3.13 The Measure Tool

• Point Distance: This tool can be used to evaluate the distance between two selected nodes. To use it, select two nodes on the mesh. The tool will display the coordinate differences, the distance between the points (length), and the stretch, which is the ratio of the current distance over the distance at the first time point.
• 3 Point Angle: This tool measures the angle between the two lines defined by three nodes. Select three nodes, $a$ , $b$ , and $c$ . The angle between the lines formed by nodes ($a$ ,$b)$ and ($b$ ,$c)$ is calculated.
• 4 Point angle: Measures the angle between the lines defined by four nodes. Select four nodes, $a$ , $b$ , $c$ , and $d$ . The angle between the lines formed by nodes ($a$ ,$b)$ , and ($c$ ,$d)$ is calculated.
• Measure Area: This tool calculates the area from a selection of faces. To use it, first select some faces, then click the “Apply” button. The tool will show the number of selected faces and the total area.
• Element Volume: Calculates the volume of the selected elements.
• Sphere Fit: This tool can be used to fit a sphere to the model. If the “selection only” is checked, the sphere will be fit only to the selection, otherwise all the nodes on the surface of the model will be used. Press “Fit” to calculate the best fitting sphere. The location of the center, the radius, and the objective value (which measures the average deviation of the sphere), will be calculated.
• Tet Overlap: Calculates the number of tetrahedral elements that overlap.
• Surface Volume: Calculates the volume bound by an enclosed surface.
• Plane normal: Calculates the normal of the plane defined by three selected nodes.
• Pt. Congruency: Calculates the congruency of a node.