.

Browser hierarchy

Level One	Level Two	Level Three	Level Four	Level Five
Assembly	Simulation
		Nodes
			Node
		Beams
			Beam
		Materials
			Material override
		Sections
			Section override
		Rigid Links
			Rigid Link
		Releases
			Release
		Constraints
			Fixed
			Pinned
			Floating
			Custom
		Loads
			Force
			Continuous Load
			Moment
			Axial Moment
			Bending Moment
			Gravity
		Results (Static Simulation)
			Displacement
			Loads
				Fx
				Fy
				fz
			Moments
				Mx
				My
				Mz
			Normal Stresses
				Smax
				Smin
				Smax(Mx)
				Smax(My)
				Smin(mx)
				Smin(My)
				Saxial
			Shear Stresses
				Tx
				Ty
			Torsional Stresses
				T
			Diagrams
		Results (Modal Simulation)
			Modal Frequency
				F1 0.54 Hz
				F2 0.95 Hz
				F3 2.27 Hz
				F4 4.15 Hz
				F5 6.70 Hz
				F6 7.27 Hz
				F7 10.5 Hz
				F8 26.73 Hz
				...
		Status
			Solver

Browser node context menu commands

Besides the normal context menu entries, such as visibility, the following context menu commands are unique to the Frame Analysis environment:

Browser node	Command	Description
Assembly	Create Simulation	Displays the Create New Simulation dialog box where you can modify the selected properties of the new simulation.
	Frame Analysis Settings	Displays the Frame Analysis Settings dialog box where you can modify the selected properties of the new simulation.
Simulation	Activate	Makes the selected simulation the active simulation. Deactivates the current simulation if there is one.
	Edit	Displays the Edit Simulation Properties dialog box where you can modify the selected properties of the simulation.
	Simulate	Runs the simulation to obtain results for actual inputs.
	Copy Simulation	Copies the selected simulation and pastes it into the current document browser, making it the active simulation.
	Delete	Deletes the selected simulation.
Nodes	Custom Node	Enables you to add a node to a beam you select.
Beams	Beam Materials	Displays the Beam Material dialog box where you make alternate material assignments for analysis purposes.
	Beam Properties	Displays the Beam Properties dialog box where you make alternate material assignments for analysis purposes.
Materials	Beam Materials	Displays the Beam Material dialog box where you make alternate material assignments for analysis purposes.
Sections	Beam Properties	Displays the Beam Properties dialog box where you make alternate material assignments for analysis purposes.
Rigid Links	Rigid Link	Displays the Rigid Link dialog box to define a rigid link.
Releases	Release	Displays the Release dialog box to define a release.
Constraints	Edit	Displays the Edit (Type) Constraint dialog box according to the selected type. Constraints can be modified at any time in the process.
	Reactions	Displays the Reactions dialog box reporting reaction forces and reaction moments.
	Delete	Deletes the selected constraint.
	Suppress	Removes the selected constraint from the components being analyzed.
Loads	Edit (load type)	Displays the Edit (load Type) dialog box according to the selected type. You can define or modify load parameters.
	Suppress	Removes the selected load from the components being analyzed.
	Delete	Deletes the selected load.
Results	Activate	Makes the selected simulation result the current and displays it in the graphics region. The command is disabled when not applicable.
	Simulate	Runs the simulation to obtain results for actual inputs.

Browser node decorations

When you change components within the assembly, and switch to the Frame Analysis environment, the lightning bolt status icon displays to the left of the browser node of Beams and Nodes that are not up-to-date with the original model.. It alerts you to update the simulation or results.

Beams and Nodes

You can view the nodes and beams included in the structure under the Beams and Nodes folders.

By default, the nodes and beams are named as Node:1, Node:2, and so on. You can rename them if appropriate.
Click the node to select, and then click again to rename the node.
You cannot edit, delete, or exclude from simulation nodes that were converted from original assembly. Custom nodes can be deleted, edited, or excluded from simulation.
Beams that were converted from original assembly can be excluded from simulation.

Loads and Constraints

You can view the applied loads and constraints under the Loads and Constraints folders.

By default, the loads and constraints are named as Force:1, Force:2, and so on. You can rename the forces if appropriate.
Click the node to select, and then click again to rename the node.
Right-click the node, and then click Edit to open the selected load or constraint.
Right-click any constraint node to view Reaction Forces and Reaction Moment.

