Abaqus for CATIA V5 includes a powerful tool for identifying and creating common types of interactions between bodies in an assembled part or product. The interaction wizard simplifies the process of creating contact pairs and fastened pairs in a model. The wizard searches a model for geometric faces that lie within a specified separation distance, then creates either contact pairs (see Contact Pairs) or fastened pairs (see Creating Fastened Pairs) for every pair of detected faces; general analysis connections (see Creating General Analysis Connections) are also created automatically to act as supports for the contact pairs and fastened pairs. You can specify the areas of the model to search, the separation distance within which faces are likely to interact, the type of interaction that is created (contact pair or fastened pair), and the parameters assigned to each created interaction.

You can also use the interaction wizard to quickly review and modify any preexisting contact pairs and fastened pairs in a model.

Using the interaction wizard is a four-step process:

Each step in the process uses a unique dialog box. When you have completed the information in one dialog box, the next appropriate dialog box appears; you can also use the Back button to return to previous dialog boxes if necessary. Interactions are not added to the model while you are working in the interaction wizard. Once you are satisfied with the interactions defined in the wizard, click Finish to add them all simultaneously to the specification tree.

Using the Interaction Wizard: Creates contact pairs and fastened pairs for all model faces within a specified distance of each other.

The following topics cover the steps in using the interaction wizard:

• Defining Search Parameters for the Interaction Wizard

• Defining Default Interaction Parameters for the Interaction Wizard

• Reviewing and Creating Interactions Using the Interaction Wizard

• Editing Detected or Existing Interactions Using the Interaction Wizard