ADAMS/View Release Notes

What's New
Changes
Issues Resolved
Known Issues

What's New

Flexible Body Swap

Replacing a rigid part with a flexible part is much easier in the 2005 release due to the Rigid->Flex swap functionality. Switching from one flexible body definition to another is improved through the Flex->Flex swap functionality. For more information on this feature, refer to the ADAMS/Flex What's New.

Geometry-only MNFs are also available.

Generalized Constraint (GCON) Support

The Generalized Constraint object, introduced in ADAMS/Solver (C++) version 2003, is now supported in ADAMS/View with command language and graphical user interface.

Extended Support for 3D Expressions

The 3D expression language was introduced in the 2003 release, but its usage was limited to the generalized constraint (GCON). Now with MSC.ADAMS 2005, 3D expressions can be used throughout the model. For more information regarding 3D expressions, refer to the ADAMS/Solver (C++) online help.

Interface Support for Curve Marker

The CURVE Marker, introduced in ADAMS/Solver (C++) version 2003, is now supported in the ADAMS/View interface. Interactive creation and modification of markers have been extended to support CURVE markers. For more details on CURVE markers, see the online help for ADAMS/View and ADAMS/Solver (C++).

Choices for Integrators Expanded with HHT and NEWMARK Integrators

Used successfully in the structural dynamics community for over two decades, the HHT and Newmark integrators extend the family of integrators available in the ADAMS/Solver (C++) for the 2005 release. For more information, see the online help for ADAMS/View and ADAMS/Solver (C++).

Support Results Files > Two Gigabytes

ADAMS/View supports input and output of results files larger than two gigabytes in size. Support is limited to the XML results file format.

Exporting Analysis (res, gra, req) Files

The File Export menu now has choices for graphics, request, results, and analysis files. This allows export of the files independent of running the simulation.

Support for Contacts in the Table Editor

In the table editor filters panel for forces, there are two new choices: Impact Contact and Restitution Contact.

The table for impact contacts provides these attributes:

Adams_Id
Damping
Stiffness
DMax
Exponent
Coulomb_Friction
Mu_Static
Mu_Dynamic
Friction_Transition_Velocity
Stiction_Transition_Velocity
Comments
Active

The table for restitution contacts provides these attributes:

Adams_Id
Penalty
Restitution_Coefficient
Coulomb_Friction
Mu_Static
Mu_Dynamic
Friction_Transition_Velocity
Stiction_Transition_Velocity
Comments
Active

Context-Sensitive Cursors

When you place ADAMS/View or ADAMS/PostProcessor into a dynamic view control mode, the cursor shape is changed to reflect the state. Cursors have been implemented for the dynamic modes:

XY rotation
Z rotation
XY translation
Perspective depth
Center
Zoom
Window zoom

Dynamic modes are terminated by completing the operation (in ADAMS/View) or selecting the Select (arrow) button or the Escape key.

Ability to import multiple analysis files in one step

It is now possible to import multiple analysis files in one step. Multiple analysis files (res, req, gra, and analysis) are permitted only when the Model Name option is selected. Only one file is allowed with the Analysis Name option.

Activity of objects displayed prominently in the Database Navigator

The Database Navigator has been modified in several areas to indicate the activity state of objects. In the Database Navigator treeview, the entries indicate if they are deactived by prefixing the object type with (OFF). For example:

+ PART_2 (OFF) Part
+ PART_3 Part

Graphical Topology, Topology by Parts, and Connectors have been also been enhanced to indicate the activity state of objects. Graphical Topology by dimming deactivated objects; Topology by Parts/Connector textually.

The Database Navigator now has the ability to filter on active and inactive objects. A new option menu presents the choices All Objects, Active Objects, and Inactive Objects.

Documentation Enhancements

ADAMS/View Documentation Improvements

ADAMS/View documentation has been updated for the new ADAMS/View functionality, including the new general constraint, CURVE markers, exporting analysis files, and the new integrators available in ADAMS/Solver (C++).

In addition, there is ADAMS/View command language help for the commands: xy_plots, numeric_results, system, and file.

To access the command language help:

From the ADAMS/View help, select the Customize tab.
In the table of contents on the left, select ADAMS/View Commands.

