Femap Examples Guide

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ii Femap Examples Guide

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Table of Contents
Femap Examples Guide.................................................................................... 1-1

Proprietary and Restricted Rights Notice..........................................................2-1

Analysis of a Simple Assembly..........................................................................3-1

Importing the Geometry............................................................................................... 3-1
Creating Connections.................................................................................................... 3-2
Automatic Connection Creation.......................................................................................... 3-3
Examining Created Connections..........................................................................................3-6
Applying Loads and Constraints..................................................................................3-12
Create a Load on the Front Surface................................................................................... 3-12
Create Pinned Constraints.................................................................................................3-15
Meshing the Model..................................................................................................... 3-18
Analyzing the “Glued Contact” Model.........................................................................3-20
Post-processing the Results of “Glued Contact” Analysis............................................3-21
Modifying the Connection Property............................................................................3-22
Using the Model Info Tree................................................................................................ 3-22
Display Geometry, Loads and Constraints.......................................................................... 3-24
Applying additional Constraints for stability.............................................................. 3-25
Analyzing the “Linear Contact” Model........................................................................ 3-27
PostProcessing the Results of “Linear Contact” Analysis............................................ 3-27

Analyzing Buckling for a Bracket...................................................................... 4-1

Importing the Geometry............................................................................................... 4-1
Meshing the Model....................................................................................................... 4-2
Defining the Property and Material......................................................................................4-2
Create Boundary Surfaces................................................................................................... 4-3
Specify the Mesh Size......................................................................................................... 4-4
Mesh the Surfaces.............................................................................................................. 4-5
Display Using Free Edge Style.............................................................................................4-6
Check for Coincident Nodes................................................................................................ 4-6
Applying Constraints and Loads....................................................................................4-8
Create the Constraint Set.................................................................................................... 4-8
Create the Constraints........................................................................................................ 4-8
Create the Load Set.......................................................................................................... 4-10
Create the load................................................................................................................. 4-10
Analyzing the Model................................................................................................... 4-12
Post-processing the Results.........................................................................................4-13

Creating and Meshing a Solid Model................................................................5-1

Importing the Geometry............................................................................................... 5-1

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 Creating the Solid Part.................................................................................................. 5-2
Create a Boundary.............................................................................................................. 5-2
Extrude the Boundary......................................................................................................... 5-2
Creating the Slot............................................................................................................5-3
Draw the Slot......................................................................................................................5-3
Finish Creating the Geometry............................................................................................. 5-4
Break the Circles................................................................................................................. 5-4
Create a Boundary Surface..................................................................................................5-6
Creating the Bolt Holes..................................................................................................5-6
Creating the Guide Boss and Slot.................................................................................. 5-7
Creating the Guide Boss...................................................................................................... 5-8
Move the Workplane...........................................................................................................5-9
Create the Boss Slot............................................................................................................ 5-9
Applying Constraints and Loads..................................................................................5-11
Create and Apply Constraints............................................................................................ 5-11
Create and Apply the Load................................................................................................ 5-12
Meshing the Model..................................................................................................... 5-13
Defining the Property and Material....................................................................................5-13
Create a Solid Mesh.......................................................................................................... 5-14

Working with Groups and Layers...................................................................... 6-1

Differences Between Groups and Layers....................................................................... 6-1
Using Groups................................................................................................................. 6-2
Open the Model File........................................................................................................... 6-2
Create a Group, Upper and Lower Wing Skins...................................................................... 6-3
Display the Group............................................................................................................... 6-4
Using a Group to Trim a Report........................................................................................... 6-5
Quickly Find an Element..................................................................................................... 6-5
Automatically Generating Groups....................................................................................... 6-6
Using the Group Information.............................................................................................. 6-7
Using Layers.................................................................................................................. 6-8
Reset the Display................................................................................................................ 6-8
View the different layers..................................................................................................... 6-9
Using a Contour Group for Post-processing................................................................ 6-11

Working with View Select and View Options....................................................7-1

Using View Select.......................................................................................................... 7-1
Open the Model File........................................................................................................... 7-1
Explore Hidden Line Options............................................................................................... 7-2
Control the Display Loads and Constraints........................................................................... 7-2
Using View Options....................................................................................................... 7-3
Display Elements Based on Property Color........................................................................... 7-4
Shrink the Elements............................................................................................................7-4
Display Elements Filled....................................................................................................... 7-5

Using Post-Processing....................................................................................... 8-1

PostProcessing Overview.............................................................................................. 8-1

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 Generating Deformation and Contour Results..............................................................8-2
Generating a Deformed and Contour Plot.....................................................................8-3
Open the Model File........................................................................................................... 8-3
Select Deformed and Contoured Plot Types......................................................................... 8-3
Generate Another Deformed/Contour Plot........................................................................... 8-4
Displaying Dynamic Isosurfaces and Cutting Planes.....................................................8-5
Change the Appearance of the Plot..................................................................................... 8-5
View the Regions of Constant Stress....................................................................................8-6
Dynamically Display a Plane Cut.......................................................................................... 8-7
Generating XY Plots Using the Charting Pane.............................................................. 8-7
Generating an XY Plot................................................................................................... 8-8
Open the Model File........................................................................................................... 8-8
Generate an XY Plot............................................................................................................8-9
Make a Node Group to Reduce Data.................................................................................. 8-10
Plot the New Group.......................................................................................................... 8-11
Using Results Displays in Other Applications.............................................................. 8-12
Copy the Deformation/Contour Displays to Microsoft Word................................................ 8-13
Using an Animation in Another Application....................................................................... 8-14

Preparing Geometry for Meshing..................................................................... 9-1

Understanding the Problem.......................................................................................... 9-1
Importing the Geometry............................................................................................... 9-2
Cutting the Geometry in Half........................................................................................ 9-3
Creating New Boundary Surfaces..................................................................................9-4
Suppressing Features.................................................................................................... 9-5
Meshing the Model....................................................................................................... 9-6
Apply a load...................................................................................................................9-7
Apply a Y Symmetry Constraint.................................................................................... 9-8
On Your Own................................................................................................................. 9-9

Repairing Sliver Geometry for Meshing......................................................... 10-1

Importing the Geometry............................................................................................. 10-1
Stitching the Surfaces................................................................................................. 10-2
Meshing the Model..................................................................................................... 10-3
Running Cleanup......................................................................................................... 10-4
Removing the Problem Geometry............................................................................... 10-5
Creating a New Surface...............................................................................................10-5
Verify Two Curves Defining One Edge................................................................................ 10-5
Merge the Curves............................................................................................................. 10-6
Stitch the Surfaces............................................................................................................10-7
Mesh the New Solid.....................................................................................................10-7
On Your Own............................................................................................................... 10-8

Repairing a Mesh............................................................................................ 11-1

Importing the Mesh.....................................................................................................11-1
Examining Free Edges................................................................................................. 11-2

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 Creating a Group for Free Edge Nodes and Elements................................................. 11-2
Add the Elements Using Free Edge Nodes.................................................................. 11-3
Creating New Plate Elements...................................................................................... 11-3
Mesh the Model...........................................................................................................11-4

Analyzing a Beam Model................................................................................ 12-1

Importing the Geometry............................................................................................. 12-1
Defining the Material.................................................................................................. 12-2
Display the Boundary Surface on a Hidden Layer....................................................... 12-2
Define a Property for the Beam Elements................................................................... 12-3
Meshing the Model..................................................................................................... 12-3
Hide the Beam Section and Show the Default Layer........................................................... 12-4
Rotate the Model to Get a Trimetric View...........................................................................12-4
Mesh the Longitudinal Curves with Beams........................................................................ 12-4
Display the Deam Elements with Cross Sections................................................................ 12-5
Rotate and Zoom the Model..............................................................................................12-6
Creating the Rod Mesh................................................................................................ 12-7
Mesh the Curves...............................................................................................................12-7
Reduce the Amount of Information Displayed....................................................................12-8
Merging Coincident Nodes................................................................................................12-8
Applying Constraints and Loads..................................................................................12-9
Create the Constraints...................................................................................................... 12-9
Turn Off Element Cross Sections...................................................................................... 12-11
Applying a Load to the Model......................................................................................... 12-11
Analyzing the Model................................................................................................. 12-12
Post-Processing the Results....................................................................................... 12-12
Display a Basic Criteria View............................................................................................ 12-13
Turn Off Display of Undeformed Elements....................................................................... 12-13
Display Elements Above Maximum Limit......................................................................... 12-14
Displaying Beam Diagrams........................................................................................12-15
Generate a Beam Diagram.............................................................................................. 12-15
Change the Plane Where the Beam Diagram is Drawn......................................................12-15
View Calculated Stresses on the Cross-Section................................................................. 12-16

Analyzing an Axisymmetric Model................................................................. 13-1

Importing the Geometry............................................................................................. 13-1
Meshing the Model..................................................................................................... 13-2
Setting the Global Mesh Size.............................................................................................13-2
Create the Material........................................................................................................... 13-2
Create the Property...........................................................................................................13-3
Correct the Axisymmetric Axis Orientation........................................................................ 13-3
Create a Boundary Surface................................................................................................13-4
Generate a Mesh.............................................................................................................. 13-4
Applying Constraints and Loads..................................................................................13-5
Defining Constraints......................................................................................................... 13-6
Defining Loads..................................................................................................................13-6
Analyzing the Model................................................................................................... 13-8

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 Post-processing the Results.........................................................................................13-8

Analyzing a Midsurface Model of a Welded Pipe........................................... 14-1

Importing the Geometry............................................................................................. 14-1
Slicing the Model.........................................................................................................14-2
Delete the -Z Half and +X Quarter............................................................................... 14-3
Creating the Midsurface Model...................................................................................14-3
Creating the Midsurface................................................................................................... 14-3
Deleting the Solid............................................................................................................. 14-5
Stitching the Geometry.....................................................................................................14-5
Meshing the Model..................................................................................................... 14-6
Assigning Mesh Attributes................................................................................................ 14-6
Meshing the Model...........................................................................................................14-6
Applying Loads and Constraints..................................................................................14-8
Apply a Load.....................................................................................................................14-8
Apply Nodal Constraints................................................................................................... 14-8
Analyzing the Model................................................................................................. 14-10
Post-processing the Results.......................................................................................14-11
Create a Group............................................................................................................... 14-11
Generate a Freebody Display...........................................................................................14-12

