Hello,
i imported an input file, created by prepopax itself. It contains element sets and surfaces that reference
this element sets. The element sets disapered when the surfaces were read. Without the surfaces the
element sets were created.
Can you share the file (might be reduced just to show the problem) ?
Hello FEAnalyst,
i am sorry, discourse told me that new users can not upload attachments.
So i snippet:
** Element sets ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
*Elset, Elset=Weld_1
1,2,3,4,5,
*Elset, Elset=Weld_2
6,7,8,9,10,
** Surfaces ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
*Surface, Name=Surf_1_S3, Type=Element
Weld_1,S3
*Surface, Name=Surf_1_S4, Type=Element
Weld_1,S4
*Surface, Name=Surf_1_S5, Type=Element
Weld_1,S5
*Surface, Name=Surf_1_S6, Type=Element
Weld_1,S6
*Surface, Name=Surf_2_S3, Type=Element
Weld_2,S3
*Surface, Name=Surf_2_S4, Type=Element
Weld_2,S4
*Surface, Name=Surf_2_S5, Type=Element
Weld_2,S5
*Surface, Name=Surf_2_S6, Type=Element
I am sorry, but I do not exactly understand the problem. Would you like to import the element sets and the surfaces that are created from them? Why are you exporting and then importing the .inp file in the first place?
Ok, i confuse myself.
Here is a test model that works fine.
I have to figure out why the element groups disapear in my other model.
** Heading +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
*Heading
Hash: UCBDejXx, Date: 10/19/2023, Unit system: MM_TON_S_C
**
** Nodes +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
*Node
1, 0.00000000E+000, 0.00000000E+000, 1.00000000E+001
2, 0.00000000E+000, 0.00000000E+000, 2.00000000E+001
3, 0.00000000E+000, 1.00000000E+001, 1.00000000E+001
4, 0.00000000E+000, 1.00000000E+001, 2.00000000E+001
5, 1.00000000E+001, 0.00000000E+000, 1.00000000E+001
6, 1.00000000E+001, 0.00000000E+000, 2.00000000E+001
7, 1.00000000E+001, 1.00000000E+001, 1.00000000E+001
8, 1.00000000E+001, 1.00000000E+001, 2.00000000E+001
9, 0.00000000E+000, 0.00000000E+000, 1.50000000E+001
10, 0.00000000E+000, 5.00000000E+000, 2.00000000E+001
11, 0.00000000E+000, 5.00000000E+000, 1.50000000E+001
12, 0.00000000E+000, 5.00000000E+000, 1.00000000E+001
13, 0.00000000E+000, 1.00000000E+001, 1.50000000E+001
14, 1.00000000E+001, 0.00000000E+000, 1.50000000E+001
15, 1.00000000E+001, 5.00000000E+000, 1.00000000E+001
16, 1.00000000E+001, 5.00000000E+000, 1.50000000E+001
17, 1.00000000E+001, 1.00000000E+001, 1.50000000E+001
18, 1.00000000E+001, 5.00000000E+000, 2.00000000E+001
19, 5.00000000E+000, 0.00000000E+000, 1.00000000E+001
20, 5.00000000E+000, 0.00000000E+000, 1.50000000E+001
21, 5.00000000E+000, 0.00000000E+000, 2.00000000E+001
22, 5.00000000E+000, 1.00000000E+001, 1.00000000E+001
23, 5.00000000E+000, 1.00000000E+001, 1.50000000E+001
24, 5.00000000E+000, 1.00000000E+001, 2.00000000E+001
25, 5.00000000E+000, 5.00000000E+000, 1.00000000E+001
26, 5.00000000E+000, 5.00000000E+000, 2.00000000E+001
27, 0.00000000E+000, 0.00000000E+000, 0.00000000E+000
28, 0.00000000E+000, 0.00000000E+000, 1.00000000E+001
29, 0.00000000E+000, 1.00000000E+001, 0.00000000E+000
30, 0.00000000E+000, 1.00000000E+001, 1.00000000E+001
31, 1.00000000E+001, 0.00000000E+000, 0.00000000E+000
32, 1.00000000E+001, 0.00000000E+000, 1.00000000E+001
33, 1.00000000E+001, 1.00000000E+001, 0.00000000E+000
34, 1.00000000E+001, 1.00000000E+001, 1.00000000E+001
35, 0.00000000E+000, 0.00000000E+000, 5.00000000E+000
36, 0.00000000E+000, 5.00000000E+000, 1.00000000E+001
37, 0.00000000E+000, 5.00000000E+000, 5.00000000E+000
38, 0.00000000E+000, 5.00000000E+000, 0.00000000E+000
39, 0.00000000E+000, 1.00000000E+001, 5.00000000E+000
40, 1.00000000E+001, 0.00000000E+000, 5.00000000E+000
41, 1.00000000E+001, 5.00000000E+000, 0.00000000E+000
42, 1.00000000E+001, 5.00000000E+000, 5.00000000E+000
43, 1.00000000E+001, 1.00000000E+001, 5.00000000E+000
44, 1.00000000E+001, 5.00000000E+000, 1.00000000E+001
45, 5.00000000E+000, 0.00000000E+000, 0.00000000E+000
46, 5.00000000E+000, 0.00000000E+000, 5.00000000E+000