Overall Documentation Improvements

For MSC.ADAMS 2005, we've made improvements to the MSC.ADAMS help:

Added global search so you can search across the entire set of MSC.ADAMS help. To access the global search, do one of the following:
- At the top of the help, select Switch Products, and then select the Search tab.
- In any product, select the Search tab, and then in the window that appears, select Global Search.
Note that the global search does not include any .pdfs (including getting started guides and ADAMS/Driver).
Removed any hardcoding of font sizes so you can scale the text of the help to any size. Please note that many of the equations do not scale because they are images, and the help looks the best when viewed with medium (or 100%). In addition, your browser will print the text the same size as it is displayed.
Documented many of the environment variables for the products to help customize your session. The environment variables are for ADAMS/Controls, ADAMS/Durability, ADAMS/Flex, ADAMS/Solver, ADAMS/View, and the template-based products (ADAMS/Aircraft, ADAMS/Car, ADAMS/Driveline, ADAMS/Rail). For more information, see the Running and Configuring help.

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Changes

Change to the FIELD object

Prior to 2005 the FIELD object in ADAMS/View was not angular unit independent. The torsional stiffness and damping values were always interpreted and reported as torque/radian, ignoring the default angular unit setting. This worked as long as the values weren't specified using constant expressions with units or parameterized with design variables with units. The problem wasn't obvious until the default units were changed, such as from degrees to radians.

In 2005, the FIELD object has been modified to interpret and report the values according to the current setting for angles. This makes the FIELD object consistent with the BUSHING.

Pre-2005 command files containing FIELD objects that are read with units set to degrees should be modified. The FIELD torsional stiffness and damping values will be interpreted as degrees instead of radians. The command file should be modified by either converting the values to their degree equivalents or to specify radian units for the values.

ADAMS/View No Longer Creates Dummy Parts

ADAMS/Solver (FORTRAN) requires dummy parts, or massless links, to connect particular force and constraint elements to flexible bodies. Many of these limitations were removed in the ADAMS/Solver (C++). The ADAMS/Flex help lists the unsupported forces and constraints on flexible bodies.

Prior to MSC.ADAMS 2005, ADAMS/View would automatically introduce a dummy part when it encountered an unsupported joint or force on a flexible body. While this facilitated modeling and simulation for the ADAMS/Solver (FORTRAN), it created inefficient models for the ADAMS/Solver (C++) because additional parts and joint were being created unnecessarily. To resolve this conflict, the responsibility of creating dummy parts has been put on the ADAMS/Solver and removed from ADAMS/View. This way the individual ADAMS/Solver will introduce a dummy part if it needs one.

A side effect of this change is that ADAMS/View will no longer create dummy parts when you specify the reaction body of VFORCE, VTORQUE, and GFORCE to be a flexible body. These configurations require a floating marker on a flexible body, which is unsupported in both solvers. This change benefits you because reaction forces on flexible bodies through floating markers can generate spurious localized deformation and stresses. We recommend that you avoid specifying the flexible body as the reaction body for force elements requiring floating markers.

ADAMS/View Default for ADAMS/Solver Results Format Changed to XML

For simulations run from ADAMS/View, the default format for ADAMS/Solver results files has been changed from binary to XML. XML is an emerging standard for Web-based data exchange and provides several enhancements over the classic results file. With XML results files, you have the ability to assign names and units to result set components, and to control the size of the results file by specifying the numeric format to be output. The default settings generally produce results that load as fast as binary files but are smaller in size. XML results files have been available in ADAMS/View as an option since MSC.ADAMS 12.0.

Geometry import improved resulting in more usable solids

ADAMS/Exchange's use of PDELib for geometry file (STP, IGES) translation has been improved to produce better quality solids. ADAMS/Exchange is now using PDELib to convert directly from the input format (STP, IGES) to Parasolids objects. This is a significant improvement over the previous error-prone method of converting to shells and then stitching the shells to form a solid. This change makes geometry files much more usable for mass calculations and in use with contacts. For an example of using STP files for contact, see Knowledge Base article
1-KB12414.

Replacement of the default Tire object created to the vpg_tire.

Old tires will continue to work - the command language and dialog boxes have been retained for backward compatability. Any new tires created will be the new vpg_tire. See the ADAMS/Tire Release Notes for more information.

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Issues Resolved

ADAMS/View Service Pack

The 2005 release of ADAMS/View includes all of the fixes and enhancements that were provided in the 2003 Service Pack (ADAMS/View 12.0 Service Pack, APN-130-240). You can view a full list on the service pack distribution system at http://support.mscsoftware.com/kb/results_pds.cfm?article_id=10690.

During the course of 2005 release development, many additional maintenance and support issues have been resolved.

jpg output also captures print dialog box

Printing of bit map image files (jpg, xpm, and so on) would include an empty space where the Print dialog box was displayed over the graphics. The graphics are now refreshed before the image is captured.

updated: 09/06/05