Standard Sequence of Operations For ALGOR Beam Editor

1. Draw the Model Using Superdraw II

After completing the model geometry, use the Superdraw II "Modify:Update" command to:

• Assign different group numbers to beams with different material properties.
• Assign different layer numbers to beams with different cross-sectional (area) properties.
• Assign colors to beams to define the orientation of the beams. Orientations not in the global +X, +Y, +Z, -X, -Y, -Z can be defined using circles within Superdraw II. For many beam problems, the beams are all made from the same materials and the orientation can be such that axis 2 on non-vertical beams points in the +Y direction and axis 2 on the vertical beams points in the -X direction. For these cases, you can use Superdraw II group 1 and color 1. You then use different layers for beams which will have different sectional properties.

2. Transfer to BEdit

After drawing the model in Superdraw II, use the Superdraw II Transfer menu and select "B)BEdit". If you have not saved the model, you will be asked if you want to save the model, just press Enter. If you have not named the model, you will be asked for a name, type the model name and press Enter. The Superdraw II Transfer command instructs BEdit to convert the lines from the Superdraw II drawing file into finite element nodes and beams. The BEdit Add/Mod menu is used to add:

• Node Boundary Conditions (Node BC).
• Forces, Moments and Gravity. These are associated with a load case. To add a load case, use the F5(Current) function key and select "Add case".
• Material and Sectional properties.

3. Run the Selected Processor

After the model has been set up, select "run sap0" for linear stress analysis, "run sap0G" for a gap analysis or "run sap1" for a modal analysis from the BEdit Transfer Menu. BEdit displays the name of the current model and starts the selected processor.

4. Return to BEdit

5. View Results in BEdit

Select "Post" from the BEdit menu. Select "Both" to view both the original model and the deflected model. If the (scaled) deflection is too small or too large, select "Scale" to change the scale. Select "Yield str" to view stresses. Initially, beams with P/A less than zero (compressed) are highlighted. Select "Yield h1" and enter a number less than the displayed maximum stress to highlight all beams with stresses greater than that value. If boundary elements were used to obtain the forces and moments on constrained nodes, use the "Ele bdry" option from the POST menu. In the GET BDRY menu, clicking on a boundary element displays the force and moment on that element.

6. Modify the Model in BEdit and Reanalyze

Often, you will want to try different boundary conditions or different forces on the same model. Press F9(Top) to return to the main menu and select "Add/Mod" for the ADD/MOD menu. Select submenus from the ADD/MOD menu and modify the appropriate items. You probably want to use "F9:Files:save As" to save this model under a different name in case you want to compare the old and new results. After saving the model under a new name, select the desired processor from the Transfer menu and reanalyze the model. Then follow the steps in the Return to BEdit and View the Results in BEdit sections to restart BEdit and analyze the results.

7. Return to Superdraw II for Further Changes

After the preliminary analysis, you may want to change the geometry of the model, change the orientation of some of the beams or change the "property groupings" of the beams. To make these changes, you need to edit the original drawing file. From the BEdit Transfer menu, you can choose the "Draw(Sd2)" option to return to the drawing file. The following Superdraw II commands may be useful:

"Modify:Update:Color"

The color is related to orientation.

"Modify:Update:Layer"

The layer is related to sectional property.

"Modify:Update:Group"

The group is related to material property.

"Construct:Divide"

To divide a single beam (line) into multiple beams (lines).

"Modify:Delete"

Delete lines to change the geometry.

"Add:Line"

Add lines to change the geometry.

"Construct:Clean:Duplicate"

Eliminate duplicate beams between the same nodes.

"Construct:Clean:Set tol"

Set tolerance for current geometry.

After making the modifications to the Superdraw file, you may want to use the "Files:save As" command to change the name of the model. Then use the "Transfer: B)BEDIT" command to start BEdit and convert the drawing model into a finite element model. After the model has been loaded into BEdit, use the BEdit command "Files:Prop load" and enter the name of the original model If you didn't change the name of the model in Superdraw II, then the original model name should be on the file prompt line so just press Enter. The "Files:Prop load" command causes BEdit to merge the boundary conditions, forces, moments, material properties, sectional properties, end releases and boundary elements from an existing file. BEdit uses the following rules for merging:

• If the position of a merge node is within the Superdraw II tolerance value of an existing node, the forces, moments, boundary conditions and boundary elements connected to the merge node will be applied to the existing node.
• End releases from the merge file are applied to a beam if one node of the merge beam matches the node of an existing beam and the directions are the same within the Superdraw II tolerance. Consequently, you will not have to re-enter data for nodes which are the same in the new model and the old model.
  Uniform loads from the merge files are applied if the endpoints of the merge beam match an existing beam within the Superdraw II tolerance.
  

After using the "Files:Prop load" command, the BEdit "Add/Mod" option is used to make any additional changes and the steps.

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