The Simulation Setup tab contains all the controls necessary to set up a simulation. Quick simulation options are directly available on this tab, while more advanced settings can be accessed from this tab.

The title block allows the user to change the title of the simulation, allowing for organization and easy retrieval of a unique simulation.

The material section allows the user to set the material of a part or assembly. For an assembly, the user can either choose to assign one material to all the parts using the pull down menu or select the “Set Multiple Materials” tab to assign different materials to various parts in the assembly. For more on materials, see Supported Materials and Assemblies.

The resolution slider allows the user to increase the number of integration elements. The default is 100000 elements. Checking “Show basis functions” displays a grid on the model. Notice that as you move the slider to the right, the grid is refined (smaller boxes). The grid becomes coarser (larger boxes) as you decrease the number of elements.

Use the pull down menu to select the desired “up direction,” considering the orientation of the model. This is necessary for application of a scenario type. For example, the “up direction” specifies that gravity will act in the negative “up direction,” or down. Any of the axes options shown in Figure 3 can be selected. Use the coordinate system to assign the correct direction.

The “unit system for forces” pull down menu allows the user to choose which units to work in. Both SI and English units are available with small scale and large scale options for each.