Material orientation plots allow you to visualize the material directions for each element in your model at a specified step and frame. Material orientation triads that indicate the material directions are displayed at the element integration points. Material orientation plots can be drawn on either the undeformed or the deformed shape of the model.
In this section you will create a material orientation plot on the deformed model shape and customize its appearance.
The material orientation plot will be created at the step and frame of the analysis you specified previously.
To display a material orientation plot:
From the main menu bar, select Plot
Material OrientationsOn Deformed Shape.
Tip:
You can also display a material orientation plot using the 
tool in the Visualization module toolbox.
A material orientation plot appears, as shown in Figure D–9.
Material orientation triads at element integration points indicate the material directions of each element in the model.You will now customize your material orientation plot by changing the color and length of the material orientation triad axes.
To customize the material orientation plot:
From the main menu bar, select OptionsMaterial Orientation.
The Material Orientation Plot Options dialog box appears.
In this dialog box, do the following:
Click the color sample 
for the 1-axis color.
ABAQUS/CAE displays the Select Color dialog box.
Click the RGB tab; and set the red, green, and blue values to 255, 0, and 0, respectively.
Tip: You can also select red from the colors near the bottom of the dialog box or use any of the other available selection methods.
Click OK to accept your selection and to close the Select Color dialog box.
Repeat the preceding three steps for the 2-axis color, changing it to blue (RGB 0, 0, 255).
Select Short for the length of the triad axes.
Click OK to apply your changes and to close the Material Orientation Plot Options dialog box.
The customized material orientation plot appears, as shown in Figure D–10.