Analyzing a Midsurface Model of an Electrical Box........................................15-1

Importing the Geometry............................................................................................. 15-1
Creating the Midsurface Model...................................................................................15-2
Creating the Midsurface................................................................................................... 15-2
Deleting the Solid............................................................................................................. 15-4
Cleaning Up Geometry - Trim the Surface..........................................................................15-4
Cleaning Up Geometry - Delete Top of Each Rib................................................................. 15-5
Cleaning Up Geometry - Intersect Ribs with Walls.............................................................. 15-6
Meshing the Model..................................................................................................... 15-6
Assigning Mesh Attributes................................................................................................ 15-6
Set the Mesh Size............................................................................................................. 15-7
Applying Loads and Constraints..................................................................................15-8
Create a Load Set..............................................................................................................15-8
Constrain the Holes.......................................................................................................... 15-9
Analyzing the Model................................................................................................... 15-9
Post-processing the Results.......................................................................................15-10
Display Deformation....................................................................................................... 15-10
Display Double-Sided Planar Contours............................................................................. 15-11
Show Element Thicknesses............................................................................................. 15-12

Direct Transient Analysis – Hinge Model........................................................ 16-1

Importing the Model................................................................................................... 16-1
Creating the Dynamic Loading Function..................................................................... 16-2
Verify the Function...................................................................................................... 16-4
Creating the Transient Load........................................................................................ 16-5

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 Creating the Constraints............................................................................................. 16-6
Setting up the Analysis Set Manager.......................................................................... 16-7
Post-Processing the Results....................................................................................... 16-10
Create an XY Plot............................................................................................................ 16-10
Change the Range.......................................................................................................... 16-11

Modal Frequency Analysis of the Hinge Model.............................................. 17-1

Importing the Neutral File...........................................................................................17-1
Creating the Constraints............................................................................................. 17-2
Running the Normal Modes Analysis.......................................................................... 17-3
Creating Unit Load for Frequency Response Loading................................................. 17-4
Create a Function............................................................................................................. 17-4
Apply the Unit Load.......................................................................................................... 17-4
Modal Damping Definition................................................................................................ 17-5
Running the Modal Frequency Response Analysis......................................................17-6
PostProcessing the Results.......................................................................................... 17-8
Create an XY Plot.............................................................................................................. 17-8
Change the XY Plot......................................................................................................... 17-10

Frequency Response of Tower with Seismic Excitation.................................. 18-1

Importing the Model................................................................................................... 18-1
View the Results of Modal Analysis.............................................................................18-2
View an Animation of Mode Shapes.................................................................................. 18-2
Change the Output Set (Mode Shape)............................................................................... 18-3
View the Undeformed Model............................................................................................ 18-3
Modal Damping Definition.......................................................................................... 18-4
Creating Function for Seismic Loading....................................................................... 18-4
Creating the Base Node and Rigid Connection........................................................... 18-5
Create the Base Node....................................................................................................... 18-5
Create Rigid Connection................................................................................................... 18-5
Large Mass Method..................................................................................................... 18-6
Creating the Seismic Mass................................................................................................ 18-6
Creating the Load............................................................................................................. 18-7
Creating the Permanent Constraints..................................................................................18-7
Running the Seismic Analysis......................................................................................18-8
Post-Processing the Results......................................................................................... 18-9
Direct Method............................................................................................................18-10
Create Acceleration Load................................................................................................ 18-11
Create Constraints.......................................................................................................... 18-11
Running the Seismic Analysis....................................................................................18-11
Post-Processing the Results....................................................................................... 18-13

Random Response of the Hinge Model...........................................................19-1

Opening an Existing Femap Model............................................................................. 19-1
Deleting Existing Loads and Boundary Conditions..................................................... 19-2
Defining the Power Spectral Density Function............................................................19-2

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 Create a Simple PSD Function........................................................................................... 19-3
Verify the PSD Function.................................................................................................... 19-3
Creating Enforced Motion Loading - Large Mass Method........................................... 19-5
Constrain the Excitation Node...........................................................................................19-6
Creating a Group for Output Request Needs...................................................................... 19-7
Running the Random Response Analysis........................................................................... 19-7
Post-Processing the Random Response Analysis...............................................................19-10
Creating Enforced Motion Loading - Direct Method................................................. 19-11
Create a Base Node.........................................................................................................19-11
Create an Acceleration Load............................................................................................19-12
Creating the Constraints................................................................................................. 19-13
Creating a Group for Output Request Needs.................................................................... 19-13
Running the Random Response Analysis......................................................................... 19-14
Post-Processing the Random Response Analysis...............................................................19-17

Response Spectrum Analysis.......................................................................... 20-1

Importing the Tower Model.........................................................................................20-2
Create a Constraint Set..................................................................................................... 20-2
Creating the Dynamic Loading Function..................................................................... 20-3
Creating the Load........................................................................................................ 20-4
Creating the Oscillator Functions to Generate Response Spectra...............................20-5
Create a function for the Response Spectrum Frequencies................................................. 20-5
Create a Function to List Damping Values.......................................................................... 20-6
Creating a Group for Output Request Needs...................................................................... 20-6
Setting up the Analysis Set Manager.......................................................................... 20-7
Post-processing - Response Spectrum Generation......................................................20-9
Importing the Hinge Bracket Model.......................................................................... 20-10
Create a Rigid Element....................................................................................................20-11
Create Mass Property and Mass Element......................................................................... 20-12
Create the Constraint Set and Nodal Constraint for SUPORT............................................. 20-13
Create the Constraint Set and Nodal Constraint for Non-excited DOFs..............................20-13
Create a Function for Modal Damping vs Frequency.........................................................20-14
Create a Function for Nastran Correlation Spectra Curve Function....................................20-14
Setting up the Analysis Set Manager........................................................................ 20-15
Post-processing - Response Spectra Application....................................................... 20-17

Thermal Stress Analysis - Mounting Plate.......................................................21-1

Importing the Model................................................................................................... 21-1
Creating the Thermal Boundary Conditions................................................................21-2
Creating the Temperature Body Load................................................................................ 21-2
Creating the Nodal Temperatures......................................................................................21-3
View the Model................................................................................................................ 21-4
Running the Steady-State Thermal Analysis............................................................... 21-5
Post-Processing the Thermal Results...........................................................................21-5
Creating Nodal Temperatures from the Thermal Results............................................21-6
Create the Nodal Temperatures......................................................................................... 21-6
Creating the Constraints................................................................................................... 21-7

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 View the Model................................................................................................................ 21-7
Running the Thermal Stress Analysis.......................................................................... 21-8
Post-Processing the Thermal Results...........................................................................21-8

Steady - State Thermal Analysis - Circuit Board.............................................. 22-1

Importing the Model................................................................................................... 22-1
Examining the Material Properties for Thermal Analysis............................................22-2
Creating the Heat Generation Loads and Thermal Boundary Conditions................... 22-3
Creating the Temperature Body Load................................................................................ 22-3
Creating the Heat Generation Loads..................................................................................22-4
Creating Nodal Temperatures............................................................................................22-4
Running the Steady-State Thermal Analysis............................................................... 22-5
Post-Processing the Thermal Results...........................................................................22-6
View the Temperature Results........................................................................................... 22-6
Utilize Femap’s Dynamic Cutting Plane Feature................................................................. 22-7
Create Multiple Cutting Planes.......................................................................................... 22-8

Steady - State Thermal Analysis - Free Convection.........................................23-1

Opening an Existing Femap Model............................................................................. 23-1
Creating the Free Convection Boundary Conditions................................................... 23-2
Running the Steady-State Thermal Analysis............................................................... 23-3
Post-Processing the Thermal Results...........................................................................23-4
View Temperature Results - Contour Plot........................................................................... 23-4
View Temperature Results - Animation.............................................................................. 23-5
Creating a Group for Viewing Purposes............................................................................. 23-6

Temperature - Dependent Effects - Circuit Board........................................... 24-1

Opening an Existing Femap Model............................................................................. 24-1
Creating a Temperature Dependent Material Property...............................................24-1
Create Conductivity vs Temperature Function....................................................................24-2
Modify the Chips Material Property................................................................................... 24-2
Creating a Temperature Dependent Convection Coefficient (h)................................. 24-3
Create A Convection Coefficient vs Temperature Function..................................................24-3
Create a Free Convection Boundary Condition................................................................... 24-4
Running the Steady-State Thermal Analysis............................................................... 24-5
Post-Processing the Thermal Results...........................................................................24-5
Using the Dynamic Isosurface Feature of Femap........................................................24-6

Enclosure Radiation........................................................................................ 25-1

Opening a Femap Model and Creating the Geometry................................................ 25-1
Creating Materials and Properties...............................................................................25-2
Meshing the Plates...................................................................................................... 25-2
Reversing the Element Normals.................................................................................. 25-3
Creating Radiation Emissivity and Heat Flux Loads.................................................... 25-5
Create a load set and Body Load........................................................................................25-5

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 Create Radiation Settings.................................................................................................. 25-5
Create Radiation Loads..................................................................................................... 25-6
Create Heat Flux Load.......................................................................................................25-8
Running the Steady-State Thermal Analysis............................................................... 25-8
Post-Processing the Thermal Results...........................................................................25-9
Create a Group................................................................................................................. 25-9
View Temperature Results - Contour Plot......................................................................... 25-10

Plastic Deformation of Rod - Nonlinear Material............................................ 26-1

Creating the Nonlinear Material................................................................................. 26-1
Create a Simple Stress vs Strain Function........................................................................... 26-1
Create the Material........................................................................................................... 26-2
Creating the Property and Mesh................................................................................. 26-2
Creating Loads and Constraints.................................................................................. 26-3
Create the Fixed Constraint...............................................................................................26-3
Creating the “Loading” Load Set........................................................................................ 26-4
Creating the “Unloading” Load Set.....................................................................................26-4
Running the Nonlinear Static Analysis with Two Cases.............................................. 26-5
Post-Processing the Results......................................................................................... 26-7
Create an XY Plot of Displacement.................................................................................... 26-7
Create an XY Plot of Plastic Strain...................................................................................... 26-8

Gap Contact - Cantilever Beam....................................................................... 27-1

