About the AM Plot Types
When working with an AM Calculator with the Plot Renderer as a successor, the visualization is different from the other calculators available in Thermo-Calc. When setting up the AM Calculator, there are many options available that impact what plot types are going to be available. Further, when defining the Plot Renderer, there are additional ways and axis variables or other setting requirements that enable you to display certain plot types, as well as preview a variety of settings on the Visualizations window.
In addition, when a Plot Renderer is added as a successor to the AM Calculator, the default layout of the Configuration window, with respect to the different tabs, relates to how the AM Calculator is set up. This is then further related to the tabs located on the Visualizations window.
See Working with AM Visualizations for information about how these tabs are connected between the windows. Also see Overlaying Plots in the AM Module.
See Plot Types for more information for the Scheil Calculator and Diffusion Calculator, which are also used with the Additive Manufacturing (AM) Module.
AM Plot Types
| Simulation Type | Calculation Type* |
Plot Type |
Export Result Files | Display Type |
Notes |
Tab Name Configuration Window (Setting) |
Tab Name Visualizations Window (Plot) |
Link to More information | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steady-state, Transient, or Transient with heat source from Steady-state | Steady-state → Single Point, Heat Source Calibration, Batch, and Grid |
3D Plot |
Yes | Surface colormap |
From the Display list select Surface colormap. Available when Temperature, Surface tension, Thermal conductivity, or Dynamic viscosity is selected as an Axis variable. |
3D Plot |
3D Plot When overlaying certain plots, there is also a suffix in brackets that matches the name of the AM Calculator it is connected to. e.g. 3D Plot (AM Calculator 1) |
AM Plot Type: 3D Plot | |
| Slice |
From the Display list select Surface colormap or Contour and then click to select the Slice checkbox. |
||||||||
| Contour | From the Display list select Contour. Available when Temperature, Surface tension, Thermal conductivity, or Dynamic viscosity is selected as an Axis variable. | ||||||||
| Iso-surface | From the Display list select Iso-surface. Available when Temperature, Surface tension, Thermal conductivity, or Dynamic viscosity is selected as an Axis variable. | ||||||||
| Arrow, 2D glyph, Cone, or Line |
Available when Flow velocity field is selected as an Axis variable. Requires that the Fluid flow including Marangoni effect checkbox is selected on the AM Calculator. |
||||||||
| Steady-state, Transient, or Transient with heat source from Steady-state | Steady-state → Single Point, Heat Source Calibration, Batch, and Grid |
Plot Over Line (2D) |
No | not applicable |
Once the plot is performed, switch between a plot and a table by clicking the Table View button on the Visualizations window. |
Plot Over Line |
Plot Over Line |
||
|
Steady-state |
Heat Source Calibration |
Heat Source Calibration (2D) |
Yes |
not applicable |
This plot is available once the calibration is completed. |
Heat Source Calibration |
Heat Source Calibration Parameters |
||
|
Steady-state |
Heat Source Calibration |
Melt Pool Dimensions (2D) |
Yes |
not applicable |
This plot is available once the calibration is completed. |
Heat Source Calibration |
Melt Pool Dimensions |
||
|
Steady-state |
Batch and Grid |
Printability Map (2D) |
Yes |
not applicable |
Also toggle between Show Table and Hide Table on the Configuration window. |
Batch or Grid |
Printability Map |
||
|
Steady-state |
Batch and Grid |
Meltpool vs Energy Density (2D) |
Yes |
not applicable |
Also toggle between Show Table and Hide Table on the Configuration window. |
Batch or Grid |
Meltpool vs Energy Density |
||
|
Steady-state |
Batch |
Parity Plot (2D) | Yes |
not applicable |
Also toggle between Show Table and Hide Table on the Configuration window. |
Batch |
Parity Plot |
||
|
Steady-state, Transient, or Transient with heat source from Steady-state |
Single Point, Heat Source Calibration, Batch, or Grid |
Thermal Gradient vs Solidification Rate (2D) |
No |
not applicable |
Once the plot is performed, switch between a plot and a table by clicking the Table View button on the Visualizations window. It is also possible to visualize this via the 3D Plot tab when you define the Axis variables Solidification rate and Thermal gradient. |
Thermal Gradient vs Solidification Rate |
Thermal Gradient vs Solidification Rate |
||
| Transient or Transient with heat source from Steady-state | not applicable |
Probe (2D) |
No | not applicable |
Probe positions and time steps available. Defined and available from a specific a tab on the Plot Configuration window. Once the plot is performed, switch between a plot and a table by clicking the Table View button on the Visualizations window. |
Probe |
Probe |
||
|
* For Transient and Transient with heat source from Steady-state simulations there are no additional Calculation Types selected. |
|||||||||