In a scale factor animation ABAQUS/CAE creates all of the deformed shape, contour, or symbol plot images in the sequence from a single step and frame of the output database. ABAQUS/CAE generates animation scale factors ranging from 0 to 1 or from –1 to 1, according to your specification. Individual images are formed by applying the range of animation scale factors to the field output values displayed in the plot. This gives the appearance of the field output evolving over time, although all images are produced from a single step and frame of your results. (To view the actual evolution of results over time, you must produce a time history animation.)

If you are animating a contour plot, the display of the field output values depends on options you select. The default behavior is for the values within the legend to be fixed based on the scaled minimum and maximum values for the selected results step and frame. To learn how to set contour limits, see “Setting contour limits,” Section 26.4.7. To learn how to customize the legend, see “Customizing the legend,” Section 37.1.