Creating the Geometry................................................................................................27-1
Creating the Materials and Properties........................................................................ 27-1
Create a Material.............................................................................................................. 27-1
Create the Tubular Beam Property..................................................................................... 27-2
Meshing the Curves.......................................................................................................... 27-3
Creating the Gap Property and Element..................................................................... 27-4
Create the Node............................................................................................................... 27-4
Create the Gap Property....................................................................................................27-4
Create a Gap Element....................................................................................................... 27-5
Creating the Loads and Constraints............................................................................ 27-6
Apply a Fixed Constraint................................................................................................... 27-6
Apply a Force....................................................................................................................27-7
Running the Nonlinear Static Analysis........................................................................ 27-8
Post-Processing the Gap Contact Results.................................................................... 27-8

Large Deformation - Cantilever Beam.............................................................28-1

Creating the Geometry................................................................................................28-1
Creating the Materials and Properties........................................................................ 28-2
Create a Material.............................................................................................................. 28-2
Create the Standard Beam Property...................................................................................28-2
Create the Cross Section Property......................................................................................28-4
Meshing the Curves.....................................................................................................28-4
Viewing the Beam Cross Sections............................................................................... 28-6

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 Creating the Loads and Constraints............................................................................ 28-7
Running the Nonlinear Static Analysis........................................................................ 28-7
Post-Processing the Large Deformation Results..........................................................28-8
View Deformation Results - Deformed Plot........................................................................ 28-8
Animating the Results Using Animate Multi-Set............................................................... 28-10
Return the Model to a Deformed Plot.............................................................................. 28-10

Slide Line Contact - Hyperelastic Seals........................................................... 29-1

Importing the Neutral File...........................................................................................29-1
Modifying the Material................................................................................................29-2
Creating the Slide Line Property and Element............................................................ 29-3
Create the Slide Line Property........................................................................................... 29-3
Create the Slide Line Element........................................................................................... 29-5
Creating the Loads and Constraints............................................................................ 29-6
Apply Constraints to the Bottom of the Lower Seal............................................................ 29-6
Apply Enforced Displacements to the Top of the Upper Seal...............................................29-7
Apply Constraints to the Top of the Upper Seal.................................................................. 29-7
Running the Nonlinear Static Analysis........................................................................ 29-8
Post-Processing the Slide Line Contact Results........................................................... 29-9
View Results in a Contour Plot...........................................................................................29-9
View Results in an Animation..........................................................................................29-11

3D Contact - Plastic Clip and Base...................................................................30-1

Importing the Neutral File...........................................................................................30-1
Creating the Contact (Slide Line) Element.................................................................. 30-2
Creating the Permanent Constraints...........................................................................30-3
Creating the Loads and Constraints............................................................................ 30-4
Apply Constraints to the Bottom of the Clip....................................................................... 30-4
Apply Enforced Displacements.......................................................................................... 30-5
Running the Nonlinear Static Analysis........................................................................ 30-6
Post-Processing the Slide Line Contact Results........................................................... 30-6
View Results in a Contour Plot...........................................................................................30-6
View Results in an Animation............................................................................................30-7

Large Deformation - Multi-Step Structural (SOL 401)..................................... 31-1

Importing the Neutral File...........................................................................................31-1
Creating the Functionally Dependent Loads............................................................... 31-2
Running the Nonlinear Static Analysis........................................................................ 31-3
Post-Processing the Large Deformation Results..........................................................31-5
View Results in a Contour Plot...........................................................................................31-5
View Results in an Animation............................................................................................31-6

Surface to Surface Contact - Multi-Step Nonlinear Kinematic (SOL 402)....... 32-1

Importing the Neutral File...........................................................................................32-1
Creating the Contact Conditions................................................................................. 32-2

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 Viewing the Connection Regions.......................................................................................32-3
Creating a Connector........................................................................................................ 32-3
Creating the Loads and Constraints............................................................................ 32-5
Apply Constraints to the Bottom of the Clip....................................................................... 32-5
Apply Enforced Displacements.......................................................................................... 32-6
Running the Nonlinear Static Analysis........................................................................ 32-7
Post-Processing the Surface to Surface Contact Results............................................. 32-7
View Results in a Contour Plot...........................................................................................32-7
View Results in an Animation............................................................................................32-9

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xiv Femap Examples Guide
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1. Femap Examples Guide
Welcome to the Femap Examples Guide. The Femap Examples guide teaches you the basics of using
Femap using a number of examples and step-by-step instructions for creating an FEA model. Each chapter
covers a specific aspect of the Femap process.

Working through the Examples

As there are many different types of real analysis problems, there are different types of example problems
shown here. Generally, you should start with the first example in chapter 3 and work through the examples
sequentially. Some of the later examples focus on specific techniques that you may not use in your work
(beam modeling, axisymmetric modeling, midsurfacing). However, we recommend that you work through
all the problems because they may contain some commands or techniques that you will find useful.

• Analysis of a Simple Assembly • Frequency Response of Tower with Seismic

Excitation
• Analyzing Buckling for a Bracket
• Random Response of the Hinge Model
• Creating and Meshing a Solid Model
• Response Spectrum Analysis
• Working with Groups and Layers
• Thermal Stress Analysis - Mounting Plate
• Working with View Select and View Options
• Steady - State Thermal Analysis - Circuit Board
• Using Post-Processing
• Steady - State Thermal Analysis - Free
• Preparing Geometry for Meshing
Convection
• Repairing Sliver Geometry for Meshing
• Temperature - Dependent effects - Circuit
• Repairing a Mesh Board
• Analyzing a Beam Model • Enclosure Radiation
• Analyzing an Axisymmetric Model • Large Deformation - Cantilever Beam
• Analyzing a Midsurface Model of a Welded • Plastic Deformation of Rod - Nonlinear
Pipe Material
• Analyzing a Midsurface Model of an Electrical • Gap Contact - Cantilever Beam
Box
• Slide Line Contact - Hyperelastic Seals
• Direct Transient Analysis – Hinge Model
• 3-D Contact - Plastic Clip and Base
• Modal Frequency Analysis of the Hinge Model
• Large Deformation - Multi-Step Structural (SOL
401)
• Surface to Surface Contact - Multi-Step
Nonlinear Kinematic (SOL 402)

The examples in this manual should help you learn the basic FEA modeling process, general Femap
commands, and the Femap command structure. For a more complete description of the Femap interface

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 and modeling procedures, see the Femap User Guide. For an in-depth description of all the commands in
Femap, see Femap Commands.

In general, bold text identifies items in the user interface. For example: File → Preferences tells you to pick
the File menu, then the Preferences command.

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2. Proprietary and Restricted Rights Notice

This software and related documentation are proprietary to Siemens Digital Industries Software Inc.
© 2025 Siemens Digital Industries Software Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Siemens and the Siemens logo are registered trademarks of Siemens AG. NX is a trademark or
registered trademark of Siemens Digital Industries Software Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States
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respective holders.
Contains portions or was derived from the RSA Data Security, Inc. MD5 Message-Digest Algorithm.

NeuQuant Neural-Net Quantization Algorithm

The following copyright refers only to the [Link] executable distributed with Femap:
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Net quantization algorithm by Anthony Dekker, 1994. See “Kohonen neural networks for optimal color
quantization” in “Network: Computation in Neural Systems” Vol. 5 (1994) pp 351-367 for a discussion of
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 Commercial Software: - 3DConnexion SDK (Library) - 2.0
3D input device development tools and related technology are provided under license from 3Dconnexion.
© 3Dconnexion 1992 - 2013. All rights reserved.

Contact information and Femap conventions

Contact information
Siemens DI Software Femap
Web: [Link]

Customer Support Femap

Phone: (714) 952-5444, (800) 955-0000 (In US &
Canada)
Web: [Link]

Conventions
Femap manuals use different fonts to highlight command names or input that you must type.

a:setup Shows text that you should type.

OK, Cancel Shows a command name or text that you will see
in a dialog box.

Windows statement
Throughout this manual, you will see references to Windows. Windows refers to Microsoft® Windows 7,
Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit versions only). You will need one of these
operating environments to run Femap for the PC. This manual assumes that you are familiar with the
general use of the operating environment. If you are not, you can refer to the Windows User’s Guide
for additional assistance. Similarly, throughout the manual all references to Femap, refer to the latest
version of our software.

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 Importing the Geometry

3. Analysis of a Simple Assembly

In this example, you will create a model of a simple assembly using contact conditions automatically
generated by Femap, then solve the model two times using Simcenter Nastran, once using Glued Contact
and once using Linear Contact.

Also, this example makes extensive use of the Model Info tree and Select Toolbar.

You will work through the entire Femap analysis process, which includes:

• Importing the geometry of the assembly

• Creating connections between different parts of the assembly
• Meshing the model
• Applying loads and constraints
• Analyzing the model using the Simcenter Nastran solver (Static Analysis using Glued and Linear Contact)
• Post-processing the results

Importing the Geometry

In the following procedure, you will Import a Femap geometry file containing the geometry of the
assembly.

Procedure

1. Select the File → New command.

This creates a new, empty Femap model file.
2. Select the File → Import → Geometry command.
3. In the Geometry File to Import dialog, go to the Examples directory of your Femap installation. Locate
ASSEMBLY.X_T, and click Open.

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Creating Connections

4. In the Parasolid Read Options dialog, enter a Title Prefix (optional), and Click OK accepting the
default settings.
The geometry is imported according the Parasolid Read Options. The assembly is oriented as if you
are looking down at the X and Y axes.
5. Select the View → Rotate → Model command (or press the F8 key).
6. In the View Rotate dialog box, press the Trimetric button, and click OK.
The model is rotated into a trimetric projection allowing you view it in three-dimentions.

Tip
You can rotate the model into a trimetric projection directly from th emenu by selecting View →
Rotate → Model → Trimetric.

Creating Connections
You will be creating connections between the different parts of the assembly. In this example, the
connections will be contact conditions which Simcenter Nastran will use during the solving process to
have the parts interact with one another.

In general, there are three separate entities needed to create a connection in Femap:

• Connection Property - A specific property used to set-up contact conditions for a specific solver or
analysis type. We will be using the Linear tab and the Defaults button for this example.
• Connection Regions - Regions designated in the model which can be placed into contact with any
number of other regions. Regions can be created using different types of entities such as surfaces,
elements, and properties. In this example, you will create contact between the different solid parts using
the surfaces of those solids.
• Connectors - Connectors create contact pairs between Connection Regions (using a Primary/Secondary
relationship) and the contact between those regions is governed by the values set in the specified
Connection Property for each Connector.

