Learning Forum

[mscal]

This page in the Spaceclaim documentation gives the definitions for various cross sectional properties of a beam profile. This page shows how to extract beam profiles from a solid.  But neither page defines the coordiante system for the cross section.  When I have multiple solid "beam-like" bodies and use the extract tool, it becomes impossible to determine how Ixx, Iyy, etc. are defined. The problem is especially acute when each of the solid bodies with the same extracted profile may all have different orientations.  Can anyone explain how the profiles' coordinate systems are defined so I can interpret Ixx, Iyy, and the other cross sectional properties defined?  Thank you.

[Devendra Badgujar]

Hello, 

In Ansys SpaceClaim, you can define the coordinate system for beam section properties. This is done by selecting a beam in the Beams folder and changing the properties found in the Beam section of the Properties panel. Here, you can select the location where the profile intersects with the path of the beam: Area Centroid, Shear Center, or Location.

If you select Location, then you can enter the X and Y coordinates of the anchor location. Area Centroid is the default 

Let me know if this helps. 

Regards,

Devendra 

[mscal]

Part of my confusion is the fact that, for this section that was made automatically, it by default says "Area Centroid" as the Anchor.  But then the "Centroid X" and "Centroid Y" corrdinates below are not zero.  So where is the origin from which those Centroid coordinates are generated?

[mscal]

That does, thank you.  But how then do we know the orientation of XX and YY with respect to this coordinate system?

[Devendra Badgujar]

Hello, 

By default, the Section Anchor lies on the centroid of the profile. The Section Anchor is the point where the profile attaches to the beam path. You can change this in two ways.

• Use the Orient Tool  tool in the Beams group of the Prepare tab

 

• Select the beam and change the Section Anchor property

 

Select the location where the profile intersects with the path of the beam: Area Centroid, Shear Center, or Location. If you select Location, then you can enter the X and Y coordinates of the anchor location. You can then use the Orient tool to change the direction of a beam, rotate it around its section anchor, and offset it from its section anchor.

The orientation is according to the anchor location and values are calculated based on it. 

Regards,

Devendra