Creating a Cyclic Symmetry Property

A cyclic symmetry property defines the number of repeated sectors and the axis of rotation in a cyclically symmetric model (see Using Cyclic Symmetry in a Model for more information). The axis of rotation is the axis about which the modeled sector is rotated to generate the 360° model. You can define the axis of rotation by selecting a straight edge or a circular arc edge. If you select a straight edge, the edge directly defines the axis of rotation. If you select a circular edge, Abaqus for CATIA V5 uses the axis of the circular curve as the axis of rotation.

A cyclic symmetry property applies to the entire model; you cannot create cyclic symmetry properties for individual parts or bodies. You can create only one cyclic symmetry property in a finite element model. A cyclic symmetry property can be defined only in a Nonlinear Structural case.

This task shows you how to create a cyclic symmetry property.

  1. Click the Cyclic Symmetry Property icon .

    The Cyclic Symmetry Property dialog box appears, and a cyclic symmetry property object appears in the specification tree under the Nonlinear and Thermal Properties objects set.

  2. You can change the cyclic symmetry property identifier by editing the Name field. This name will be used in the specification tree.

  3. Select a straight or circular edge to define the axis of rotation. The Axis of rotation field is updated to reflect your selection.

  4. Enter the number of sectors in the full 360° model.

  5. Click OK in the Cyclic Symmetry Property dialog box.