Vector and tensor results to display fringe plots can be transformed into any of the following coordinate systems: any user defined local system (CID), the projection of any CID, the Patran global system, a material coordinate system, element IJK coordinate system or the nodal (analysis) coordinate system depending on the type of result (vector, or tensor). See Coordinate Systems, 27 for a definition of each of these coordinate systems. The default is no transformation, which will plot data in the coordinate frame as stored in the database. Typically the solver code will calculate results at nodes in the analysis coordinate system specified by the user. These can vary from node to node. Element data can be stored from the analysis code in any coordinate system. Note also that the analysis translators that import the results data into the database can transform results. Check with the appropriate translator guide.

This scale factor has the effect of simply scaling the results up or down by the specified amount. This will have an effect on the fringe plot but will not effect the spectrum range values.

By specifying a filter value, a gate will be used to keep values below a maximum, above a minimum, between a certain range, or at the exclusion of certain values. The default is none. If filtering is used, only those elements which pass the filter gate will display a fringe plot on them. In other words, the fringe plot will not be displayed on elements that don’t pass the filter test completely.

For element based result quantities that must be displayed at nodes, an averaging domain must be used since more than one result will exist for each node. There is a contribution from each element attached to any particular node. By default all entities which contribute are used. Alternatively, you can tell the Results application to only average results from those elements that share the same material or element property, are from the same target entities, or have the same element type. For more details, see Averaging, 15.

The method in which certain results are determined can make a difference to the actual displayed plot. This is important when derived results from element based tensor or vector results are used such as von Mises stress or Magnitude displacements, For instance, if you average at the nodes first and then derive the desired quantity, you may get a different answer than if you derive first and then average. It is left up to the user to decide which is correct. For more detail see Averaging, 15.

Many times, element based results that are to be displayed at nodes exist at locations other than the nodes such as at integration points. Various methods are available to the user to extrapolate these results out to the nodes. For more details, see Extrapolation, 21.

The Real component of a complex number is the default by which results will be postprocessed. To force the postprocessor to use a different quantity such as Magnitude, Imaginary, Phase, or Angle, set this option pull down menu. This option will only be available if a complex result has been selected. It is not recommended to calculate invariants (e.g., von Mises) from complex results because the phase is not accounted for.

The results can be modified with a user defined PCL expression.

For more details, see PCL Expressions, 9.

This listbox displays all existing fringe plots. You may select one of these plots from the listbox and all settings of that plot including display attributes, target entities, option, and selected results will be restored. This is an easy mechanism to help make many plots with the settings of an existing plot without modifying the selected plot. When the Action is set to Modify, this listbox appears under the Select Results display of the Results application form also.

Fringe plots can be saved by name and recalled later for graphical display. Multiple fringe plots can be saved in the database and displayed simultaneously. Be aware that when multiple fringe plots are displayed simultaneously there could be some display problems if they are displayed on the same entities. These fringe plots can be posted/unposted and deleted as explained in Post/Unpost, 29 and Delete, 32 respectively. Once a plot has been created and named it retains all results, attributes, target entities, and options assigned to it. If no plot name is specified a default is created called default_Fringe. As long as no plot name is specified, the default_Fringe will be overwritten each time a plot is created or modified.