Creating unsorted node sets

You can use the Set toolset to create unsorted node sets. By default, a node set is always sorted in the order of the node labels. You can create an unsorted node set and easily control the node set content.

Context:

You can create unsorted node sets from native Abaqus nodes on a part that you have meshed in the Mesh module, from orphan mesh nodes, or from nodes on any instances of parts.

  1. From the main menu bar, select ToolsSetCreate.

    Tip: You can also click Create in the Set Manager.

    The Create Set dialog box appears. The dialog box lists the types of sets that you can create based on the part or assembly displayed in the current viewport.

  2. In the dialog box:
    1. Enter a name for the set. Part sets created on different parts can use the same name; however, assembly set names must be unique.
    2. Select Node as the set type, and toggle on Make unsorted set.
    3. Click Continue.

    If you create a node set on a native part, Abaqus/CAE automatically displays the mesh if it is not already visible. If you create a node set on a part instance or on a part that contains both native and orphan mesh components, you must use the Show native mesh tool in the Visible Objects toolbar to display and select items from the native portion of the mesh.

  3. In the Create Unsorted Node Set dialog box that appears, specify the nodes for the set.

    Use either of the following techniques:

    Select the nodes from the viewport
    1. Select one of the following methods to insert selections in the set definition table:

      • Select Individual to select nodes individually.
      • Select Along edges to select nodes along a feature edge. Abaqus/CAE proposes a direction for the node selection (indicated by an arrow) and prompts you to confirm the direction. If necessary, you can flip the direction.
      • Select Free to select nodes using any of a variety of general selection methods as described in Selecting objects within the current viewport.

      Click Add Before or Add After to begin making selections.

    2. If desired, repeat the preceding step to add additional nodes.

      The Add Before and Add After buttons determine where your selections will be added in relation to the currently highlighted line in the set definition table.

    3. Click Done in the prompt area.
      Abaqus/CAE displays the Create Unsorted Node Set dialog box; the part instances and nodes in your set are listed in the set definition table.
    Enter the node labels directly into the table

    In the Set Definition table, use standard keyboard and mouse editing techniques to insert, modify, or delete part instance names and node label expressions. If you do not know the part instance names in the model, use the Query toolset to query nodes in the viewport. For special table editing options, press mouse button 3. (For more information, see Entering tabular data.) A node label expression is either of the following:

    • A single node label; for example, 5.

    • A range of nodes that you specify with a starting and ending node label optionally followed by an increment; for example, 5:10 or 5:10:2.

    Select rows in the set definition table, and toggle on Highlight nodes in selected row to view node selections.
  4. If desired, order some or all of the contents of the set definition table according to a sorting expression.
    1. Select one or more rows in the set definition table.
    2. Specify the following settings to order the contents of the selected rows:

      • Sorting order: select Ascending or Descending.
      • Local system: select or create a coordinate system, if desired.
      • An expression in the field provided. Any valid Python expression can be used, referencing one or more valid parameters: "Label", "X", "Y", "Z", "R", "Th", or "P". (The actual valid parameters depend on the local system selected, if any, and are indicated in the dialog.) For example, the simple expression "X" will sort the indicated nodes according to the X coordinate of each node. More complex examples include "X*Y" and "Z if Label < 1000 else Label".

    3. Click Apply. The contents of the selected rows are ordered according to the expression and sorting order. Rows themselves are not reordered; you can use the right mouse button menu in the table to move rows up or down as needed.
  5. Click OK to commit the set definition.