Local Coordinate Systems

Local coordinate systems may be used for the input of FEMGEN geometry and for 'skewing' rigid constraint definitions to produce, for example, radial constraints on a curved geometry or normal constraints on a 'skewed' geometry. Local coordinate systems will also affect MPC definitions (see chapter 5) and some load definitions (see chapter 7).

Local coordinate systems are created using the command 'CONSTRUCT COORDSYS ...', and attached to a part or set using the command 'PROPERTY ATTACH ...'. The interface produces a node set for each coordinate system attachment using '*NSET' cards, and then defines and attaches the local system to the node set using a '*TRANSFORM' card.

For example, the following FEMGEN commands:

CONSTRUCT COORDSYS CYLINDRIC CS1 P1 P2 P3
PROPERTY ATTACH L14 CS CS1

Would be mapped to the following ABAQUS cards:

*NSET, NSET=L14 
   25   26    1
*TRANSFORM, NSET=L14 , TYPE=C
 0.5010000 , 0.5000000 , 0.0000000 , 0.5000000 , 0.5000000 , 0.5000000