Each of these entities can be created individually using the Connect menu, but Femap offers a few
methods for creating them in a more streamlined manner. One method is to use the Connect → Surfaces
command which simply allows you to choose a surface (or set of surfaces) to connect to another surface
(or set of surfaces). The surfaces in each set will be used to create the Connection Regions, a Connection

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 Automatic Connection Creation

Property can be chosen (or created from inside this command), and then a single Connector will be created
between the selected surfaces.

In this example, we will be using the Connect → Automatic command. This creates connections
automatically based on the proximity of geometric entities selected in your model using a number of
parameters. These parameters include specific values for Tolerance (distance between bodies), Angle
Tolerance, choice of a Detection Strategy (Minimal to Aggressive), and options for the way multiple
Connection Regions will be combined on the same solid.

Automatic Connection Creation

In the following procedure, you will create connections automatically between the parts of the assembly.

Procedure

1. Select the Connect → Automatic command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Solid(s) to Detect Connections dialog, press Select All, and click OK.
3. In the Auto Detection Options for Connections dialog, the default values can be accepted. Click OK.

4. In the Entity Selection - Select Solid(s) to Detect Connections dialog, click Cancel.

Tip
If you are attempting to automatically create connections between a large number of solids, it may
be helpful to review the various connectors and connection regions using an editable table format.

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Automatic Connection Creation

This can be done in Femap by using the Connection Editor, which is accessed using the Tools →
Connection Editor command.

Tip
Creating connections automatically can also be accomplished by using the right click menu for the
Geometry branch in the Model Info tree. To do this, highlight the top-level Geometry branch in
the tree (or individual solids), right click and select Automatic Connection from the menu. This
launches the Connect → Automatic command.

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 Automatic Connection Creation

You will notice there are new Connection Regions, which are visible where the parts come together.

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Examining Created Connections

You can take a closer look at each Connection Property, Connection Region, and Connector created
using the Connections branch of the Model Info tree.

Examining Created Connections

Using a few right click menu commands from the Connections branch of the Model Info tree, you can
graphically see the different Connection Regions and Connectors created by the Connect → Automatic
command. If it is not open, you will need to have the Model Info tree open for this step. Use the Model
Info tree to examine the connections in the model.

Prerequisites

If the Model Info tree is NOT already open, you can make it visible by selecting the Tools → Model Info
command.

Tip
If you are not familiar with the Model Info tree or the other Dockable Panes in Femap, you can find
more information about them using the Help → Dockable Panes... menu item. Dockable panes contain
a tremendous amount of features. It is highly recommended to review the documentation for these very
helpful tools.

Procedure

1. Expand the Connections branch (click on the + sign to the left of the title) to see the different
Connection entities:

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 Examining Created Connections

You will notice that the Connection Properties, Regions, Connectors are all available in the Model
Info tree.
2. Expand the Connectors branch to view the Connectors in the model.

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Examining Created Connections

Two Connectors were created in the model by the automatic contact detection. They are listed in the
following format:

#(number of Connector)..Region “#-#” (Primary/Secondary Connection Region - Secondary/Source

Connection Region)
3. Right click on the 1..Region 1-2 Connector, and select Show Target from the menu.

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 Examining Created Connections

You will notice that the Source/Target Connection Region of Connector “1” is highlighted in yellow
and the rest of the parts have been made transparent in the model. If your display does not look like
the one below, please see the note below.

The model will remain in this display state until Window → Regenerate (Ctrl+G) or Window →
Redraw (Ctrl+D) has been used or a command which includes an automatic Regenerate or Redraw
is performed (such as an entity creation command).

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Examining Created Connections

Note
The Show Target and Show Source commands follow the current settings in the Window → Show
Entities command. By default, nothing is set in Femap and you will get the figure above when
using the Show Target and Show Source commands.
If you have changed any of the settings in the Window → Show Entities command itself or the
Show When Selected commands in the Model Info tree or Data Table, then the Show Target and
Show Source commands will use those settings.

4. Right click on the highlighted Connector and, select Show Source from the menu.

Tip
Although not needed for this model, in some cases you may want to swap the Target and Source
Connection Regions for an individual Connector. This can be accomplished by using the Reverse
command in the right click menu.

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 Examining Created Connections

Tip
It is also possible to turn Connectors on or off allowing you to choose which Connectors are
exported for analysis. With this capability, you do not have to delete and recreate Connectors when
determining which parts should come into contact in certain scenarios.

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Applying Loads and Constraints

Applying Loads and Constraints

First, create a load on the front surface of the Plunger, normal to the surface. Next, create a Pinned
boundary condition using the surfaces of the rear holes of the Baselink.

Create a Load on the Front Surface

Create a load set, then apply a force normal to the front surface of the Plunger.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Create/Manage Set command.

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 Create a Load on the Front Surface

2. In the Load Set Manager dialog, click New Load Set.

3. In the New Load Set dialog, enter the Title: "Normal Force", and click OK. Then in the Load Set
Manager dialog, click Done.
4. You will need to select the surface to load. Use the Select Toolbar (Shown undocked).

If the Select Toolbar is not visible, you can make it visible using the Tools → Toolbars → Select
command or by right-mouse clicking in any area where a toolbar can be docked and choosing Select
from the menu. For more information on where a toolbar can be docked, please use the Help →
Toolbars → Using the Toolbars command to view the documentation.
All of the icons on the Select Toolbar are actually menus which allow you to modify the way
the Select Toolbar will be used. For more information on the Select Toolbar, please view the
documentation using the Help → Toolbars → Select command.
5. Using the Selector Entity menu on the Select Toolbar (first icon), select Surface. You will notice that
the icon on the Select Toolbar has changed to the Surface icon.
This will make Surfaces Active in the Selector. Having an active entity in the Selector allows you
to choose Surfaces in the model before selecting any commands. In this case you will only be
selecting one surface at a time, but there are options for selecting multiple surfaces, then choosing
commands. This also provides access to the context-sensitive menu for the active Entity Type in the
graphics window.

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Create a Load on the Front Surface

6. With Surface active in the Select Toolbar, pick the front round surface of the Plunger (surface 36).
If you turn on the Entity Info dockable pane, you will be able to see which surfaces you are choosing
as you pick them. Use the Tools → Entity Info command to open up this pane.

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 Create Pinned Constraints

Note
The surface will NOT change color (this has been done for this example to show which surface to
select), but the small Selected Marker (circle in above figure) will appear in Femap to let you know
the surface has been selected.

7. Right click on the highlighted Surface or anywhere in the graphics window, and select the Load
command.
This will display the Create Loads on Surfaces dialog.

Tip
When the Select Toolbar has an active entity type, right clicking in the graphics window always
opens the context-sensitive menu associated with the active Entity Type. Because of this, you will
not be able to use the normal right click menu simply by right clicking. Instead you must hold down
the Alt key, and then right click to open the Quick Access Menu (normal right click menu). When
there is no active Entity Type in the Select Toolbar, holding down the Alt key is not required.

Tip
You can also use icons from various toolbars to perform commands on the entities currently in the
Selector. In this case, you could use the Create Load on Surface icon on the Loads Toolbar (next
to last icon in the toolbar).

8. In the Create Loads on Surfaces dialog box, highlight Force from the selection list.
9. In the Direction section, select Normal to Surface.
10. Enter 100 in the Magnitude field of the Load section, and click OK.

Create Pinned Constraints

Create a constraint set, then create pinned constraints on the surfaces of the rear holes of the Baselink.

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Create Pinned Constraints

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Constraint → Create/Manage Set... command.

2. In the Constraint Set Manager dialog, click New Constraint Set.
3. In the New Constraint Set dialog box, enter the Title: "Pinned", and click OK.
4. In the Constraint Set Manager dialog box, click Done.
5. Surfaces should still be the active Entity Type in the Select Toolbar. If no entity type is active, use the
Selector Entity menu on the Select Toolbar (first icon) to select Surface.

Tip
The Select Toolbar remembers the last entity type which was active and a shortcut to make that
entity type active again is to simply click the Selector Entity icon. Once you are done using the
Select Toolbar, click the icon again and it will toggle back to the no active entity icon. This is very
helpful when going back and forth between using the Select Toolbar and using Femap in the more
traditional manner (i.e. selecting commands, then entities, then performing the actual command).

6. Using the Selector Mode menu (second icon on the Select Toolbar), choose Select Multiple. This
will allow you to choose multiple entities of the current active entity type and create a Selection List.
While not needed for this example, you can change the active entity and place multiple entities of
different types into the same Selection List.
7. With Surface active in the Select Toolbar, pick the 4 surfaces of the rear holes of the Baselink
(surfaces 1, 2, 31, and 32).
Tip
The Selection List can be viewed at the bottom of the Model Info tree. The entity types currently
in the Selection List will be listed and the quantity of each entity type currently in the list will be
shown in parenthesis after the entity type name.

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 Create Pinned Constraints

If you right-click any entity type in the Selection List, you will notice the same menu appearing for
each entity type, as it appears when the entity type is active in the Select Toolbar. This is an excellent
way to access commonly used commands when you are performing operations on different entity
types.

Note
The surfaces will NOT change color (This has been done for this example to show which surfaces
to select), but the small Selected Markers (circles in above figure) will appear in Femap to let you
know the surfaces have been selected.

8. Right click on any of the highlighted Surfaces or anywhere in the graphics window, and select the
Constraint command.
9. In the Create Constraints on Geometry dialog Standard Type section, select Pinned - No Translation,
and click OK.

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Meshing the Model

Meshing the Model

In the following propcedure, you will use the Model Info tree to select the solids to mesh, and then a
command from the right click menu for Geometry (solids) to mesh the assembly. This reduces the number
of commands needed to create the mesh by prompting you to create a material and automatically creating
the correct type of property required for solid tetrahedral meshing.

Procedure

1. In the Model Info tree, collapse the Connections and Model branches (click the “-” signs to the left
of the titles). Then expand the Geometry branch (click on the “+” sign to the left of the title) to see
the different Geometry entities (only Solids, Sheet Solids, and General Bodies are in the tree).

2. Highlight all the solids by selecting the first solid in the list, then holding the Shift key down and
selecting the last solid in the list, and right click on the highlighted Solids. Select the Tet Mesh
command from the menu.

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 Meshing the Model

3. Femap prompts you to create a Material to be used for all of the selected Solids. In the Define Material
- ISOTROPIC dialog, click Load.
4. From the Material Library dialog, on the Femap Standard Libraries tab, select AISI 4340 Steel
material, and click Load.
5. Then in the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, click OK.

