Contour Plots on Changed Mesh (NLAD) using Python Result object (DPF) in Mechanical

George Tzortzopoulos

How could I generate contour plots of custom results on a changed mesh (NLAD) during the solution in Mechanical?

George Tzortzopoulos

In order to generate such contour plots, the Python Result object in Mechanical should be used.
As postprocessing tools for results with adaptive (NLAD) mesh haven't been implemented in DPF yet, the ACT reader should be employed to extract mesh data, necessary to create the contour plot.

Python Result Script

def define_dpf_workflow(analysis):
    import mech_dpf
    import Ans.DataProcessing as dpf
    mech_dpf.setExtAPI(ExtAPI)

    dataSource = dpf.DataSources(analysis.ResultFileName)

    resultSet = 58

    rdr = analysis.GetResultsData() # use ACT reader
    rdr.CurrentResultSet = resultSet # select preferred result set
    act_mesh = rdr.CreateMeshData() # read data of the changed mesh for the above result set

    node_Ids = act_mesh.NodeIds # get node IDs for the changed mesh
    u_results = rdr.GetResult("U") # read displacements
    u_results.SelectComponents(["X", "Y", "Z"]) # select all the components X, Y, Z
    u_vals = u_results.GetNodeValues(node_Ids) # get nodal displacements (for displaying the deformed mesh)

    u_results.SelectComponents(["Y"]) # select only the Y component
    uy_vals = u_results.GetNodeValues(node_Ids) # get nodal displacements ("custom" result)

    # convert ACT mesh to DPF mesh
    mesh_op = dpf.operators.mesh.acmo_mesh_provider()
    mesh_op.inputs.assembly_mesh.Connect(dpf.AnsDispatchHolder(act_mesh.InternalObject))
    dpf_mesh = mesh_op.outputs.getmeshes_container()[0]
    dpf_mesh.Unit = "mm"

    # create a scalar DPF field for the "custom" nodal result
    my_uy = dpf.FieldsFactory.CreateScalarField(len(node_Ids),'Nodal')
    my_uy.Scoping.Ids = node_Ids
    my_uy.Data = uy_vals
    my_uy.Unit = "mm"

    op = dpf.operators.utility.forward()
    op.inputs.any.Connect(my_uy)

    # create a 3D vector DPF field for displaying the result at the deformed mesh      
    my_u = dpf.FieldsFactory.Create3DVectorField(len(node_Ids),'Nodal')
    my_u.Scoping.Ids = node_Ids
    my_u.Data = u_vals
    my_u.Unit = "mm"

    # create a DPF Fields Container and set Time Scoping
    my_u_fc = dpf.FieldsContainer()
    my_u_fc.Labels = ["time"]
    my_u_fc.Add(my_u, {"time": resultSet})

    tfs = dpf.operators.metadata.time_freq_provider()
    tfs.inputs.data_sources.Connect(dataSource)
    my_u_fc.SetSupport(tfs.outputs.time_freq_support.GetData())

    dpf_workflow = dpf.Workflow()

    dpf_workflow.Add(op) # add the operator which contains the "custom" result
    dpf_workflow.SetOutputContour(op) # set the contour of the "custom" result

    dpf_workflow.SetOutputMesh(dpf_mesh) # set the changed mesh (NLAD)
    dpf_workflow.SetOutputWarpField(my_u_fc) # set the 3D vector fields container for defining the deformed mesh

    dpf_workflow.Record('wf_id', False)
    this.WorkflowId = dpf_workflow.GetRecordedId()

amusthaf

Hello George!!!
Thank you for sharing this code!!

I have run the same code for my model, and I am able to extract the result as a contour plot for a particular result set. But, when I probe the result, I am not able to read the node Id corresponding to the result. I can read the result with respect to its coordinates, but node Id is missing. Do you have any ideas how we can include node id information as well in the result?

Pernelle Marone-Hitz

@amusthaf One thing you could try is to export the result (RMB click / Export), after having activated the option in Mechanical to include the node Ids, but I will let @George Tzortzopoulos comment further as he had created this example.