By default, Abaqus/CAE automatically computes the minimum and maximum values shown in your contour plot. Automatic computation does not apply if you have set limits for both the minimum and maximum contour values.
For contour plots of nodal field output variables, the limits are the minimum and maximum nodal values. For quilt-type contour plots, the limits are the minimum and maximum element face values.
For line-, banded-, or isosurface-type contours of element field output variables, the limits are based on the values from individual elements extrapolated to and averaged at the nodes. The range may vary due to changes in the results averaging options. To learn how to control the averaging options, see “Controlling result averaging,” Section 42.6.6.
For animations of contour plots, you can control which contour limits are used in each frame of the animation. You can choose to always use the auto-computed limits from the first and last frame, to always use the auto-computed limits from the current frame, or to recompute the limits for each frame.
To control how Abaqus computes contour limits:
Locate the Auto-Computed Limits options.
Select Options
Contour from the main menu bar or click 
in the toolbox; then click the Limits tab in the dialog box that appears. The Auto-Computed Limits options are in the lower half of the page.
Choose one of the following options for animation contour limits:
Select Use first and last frame limits to use the auto-computed contour limits from the first and last frame for each frame of the animation.
Select Use current frame limits to use the auto-computed contour limits from the current frame for each frame of the animation.
Select Recompute limits for each frame to recompute the contour limits for each frame of the animation based on the result values for the frame.
Select Use limits from all frames to recompute the auto-computed contour limits from all frames of the animation.
Click Apply to implement your changes.
Contour limits for each frame of animations generated for the contour plot in the current viewport will be determined based on the option you selected. The contour legend, if active, changes to show the limits Abaqus computes.
By default, your changes are saved for the duration of the session and will affect all subsequent contour plots. If you want to retain your changes for subsequent sessions, save them to a file. For more information, see “Saving customizations for use in subsequent sessions,” Section 55.1.1.
