def plot_smt(x, force_sum, moment_sum, show=True):
    """plots the shear, moment, torque plots"""
    import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
    plt.close()
    fig = plt.figure(1)
    ax = fig.gca()
    ax.plot(x, force_sum[:, (0)], '-*')
    ax.set_xlabel('X')
    ax.set_ylabel('Axial')
    ax.grid(True)
    fig = plt.figure(2)
    ax = fig.gca()
    ax.plot(x, force_sum[:, (1)], '-*')
    ax.set_xlabel('X')
    ax.set_ylabel('Shear Y')
    ax.grid(True)
    fig = plt.figure(3)
    ax = fig.gca()
    ax.plot(x, force_sum[:, (2)], '-*')
    ax.set_xlabel('X')
    ax.set_ylabel('Shear Z')
    ax.grid(True)
    fig = plt.figure(4)
    ax = fig.gca()
    ax.plot(x, moment_sum[:, (0)], '-*')
    ax.set_xlabel('X')
    ax.set_ylabel('Torque')
    ax.grid(True)
    fig = plt.figure(5)
    ax = fig.gca()
    ax.plot(x, moment_sum[:, (1)], '-*')
    ax.set_xlabel('X')
    ax.set_ylabel('Moment Y')
    ax.grid(True)
    fig = plt.figure(6)
    ax = fig.gca()
    ax.plot(x, moment_sum[:, (2)], '-*')
    ax.set_xlabel('X')
    ax.set_ylabel('Moment Z')
    ax.grid(True)
    if show:
        plt.show()
