15.8.1 Connection types

Table 15–3 summarizes the connection types available when creating connector sections. You can define basic, assembled, complex, and MPC connection types.

Table 15–3 Connection types.

Basic Types		Assembled/Complex Types	MPC Types
Translational	Rotational	Assembled/Complex Types	MPC Types
Accelerometer	Align	Beam	Beam
Axial	Cardan	Bushing	Elbow
Cartesian	Constant Velocity	CV Joint	Link
Join	Euler	Cylindrical	Pin
Link	Flexion-Torsion	Hinge	Tie
Proj. Cartesian	Flow-Converter	Planar	User-defined
Radial-Thrust	Proj. Flex-Tors.	Retractor
Slide-Plane	Revolute	Slip Ring
Slot	Rotation	Translator
	Rotation-Accelerometer	U Joint
	Universal	Weld

Basic types

Basic connection types include translational types and rotational types. Translational types affect translational degrees of freedom at both endpoints of the wires to which the connector section is assigned and may affect rotational degrees of freedom at the first points of the wires. Rotational types affect only rotational degrees of freedom at both endpoints of the wires. You can use a single basic connection type (translational or rotational) or one translational and one rotational type.

Assembled types

Assembled connection types are predefined combinations of basic connection types.

Complex types

Complex connection types affect a combination of degrees of freedom in the connection and cannot be combined with other connection types. They typically model highly coupled physical connections.

MPC types

MPC connection types are used to define multi-point constraints between two points.

For a description of each connection type and the equivalent basic connection types that define the kinematic constraints of assembled type connections, see “Connection-type library,” Section 31.1.5 of the Abaqus Analysis User's Guide, and “General multi-point constraints,” Section 35.2.2 of the Abaqus Analysis User's Guide.