FE Joints Panel

Use the FE joints panel to create, review, or update joint elements. A joint element is a definition of a connection between two rigid bodies. Joint elements store a property and orientation information.

Location: Analysis page > Safety module

Joint elements are config 22 and are displayed with lines between the appropriate nodes and the letter J between nodes 1 and 3 of the element. The type of a joint element controls the number of nodes contained in the element. The type also controls the orientation information formats available. The type of an element CANNOT be changed or selected using the Element Types panel.
Type Type Name # nodes Orientation Solver Interface
1 Spherical joint
Figure 1.
2 none/systems/nodes LS-DYNA, PAM-CRASH 2G
2 Revolute joint
Figure 2.
4 none/systems LS-DYNA
3 Cylindrical joint
Figure 3.
4 none/systems LS-DYNA
4 Planar joint
Figure 4.
4 none/systems LS-DYNA
5 Universal joint
Figure 5.
4 none/systems LS-DYNA
6 Translational joint
Figure 6.
6 none/systems LS-DYNA
7 Locking joint
Figure 7.
6 none/systems LS-DYNA
8 Ball joint 2 none OptiStruct
9 Fixed joint 2 none OptiStruct
10 Revolute joint 2 node/vector/coordinates OptiStruct
11 Translational1 joint 2 node/vector/coordinates OptiStruct
12 Cylindrical 1 joint 2 node/vector/coordinates OptiStruct
13 Universal joint 2 node/vector/coordinates OptiStruct
14 Constant_velocity joint 2 node/vector/coordinates OptiStruct
15 Planar joint 2 node/vector/coordinates OptiStruct
16 Inline joint 2 node/vector/coordinates OptiStruct
17 Perpendicular joint 2 node/vector/coordinates OptiStruct
18 Parallel axes joint 2 node/vector/coordinates OptiStruct
19 Inplane joint 2 node/vector/coordinates OptiStruct
20 Orient joint 2 node/vector/coordinates OptiStruct
21 Point_to_curve joint 2 node/vector/coordinates OptiStruct
22 Curve_to_curve joint 2 node/vector/coordinates OptiStruct
23 Point_to_deformable_curve joint 2 node/vector/coordinates OptiStruct
24 Point_to_deformable_surface joint 2 node/vector/coordinates OptiStruct
25 Translational_2N joint 2 none/systems PAM-CRASH 2G
26 Revolute_2N joint 2 none/systems PAM-CRASH 2G
27 Cylindrical_2N joint 2 none/systems PAM-CRASH 2G
28 Universal_2N joint 2 none/systems PAM-CRASH 2G
29 Flexion-Torsion joint 2 none/systems PAM-CRASH 2G
30 Planar_2N joint 2 none/systems PAM-CRASH 2G
31 General joint 2 none/systems PAM-CRASH 2G
32 Bracket joint 2 none/systems PAM-CRASH 2G
33 Free joint 2 none/systems PAM-CRASH 2G

Create Subpanel

Option Action
joint type Choose the joint type to create.
orientation Select the orientation type.

Only appears in the PAM-CRASH 2Gsolver interface.

nodes Select the appropriate number of nodes for the selected element.

Update Subpanel

Changing Types
Changing a spherical joint that uses orientation nodes to any other joint type causes the orientation value to be set to none and the nodes eliminated from the element, except in the case detailed below.
Changing a joint type to another that requires the same number of nodes does not change the nodes.
Changing a joint type to another that requires less nodes cause the extra nodes to be removed from the element.
Changing a joint type to another that requires more nodes is possible under certain circumstances.
  • The nodes option is also selected, and the appropriate nodes are chosen. For example, to convert a 4-noded joint to a 6-noded joint, nodes 5 and 6 must be specified.
  • A 2-noded joint with orientation nodes is being converted to a 4-noded joint. In this case the orientation nodes are used in the new element.
Changing Nodes
When an element's nodes are being updated, only the nodes specified are replaced. The other are left unchanged. For example, changing a 6-noded joint's nodes and picking nodes 2 and 6 leaves nodes 1, 3, 4, and 5 the same. Nodes 2 and 6 are then updated.
Changing Properties
Properties are updated for all selected elements if the box is checked.
Changing Orientation
Changing the orientation of non-spherical joints to nodes causes the update operation to fail for that joint. The failed joint is then placed in the saved mark.
Option Action
elems selector Select joint elements to update.
joint type Choose the joint type to create.
orientation Select the orientation type.

Only appears in the PAM-CRASH 2G solver interface.

nodes Select the appropriate number of nodes for the selected element.

Command Buttons

Option Action
create Create the FE Joint.
reject Reject the recent changes made.
review After each joint element is selected, its type, orientation and property is displayed in the panel.
update An update menu is displayed. Select the desired items to update type, nodes, property, orientation. Only the selected information is updated. Joints that cannot be updated are placed on the saved mark. If you click elements and then select retrieve on the extended entity selection menu, the failed entities are highlighted.
return Exit the panel.