Select Instance
Replace from the main menu bar to replace a selected part instance with an instance of another part from the model. ABAQUS/CAE positions the new part instance so that its origin is located at the origin of the original part instance and their axes align. In addition, you can choose whether the new part instance inherits all the constraints from the instance it replaced.
The replace operation does not change the attributes of the instance. For example, if the original instance is dependent, the instance that replaces it will also be dependent. As a result, if an independent instance of a part exists, you cannot use the replace procedure to create a dependent instance of the same part.
Replacing a part instance is most useful when you are replacing a part instance with one that has similar geometry. For example, the new part instance might have additional detail that was not present in the original part instance.
To replace a part instance:
From the main menu bar, select InstanceReplace to replace a selected part instance.
From the assembly, select the part instance to replace. You can also click the Instance List button on the right of the prompt area and select the instance from the Instance List dialog box that appears.
Tip:
If you are unable to select the desired part instance, you can change the selection behavior by clicking the selection options tool 
in the prompt area. For more information, see “Using the selection options,” Section 6.3.
ABAQUS/CAE displays the Replace Instance dialog box with a list of all the parts in the model.
From the Replace Instance dialog box, select the part that will replace the selected part instance in the assembly.
ABAQUS/CAE displays a temporary image of the new part instance in the assembly and positions it so that its origin is located at the origin of the original part instance and their axes align.
If the correct part instance is selected, click OK in the Replace Instance dialog box.
If you have not applied any position constraints to the original part instance, ABAQUS/CAE replaces it with the new part instance.
If you have applied position constraints to the original part instance, you must choose one of the following buttons in the prompt area:
Click OK to position the new part instance in the same location as the instance it is replacing. ABAQUS/CAE removes any constraints that were applied to the original instance, while maintaining its position.
Click Apply previous constraints if you want the new part instance to inherit position constraints from the part instance being replaced. ABAQUS/CAE applies all the previous constraints that can be satisfied by the new part instance; any constraints that cannot be satisfied are ignored.
ABAQUS/CAE replaces the original part instance with the new part instance.
