Measuring the Mass and Inertia of the FEM

You can measure the mass and inertia of the finite element model.

Before you begin: Ensure that all entities contributing to the mass have updated mesh and section assignments.
  1. From the Tools section of the action bar, select Measure inertia .
  2. From the Mode options, select Volume.
  3. From the tree, select the item to measure.

    The pointer changes from to when you hover over an FEM that you can measure.

  4. Read the results in the Measure inertia window.
    • When you measure the mass and inertia of the FEM, the calculation is based on the mesh and all relevant model data (such as section properties and nonstructural masses). This calculation is identical to that done by the measure results tool that you can use in Model Plots mode. For more information, see Structural Model Creation: Querying Model Properties.
    • When you measure a part or product, the tool calculates the volume and area based on the geometry. The mass and inertia calculations do not include any model data. For more information, see Assembly Design: Measuring Inertia.