Releases and Rigid Links

You can view the list of releases and rigid links under the Releases and Rigid Links folders.

By default, the Releases Rigid Links are named as Release:1, Release:2, and so on. You can rename the forces if appropriate.
Click the node to select, and then click again to rename the node.
Right-click the node, and then click Edit to open the selected release or rigid link.
You can also delete or exclude releases and rigid links from simulation.

Results

This folder displays the various analyses the structure has undergone considering the defined conditions.

Click the desired result to be displayed in the graphics window.

When you perform modal analyses, the Modal Frequency folder is created.

Right-click the Diagrams folder to display diagrams for selected beams or adjust diagram scales.

Status

This folder displays the various analyses the structure has undergone considering the defined conditions.

When you create a simulation and assembly frame model is automatically converted to beams and nodes, the messages about insufficient beam materials and cross-sections display.

When you run a simulation, all messages about simulation display.

Right-click and select How To... to open a Help page with a list of warnings and errors that can occur when you run simulations and how to resolve them.

References

Frame Analysis tab

The Frame Analysis tab is made up of a series of panels, each containing one or more commands that are grouped for ease of access. Each panel has a name.

Note: The following descriptions are not meant to be high level, to be a simple and quick reference. For more information see the Quick Reference topic for a given command.

The Frame Analysis tab comprises of the following panels:

Manage panel

Create Simulation

Displays the Create New Simulation dialog box where you define the new simulation.

Beams panel

	Update	Updates the beam model from source assembly within specified state.
	Properties	Displays the Beam Properties dialog box where you can change the original beam geometry data.
	Material	Displays the Beam Material dialog box where you define the materials to override the original material definition.

Constraints panel

	Fixed	Displays the Fixed Constraint dialog box from which you select geometry and further define the constraint.
	Pinned	Displays the Pinned Constraint dialog box from which you select geometry and define the constraint.
	Floating	Displays the Floating Pinned Constraint dialog box from which you select geometry and further define the constraint.
	Custom	Displays the Custom Constraint dialog box from which you select geometry and further define the constraint. You can set the displacement and the rotation of constraint.

Loads panel

	Force	Displays the Force dialog box from which you specify a force.
	Continuous Load	Displays the Continuous Load dialog box from which you specify a continuous load on the 3D sketch line.
	Moment	Displays the Moment dialog box from which you specify a moment.
	Axial Moment	Displays the Axial Moment dialog box from which you specify an axial moment.
	Bending Moment	Displays the Bending Moment dialog box from which you specify a bending moment.

Connections panel

	Release	Displays the Release dialog box from which you define specific release conditions at beam start and beam end.
	Rigid Link	Displays the Rigid Link dialog box from which you define rigid links in a structure.
	Custom Node	Displays the Custom Node dialog box from which you add a node to a selected beam.

Solve panel

Simulate

Runs the simulation. The progress bar is shown during simulation. After the simulation is complete, a dialog box containing brief simulation warnings and errors is displayed.

Result panel

	Animate	Animates the results including loads, moments, stresses, and so on. You can record a video of the animation.
	Beam Detail	Displays diagrams for selected beam loads, moments, and stresses.
	Diagram	Displays the Diagram dialog box from which you define diagrams to display.

Display panel

	Color Bar	Displays the Color Bar dialog box where you define the location and gradation of the color bar.
	Beam Labels	Turns on or off the display of the beam labels.
	Node Labels	Turns on or off the display of the node labels.
	Smooth Shading	Displays the color transitions using smooth shading techniques.
	Contour Shading	Displays the color transitions in contours, providing a hard line contrast between colors.
	No Shading	Removes color shading.
	Min Value	Turns on or off the display of the minimum result.
	Max Value	Turns on or off the display of the maximum result.
	Boundary Conditions	Controls visibility of glyphs for the different loads and constraints applied in the simulation.
	Local Systems	Turns on or off the display of the local coordinate system of the beam.
	Load Values	Turns on or off the display of the values of all loads.
Pull down list	Adjust Displacement Scale	Sets displacement scale for visualization purposes. The setting is for the graphical display and does not affect the simulation values.

Publish panel

	Report	Displays the Report dialog box where you define the report content and then publish the report.
	Export	Exports Frame Analysis data to RTD format.

