EDEM Analyst

EDEM Analyst is the post-processor used to analyze and visualize the results of your simulation.

Use EDEM Analyst to:

Configure and control the EDEM simulation engine
Play back the simulation, graph results, save a still image, and create a video or export data

The Analyst Tree
The Viewer
Section Details
Analyst Toolbar and Menu Bar
The Data Browser

The Analyst Tree

The Analyst Tree is displayed on the left side of the EDEM window and comprises five sections - Display, Setup Selections, Tools, Clipping, and Field. Right-click the Analyst Tree to expand/collapse all the corresponding subsections.

The Viewer

The Viewer displays 3D representations of your particles, Geometry, and fields (if applicable). The rotation, position, and zoom factor of the Viewer are controlled using the mouse. There are a number of animation controls displayed below the Viewer.

Section Details

The Section Details space contains all the information and configuration options for each section of the Analyst Tree. The options displayed within the Section Details correspond to the section or subsection being highlighted in the Analyst Tree.

The Tool Bar and Menu Bar


Icon	Name	Description
	Creator	Opens EDEM Creator
	Simulator	Opens EDEM Simulator
	Analyst	Opens EDEM Analyst
	Open	Opens an existing model
	3D Viewer	Opens the 3D Viewer
	Create Graph	Opens the Graph creator
	Help	Displays the online Help
	Jump to Start	Moves to the first Time Step in the simulation
	Animate Backwards	Changes Time Steps backwards continuously
	Step Backwards	Moves a step backwards
	Stop Animation	Stops the animation
	Step Forwards	Moves a step backwards
	Animate Forwards	Changes Time Steps forwards continuously
	Jump to End	Moves to the last Time Step in the simulation
	Record Animation	Records the animation
	Save View	Saves the current view settings
	Delete View	Deletes the current view settings
	Start Coupling Server	Starts the Coupling Server
	Coupling Server Disabled	Disables the Coupling Server
	Server Awaiting Connection	Indicates that the Coupling Server has started but not connected
	Server Connected	Indicates that the Coupling Server is connected
	Stop Server	Stops the Coupling Server
	Add Text	Adds text to the Viewer
	Delete Text	Delete text from the Viewer
	Add Selection	Adds a selection to the analysis
	Manual Selection	Adds a manual selection to the analysis
	Grid Bin Group	Adds a Grid bin
	Geometry Bin	Adds a Geometry bin
	Add Sensor Selection	Adds a Sensor Selection
	Mass Flow Sensor	Adds a Mass Flow sensor
	Total Mass Sensor	Adds a Total Mass sensor
	Velocity Profile Sensor	Adds a Velocity Profile sensor
	Segregation Sensor	Adds a Segregation sensor
	Density Sensor	Adds a Density sensor
	Imported Geometry Bin	Adds an imported Geometry bin
	Copy Selection Group	Copies the Selection group
	Delete Selection Group	Deletes the Selection group

