05 Sep Customizing the Abaqus legend values

If you’re working with simulation results in Abaqus, you probably know how important it is to visualize your data clearly. One of the key elements of data visualization in Abaqus is the legend that accompanies your results, showing stress values and other relevant data. But what if you want to adjust how those values are displayed? In many cases, using different units or normalized values can provide better insights into your simulation.

The Challenge: Customizing Legend Values in Abaqus

By default, Abaqus displays stress values in units like MegaPascal (MPa). However, depending on the nature of your analysis, you may prefer to display these values in other units, such as Pascal (Pa), or even normalized values. But how can you adjust the legend to display these variations?

Let’s discuss two possible cases
1 Displaying Stress Values in MPa:
– When running stress analysis, the default unit for stress values might be in Pascals (Pa). For clarity and simplicity, especially when dealing with larger values, it can be more useful to display stress in Megapascals (MPa).
– To do this, you would need to divide the values by 106106, as 1 MPa equals 106106 Pa. This allows the legend to show smaller, more manageable numbers, making your data more readable.
2 Displaying Normalized Stress Values:
– In some analyses, it’s useful to show normalized values, where the stress is divided by the maximum stress value in the simulation. This provides a dimensionless number that gives an easier understanding of the stress distribution relative to the maximum stress, often helping to spot trends and problem areas more effectively.

The Solution: Visualizing Abaqus Legends with Custom Scales

Abaqus offers some flexibility in how results are displayed, but customizing the legend to show different units or normalized values requires a bit of configuration. Here’s what you need to do:
1 Open your simulation model

2 Select “Create Field Output from Fields” and fill in your new formula

3 Select Result –> Step/Frame…
Select Session Step and the corresponding frame


By tweaking the display of your legend, you can transform your simulation results into more meaningful and easily interpreted data, enhancing the overall value of your analysis.

Abaqus Legend Customization

Being able to adapt the legend in Abaqus to display values in different units, such as MPa, or even normalized stress values, is crucial for clear data interpretation. It enhances readability and allows you to communicate your results more effectively. If you’re not sure how to implement these changes, don’t hesitate to seek support or guidance at sales@4realsim.com.