Mechanical APDL Basic Analysis Guide - Ansys

Chapter 7:The General Postprocessor (POST1)
For more information, see the Command Reference for descriptions of the INRES, NSEL, APPEND, PRNSOL,
and SUBSET commands.
If you wish to clear the database of any previous data, use one of the following methods:
Command(s): LCZERO
GUI: Main Menu> General Postproc> Load Case> Zero Load Case
Either method sets all current values in the database to zero, therefore giving you a fresh start for further
data storage. If you set the database to zero before appending data to it, the result is the same as using the
SUBSET command or the equivalent GUI path, assuming that the arguments on SUBSET and APPEND are
equivalent.
Note
All of the options available for the SET command are also available for the SUBSET and APPEND
commands.
By default, the SET, SUBSET, and APPEND commands look for one of these results files: Jobname.RST,
Jobname.RTH, Jobname.RMG, or Jobname.RFL. You can specify a different file name by issuing the
FILE command (Main Menu> General Postproc> Data & File Opts) before issuing SET, SUBSET, or APPEND.
7.1.3. Creating an Element Table
In the ANSYS program, the element table serves two functions. First, it is a tool for performing arithmetic
operations among results data. Second, it allows access to certain element results data that are not otherwise
directly accessible, such as derived data for structural line elements. (Although the SET, SUBSET, and APPEND
commands read all requested results items into the database, not all data are directly accessible with commands
such as PLNSOL, PLESOL, etc.).
Think of the element table as a spreadsheet, where each row represents an element, and each column represents
a particular data item for the elements. For example, one column might contain the average SX
stress for the elements, while another might contain the element volumes, while yet a third might contain
the Y coordinate of the centroid for each element.
To create or erase the element table, use one of the following:
Command(s): ETABLE
GUI: Main Menu> General Postproc> Element Table> Define Table
Main Menu> General Postproc> Element Table> Erase Table
7.1.3.1. Filling the Element Table for Variables Identified By Name
To identify an element table column, you assign a label to it using the Lab field (GUI) or the Lab argument
on the ETABLE command. This label will be used as the identifier for all subsequent POST1 commands involving
this variable. The data to go into the columns is identified by an Item name and a Comp (component)
name, the other two arguments on the ETABLE command. For example, for the SX stresses mentioned
above, SX could be the Lab, S would be the Item, and X would be the Comp argument.
Some items, such as the element volumes, do not require Comp; in such cases, Item is VOLU and Comp is
left blank. Identifying data items by an Item, and Comp if necessary, is called the "Component Name"
method of filling the element table. The data which are accessible with the component name method are
data generally calculated for most element types or groups of element types.
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