Tip
The model has been sized for meshing. If you want to change the mesh size to anything but the
default values, you can do this by clicking the Update Mesh Sizing button in the Automesh Solids
dialog. For this example, the default mesh size is adequate.

6. In the Automesh Solids dialog box, click OK.

The model is now meshed, and now is a good time to turn off the Geometry and some other entities
in the graphics window.
7. Click the View Visibility icon (on View - Simple Toolbar or View Toolbar) or press Crtl+Q.

8. In the Visibility dialog box, on the Entity/Label tab, click the All Off button.
9. Check the Element check box located in the Mesh section, and click Done.
Note
The Loads and Constraints are still applied to the model, they are just no longer visible. For this
example, we are turning them off now for Post-Processing after the model has been solved.

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Analyzing the “Glued Contact” Model

Results

THE MODEL IS NOW READY TO BE ANALYZED!

Analyzing the “Glued Contact” Model

The Femap Analysis Set Manager stores the options for creating an input file for a solver (an analysis set).
It can launch the integrated Simcenter Nastran solver or another solver that has been set up to run on the
same computer. The Analysis Manager, together with VisQ, can also set up and run analyses with solvers
on other computers. The analysis sets are stored with the Femap model file, and can also be stored in a
Femap library that can be accessed from different model files.

You will now create the analysis set and solve the model.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

Tip
You can also create a new Analysis Set using the Manage command on the Analyses branch right
click menu in the Model Info tree (simply click to highlight the top level of the Analyses branch or
any existing Analysis Set, then right click to see menu).

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog box, click New.

3. Enter the Title: “Glued Contact”.
4. Select 36..Simcenter Nastran from the Analysis Program drop-down list, 1.. Static from the
Analysis Type drop-down, and click OK.

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 Post-processing the Results of “Glued Contact” Analysis

Note
The Analysis Set Manager displays all analysis sets defined in the model, along with the sections
that make up the input file for the solver. Clicking on a plus sign (“+”) will expand the tree and
display individual options that can be edited by double-clicking on an option. For this analysis,
you’ll use the default values for these options.

5. In the Analysis Set Manager, click Analyze.

Note
The Simcenter Nastran Analysis Monitor dockable pane displays the status of the solve. You’ll
know that the solve is done when the Messages dockable pane tells you that cleanup of the output
set is complete.

Post-processing the Results of “Glued Contact” Analysis

For this example, you will display the Deformed Shape and Contour Plot of the Solid von Mises Stress.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Select command.

2. From the View Select dialog, turn on the Deform radio button in the Deformed Style section, and
then turn on the Contour radio button in the Contour Style section.
3. Click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
4. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog box, do the following:
a. Set Output Sets to 1..Simcenter NASTRAN Case 1.
b. In the Output Vectors section, set Deform to 1..Total Translation.
c. Set Contour to 60031..Solid Von Mises Stress.
5. Click OK in all the open dialogs.

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Modifying the Connection Property

Results

You can perform some other PostProcessing commands on this model, then save the model. For
information on some interesting PostProcessing options for Solid Elements, such as Dynamic Cutting
Plane and Dynamic Isosurface, see Using Post-Processing.

Modifying the Connection Property

Next, you will modify the Connection Property and add a Constraint to run the Model again using Linear
Contact instead of Glued Contact analysis. To do this, you will again access a command via a right click
menu from the Model Info tree.

Using the Model Info Tree

Modify the Connection Property using the Model Info tree.

Procedure

1. In the Model Info tree, collapse the Geometry branch, and expand the Connections branch to see
the different Connection entities.

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 Using the Model Info Tree

2. Expand the Properties branch to view the Connection Properties in the model.

There is only one Connection Property in the model. You will modify this property, and run the
analysis again.
3. Right click on the highlighted Connection Property, and select Edit.

4. In the Define Connection Property dialog, change the Connect Type from 1..Glued to 0..Contact.

Note
The Linear tab is active. When you change the Connect Type from 1..Glued to 0..Contact. Certain
fields are made inactive (grayed out) and other fields become available.

5. Click the Defaults button at the bottom of the Define Connection Property dialog.

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Display Geometry, Loads and Constraints

This sets the default values for Linear Contact in Simcenter Nastran.
6. In the Simcenter Nastran Contact Pair (BCTSET) section, enter the following value: Friction: 0.1
7. Select the 2..Calculated/Zero Penetrations option from the Initial Penetration drop-down list in the
Contact Property (BCTPARM) section, and click OK.
Now you will return the model to a view where another constraint can be added easily.

Display Geometry, Loads and Constraints

Display only the Geometry, Loads and Constraints in an undeformed, uncontoured plot.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Select command or press F5.

2. In the View Select dialog, set Deformed Style to None, and set Model Only Contour Style to None -
Model Only. Click OK.
3. Select the Click View Visibility icon (View - Simple Toolbar or View Toolbar) or press Crtl+Q.

4. In the Visibility dialog, do the following:

a. Uncheck the Element box located in the Mesh section, and check the Geometry... header box
(checks all geometry types).
b. Check the Constraints... header box (checks all constraint types).
c. Check the Loads... header box (checks all load types).

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 Applying additional Constraints for stability

5. Click Done.

Applying additional Constraints for stability

You may need to place a few more Constraints on the model to keep the Pin from sliding out of the holes
in the Baselink and the Plunger. Next, you will create some “sliding along surface” constraints set on the
two ends of the “Pin”.

Procedure

1. Surfaces might still be the active entity type in the Select Toolbar depending on what other
PostProcessing you did on the Glued Contact model. If there is no active entity, use the Selector
Entity menu on the Select Toolbar (first icon) to select Surface.

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Applying additional Constraints for stability

Tip
The Select Toolbar remembers the last entity type which was active and a shortcut to make that
entity active again is to simply click the Selector Entity icon. Once you are done using the Select
Toolbar, click the icon again and it will toggle back to the no active entity icon.

2. Clear the Selector using the Selector Clear icon (4th icon from the left on Select Toolbar).

This will clear the Selection List.

Tip
Along with clearing the entire Selection List, you can instead use the Clear Active Entity command
on the Selector Clear Menu.

This will only remove the entities from the Selection List which are the same entity type as active
entity type in the Select Toolbar. This is very helpful if you are creating a large Selection List with
many different entity types.
3. With Surface active in the Select Toolbar, pick the surfaces at each end of the Pin (surfaces 41 and
42).
If you turn on the Entity Info dockable pane, you will be able to see which surfaces you are choosing
as you pick them. Use the Tools → Entity Info command to open up this pane.

Tip
You may need to rotate the model to pick both of these surfaces. When the Select Toolbar has an
active entity type, you can rotate the model using by holding down the middle mouse button or
wheel and then moving the mouse around.

4. Right click on any of the highlighted Surfaces or anywhere in the graphics window, and select the
Constraint command.
This will display the Create Constraints on Geometry dialog.
5. In the Create Constraints on Geometry dialog, turn on the Surface radio button followed by the
Allow Sliding only along Surface (Symmetry) radio button, and click OK.

THE MODEL IS NOW READY TO BE ANALYZED!

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 Analyzing the “Linear Contact” Model

Analyzing the “Linear Contact” Model

In the following procedure, you will Analyze the model via a right click menu from the Model Info tree.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog box, click Analyze.
Tip
You can also get to an existing Analysis Set using the Manage command from the right click menu
on the Analyses branch in the Model Info tree.
Also, if you already have an Analysis Set created, you can simply use the Analyze command on
the Analyses branch right click menu. If you only have one analysis set, Femap will run it from the
top-level Analyses branch. If you have multiple Analysis Sets, select an individual Analysis Set and
then use the context sensitive menu to Analyze that set.

3. In the Simcenter Femap with Nastran dialog, respond to “OK to Save Model Now? Nodal Coordinate
Systems have been changed during translation to support Geometric Constraints. You must save it
before you exit if you want to postprocess.” by clicking Yes.
4. In the File Save As dialog, provide a File Name: (Enter a file name or use existing file name if the
model was saved earlier), and click Save.
Note
The Analysis Monitor window will display the status of the solve. You’ll know that the solve is done
when the Messages dockable pane tells you that cleanup of the output set is complete.

PostProcessing the Results of “Linear Contact” Analysis

For this example, you will again display the Deformed Shape and Contour Plot of the Solid von Mises
Stress.

Procedure

1. Click the View Visibility icon (on View - Simple Toolbar or View Toolbar) or press Crtl+Q.
2. In the Visibility dialog box, click the All Off button.
3. Check the Element box located in the Mesh section.
4. Click Done.
5. Select the View → Select command, or press F5.
6. In the View Select dialog box, turn on the Deform radio button in the Deformed Style section, and
then turn on the Contour radio button in the Contour Style section.

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PostProcessing the Results of “Linear Contact” Analysis

7. Click the Deformed and Contour Data button.

8. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog do the following:
a. Set Output Sets to 2..Simcenter NASTRAN Case 1.
b. In the Output Vectors section set Deform to 1..Total Translation and Contour to 60031..Solid
Von Mises Stress.

Note
The displacements and stresses are quite a bit higher for the Linear Contact. This is because the
model was allowed to move much more compared to when the model was Glued together.

9. Click OK (all dialog boxes).

10. Select the Tools → Toolbars → Post command (if the Post Toolbar is already visible just click the
icons shown below). This opens the Post Toolbar.

Click the Post Options icon from the Post Toolbar and select Actual Deformation from the
drop-down list.

Note
This can also be accomplished by:
• Pressing the F6 Key or using the View → Options menu.
• Selecting Postprocessing as the category.
• Highlighting Deformed Style in the Options list.
• Unchecking the % of Model (Actual) box.
• Clicking OK.
It is much easier to use the Post Options menu on the Post Toolbar for this task.

11. Turn off Filled Edges from the View Style Menu and the lines representing the elements will no
longer be visible. This cleans up the view somewhat for creating pictures.

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 PostProcessing the Results of “Linear Contact” Analysis

Results

Again, you can perform some other PostProcessing commands on this model, then save the model. For
some interesting PostProcessing options for Solid Elements, such as Dynamic Cutting Plane and Dynamic
Isosurface, see Using Post-Processing.

This is the end of the example. You don’t need to save the model file.

