Applying Electric Potentials

You can use an electric potential to define potential charges at each node of the underlying piezoelectric elements for a point, an edge, or a face. You can apply a single value to all points on the model or use mapped data to apply different values to specific points on the model.

This task shows you how to:

See Also
About Electric Potentials
Creating Tabular Amplitudes
In Other Guides
Creating Simulation Features
Support Selection
About Step-dependent Actions
Feature Manager

Applying Uniform Electric Potentials

You can apply an electric potential that has the same value for all points within the selected supports.

  1. From the Restraints section of the action bar, click Electric Potential .
  2. Optional: Enter a descriptive Name.
  3. Select one or more points, edges, or faces as the geometry supports in the model.
  4. From the Electric potential options, select Uniform.
  5. Enter a value in the Electric potential field.
  6. Optional: Enter a Scale factor that is applied to the magnitude in each step.
  7. Optional: Select an Amplitude that defines the magnitude during the step.
  8. Optional: Enter a Phase angle.

    The phase angle determines the real (in-phase) and imaginary (out-of-phase) parts of the magnitude. A phase angle of 0º indicates a value with no imaginary component.

    Note: Phase angles are available only for direct harmonic response steps.

  9. Click OK.

Applying Varied Electric Potentials with Mapped Data

You can apply an electric potential that has different values at different points on the model.

Before you begin: You must have your spatially mapped data prepared (for more information, see Spatially Varying Mapped Data.) The mapped data specifies different electric potential values at various points in space.
  1. From the Restraints section of the action bar, click Electric Potential .
  2. Optional: Enter a descriptive Name.
  3. Select one or more points, edges, or faces as the geometry supports in the model.
  4. From the Electric potential options, select Mapped spatial data.
  5. Click Table.
    The Electric Potential Distribution dialog box opens, where you can enter or import the mapped electric potential values.
  6. Enter the Electric potential outside the mapped region.

    This is a default electric potential value. The simulation attempts to map all the source data points and their associated electric potential values onto points in the target model. For any target points where the simulation cannot map to a source point, it substitutes this default value.

  7. From the Data source options, select one of the following:
    OptionDescription
    Table Opens a table where you can enter or import data to map electric potentials to points on the model.

    To import the data, right-click anywhere in the table and select Import. To enter the data manually, double-click in each cell and enter a value.
    Referenced document Accesses mapping data saved in a 3DEXPERIENCE document. Changes in the referenced document are taken into account every time you run the simulation.

    Click to search for an existing document.

    For more information about the mapped data file format, see Mapping Data File Formats.

  8. From the Axis system definition, select one of the following options to define the coordinates of the mapped data values:
    OptionDescription
    Global Aligns the local feature triad with the global coordinate system.
    Local Aligns the local feature triad with a selected axis system in the model.

    Using a custom local axis system simplifies the three-dimensional definition of points in space; the X-, Y-, Z-coordinates are interpreted in the context of the local coordinate system.

  9. Optional: Select Plot Data to display symbols that indicate the locations and magnitudes of the mapped values on the model.

    Tip: If you click any row in the data table, the corresponding source point is highlighted on the model.

  10. Optional: To adjust the search control parameters, expand Search tolerance.

    For descriptions of these parameters, see Mapping Search Controls and Mapping Search Control Options.

  11. Click OK to close the Electric Potential Distribution dialog box.
  12. Optional: Enter a Scale factor that is applied to the magnitude in each step.
  13. Optional: Select an Amplitude that defines the magnitude during the step.
  14. Optional: Enter a Phase angle.

    The phase angle determines the real (in-phase) and imaginary (out-of-phase) parts of the magnitude. A phase angle of 0º indicates a value with no imaginary component.

    Note: Phase angles are available only for direct harmonic response steps.

  15. Click OK.