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Additional Post-Processing Options
Explore additional post-processing options related to the input result files.
Results
Explore the various result plotting tools for the imported result files.
Contour
Use the Contour tool to create contour plots of a model and graphically visualize the analysis results.

Welcome
What's New
View new features for HyperLife 2024.1.
Get Started
Learn the basics and discover the workspace.
Tutorials
Discover HyperLife functionality with interactive tutorials.
Fatigue Analysis Overview
Fatigue Analysis is intended for solutions to structures in a large number of loading cycles.
Setup Analysis
Set up your model for analysis.
Evaluate
Run the model and view results.
Manage Files and Data
Create, open, import, and save models.
Additional Post-Processing Options
Explore additional post-processing options related to the input result files.
- Query
  Explode the model and create derived load cases.
- Sets
  Use the Sets tool to create, import, and export sets/groups of components (parts), elements, and nodes.
- Display/Visualization
  Explore the various display and visualization tools.
- Results
  Explore the various result plotting tools for the imported result files.
  - Animate Models
    View your model in motion using animation controls.
  - Contour
    Use the Contour tool to create contour plots of a model and graphically visualize the analysis results.
    - Create and Manage Contour Plots
      Learn about creating and managing contour plots.
    - Color Band Generation
      A contour plot generates color bands on the model, based on the values found in the results file.
    - Additional Comments
    - Layers
      Layers allow you to display a contour for a specified element layer when a layer definition is available for an element.
    - Value Filter
      The Value filter available in the Contour panel allows you to specify threshold criteria for processing results only in a specific range.
    - Composites Post-processing
      Composites post-processing is enhanced in HyperLife with the reorganization of ply results as layers.
    - Cache Results
      After a contour plot has been applied in the Contour panel, the Cache feature will become active and allow you to add the currently active contour result to an internal cache.
    - Mid-side Node Elemental Results in Contour
      Mid-side nodes refers to the nodes in between the corner nodes of the 2nd order elements.
    - Post-process Abaqus Stress Results
  - Iso
    Use the Iso tool to display single iso values (iso surfaced for solids or iso line for shells) dependent on results data.
  - Vector
    Use the Vector tool to set options for a vector plot.
  - Tensor
    Use the Tensor tool to view tensor plots of stress and strain directions and magnitudes for various solvers from elemental values.
  - Edit Legend
    The Edit Legend dialog allows you to change the legend properties.
  - Graphical Editing of the Legend and Iso-slider
    You can edit the contour, vector, or tensor plot legend in the graphics area.
  - Complex Results
    Results in some analysis types come as complex numbers.
  - Computed Results
    A listing of results that are computed in HyperLife.
  - Nodal Averaging of Elemental Results
    Nodal averaging of elemental results at a node refers to the average of all the element corner results passing through that node.
  - Averaging Options
    The averaging options allow you to limit the averaging of results to only a group of elements that are considered to be bound by same feature angle or face.
- Annotate Model Results
  Annotate model results using Notes and Measures.
- Expression Builder
  The Expression Builder is a graphical user interface which allows user-defined data type expressions to be authored directly within HyperLife.
- Systems
  Create your own user defined coordinate systems or select result coordinate systems.
Verification Problems
Explore verification problems for SN and EN with time series loading.

View All Altair HyperWorks Help

Contour

Use the Contour tool to create contour plots of a model and graphically visualize the analysis results.

Note: The HyperLife Results Explorer assists in contouring the calculated fatigue results (Damage, Life, etc.) and plotting the Damage/Rainflow matrix. The imported FE static results (Stress, Displacement) or the FE Subcases can be contoured via the Contour Panel.

The options in the panel will vary, depending on the type of model and results files that are loaded:

Select from the various options available for: result type, element layer, entity selection, resolved in (result coordinate system), show midside node results, averaging method, averaging options, and envelope trace plot.
Select and enter value filter options.
Set the display options for the contour plot which is automatically applied to the model.
Enter the legend threshold options.
Manage the result display controls.

When you are finished making all your selections, you can create a contour plot by clicking Apply in the lower middle section of the panel.

After a contour is applied, you can click Cache to add this result to an internal cache. This can be used to cache all of the results that are likely to be viewed multiple times in a given session, thereby avoiding re-computation and allowing you faster switching between scalar results. See the Caching Results topic for additional information.