To create a predefined field:

From the main menu bar, select Predefined FieldCreate.

A Create Predefined Field dialog box appears with a default name displayed in the Name text field.

Tip:  You can also create a predefined field using the tool in the Load module toolbox.

Type a name for the predefined field. For more information on naming objects, see “Using basic dialog box components,” Section 3.2.1.

Select the step in which to activate the predefined field. Click the arrow next to the Step text field, and select from the list that appears.

From the Category list on the left side of the dialog box, choose the desired category. The Category choices available are dependent upon the type of analysis procedures you are performing.

The Types for Selected Step list on the right side of the dialog box changes to a list of all the available predefined field types.

From the Types for Selected Step list, select the predefined field type and click Continue.

If the model contains a combination of orphan mesh instances and native part instances, you must choose the type of region to which you want to apply the predefined field. From the prompt area, select one of the following:

Click Geometry to apply the predefined field to a native part instance.

Click Mesh to apply the predefined field to an orphan mesh instance.

Select the region to which you want to apply the predefined field using one of the following methods:

Use the mouse to select a region in the viewport. You can use the angle method to select a group of faces or edges from a native geometric part instance or a group of element faces or nodes from an orphan mesh part instance. For more information, see “Using the angle method to select multiple objects,” Section 6.2.3. When you have finished selecting, click mouse button 2.

Tip:  You can limit the types of objects that you can select in the viewport by clicking the selection options tool in the prompt area and then clicking the selection filter of your choice in the dialog box that appears. See “Using the selection options,” Section 6.3, for more information.

To select from a list of existing sets, do the following:

Click Sets on the right side of the prompt area.

ABAQUS/CAE displays the Region Selection dialog box containing a list of available sets.

Select the set of interest and click Continue.

Note:  The default selection method is based on the selection method you most recently employed. To revert to the other method, click Select in Viewport or Sets on the right side of the prompt area.

The predefined field editor appears. The region to which you are applying the predefined field is highlighted in the viewport.

Enter all of the data necessary to define the predefined field and click OK. For detailed information on a particular feature of the editor, select HelpOn Context from the main menu bar and then click the feature of interest or see “Using the predefined field editors,” Section 16.11.

Symbols appear in the viewport that represent the predefined field that you just created. For more information, see “Understanding symbols that represent prescribed conditions,” Section 16.5.