Menu Bar


Tools > Options Menu
Additional Components
Coupling Options	RecurDyn Coupling Select the checkbox to view the Import Geometry from RecurDyn option after you right-click Geometries in the Creator Tree. This allows you to read a `*.wall` file generated by RecurDyn after which you can import a Geometry from RecurDyn. Once the Geometry is imported and the coupling interface is enabled, RecurDyn can control the Geometry motion. The forces experienced by these Geometries are passed back to RecurDyn, which then calculates any motions resulting from these forces.
Coupling Options	Enable FlexTire Select the checkbox to display the FlexTire options in the Geometry section. This functionality requires an additional license as it is a product developed by one of Altair's partners. For more information, contact your Altair Sales representative.
Solver Options	Solver Options Select the Experimental Contact Models checkbox to show the experimental models in the Physics section. These models have been built into the software, but are not considered to be widely suitable for industrial applications. It is recommended to exercise caution when using these models.
Data Browser
Color Options	Select the Text, Link, and Background colors to configure the color of the data browser text and background.
Display Options
Default View Projection options	Perspective Select this option to change the default 3D view to use the perspective projection automatically. The option to change the view to orthographic is available in the View toolbar.
Default View Projection options	Orthographic Select this option to change the default 3D view to use the perspective projection automatically. The option to change the view to perspective is available in the View toolbar.
Background Color	Select the fill color of the Viewer background. The background can be colored with a single color or gradient fill. The color change will affect EDEM Creator, Simulator, and Analyst.
User Logo	Select the Enable checkbox to display a custom logo.
Logo File Path	Click the … icon to browse to the path of the logo file.
Scaling in Width	Use the scaling options to position, scale, and specify the opacity as required.
Display	Select the Foreground or Background option to display the imported image in front or behind the 3D view.
File Locations
Materials Database	Browse to the location of the Materials database used to store and transfer materials to and from simulations.
GEMM Database	Browse to the location of the Generic EDEM Material Model database used to import to EDEM.
Contact Models	Browse to the location of the custom (user-defined) contact models. For more information about user-defined models, see the EDEM Programming Guide.
Particle Body Force	Browse to the location of custom (user-defined) particle body force models.
Particles	Browse to the location of particles saved independently of the model for reuse in other projects.
Factories	Browse to the location of any user-defined factories.
Geometry Import Temporary File Location Override	Select the checkbox to change the temporary file location used during the Geometry import process. Use this option only if there is an issue with using the default TEMP file location.
Alternate Windows import method	Select the checkbox when you import a file using Windows. A command line window is displayed and the command `hmbatch import` is executed, and you can view the output. However, the import operation is executed as normal.
Mouse 3D Configuration	These options allow you to modify the sensitivity of the 3D mouse in EDEM. These options allow you to adjust how much the model will move or rotate per movement of the space mouse.
Mouse Configuration
Camera Actions	Change the mouse button and modifier key to pan, track, zoom, and rotate the camera. Modifier keys assign keys to perform the specified camera action. Note: Select any unique combination of three mouse buttons and three keys for each motion.
Rotate on Axis	Change the mouse button and modifier key used to rotate on an axis. You can also set rotation on the model or screen axis for both horizontal and vertical rotations.
Bin Control	Select an option from the Bin Control Modifier dropdown list to change the color from blue to green. Select the Pan, Track, Axis Locked Rotation, and Free Rotation options using the Bin Control Modifier (default Ctrl) to move the bin.
Mouse Sensitivity	Select the Invert Zoom checkbox to switch the direction in which the scroll wheel zooms in or out.
Mouse Sensitivity	Select the Track and Zoom options to alter the mouse sensitivity independently. You can also specify modifier keys for each sensitivity setting.
Rendering Options
Render all using legacy display	Select the checkbox if EDEM cannot use the Computer Graphics Card. This is applicable when using Remote Desktop or EDEM on computers with out-of-date graphics card drivers.
Reduce new template details during camera movement	Select the checkbox to speed up the manipulation of the EDEM Viewer when using particle templates. Particles will be visualized as spheres while the view is being adjusted and then switch to templates when the view is fixed.
Display Templates	Select the 3D CAD files to be used as particle templates. You use templates as a guide (outline) to help define the shape of your particle in EDEM Creator as well as providing, if required, the shape for calculation of the Center of Gravity and mass moments of inertia, or as a display option in EDEM Analyst. When a model containing a particle template is saved, an extra file `(.ptf)` is created. If this file is deleted, the template information will no longer be stored within the model.
Section Options
Creator
Timestep on Switch	Select the Load Last checkbox to automatically load the last Time Step when you switch to the Creator automatically.
Hide Options	Select the Hide Electrostatics checkbox to hide the options specific to the Electrostatics model in EDEM Creator.
Simulator
Compress Save Data	Select the checkbox to compress the simulation data as it is saved to minimize file size. Unselecting this option will reduce the time taken to save the simulation data but increase the file size.
Show Licensed CPUs	Select the checkbox to show the number of CPUs available on the license. These may be CPU’s that the machine has (indicated by the values colored red) and allows you to set up a simulation to run on a machine with more CPU cores than the machine used to create the simulation.
Timestep on Switch	Select the Load Last checkbox to view the last Time Step when switching to the Simulator. By default, the current Time Step is displayed.
Particle Size Distribution Solver Graph	Select Enable the Particle Size Distribution Solver Graph in the Solve report. This is updated during the simulation and displays the defined factory particle size distribution versus the actual size distribution in the model.
Number of Histogram Bars	Select the number of Histogram bars to be displayed from the dropdown list.
Analyst
Timestep on File Load	Select the Load Last option to load models into EDEM Analyst with the last Time Step appearing first.
Timestep on File Load	Select the Load First option to load models into EDEM Analyst with the first Time Step appearing first.
Display	Select the Auto Update Display checkbox to automatically toggle between updating the display when changing display properties, or an Apply button that must be first selected.
	Select the Axis Key checkbox to turn the display of the Axis key in the Viewer on or off.
	Select the Domain Box checkbox to turn the display of the boundary box (marking the domain edges) in the Viewer on or off.
	Select the Timestamp checkbox to turn the display of the time stamp in the Viewer on or off.
Data Export Defaults	Select the default format from the Notation dropdown list when exporting data using the data export tool. Options are Smart, Fixed-Point, and Scientific.
Data Export Defaults	Select the corresponding default precision from the Precision dropdown list when exporting data using the data export tool.
Suppress Warning Messages	Select the Suppress Deprecated Contact Model Warning Messages checkbox to hide warning messages about deprecated contact models. This reduces the number of times you will see a warning message if you are using these deprecated contact models for simulations. However, you will not see any future warnings about them being removed or other models which are marked as deprecated.
Simulator Engine
Engine Default Settings	Select an engine from the Default Engine dropdown list. Options are: CPU Solver and GPU CUDA Solver. Note: In EDEM Simulator, you can modify the default engine after which this information is stored for every simulation in the `simulation_name.dfg` file. While opening existing simulations, the engine that is displayed will have the last saved setting for the simulation.
Engine Default Settings	Default Number Of Cores allows you to specify the default number of cores. When starting a new simulation, EDEM uses the default number of the Maximum Cores available on the local PC. This can be specified once for every user after which EDEM will use the default setting.
Units	Select Set All to SI to use the Système International Units System throughout EDEM.
Units	Select Set All to CGS to use the Centimeter–Gram–Second system throughout EDEM.


File Menu
Open	Opens an existing model
Truncate File	Removes sections of data from your model
Export
Simulation Deck	Allows you to export single, full, Time Steps from your simulation to create a copy as a new EDEMsimulation deck (you cannot export from partial save Time Steps). Exporting a deck allows it to be transferred to another location and run using identical simulation parameters.
Results Data	Allows you to export specific data for analysis
Continuum Data	Allows you to export force data on a specific Geometry in a text format suitable for Continuum analysis
HyperMesh Data	Allows you to export pressure and force data on a specific Geometry in a text format suitable for HyperMesh import
SimSolid Data	Allows you to export force data on a specific Geometry in a text format suitable for SimSolid import
ANSYS Workbench Data	Allows you to export pressure and force data on a specific Geometry in a text format suitable for ANSYS Workbench import
Data to STL	Allows exports of Geometries and particles to a CAD file
Breakage Particle Size Distribution	Allows export of the size distribution of particles produced when using the breakage model
Image	Allows you to save a copy of the image currently displayed in the Viewer
Print Image	Prints a copy of the image currently displayed in the Viewer
Run EDEMpy Script
	Runs an EDEMpy Analyst script by navigating to File > Run EDEMpy script. You can select a previously generated EDEMpy script and the additional arguments used in the script can be passed to Python in the Arguments section.
Import Config	Imports a config (`*.dfg`) file
Export Config	Exports a config (`*.dfg`) file
Creator	Starts EDEM Creator
Simulator	Starts EDEM Simulator
Analyst	Starts EDEM Analyst
Recent Files	Displays a list of recently opened files
Quit	Exits EDEM


View Menu
Themes	Select Legacy (default) or Dark Theme for the EDEM interface
Toggle Display Command Line Output	Select to display command line output


Displays Menu
Show 1 Display	Shows the EDEM window in a single display.
Show 2 Displays	Shows the EDEM window in two viewer displays to review different view-points of the model within each window
Show 3 Displays	Shows the EDEM window in three viewer displays to review different view-points of the model within each window
Show 4 Displays	Shows the EDEM window in four viewer displays to review different view-points of the model within each window
Split Display Horizontally	Splits the displays horizontally so that simulations may be simultaneously reviewed qualitatively and quantitatively on the same display
Split Display Vertically	Splits the displays vertically so that simulations may be reviewed both qualitatively and quantitatively on the same display


Help Menu
Help	Displays information about the EDEM interface
About EDEM	Displays the current version of EDEM. The EDEM Version and Revision number are useful for EDEM Technical Support when discussing support cases.
About Altair Simulation Products	Displays the Copyright notices, Altair website, License Agreements, and Customer Support information.

The Data Browser

The Data Browser is a .html page that displays detailed information about your model. The information displayed differs between the Creator, Simulator, and Analyst. Right-click the Data Browser and select Save to save the information in an .html file.

The Data Browser comprises the following sections:


Section	Description
Description	Available in the Project section of the Analyst Tree
General	Gravity Displays details of the gravity acting in your model as specified in the Globals pane
	Materials Lists all the materials used in the model and their properties, as specified in the Materials Editor
	Energy Displays the total energy in the model at the current time, which is the sum total of the kinetic energy, potential energy, and the energy in any contacts taking place
	Dimensions Displays the number of dimensions in your domain
Geometry	Domain Lists the dimensions of the domain as specified in the Geometry pane
	Sections Lists each section(model) and its properties
	Geometry Totals Aggregates the details of the number of elements that make up each section of the Geometry
Particles	Particles Lists each particle type used in the model and their properties as specified in the Particles pane. The details of each surface within the particle are also listed.
	Factories Lists the details of each factory used in the model and their properties as specified in the Factory pane. The total number of particles created by each factory is also listed.
	Particle totals Lists the total number of particles in the model at the current time. Totals for each particle type are also listed.
Contacts	Interactions Lists the interaction types taking place in the model as specified in the Materials Editor.
Contacts	Contacts Lists the total number of contacts in progress at the current time. The contacts are broken down into contact types. For example, the number of particle A - particle B contacts or particle B - surface A contacts. The total number of collisions that have taken place during the Time Step are also listed.
Bonds	Bond Totals Lists the total number of bonds, total number of intact and broken bonds, and the number of bonds intact/broken between particle pairs
Selections	List all Selections Displays links to pages with information on the selection and its associated queries, list of particles, and Geometry elements (if applicable)