Creating Sensors

You can create sensors on a solution to get a synthesis of simulation results. A sensor is a physical output of a computation, optionally limited to a local area, on which you can apply a post-treatment.

A sensor can produce knowledge parameters (single value or list of values): the sensor set provides parameters that can be reused in Knowledgeware and Product Engineering Optimizer workbenches in order to set rules, checks, formulas.

Before you begin: The solution must be updated.
Related Topics
Executing a Simulation from the Structural Analysis Workbench
Generating Images
More About Image Edition
Working with Plots

  1. Right-click a solution in the specification tree, and select Create Sensor.

    The Create Sensor dialog box appears.

  2. Choose the type of sensor you want to create by selecting one of the following tab:

    • Global to create a global sensor. A global sensor is a physical output of a computation for the entire model.
    • Local to create a local sensor. A local sensor is a physical output of a computation restricted to a local area.
    • Resultant to create a resultant sensor. A resultant sensor is a physical output that represents the resulting force and moment at restraint specifications.

  3. Select one or several sensors in the selected tab.

    The list of available sensor depends on the type of solution (mono-occurrence or multi-occurrence solution).

  4. Click OK.


    • If you selected a global sensor, the sensor is created and appears in the specification tree under the selected solution.
    • If you selected a local sensor, the Local Sensor dialog box appears.
      Warning: If you selected several local sensors, only one dialog box appears to define the local sensor. The other local sensors are created with an invalidated status. You have to edit each of them in order to define their parameters.
    • If you selected a resultant sensor, the Reaction Sensor dialog box appears.

  5. If you selected a local sensor:

    1. Select a support for the local sensor.

      You can select geometries, meshes, and groups.

    2. If the local sensor is created for a multi-occurence solution, all the occurrences are selected by default. To filter and select the occurrences you want to use, select By index or By range in the Occurrences list, and select the desired occurrences.

    3. Define the value parameters of the local sensor.
    4. Define the filter parameters of the local sensor.
    5. If you want to apply a post-treatment to check the minimum, maximum or average value of the local sensor, select Minimum, Maximum, or Average in the Post treatment list.
    6. Click OK.

  6. If you selected a resultant sensor:

    1. Select the restraint at which you want to represent the resulting force and moment.
    2. Modify the axis system.
    3. Click OK.

  7. To modify a sensor, double-click the sensor in the specification tree.

    For example: you can select the occurrences you want to take into account for multi-occurrence solutions.

  8. To update a sensor, right-click it in the specification tree, and select Update Sensor.

    Tip: Sensors are also updated when you compute the parent solution. See Executing a Simulation from the Structural Analysis Workbench.

  9. To display the value of the sensor in the specification tree, select Tools > Options > General > Parameters and Measure from the menu bar, and select the With value check box.

    Example of a sensor displayed without value:

    Example of a sensor displayed with its value:

  10. To visualize the sensor in a XY plot, right-click a local sensor, and select Open 2D Display.

    Warning:
    • Only local sensors can be visualized with the 2D Display capability.
    • The sensor must be updated.

    A plot window appears. You can modify the plot options, the chart options, the curve options, or the axis options.

    Example of a XY plot for a Von Mises stress local sensor: