Plot Types
The following table lists the available plot types, including links to the description of the properties and settings.
Table 21-11
below it lists the plot attributes: subnodes that you can add to certain plot types to modify or enhance the plot.
Table 21-10:
Plot Types
Name and Link
Description
Plot Attributes
Admittance Graph
Plot an admittance graph as a Smith plot. This plot requires the RF Module, AC/DC Module, MEMS Module, or Plasma Module.
Color Expression, Filter
Annotation
Add annotations to plots.
Deformation
Annotation Data
Plot raw point, text, and color data as annotations in 2D or 3D.
None
Arrow Data
Plot raw point, vector, and color data as arrows in 2D or 3D.
None
Arrow Line
Plot a vector quantity as arrows on lines or edges (3D).
Color Expression, Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Transparency (3D only)
Arrow Point
Plot a vector quantity as arrows at points.
Color Expression, Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Transparency (3D only)
Arrow Surface
Visualize a vector quantity in arrows.
Color Expression, Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Transparency (3D only)
Arrow Volume
Visualize a vector quantity as arrows in a volume.
Color Expression, Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Transparency
Contour (Plot)
Visualize a scalar quantity as a contour plot.
Color Expression, Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Height Expression (2D only), Transparency (3D only)
Coordinate System Volume, Coordinate System Surface, and Coordinate System Line
Plot coordinate systems for 2D and 3D models. Found on the More Plots submenu.
Deformation, Filter, Selection, Transparency (3D only)
Directivity
Plot the directivity as a plot for speakers, for example. This plot requires the Acoustics Module.
None
Function
Plot a function as a graph plot (1D) or surface plot (2D)
Filter, Height Expression (2D only)
Global
Plot a global scalar quantity as a function of time or a parameter.
Color Expression, Filter, Graph Marker
Histogram
Plot a histogram showing the distribution of a quantity.
Filter, Height Expression (2D only)
Image
Plot an image on the surface of a 2D or 3D geometry.
Deformation, Material Appearance, Transparency (3D only)
Impedance Graph
Plot an impedance graph as a Smith plot. This plot requires the RF Module, AC/DC Module, MEMS Module, or Plasma Module.
Color Expression, Filter
Impulse Response
Plot an impulse response plot. This plot requires the Acoustics Module.
Color Expression, Energy Decay
Interference Pattern
This plot shows the intensity on a cut plane resulting from the interference of multiple rays passing through the cut plane.
None
Isosurface (Plot)
Plot a scalar quantity as an isosurface plot.
Color Expression, Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Transparency
Layered Material Slice
Plot a layered material quantity as a slice plot at a specified through-thickness location. This plot requires the AC/DC Module, Composite Materials Module, Heat Transfer Module, or Structural Mechanics Module.
Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Transparency (3D only)
Line
Plot a quantity on lines — that is, boundaries in 2D or edges in 3D.
Deformation, Filter, Selection, Marker, Material Appearance, Height Expression (2D only), Transparency (3D only)
Line Data
Plot raw point, element, and color data as a line in 2D or 3D.
None
Line Graph
Plot a scalar quantity along a geometric line. The line can be an edge in the geometry, a parameterized curve, or a cut line.
Color Expression, Filter
Line Segments
Add line segments to 1D plots.
None
Matrix Histogram
Plot a quantity on lines, boundaries (2D), or edges (3D).
Deformation, Filter, Selection, and Height Expression (2D only)
Max/Min Volume, Max/Min Surface, Max/Min Line, Max/Min Point
Plot the maximum and minimum of an expression and the points where they are attained within the geometry. Found on the More Plots submenu.
Deformation, Filter, Selection, Transparency (3D only)
Matrix Histogram
Plot a precomputed matrix as a 2D histogram. For rainflow counting, for example, to be able to visualize how the stress amplitudes and mean stresses are distributed. This plot requires the Fatigue Module.
None
Mesh (Plot)
To display a mesh.
Deformation, Filter, Selection, Transparency (3D only)
Multislice
Display a scalar quantity on slices in multiple directions inside a 3D domain. Found on the More Plots submenu.
Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Transparency
Nyquist
Display a Nyquist plot, which shows the magnitude and phase of a frequency response.
Color Expression, Filter
Octave Band
Display an octave band plot to represent a frequency response in frequency bands.
None
Optical Aberration
Display a linear combination of Zernike polynomials based on the optical path difference of light rays as they are focused by a system of lenses and mirrors. This plot requires the Ray Optics Module.
Height Expression
Particle (Plot)
Plot a particle variable versus time for all particles, or plot one particle property versus another at a set of time steps. Available with 1D Plot Groups. This plot requires the Particle Tracing Module.
Color Expression and Filter
Particle Tracing
Visualize the trajectory of a massless particle subject to a flow field. Found on the More Plots submenu.
Color Expression and Deformation
Particle Tracing with Mass
Make a particle tracing plot considering the particle’s mass. Found on the More Plots submenu.
Color Expression and Deformation
Particle Trajectories
and
Filter for Particle Trajectories
Visualize the trajectories of particles computed by one of the Particle Tracing physics interfaces. This plot requires the Particle Tracing Module.
Color Expression, Deformation, Export Expressions, Filter, Material Appearance, Transparency (3D only)
Phase Portrait
Visualize particle traces using a phase portrait in 2D. Found under the More Plots submenu. This plot requires the Particle Tracing Module.
Color Expression, Material Appearance
Poincaré Map
Visualize particle traces as a Poincaré map in 2D, 2D axial symmetry, and 3D. Found on the More Plots submenu. This plot requires the Particle Tracing Module.
Color Expression, Material Appearance, Transparency
Point
Plot points in 2D and 3D.
Deformation, Export Expressions, Filter
Point Data
Plot raw point, element, and color data as points in 2D or 3D.
None
Point Graph
Visualize the value in a point along time or a parameter value. The point can be a point in the geometry or a cut point.
Color Expression, Filter, Graph Marker
Point Trajectories
and
Filter for Point Trajectories
Visualize the trajectories of points in 3D. Found on the More Plots submenu.
Color Expression, Deformation, Export Expressions, Filter, Material Appearance, Transparency (3D only)
Polarization
Plot the polarization state for diffraction orders, simulated for periodic structures.
Color Expression
Principal Stress Volume
Plot principal stress and strain in structural mechanics models. Found on the More Plots submenu.
Color Expression, Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection
Principal Stress Surface
Plot principal stress and strain in structural mechanics models. Found on the More Plots submenu.
Color Expression, Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection
Principal Stress Line
Plot principal stress and strain in structural mechanics models. Found on the More Plots submenu.
Color Expression, Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection
Radiation Pattern
Plot the value of a global variable for the radiation pattern of an electromagnetic or acoustic pressure field, for example.
Deformation, Export Expressions, Graph Marker (1D only), Material Appearance, Transparency (3D only)
Ray (Plot)
and
Filter for Ray and Ray Trajectories
Plot a ray variable versus time for all rays, or plot one ray property versus another at a set of time steps. Available with 1D Plot Groups. This plot requires the Ray Optics Module or the Acoustics Module.
Color Expression and Filter
Ray Trajectories
and
Filter for Ray and Ray Trajectories
Visualize the trajectories of rays computed by the Geometrical Optics interface or Ray Acoustics interface. This plot requires the Ray Optics Module or the Acoustics Module.
Color Expression, Deformation, Export Expressions, Filter, Material Appearance, Transparency (3D only)
Reflection Graph
Plot a reflection graph as a Smith plot. This plot requires the RF Module, AC/DC Module, MEMS Module, or Plasma Module.
Color Expression, Filter
Scatter Surface
Scatter Surface and Scatter Volume
Scatter surface plots, found on the More Plots submenu, visualize a scalar quantity as scattered spheres or disks. The radius of the spheres can be proportional to the value of a quantity.
Material Appearance
Scatter Volume
Scatter Surface and Scatter Volume
Scatter volume plots can be used as alternatives to arrow plots for scalar quantities or when to get a feeling for how entities correlate.
Material Appearance, Transparency
Slice
Display a scalar quantity on slices inside a 3D domain.
Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Transparency.
Spot Diagram
Display the positions of rays as they intersect an image plane. This plot includes some capability to automatically identify the image plane and compute the intersection points of rays that cross it.
Color Expression
Streamline
Plot a vector field as a streamline plot.
Color Expression, Deformation, Export Expressions, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Transparency (3D only)
Streamline Surface
Plot a vector field as a streamline plot on surfaces in 3D.
Color Expression, Deformation, Export Expressions, Filter, Material Appearance, Transparency
Surface (Plot)
Display a quantity on a 2D domain or a 3D boundary.
Deformation, Filter, Marker, Material Appearance, Selection, Transparency (3D plots), Height Expression (2D plots)
Surface Data
Plot raw point, element, and color data as a surface in 2D or 3D.
Material Appearance
Surface Slit
Display a quantity by evaluating one expression on one side and another expression on the other side on a 3D boundary.
Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Transparency
Table Annotation
Add annotations from a table to a plot.
Transparency (3D plots)
Table Graph
Table plots display data from a table with one line per output column.
None
Table Histogram
Plot a histogram showing the distribution of a quantity from a table or evaluation group.