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PostProcessing the Results of “Linear Contact” Analysis

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 Importing the Geometry

4. Analyzing Buckling for a Bracket

In this example, you will explore the buckling load of a simple bracket subject to a concentrated
cantilevered load. The bracket, although solid, will be idealized as a thin shell finite element model, fixed at
the base and loaded at the tip.

Importing the Geometry

Import a Femap neutral file containing the geometry of the bracket.

Procedure

1. Select the File → New command.

This creates a new, empty Femap model file.
2. Select the File → Import → Femap Neutral command.
3. From the Read Model from Femap Neutral dialog, go to the Examples directory in your Femap
installation. Locate the [Link] file, and click Open.
4. Then in the Neutral File Read Options dialog, accept the deffaults, and click OK.
The neutral file is imported, and appears like the following:

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Meshing the Model

Meshing the Model

The first step for the meshing process will be to define the property and material for the elements. Next,
you will mesh the surfaces.

Defining the Property and Material

The shell property represents the thickness of the material making up the two regions of the part. In the
following procedure, you will define the shell element property.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Property command.

2. In the Define Property - PLATE Element Type dialog, click on Elem/Property Type.
3. In the Element/Property Type dialog, select Plate from the Plane Elements section, and click OK.
4. In the Define Property - PLATE Element Type dialog, enter the Title: “Shell”.

Note
Titles can be up to 79 characters long.

5. Then in the Property Values section, set Thicknesses, Tavg or T1 to 0.1.

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 Create Boundary Surfaces

6. Click OK, and then click Yes (to create the material).

Note
You have created the property, but you also need to define the associated material. In steps below,
you will choose a standard material from the Femap material library.

7. The last step opened the Define Material ISOTROPIC dialog. If it is not open, you can click the New
Material icon button next to the Material drop-down in the Define Property - PLATE Element Type
dialog,.
8. In the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, click Load.
9. In the Select From Material Library dialog, choose the Femap Standard Libraries tab, select AISI
4340 Steel, and click Load.
10. In the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, click OK, and then in the Define Property - PLATE Element
Type dialog, click OK followed by another click on Cancel.

Tip
Cancel was used because once you defined the first property, Femap automatically prompted you to
enter another property. Pressing Calcel ends the command. Generally, you will need to press Cancel
to exit from any entity creation command.

Create Boundary Surfaces

The geometry that you imported is simply a wireframe representation of the part’s midsurfaces. To create
finite elements in Femap, you need to specify the regions, or boundaries where you need to mesh.
You also need to specify the number of elements you want along the edges of a region. By default, all
geometry is assigned a mesh spacing of 1.0. If you mesh this part without specifying a tighter mesh size,
your mesh will be too coarse to give meaningful answers.

By default, you have been viewing the model in the regular wireframe mode. Once you have created the
mesh, you will change to the Free Edge model style to ensure that the part is meshed continuously. Since
it isn’t, you’ll use the Coincident Nodes check to merge duplicate nodes at the split between the two
regions.

In the following procedure, you will create boundary surfaces for both regions of the model.

Procedure

1. Select the Geometry → Boundary Surface → From Curves command.

2. In the Entity Selection dialog, select the four curves that make up one of the regions (see figure
below), and click OK.

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Specify the Mesh Size

3. Select the four curves that make up the part’s other region.

4. Click OK, and then click Cancel.

You should now have two new boundary surfaces.

Specify the Mesh Size

In the following procedure, you will specify the mesh size for the surfaces.

Procedure

1. Select the Mesh → Mesh Control → Size on Surface command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Surface(s) to Set Mesh Size dialog, click Select All, and then click OK.
3. In the Automatic Mesh Sizing dialog box enter a value for Element Size: 0.3
4. Click OK, and then click Cancel.
The boundary surfaces now have small tick marks representing the mesh sizing you specified.

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 Mesh the Surfaces

Mesh the Surfaces

In the following procedure, you will mesh the surfaces.

Procedure

1. Select the Mesh → Geometry → Surface command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Surfaces to Mesh dialog, set ID to 1, and click OK.
3. In the Automesh Surfaces dialog box, click the More Options button.
4. Select a Property: 1..Shell.
5. In the Node Options section, uncheck the Connect Edge Nodes option, and click OK.

Note
Usually, Connect Edge Nodes is a good option to use. It is being turned off in this example simply
as a way to create a mesh which is not fully connected. This allows you to see how a free edge plot
is displayed in Femap and also how to use the Tools → Check → Coincident Nodes command later
in the exercise.

6. Select the Mesh → Geometry → Surface command again.

7. In the Entity Selection - Select Surfaces to Mesh dialog, set ID to 2, and click OK.

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Display Using Free Edge Style

8. In the Automesh Surfaces dialog box, click OK.

The two surfaces are now meshed.

Display Using Free Edge Style

Display the model using the Free Edge style.

Procedure

1. Use command shortcut F5 Key to open the View Select dialog.

Tip
You can also press the View Select icon on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar or by
using View → Select command to open the dialog.

2. In the View Select dialog, set Model Style to Free Edge, and click OK.

Note
The model is displayed with only the free edges showing. As expected, there are free edges around
the outside of the part. There are also free edges where the part needs to be connected, at the split
line between the two regions. This indicates that there are duplicate nodes at these locations, each
connected to shell elements on one side of the edge.

Note
If you had selected all the surfaces and meshed them together, the meshes on the two surfaces
would have been connected.

Check for Coincident Nodes

Check for coincident nodes, and merge them.

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 Check for Coincident Nodes

Procedure

1. Select the Tools → Check → Coincident Nodes command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Node(s) to Check dialog, click Select All, and click OK.
3. In the Check/Merge Coincident dialog, set Action to Merge, Keep ID to Automatic, and Move To to
Current Location, and click OK.

Note
You will notice on the Check/Merge Coincident dialog that a Preview button exists. When this
button is clicked, Femap will enter a mode which allows you to highlight the nodes that will be
Kept, Merged, or Both in your model. Clicking Done will bring you back to the Check/Merge
Coincident dialog.

4. Click OK to complete the merge operation with the selected options.

5. Select the Window → Regenerate command.

6. Press the F5 Key to open the View Select dialog box.

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Applying Constraints and Loads

7. In the View Select dialog, set Model Style to Draw Model, and click OK.

Applying Constraints and Loads

In the following procedures, you will apply constraints and loads to the model. Since most parts and
systems of parts can be held and loaded in any number of ways, Femap uses sets to manage constraints
and loads. You will create a constraint set, then you will fix all of the nodes at the base of the model. Then,
you will create a load set, and apply a 100 pound load to the tip of the bracket. In a buckling analysis,
the actual loading of the part is applied, and the solver returns a buckling eigenvalue. The eigenvalue is
multiplied by the applied load to give the critical buckling load.

Create the Constraint Set

Create the constraint set.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Constraint → Create/Manage Set command.

2. In the Constraint Set Manager dialog, click New Constraint Set.
3. In the New Constraint Set dialog box, enter Title: “Fixed”, and click OK.
4. In the Constraint Set Manager dialog, click Done.

Create the Constraints

Create the constraints to fix the nodes at the base of the model.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Constraint → Nodal command.

2. In the Entity Selection dialog, pick the nodes at the edge of the model, and click OK.

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 Create the Constraints

3. In the Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog, click Fixed, and click OK, and click Cancel.
4. In the Entity Selection dialog, click Cancel.

5. Click the View Visibility icon (on View - Simple Toolbar or View Toolbar) or press Crtl+Q.
6. In the Visibility dialog, on the Entity/Label tab, turn on the Labels radio button.

7. Click the All Off button, and click Done.

Note
You can use the Entity Display Toolbar to quickly toggle Labels on and off. If the Entity Display
Toolbar is not visible, you can turn it on using the Tools → Toolbars → Entity Display command to
make it visible (shown undocked).

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Create the Load Set

The first icon (View Entity/Labels Toggle) can be toggled to select if the toolbar is currently
controlling the overall display of the various entity types available on the toolbar or the labels for
those entity types. Toggle it to allow you to toggle labels on and off.

Create the Load Set

Create the load set.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Create/Manage Set command.

2. In the Load Set Manager dialog, click New Load Set.
3. In the New Load Set dialog, enter the Title: “100 lb in +Y”, and click OK.
4. In the Load Set Manager dialog, click Done.

Create the load

Create the load in the negative Y direction.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Nodal command.

2. In the Entity Selection dialog, pick the node at the tip of arrow (see following figure), and click OK.

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 Create the load

3. In the Create Loads on Nodes dialog, set FY to 100, and click OK.
4. In the Entity Selection dialog, click Cancel.

5. Sometimes, it may be difficult to see a displayed load. If so, Force and Moment loads may be reversed
to have the head of the arrow on the selected node, point, or curve instead of the tail.
To do this, press the F6 key to open the View Options dialog, set Category to Labels, Entities and
Color, then select Load Vectors from the list of Options. Finally, check Reverse and click OK.

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Analyzing the Model

Analyzing the Model

The Femap Analysis Manager stores the options for creating an input file for a solver (an analysis set).
It can launch the Simcenter NASTRAN solver or another solver that has been set up to run on the same
computer. The Analysis Manager, together with VisQ, can also set up and run analyses with solvers on
other computers.

The analysis sets are stored with the Femap model file, and can also be stored in a Femap library that can
be accessed from different model files. In the following procedure, you will create the analysis set and solve
the model.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

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 Post-processing the Results

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click New.

3. In the Analysis Set dialog, enter Title: “Buckling”.
4. Set Analysis Program to 36..Simcenter Nastran Analysis, and Type to 7..Buckling, and click OK.

Note
The analysis set manager displays all analysis sets defined in the model, and the sections that make
up the input file for the solver. Clicking on a plus sign will expand the tree and display individual
options that can be edited by double-clicking on an option. For this analysis, use the default values
for these options.

5. Click Analyze.
The Simcenter Nastran Analysis Monitor will display the status of the solve. You’ll know that the
solve is done when the Messages dockable pane tells you that cleanup of the output set is complete.

Post-processing the Results

For this example, you will display the deformed model (buckled shape) and the critical buckling factor.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Select command.

2. In the View Select dialog, set Deformed Style to Deform.
3. Click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
4. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog, set Output Sets to 2..Eigenvalue 1 33.06344.
5. Click OK in all the dialogs.

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Post-processing the Results

The set value is the eigenvalue and critical buckling factor for a buckling analysis. In this case, the part
would buckle at a load 33.06 times higher than the applied load.

