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Enter the General Postprocessing module:

Main Menu > General Postproc

Plot Deformed Shape

Main Menu > General Postproc > Plot Results > Deformed Shape

Select Def + undeformed and click OK.

This plots the deformed and undeformed shapes in the Graphics window.

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To save the deformation plot in a file, use Utility Menu > PlotCtrls > Hard Copy > To File. Select the file format you want and type in a filename of your choice under Save to: and click OK. The file will be created in your working directory. You can print out this file as necessary.

Animate the deformation:

Utility Menu > PlotCtrls > Animate > Deformed Shape

Select Def + undeformed and click OK. Select Forward Only in the Animation Controller.

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In order to interpret the results that ANSYS reports, it's useful to turn on the node and element numbers in the Graphics window.

Utility Menu > PlotCtrls > Numbering

The Plot Numbering Controls menu is used to control the numbering of the various entities in a finite-element model.

Turn on Node numbers. Under Elem/Attrib numbering, select Element numbers. Click OK.

The node and element numbers will now appear in the Graphics window.

List Forces in Truss Members: Method 1

Main Menu > General Postproc > List Results > Element Solution

From the list, under Element Solution, select All Available force items. Click OK.

This brings up a window listing the forces that the elements apply on each of their nodes:

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Utility Menu > Help > Help Topics

Under the Contents tab, select

Release 11.0 Documentation for ANSYS > Elements Reference > Element Library > LINK1

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Minimize the help window. To list MFORX values:

Main Menu > General Postproc > List Results > Element Solution

Under Element Solution, select Miscellaneous Items > Summable data (SMISC,1). Since MFORX is sequence number 1 in the SMISC group, enter 1 next to Sequent number SMIS in the editable field. Click OK. Click OK in the List Element Solution window.

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This brings up a window with the axial forces in the elements. Positive values indicate tension and negative values compression. Do these values match what we got in method 1?

You can also plot the items listed under Element Output Definitions using the sequence number.

In most cases, you plot stresses using Main menu > General Postproc > Plot Results > Contour Plot >Nodal Solu. But for line elements like LINK1, this doesn't work and you'll get zero values for the stresses. So you'll have to use the sequence numbers to make stress plots for line elements.

List Reaction Forces at Nodes

Main Menu > General Postproc > List Results > Reaction Solu

Select All struc forc F for Item to be listed and click OK.

This brings up a window with the reaction forces at the nodes.

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