Settings panel

Frame Analysis Settings

Displays the Frame Analysis Settings dialog box where you specify the default parameters for all new simulations. You can override these settings on a per simulation basis.

Frame Analysis Settings - General tab

Frame analysis settings are applicable to all frame simulations. Whenever a new frame simulation is started, these preferences are used. You can override the global settings on a simulation basis by changing the simulation properties.

This section discusses the controls on the General tab.

Access:

Ribbon: Frame Analysis tab ac.menuaro.gif

Settings panel ac.menuaro.gif

Frame Analysis Settings

Heads Up Display (HUD)
	Use HUD in Application	Select to use Heads Up Display in Frame Analysis environment. Heads Up Display is set as the default method during edit.
Colors
	Click the arrows at the end of the edit field to open the Color dialog box. You can specify the display colors for loads, constraints, and so on.
Scales
	Specifies the size of nodes, loads, and constraints as a percentage of the model bounding box.

Frame Analysis Settings - Beam Model tab

This section discusses the controls on the Beam Model tab.

Access:

Ribbon: Frame Analysis tab ac.menuaro.gif

Settings panel ac.menuaro.gif

Frame Analysis Settings

Beam model
	Tolerance	Specify the maximum distance between beams to consider in automatic conversion. When the distance between two beams is smaller than sizes of sections multiplied by tolerance, then rigid link connection is created between nearest nodes. The range of valid inputs is from -100% to 500%. If you set the value to 0, the beams must be positioned right next to each other. Due to an inaccuracy, it is possible that even beams next to each other are not connected. Therefore the default value is set to 2. Positive values create rigid links between beams that have gaps between them, gap weld for example. Negative values define that there must be an intersection between beams to create rigid links. To learn more about rules applied during automatic conversion of frame assembly, see the Automatic Model Conversion Help topic.
Original models
	Display as:	Specifies the default visibility settings for all components (beams and other parts) after the conversion. Invisible - the component visibility is turned off. Transparent - uses the disabled component visibility characteristics Shaded - uses the standard shaded component settings.

Frame Analysis Settings - Solver tab

Frame Analysis solver settings are applicable to all simulations. Whenever a new simulation is started these preferences are used. You can override the global settings on a per simulation basis by changing the simulation properties.

This section discusses the controls on the Solver tab.

Access:

Ribbon: Frame Analysis tab ac.menuaro.gif

Settings panel ac.menuaro.gif

Frame Analysis Settings

Solver Defaults
	DSC Algorithm (Beam Releases)	Select to enable the discontinuity element during calculations of a structure where releases are defined.
Results
	Beam Points	Specify number of beam points that are calculated by solver.

DSC Algorithm

DSC Algorithm enables you to calculate a structure with releases.

For any beam, for which you defined any type of analysis, with the following releases:

Regular
Unilateral
Elastic
Elastic and unilateral

The following operations are performed:

A new node is generated in the structure when the structure model is generated.
The input element with the release is modified. The new node replaces the old one in the element (the old node remains in the other structure elements).
Between the old and the new node, Robot creates the DSC element (Discontinuity). See the following image:

The DSC element is a 2-node element, where the nodal forces are generated according to the following formula:

Using the DSC elements lets you define elastic releases in a beam.

Frame Analysis Settings - Diagrams tab

Sets options for displayed beam diagrams.

Access:

Ribbon: Frame Analysis tab ac.menuaro.gif

Settings panel ac.menuaro.gif

Frame Analysis Settings

Positive and Negative Values
	Undifferentiated	Specifies the style of display of positive and negative values. Select not to differentiate between positive and negative values in the graph results.
	Differentiated	Specifies the style of display of positive and negative values. Select to differentiate between positive and negative values in the graph results.
Filling
	Fence	Specifies the style of filling in the graphs results. Select to use fence style displaying the graph results.
	Filled	Specifies the style of filling in the graphs results. Select to use filled style displaying the graph results.
Colors
	Click the Colors button to open Graphs Colors dialog box where you can select colors for loads and stresses displayed in the graphs diagram.

Diagrams Colors

Select colors for loads and stresses displayed in the Diagram dialog box.

Access:

Ribbon: Frame Analysis tab ac.menuaro.gif

Settings panel ac.menuaro.gif

Frame Analysis Setting

. Switch to the Diagrams tab, and click Colors.

Click the buttons next to the stresses and loads edit fields to specify color to be displayed in the graph diagrams.

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