Checking the model

Having generated the model for this simulation, you are ready to run the analysis. Unfortunately, it is possible to have errors in the model because of incorrect or missing data. You should perform a data check analysis first before running the simulation.

This task shows you how to:

Run a data check analysis

  1. In the Model Tree, expand the Jobs container. Click mouse button 3 on the job named Frame, and select Data Check from the menu that appears to submit your job for a data check analysis.

  2. After you submit your job, information appears next to the job name indicating the job's status. The status of the overhead hoist problem indicates one of the following conditions:

    • Check Submitted while the model is being submitted for a data check.

    • Check Running while Abaqus performs a data check on the model.

    • Check Completed when the data check has completed successfully.

    • Submitted while the job is being submitted for a full analysis.

    • Running while Abaqus analyzes the model.

    • Completed when the full analysis is complete, and the output has been written to the output database.

    • Aborted if Abaqus/CAE finds a problem with the input file or the analysis and aborts the analysis. In addition, Abaqus/CAE reports the problem in the message area (see Figure 1).

Monitor the status of a job

Context:

During the analysis, Abaqus/Standard sends information to Abaqus/CAE to allow you to monitor the progress of the job. Information from the status, data, log, and message files appears in the Job Monitor dialog box. You can browse these files in the tabbed windows in the bottom half of the Job Monitor dialog box, and you can search their contents. Select the desired file tab, enter a search string in the Text to find field, and click Next or Previous to step through the file from one hit to the next. Toggle on Match case to perform a case-sensitive search.

  1. In the Model Tree, click mouse button 3 on the job named Frame and select Monitor from the menu that appears to open the Job Monitor dialog box.

    The Job Monitor dialog box appears.

  2. The top half of the dialog box displays the information available in the status (.sta) file that Abaqus creates for the analysis. This file contains a brief summary of the progress of an analysis and is described in About Output. The bottom half of the dialog box allows you to view information about the analysis.

    • Click the Log tab to display the start and end times for the analysis that appear in the log (.log) file.

    • Click the Errors and Warnings tabs to display the errors or the warnings that appear in the data (.dat) and message (.msg) files. If a particular region of the model is causing the error or warning, a node or element set will be created automatically that contains that region. The name of the node or element set appears with the error or warning message, and you can view the set using display groups in the Visualization module.

      It will not be possible to perform the analysis until the causes of any error messages are corrected. In addition, you should always investigate the reason for any warning messages to determine whether corrective action is needed or whether such messages can be ignored safely.

      Abaqus limits the number of error and warning messages that appear in the job monitor (by default these limits are 10 error messages and 50 warning messages). If the message limits are exceeded, information regarding the additional errors and warnings can be obtained from the printed output files themselves. See Job customization parameters for details on changing the default message limits.

    • Click the Output tab to display a record of each output data entry as it is written to the output database.

    • As the analysis proceeds and Abaqus creates the data, message, and status files, Abaqus/CAE activates the Data File, Message File, and Status File tabs and displays the contents of each file in the corresponding tabbed page. You can click any of these tabs to browse or search the file for additional error and warning messages.

      Note:

      Although Abaqus/CAE updates the contents of the Data File, Message File, and Status File tabbed pages periodically as the analysis runs, the data might not always be synchronized with the latest data in the files.

  3. Click Dismiss to close the Job Monitor dialog box.