47, 5.00000000E+000, 0.00000000E+000, 1.00000000E+001
48, 5.00000000E+000, 1.00000000E+001, 0.00000000E+000
49, 5.00000000E+000, 1.00000000E+001, 5.00000000E+000
50, 5.00000000E+000, 1.00000000E+001, 1.00000000E+001
51, 5.00000000E+000, 5.00000000E+000, 0.00000000E+000
52, 5.00000000E+000, 5.00000000E+000, 1.00000000E+001
**
** Elements ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
*Element, Type=C3D10, Elset=Solid_part-1
1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 26, 16, 23, 24, 18, 17
2, 6, 4, 7, 1, 26, 23, 16, 20, 11, 25
3, 7, 1, 4, 3, 25, 11, 23, 22, 12, 13
4, 7, 1, 5, 6, 25, 19, 15, 16, 20, 14
5, 2, 1, 4, 6, 9, 11, 10, 21, 20, 26
*Element, Type=C3D10, Elset=Solid_part-2
6, 30, 32, 33, 34, 52, 42, 49, 50, 44, 43
7, 32, 30, 33, 27, 52, 49, 42, 46, 37, 51
8, 33, 27, 30, 29, 51, 37, 49, 48, 38, 39
9, 33, 27, 31, 32, 51, 45, 41, 42, 46, 40
10, 28, 27, 30, 32, 35, 37, 36, 47, 46, 52
**
** Node sets +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
*Nset, Nset=Internal-1_master
1, 3, 5, 7, 12, 15, 19, 22, 25
*Nset, Nset=Internal-1_slave
28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 44, 47, 50, 52
*Nset, Nset=Internal_Selection-1_Fixed-1
27, 29, 31, 33, 38, 41, 45, 48, 51
*Nset, Nset=Internal-2_master
1, 3, 5, 7, 12, 15, 19, 22, 25
*Nset, Nset=Internal-2_slave
28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 44, 47, 50, 52
*Nset, Nset=Internal-3_master
1, 3, 5, 7, 12, 15, 19, 22, 25
*Nset, Nset=Internal-3_slave
28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 44, 47, 50, 52
*Nset, Nset=Internal-1_Surface-1
27, 28, 31, 32, 35, 40, 45, 46, 47
*Nset, Nset=Internal-1_Surface-2
29, 30, 33, 34, 39, 43, 48, 49, 50
*Nset, Nset=Internal-1_Surface-3
1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 14, 19, 20, 21
*Nset, Nset=Internal-1_Surface-4
3, 4, 7, 8, 13, 17, 22, 23, 24
**
** Element sets ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
*Elset, Elset=Internal-1_master_S2
3
*Elset, Elset=Internal-1_master_S1
4
*Elset, Elset=Internal-1_slave_S2
6
*Elset, Elset=Internal-1_slave_S4
10
*Elset, Elset=Set-1
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
*Elset, Elset=Set-2
6, 7, 8, 9, 10
*Elset, Elset=Set_both
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
*Elset, Elset=Internal-1_Surface-1_S3
9
*Elset, Elset=Internal-1_Surface-1_S2
10
*Elset, Elset=Internal-1_Surface-2_S4
6, 8
*Elset, Elset=Internal-1_Surface-3_S3
4
*Elset, Elset=Internal-1_Surface-3_S2
5
*Elset, Elset=Internal-1_Surface-4_S4
1, 3
**
** Surfaces ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
*Surface, Name=master, Type=Element
Internal-1_master_S2, S2
Internal-1_master_S1, S1
*Surface, Name=slave, Type=Element
Internal-1_slave_S2, S2
Internal-1_slave_S4, S4
*Surface, Name=Surface-1, Type=Element
Internal-1_Surface-1_S3, S3
Internal-1_Surface-1_S2, S2
*Surface, Name=Surface-2, Type=Element
Internal-1_Surface-2_S4, S4
*Surface, Name=Surface-3, Type=Element
Internal-1_Surface-3_S3, S3
Internal-1_Surface-3_S2, S2
*Surface, Name=Surface-4, Type=Element
Internal-1_Surface-4_S4, S4
**
** Physical constants ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
**
** Materials +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
**
** Sections ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
**
** Pre-tension sections ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
**
** Constraints +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
**
** Surface interactions ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
*Surface interaction, Name=Surface_Interaction-1
**
** Contact pairs +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
**
** Amplitudes ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
**
** Initial conditions ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
*Surface behavior, Pressure-overclosure=Hard
*Friction
0.1
*Contact pair, Interaction=Surface_Interaction-1, Type=Surface to surface
slave, master
**
** Steps +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
**
** Step-1 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
*Step, Inc=100