Results

This is the end of the example. You don’t need to save the model file.

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 Importing the Geometry

5. Creating and Meshing a Solid Model

In this example, you will use the Femap geometry modeling capabilities to build a solid model of a slotted
guide. You’ll apply constraints and loads, then mesh the model.

To perform this example, you’ll need to have the Parasolid modeling engine active. If you have the
300-node version of Femap, you won’t be able to save your model file or change the model after meshing
due to size limitations.

The example includes the following steps:

• Importing the Geometry

• Creating the Solid Part
• Creating the Slot
• Creating the Bolt Holes
• Creating the Guide Boss
• Applying Constraints and Loads
• Meshing the Model

Importing the Geometry

Open a new model file and import the Femap neutral file containing the basic profile for the part.

Procedure

1. Select the File → New command.

2. Select the File → Import → Femap Neutral command.
3. In the Read Model from Femap Neutral dialog, go to the Examples directory in your Femap
installation. Locate [Link] file, and click Open.
4. In the Neutral File Read Options dialog, click OK.
The imported curves will form the base of the part.

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Creating the Solid Part

Creating the Solid Part

To create the part, you’ll first create a boundary, then extrude it.

Create a Boundary

Create a boundary from the curves.

Procedure

1. Select the Geometry → Boundary Surface → From Curves command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Curve(s) on Closed Boundary dialog, click Select All, click OK, and then
click Cancel.

Extrude the Boundary

Extrude the boundary to form a solid part.

Procedure

1. Select the Geometry → Solid → Extrude command.

Note
Since there is only one boundary, the software selects it automatically.

2. In the Extrusion Options dialog, set Material to New Solid, Direction to Negative, Length to To
Depth, and enter 10 for To Depth. Then click OK.

3. Click the Dynamic Rotate icon (on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar).
4. In the Dynamic Display dialog, hold the left mouse button and rotate the model to see the extrusion.

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 Creating the Slot

Tip
You do not have to pick the Dynamic Rotate icon on the toolbar before using the mouse to
dynamically rotate your model. Using the Dynamic Rotation button does allow you to change the
Dynamic Display option to Rotate Z, Rotate Axis, Pan, or Zoom while the Dynamic Display dialog
is open.

5. Click OK when you are done rotating the model.

Creating the Slot

In the following procedures, you will create a slot in the solid part.

Draw the Slot

To create the slot, start by drawing the slot using two circles.

Procedure

1. Select the Geometry → Curve - Circle → Radius command.

2. In the Locate - Enter Location at Center of Circle dialog, enter 0, 95, 0 for X, Y and Z, and click OK
(these X, Y, Z values locate the center of the circle).
3. Again in the Locate - Enter Location on Circle dialog, enter 11, 95, 0 for X, Y and Z, and click OK
(these X, Y, Z values locate a point on the circle).

Note
Femap prompts you to create another circle.

4. In the Locate - Enter Location at Center of Circle dialog, enter 0, 50, 0 for X, Y and Z, and click OK
(these X, Y, Z values locate the center of the circle).
5. Again In the Locate - Enter Location on Circle dialog, enter 11, 50, 0 for X, Y and Z, and click OK
(these X, Y, Z values locate a point on the circle).
6. Click Cancel.

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Finish Creating the Geometry

Finish Creating the Geometry

Finish creating the geometry of the slot.

Procedure

1. Select the Geometry → Curve - Line → Points command.

2. In the Create Line from Points dialog, pick points A and B (in the following figure), and click OK.

3. Again in the Create Line from Points dialog, pick points C and D (in the above figure), and click OK.

4. Click Cancel.

Break the Circles

Break the circles into 2 parts.

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 Break the Circles

Procedure

1. Select the Snap to Point command . It is found on Select Toolbar snap modes menu or from on
the Quick Access Menu (click right mouse button in graphics window).
2. Select the Modify → Break → At Location command.
3. In the Entity Selection - Select Curves to Break dialog, pick the lower circle, and click OK.
4. In the Locate - Enter Location to Break At dialog, pick point A (in following figure), and click OK.

Note
You need to check that the view axes are oriented the same as in the following figure. If the model
is reversed and you pick the points opposite A and B, you will be picking the end point of the
circular curves and the split will fail.

5. In the Entity Selection - Select Curves to Break dialog, pick the upper circle, and click OK.
6. In the Locate - Enter Location to Break At dialog, pick point B (in above figure), and click OK. Then
click Cancel.
7. Select the Delete → Geometry → Curve command.
8. In the Entity Selection - Select Curve(s) to Delete dialog, pick the two inner halves of the circles, and
click OK. Click OK again to the delete the curves question

The Update Views check box on the Confirm Delete dialog allows you to automatically regenerate
the graphics after the deletion. If you are doing a lot of deletes in a very large model, you might want
to uncheck this box to improve performance and then press Ctrl+G to regenerate the display when
you have finished deleting entities.

Results

The geometry is now complete.

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Create a Boundary Surface

Create a Boundary Surface

Create a boundary surface and extrude the new curves.

Procedure

1. Select the Geometry → Boundary Surface → From Curves command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Curve(s) on Closed Boundary dialog, pick the four curves of the slot.
Click OK, and then click Cancel.

3. Select the Geometry → Solid → Extrude command.

Note
The boundary that you just created is already selected.

4. In the Extrusion Options dialog, set Material to Remove - Hole, Direction to Negative, and Length
to Thru All, and click OK.

Creating the Bolt Holes

You’ll now use a patterning technique to create five bolt holes. This allows all of the holes to be created in
one step, instead of one at a time.

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 Creating the Guide Boss and Slot

Procedure

1. Select the Geometry → Curve - Circle → Radius command.

2. In the Locate - Enter Location at Center of Circle dialog, enter -38, 0, 0 for X, Y, and Z, and click OK.
3. Again in the Locate - Enter Location on Circle dialog, enter -38, 5, 0 for X, Y, and Z. Click OK, then
click Cancel.

4. Select the Geometry → Boundary Surface → From Curves command.

5. In the Entity Selection - Select Curve(s) on Closed Boundary dialog, pick the newly created circle. Click
OK, then click Cancel.
6. Select the Geometry → Solid → Extrude command.
7. In the Extrusion Options dialog box, set Material to Remove Hole, Direction to Negative, and
Length to Thru All.

Tip
Make sure that the Extrude arrow extends through the thickness of the part. If it points the wrong
way, change the Direction.

8. On the right side of the Extrusion Options dialog, press the Pattern button.
9. In the Patterns dialog, select Radial.
10. Set Center to 0, 0 (XY coordinates), Number to 5, and Total Angle to 180.
11. Click OK in all the open dialogs.

Creating the Guide Boss and Slot

Create the guide boss, and the slot in the guide boss.

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Creating the Guide Boss

Creating the Guide Boss

Create the geometry of the guide boss.

Procedure

1. Select the Geometry → Curve - Circle → Radius command.

2. In the Locate - Enter Location at Center of Circle dialog, enter 0, 0, 0 for X, Y, and Z, and click OK.
3. In the Locate - Enter Location on Circle dialog, enter 25, 0, 0 for X, Y, and Z, and click OK.
4. In the Locate - Enter Location at Center of Circle dialog, enter 0, 0, 0 for X, Y, and Z, and click OK.
5. In the Locate - Enter Location on Circle dialog, enter 16, 0, 0 for X, Y, and Z. Click OK, then click
Cancel.

6. Click the Zoom icon (on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar), and pick two corners to
draw a box around the two new circles.

7. Select the Geometry → Boundary Surface → From Curves command.

8. In the Entity Selection - Select Curve(s) on Closed Boundary dialog, pick the two new curves. Click OK,
then click Cancel.
9. Select the Geometry → Solid → Extrude command.
10. In the Extrusion Options dialog, set Material to Add - Protrusion, Direction to Positive, and Length
to To Depth. For To Depth, enter 50, and then click OK.

Tip
To better see the model, rotate it and change to a solid model display, pick the View Style icon

menu on the View Toolbar or View - Simple Toolbar, and then pick Solid. To restore the
display, pick the View Style icon menu, and then pick Wireframe.

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 Move the Workplane

Move the Workplane

The workplane is a two-dimensional plane that you can locate and align anywhere in three-dimensional
space. When you make a graphical selection, the screen location that you selected is projected along a
vector normal to the screen onto the workplane. The resulting three-dimensional coordinates are located
at the intersection of the projection vector and the workplane. You will now move the workplane to the
top of the boss, so that you can more easily build the slot.

Procedure

1. Select the Tools → Workplane command.

2. In the Workplane Management dialog, check Draw Workplane, and then click On Surface.
3. In the Plane Normal to Surface dialog, set On Surface (pick the surface highlighted below), At Point
(pick point A), and Axis Point (pick point B).
4. Click OK.

Create the Boss Slot

Create the boss slot. You will create a horizontal line on the surface of the boss, then two parallel lines, and
use them to form a rectangle. You will then extrude the rectangle to create the slot.

Procedure

1. Select the Geometry → Curve - Line → Points command.

2. In the Create Line from Points dialog, set From Point (pick point A from diagram), and To Point (pick
point B). Click OK, and then click Cancel.

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Create the Boss Slot

There is a new horizontal line on the surface of the guide boss.

3. Select the Geometry → Curve - Line → Parallel command.

4. In the Line Parallel to a Line dialog, set From Curve (pick the curve you just created), enter an Offset
of 3.5, and click OK.
5. Again in the Locate dialog, pick a point to one side of the line, such as point A in the figure below, and
click OK.

6. Again in the Line Parallel to a Line dialog, set From Curve (pick the curve again), and click OK.
7. In the Locate dialog, pick a point on the other side of the line, such as point B in the figure above.
Click OK, and then click Cancel.
The guide boss now has three parallel lines on the top.

8. Select the Geometry → Curve - Line → Points command.

9. In the Create Line from Points dialog, set From Point. Pick point A (the endpoint of the top line) in the
following diagram. Then set To Point. Pick point B, and click OK.

10. In the Create Line from Points dialog, set From Point. Pick point C (the endpoint of the top line) in the
above diagram. Then set To Point. Pick point D. Click OK, and then click Cancel.

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 Applying Constraints and Loads

11. Select the Geometry → Boundary Surface → From Curves command.

12. In the Entity Selection - Select Curve(s) on Closed Boundary dialog, pick the four curves below to form
a rectangle. Click OK, and then click Cancel.

