The following commands operate on Model objects. For more information about the Model object, see “Model object,” Section 33.1.
import interaction
This method uses contact detection to create SurfaceToSurfaceContactStd, SurfaceToSurfaceContactExp, and Tie objects.
Required arguments
Optional arguments
A String specifying the prefix used to generate repository keys. The default value is "CP-"
A String specifying the name of the step in which the SurfaceToSurfaceContactStd, SurfaceToSurfaceContactExp, and Tie objects are created. The default value is "Initial."
A SymbolicConstant MODEL or a sequence of Strings specifying the names of instances to search. MODEL indicates the whole model is searched. The default value is MODEL.
A SymbolicConstant specifying the default type of object to create. Possible values are CONTACT, CONTACT_STANDARD, CONTACT_EXPLICIT, and TIE. If CONTACT is used, the behavior is determined by the type of Step in the model. If an ExplicitDynamicsStep or TempDisplacementDynamicsStep exists, then SurfaceToSurfaceContactExp is created by default. Otherwise SurfaceToSurfaceContactStd is created by default. The default value is CONTACT.
A String specifying the name of the ContactProperty object associated with any interactions created.
A Float specifying the maximum separation for considering two surfaces to be candidates for contact, where separation is the maximum distance between the points of closest approach on the two surfaces. The default value is a function of the model.
None or a Float specifying the angle for extending surface definitions to include adjacent faces. The default value is 20.
None or a Float specifying the angle for merging adjacent contact pairs which lie within the angle. The default value is 20.
A Boolean specifying whether to include surface pairs within a single instance. The default value is OFF.
A Boolean specifying whether to assign a name to each surface found. The default value is ON.
A Boolean specifying whether to create a surface that is the union of all master surfaces found. The default value is OFF.
A Boolean specifying whether to create a surface that is the union of all slave surfaces found. The default value is OFF.
A Boolean specifying whether to create a surface that is the union of all master and slave surfaces found. The default value is OFF.
A Boolean specifying whether to include planar geometry. The default value is ON.
A Boolean specifying whether to include cylindrical, spherical and toric geometry. The default value is ON.
A Boolean specifying whether to include spline-based geometry. The default value is ON.
A Boolean specifying whether to include solid mesh entities. The default value is ON.
A Boolean specifying whether to include shell mesh entities. The default value is ON.
A Boolean specifying whether to include mesh membrane entities. The default value is OFF.
A Boolean specifying whether to include overclosed pairs. The default value is ON.
A Boolean specifying whether to include opposing geometry surfaces that do not overlap. The default value is OFF.
A SymbolicConstant USE_GEOMETRY or USE_MESH specifying whether to locate pairs in meshed geometry using the geometric entities or mesh entities. The default value is USE_GEOMETRY.
A Boolean specifying whether to account for shell thickness and offset during contact detection. The default value is ON.
A SymbolicConstant specifying whether to use surface smoothing for geometric surfaces in SurfaceToSurfaceContactStd interactions. Possible values are NONE and AUTOMATIC. The default value isAUTOMATIC.
Return value
None
Exceptions
This method returns a list of all possible contacts that can be created using the ContactDetection method.
Required arguments
Optional arguments
The optional arguments to getSurfaceSeparation are the same as the arguments to the ContactDetection method, with the exception of the createStepName, defaultType, interactionProperty, and nameEachSurfaceFound arguments.
Return value
Tuple of tuples, where each tuple holds information, to be used in contact creation as follows:
A string specifying the name of the master surface used in contact.
A string specifying the name of the slave surface used in contact.
A float specifying the separation distance between the master surface and the slave surface.
A boolean specifying whether or not contact surfaces are overclosed.
Exceptions