*Static
1, 1, 1E-05, 1E+30
**
** Output frequency ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
*Output, Frequency=1
**
** Boundary conditions +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
*Boundary, op=New
** Name: Displacement_rotation-1
*Boundary
Internal_Selection-1_Fixed-1, 1, 1, 0
** Name: Displacement_rotation-2
*Boundary
Internal_Selection-1_Fixed-1, 2, 2, 0
** Name: Displacement_rotation-3
*Boundary
Internal_Selection-1_Fixed-1, 3, 3, 0
** Name: Displacement_rotation-4
*Boundary
Internal_Selection-1_Fixed-1, 4, 4, 0
** Name: Displacement_rotation-5
*Boundary
Internal_Selection-1_Fixed-1, 5, 5, 0
** Name: Displacement_rotation-6
*Boundary
Internal_Selection-1_Fixed-1, 6, 6, 0
**
** Loads +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
*Cload, op=New
*Dload, op=New
** Name: Grav-1
*Dload
Set_both, Grav, 9810, 0, 0, -1
**
** Defined fields ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
**
** History outputs +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
**
** Field outputs +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
*Node file
RF, U
*El file
S, E
*Output, Frequency=1
*Output, Frequency=1
*Model Change, Type=Contact Pair, Remove
master, slave
*Model Change, Type=Element, Remove
Set-1
**
** End step ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
*End step
Hi,
i reduced the not working input to 2 elements.
It does not read the element set on import!
** Baseplate nodes
**
*NODE
**
5201, 0.0000000000000000, -50.0000000000000000, 0.0000000000000000
5202, 5.0000000000000000, -50.0000000000000000, 0.0000000000000000
5203, 10.0000000000000000, -50.0000000000000000, 0.0000000000000000
5222, 0.0000000000000000, -45.0000000000000000, 0.0000000000000000
5223, 5.0000000000000000, -45.0000000000000000, 0.0000000000000000
5224, 10.0000000000000000, -45.0000000000000000, 0.0000000000000000
5642, 0.0000000000000000, -50.0000000000000000, -5.0000000000000000
5643, 5.0000000000000000, -50.0000000000000000, -5.0000000000000000
5644, 10.0000000000000000, -50.0000000000000000, -5.0000000000000000
5663, 0.0000000000000000, -45.0000000000000000, -5.0000000000000000
5664, 5.0000000000000000, -45.0000000000000000, -5.0000000000000000
5665, 10.0000000000000000, -45.0000000000000000, -5.0000000000000000
** Baseplate elements
**
*ELEMENT, TYPE=C3D8, ELSET=Baseplate_Elements
1251, 5201, 5642, 5663, 5222, 5202, 5643, 5664, 5223
1252, 5202, 5643, 5664, 5223, 5203, 5644, 5665, 5224
**
** Element sets ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
**
** Surfaces ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
**
*Surface, Name=Baseplate_bottom_S4, Type=Element
Baseplate_Elements, S4
**
The PrePoMax actually reads in the element set and creates it. You can see this by opening the exported inp file using File->Export->CalciliX or opening the keywords editor using Model->Edit CalculiX Keywords. But after that, the element set is set to internal (invisible) since it is used to create a surface. This behavior was integrated to hide element sets used for surface creation. They are hidden so that the user cannot change them by accident. They can usually not be created by hand selection since each finite element can have a different orientation, and PrePoMax does not show these orientations so they are regarded as automatically created sets and thus hidden.
Can you change your model to duplicate these sets and add a new name to them?
Hello Matey,
thank you for the explanation. The background is: I write a python code that is creating a abaqus/calculix
input deck. So the calculix import function is important for me. I tried out your suggestion and it works with
two element sets, one for the surface reference.
Be careful with the .inp files since not all PrePoMax export keywords can also be imported from the .inp files.
Should I close this topic, or do you feel the PrePoMax behavior is not what a user would expect?
Hello Matey,
you can close this topic.
Br,
Frank