A SIMULIA e-Learning Resource
Created using Abaqus 6.10 and 6.12
The Automatic Overlay Plot and the Combine ODB Plug-in can both be used to quickly and easily view multiple result files at the same time.
Situations where you may have multiple output database (.odb) files that you may want to view together in an Automatic Overlay Plot or a single Combined ODB include:
- Substructure analyses, which result in separate output database (.odb) files for the global model and each substructure.
- Co-simulation of Abaqus/Standard and Abaqus/Explicit, which result in separate output database (.odb) files for the Abaqus/Standard and Abaqus/Explicit portions of the simulation (see the e-learning post on this type of simulation).
- Comparing the deformed shape of similar, but different, designs is another situation where you may have multiple output database (.odb) files you want to view together in an Automatic Overlay Plot (but not necessarily combined into a single .odb). For example, you could overlay the results of simulations with and without the stiffeners to better study the difference in the deformed shape.
Narrated Video
This video was created using Abaqus 6.10, however the concepts demonstrated still apply in Abaqus/CAE today.
This video includes:
- Introduction (0-0:13)
- Automatic Overlay Plot demonstration (0:13-3:21)
- Combine ODB Plug-in demonstration (3:21-6:10)
This video was produced using Abaqus 6.10 and can also be found in the Introduction to Abaqus 6.10 web-based training site.
Now You Try It!
Download the attached file AutoOverlayPlot_CombineODB-FanModel-Abaqus612.zip and follow the included step-by-step instructions (AutoOverlayPlot_CombineODB-FanModel-StepByStep-Abaqus612.pdf) to practice creating an automatic overlay plot and combined ODB for a provided substructure analysis of a fan.
This exercise was created using Abaqus 6.12.
References
e-Learning: Co-simulation of Abaqus/Standard and Abaqus/Explicit
SIMULIA training class: Substructures and Submodeling with Abaqus
Abaqus Manual References
--- Chapter 79 "Overlaying Multiple Plots," of the Abaqus/CAE 6.12 User's Manual
--- “Combining data from multiple output databases,” Section 82.13 of the Abaqus/CAE 6.12 User's Manual
Another option for merging substructure ODBs:
You can also use the abaqus substructurecombine utility in a command line to combine the model and results data produced a model's substructures into a single output database (.odb) file. For more information see “Combining data from multiple output databases,” Knowledge Base Article QA00000009207 and/or “Combining output from substructures,” section 3.2.19 of the Abaqus 6.12 Analysis User's Manual.
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