Height Expression (2D only)
Table Surface
Used with 2D plot groups to visualize the data in a table that represents a matrix of values that are functions of two independent parameters.
Height Expression, Material Appearance
Through Thickness
Display the through-thickness variation of a layered shell quantity at specified points. This plot requires the AC/DC Module, Composite Materials Module, Heat Transfer Module, or Structural Mechanics Module.
Color Expression, Filter
Tube Data
Plot raw point, element, and color data as a tube in 2D or 3D.
None
Volume
To display a quantity inside a 3D domain.
Deformation, Filter, Marker, Material Appearance, Selection, and Transparency
Waterfall
Create a waterfall diagram, which is a plot that can illustrate how an expression depends on two parameters in a sweep. Found on the More Plots submenu,
Color Expression, Material Appearance, Transparency
Whirl
Display a plot of the mode shapes of a rotor rotated about the rotor axis at discrete rotation intervals. This plot type, found on the More Plots submenu, requires the Rotordynamics Module.
Color Expression, Material Appearance, Transparency
Cross Section Plots
*
1D, 2D, and 3D Cross-Section Point Plots
A point cross-section plot makes it easy to view an expression at an arbitrary set of spatial coordinates and results in a line plot.
*
2D Cross-Section Line Plots
and
3D Cross-Section Line Plots
Create lines through 2D and 3D geometries to visualize along the line. Also explains how to use the interactive cross-section toolbar buttons.
*
3D Cross-Section Surface Plot
Create planes through a 3D model in a 2D geometry to visualize on the plane. The cut plane corresponds to an orthogonal 2D coordinate system embedded in 3D. Also explains how to use the interactive cross-section toolbar buttons.
* Cross-section plots are not selected from this menu. Instead, these are created in two steps using datasets and plot groups to generate the plot or use interactive cross-section toolbar buttons.
Table 21-11:
Plot Attributes
Plot Attribute
Description
Add to these plot Types
Color Expression
To add coloring to the shapes defined by a plot.
Arrow (line, surface, and volume), contour, isosurface, particle tracing, particle trajectories, point trajectories, polarization, principal stress, ray, ray trajectories, streamline, streamline surface, and spot diagram.
Deformation
Deform the plot according to a vector quantity, for example, the displacement field in structural mechanics.
All plots except scatter plots.
Energy Decay
Energy decay for impulse response plots.
Impulse response plots.
Error Bars
Error bars for graph plots.
1D point graph and global plot.
Export Expressions
Add expressions for exporting data.
Streamline, streamline surface, radiation pattern, particle trajectories, point trajectories, and ray trajectories.
Filter
,
Filter for Particle Trajectories
,
Filter for Point Trajectories
, and
Filter for Ray and Ray Trajectories
Filter the element selection for a plot.
Admittance graph, arrow (line and surface), contour, coordinate system (line and surface), function (2D only), global, histogram. impedance graph, isosurface, line graph, line plot, matrix histogram, mesh, Nyquist, particle trajectories, point graph, point trajectories, principal stress, ray, ray trajectories, reflection graph, slice, streamline, streamline surface, surface, and volume.
Graph Marker
Markers such as minimum and maximum markers for graph plots.
1D point graph and global plot.
Height Expression
Height attributes introduce a 3D height on a 2D surface plot.
2D histogram and matrix histogram, 2D line plot, optical aberration, 2D surface plot, 2D table surface plot, and 2D function plot.
Image (Plot Attribute)
To add an image to a surface or volume,
3D volume plots, and 2D and 3D surface plots.
Marker
Minimum and maximum markers.
3D volume plots, 2D and 3D surface plots, and 2D and 3D line plots.
Material Appearance
Use a material appearance in plots.
3D volume, 2D and 3D surface, 2D and 3D arrow, 2D and 3D contour, image, isosurface, 2D and 3D layered material slice, 2D and 3D line, multislice, 2D and 3D particle trajectories, phase portrait, 2D and 3D principal stress, Poincaré map, 2D and 3D, 2D and 3D point trajectories, radiation pattern, 2D and 3D ray trajectories, scatter surface, scatter volume, slice, 2D and 3D streamline, surface data, surface slit, table surface, waterfall, and whirl plots.
Selection (Plot Attribute)
Add a selection of geometric entities for which to show the plot.
Arrow, contour, coordinate system (line, surface and volume), isosurface, line plot, multislice, principal stress, slice, streamline, surface, and volume plots.
Transparency
Add transparency to 3D plots.
Arrow, contour, coordinate system, isosurface, layered material slice, line, max/min, mesh, multislice, particle trajectories, Poincaré, point trajectories, radiation pattern, ray trajectories, scatter volume, slice, streamline, surface, surface slit, table annotation, volume, and whirl 3D plots.