Mapped fields indicate points in space using coordinates of the global coordinate system or a local coordinate system. For a point cloud data source, different coordinate systems can be involved when the mapped data coordinates are interpreted and applied to the property, load, predefined field, or interaction. When analytical field values (point cloud data in grid format) referring to a cylindrical or spherical coordinate system are used to map a field variable, Abaqus/CAE converts the values in the cylindrical or spherical coordinate system into corresponding discrete values in the Cartesian coordinate system.
Source data local coordinate system
The three-dimensional coordinates and field values are all defined in the local coordinate system. You can specify the coordinate system to use in the Create Mapped Field dialog box. This is an assembly-level (not part-level) coordinate system.
If you use a rectangular coordinate system (default), Abaqus/CAE uses X-, Y-, and Z-coordinates to interpret the source data points. If you specify a cylindrical or spherical coordinate system, Abaqus/CAE interprets the coordinates as shown in Table 1. The columns shown in the data table of the Create Mapped Field dialog box depend on the type of local coordinate system that you choose. For cylindrical and spherical coordinate systems, the values for Th and P are entered in degrees and during the analysis are converted to radians in the range from to .
Table 1. Coordinate system types and coordinate names for mapped fields.
Coordinate system type
Coordinates
Columns shown in data table
Rectangular or Global (default)
X-, Y-, and Z-axes
X, Y, Z
Cylindrical
R-, -, and Z-axes
R, Th, Z
Spherical
R-, -, and -axes
R, Th, P
Source data defined in part space
You can choose this option by toggling on Supplied data are defined in part space in the Create Mapped Field dialog box. The source data and its local coordinate system are both interpreted in the part-level coordinate system of the target model region.