13. Select the Geometry → Solid → Extrude command.

14. In the Extrusion Options dialog, set Material to Remove - Hole, Direction to Negative, and Length
to To Depth. In To Depth, enter 12, and click OK.

Note
If you like, you can now use the Delete → Geometry → Curve command, Select All, then click OK
to delete the extraneous curves. Delete → Geometry → Point will do the same for points.

Applying Constraints and Loads

In the following procedures, you will create constraints to fix the bolt holes, and then create a load on the
inner surface of the slot.

Create and Apply Constraints

Create a constraint set, then apply constraints to the bolt holes.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Constraint → Create/Manage Set command.

2. In the Constraint Set Manager dialog, click New Constraint Set.
3. In the New Constraint Set dialog, enter a Title "Bolt holes", and click OK.
4. In the Constraint Set Manager dialog, click Done.

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Create and Apply the Load

5. Select the Model → Constraint → On Surface command.

6. In the Entity Selection - Enter Surface(s) to Select dialog, pick the 10 inner surfaces of the bolt holes,
and click OK.

7. In the Create Constraints on Geometry dialog, click Fixed, and click OK.

8. In the Entity Selection - Enter Surface(s) to Select dialog, click Cancel.

9. Select the View → Autoscale → Visible command to display the entire model in the Graphics
window.

Create and Apply the Load

Create the load set, and then apply a load of -1000 pounds to one face of the slot.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Create/Manage Set command.

2. In the Load Set Manager dialog, click New Load Set.
3. In the New Load Set dialog, enter a Title "Slot load", and click OK.

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 Meshing the Model

4. In the Load Set Manager dialog, click Done.

5. Select the Model → Load → On Surface command.
6. In the Entity Selection - Enter Surface(s) to Select dialog, pick one face inside the slot (see the
following figure), and click OK.

Tip
Rotate and zoom the model so that you can more easily see the face.

7. In the Create Loads on Surfaces dialog, set FX to -1000, and click OK.
8. In the Entity Selection - Enter Surface(s) to Select dialog, click Cancel.

Results

The selecteds slot surface now has a load of -1000.

Meshing the Model

Define the property and material for the model, then generate a solid mesh.

Defining the Property and Material

Define the solid element property.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Property command.

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Create a Solid Mesh

2. In the Define Property dialog, press the Elem/Property Type button.

3. In the Element Property Type dialog, set Volume Elements to Solid, and click OK.
4. In the Define Property - SOLID Element Type dialog, enter a Title: “Solid” (titles can be up to 79
characters long), and click OK. Then click Yes to “Material 0 does not Exist, OK to Create?”.
5. In the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, click Load.
6. In the Select From Material Library dialog on the Femap Standard Libraries tab, select AISI 4340
Steel, and click Load.
7. Click OK in all dialogs, and then in the Define Property - SOLID Element Type dialog, click Cancel.

Create a Solid Mesh

Create a solid mesh for the model.

Procedure

1. Select the Mesh → Geometry → Solids command.

2. In the Automesh Solids dialog box, click OK.

Results

This is the end of the example. You don’t need to save this model file.

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 Differences Between Groups and Layers

6. Working with Groups and Layers

The Femap group and layer capabilities enable you to segment your model into smaller, more manageable,
discrete pieces. You can then use these pieces to minimize the amount of information displayed in the
Graphics window or included in a printed report. Groups and layers also make it easier to manipulate,
update, and apply loads to your model. This example introduces groups and layers.

• Femap groups identify portions of your model. Once you create a group, you can limit your display
to the portion of the model that is in the group or any number of groups. In addition, a group or
any number of groups can impact PostProcessing. For instance, Femap can automatically adjust contour/
criteria limits to the peak values that occur on the entities in the group. You can also easily group
elements using a particular property or material.
• Femap layering is similar to layering in most CAD systems. In Femap, you can think of a layer as a clear
sheet of paper with entities drawn on it. The display of the model may include many layers overlaid on
one another. You can control which entities are displayed by defining which layers are visible.

Other Femap capabilities that control the display of your model include the View → Select and View →
Options commands, as well as PostProcessing displays. These features are explored in other examples.

Differences Between Groups and Layers

Both groups and layers enable you to control the display of your model. However, there are some key
differences between groups and layers:

Groups Layers
An entity can be included in multiple groups. An entity can be included in only one layer.
A single group or any number of groups can be Multiple layers can be displayed at the same time.
displayed at a time.
Only one group can be active. (You can only add Only one layer can be active. (You can only work
items to a group one at a time unless using certain with one layer at a time.)
commands on the Group → Operations menu)

See Also:

• Section 5.12.2, "Groups and Layers Overview" in the Femap User Guide.
• Section 6.4, "Groups and Layers" in the Femap Commands Guide.

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Using Groups

Using Groups
In this series of examples, you’ll use the wing model to create and work with several different groups.

Open the Model File

In the following procedure, you will open the model file containing the wing model, turn off the display of
loads and constraints, and change the view style to Solid.

Procedure

1. Select the File → Open command.

2. In the Open dialog, go to the Examples directory in your Femap installation. Locate the [Link]
file, and click Open.
The wing model is opened.

3. Select the File → Save As command, and save the model file with a different name.

4. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View - Simple Toolbar or the View Toolbar), or press
Crtl+Q.
5. In the Visibility dialog, choose the Entity/Label tab. Make sure to activate the Draw Entity radio
button as the dialog remembers the last user inputs.
6. Uncheck the Constraints... header (unchecks all constraint types), uncheck the Loads... header
(unchecks all load types), and click Done.

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 Create a Group, Upper and Lower Wing Skins

Note
You can use the Entity Display Toolbar to quickly toggle Loads and Constraints on and off. If the
Entity Display Toolbar is not visible, you can turn it on using the Tools → Toolbars → Entity
Display command to make it visible (shown undocked).

7. In the View Style Menu (on View Toolbar or View - Simple Toolbar), choose the Solid View
Style Menu again (on View Toolbar or View - Simple Toolbar), and then choose Offsets (turns off the
Element Offsets).

Create a Group, Upper and Lower Wing Skins

Create a group that represents just the upper and lower wing skins.

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Display the Group

Procedure

1. Select the Group → Create/Manage command.

Tip
You can also create a new Group using the New command on the right click menu of the Groups
branch in the Model Info tree. Also, in Femap version 2020.1 and higher, if no groups currently
exist in the model, commands on the Group menu will be available. If a command on the Group
menu is selected, you will automatically be prompted to create a new group, then once the new
group has been created, continue with the selected command.

2. In the Group Manager dialog, click New Group.

3. In the New Group dialog box, enter the Title “Wing Skins”, and click OK.
4. In the Group Manager dialog, click Done.
5. Select the Group → Element → Property command.
6. In the Entity Selection dialog, pick one plate element from the top wing skin (property 101). Then
pick one plate element from the bottom wing skin (property 102). Rotate the model if necessary.
7. Click OK.

Note
As you select elements on the screen, Femap extracts the element’s property and fills the selection
box accordingly.

Display the Group

You will now display the new group.

Procedure

1. Click the View Visibility icon (on View - Simple Toolbar or View Toolbar), or press Crtl+Q.
2. In the Visibility dialog, choose the Group tab, and turn on the Show Active Group radio button.
3. Select the new 1..Wing Skins group from the Show Active Group drop-down list, and click Done.

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 Using a Group to Trim a Report

Using a Group to Trim a Report

In this next section of the example, you will see how groups can be useful in creating a report. Perhaps you
are interested in finding the element in either the upper or lower wing skin with the maximum shear flow
(FXY force). You will use the wing skin group to find this element. Create the report based on the wing skin
group.

Procedure

1. Select the List → Output → Formatted command.

2. In the Select Output Set(s) to List dialog, click OK to accept the already selected output set.
3. In the List Formatted Output dialog, enter the Title: “Maximum Shear Flow”.
4. In the Sort Field, select 8008..Plate XY Membrane Force.
5. In the Top N section, select Top.
6. For the Number field, enter 5.
7. In the Options section, select Details Only.
8. Click OK.
9. In the Select From Output Format Library dialog, on the Femap Standard Libraries tab, set Contents
to NASTRAN QUAD4 Forces, and click Load.
10. In the Entity Selection - Select Element(s) to List dialog, select 1..Wing Skins from the Group
drop-down, and click OK.

Note
The report appears in the Messages dockable pane.

11. Press Ctrl + U to undock the Messages dockable pane. The report lists the plate element forces
corresponding to the top five shear flow plates in the upper and lower wing skins. The report is sorted
in ascending order. You can now easily see that the maximum shear flow (FXY) is 61.38 lb/inch, and
is in element 77.
12. Press Ctrl + U again to return the Messages dockable pane to docked state.

Quickly Find an Element

In the following procedure, you will quickly find an element in the model by it's ID which is 77.

Procedure

1. Select the Window → Show Entities command.

2. In the Entity Show dialog, set Entity Type to Element, check Label with ID, and click OK.

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Automatically Generating Groups

3. In the Entity Selection - Select Element(s) to Show dialog, enter the ID: 77, and click OK.
Note
Element 77 is temporarily highlighted.

Tip
As you’ve just seen, a group can be used in the standard entity selection dialog. Any time Femap
prompts you to select entities, you can specify a group. This feature can be extremely useful when
you are applying loads to a portion of your model, or when you want to update only sections of
your model.

Automatically Generating Groups

Once you become proficient in Femap, you will probably find yourself creating groups as you build a finite
element model to keep important areas of the model together for use downstream. If you don’t do this, or
if you import an existing model, Femap has several tools for automatically grouping together portions of
your model based on changes in material properties, element properties, or even geometric regions. This
procedure shows you how to automatically split the wing model into groups based on properties.

Procedure

1. Select the Group → Operations → Generate Property command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Property(s) to Group Elements dialog, click Select All, and click OK.
3. In the Simcenter Femap with Nastran or Femap message box, click Yes to “Ok to Make a Group for
each Selected Property (No=One Group for All)?”.

Note
You have just created groups of elements based on the nine different properties in this model.

4. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar), or press
Crtl+Q.
5. In the Visibility dialog Group tab, turn on the Show Active Group radio button, select 2..Property 1:
Upper Angle Stiffener from the drop-down list, and click Done.

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 Using the Group Information

Note
The stiffeners group is displayed. If you would like toggle on the cross-sections of line elements
and/or the thickness of plate elements for viewing, select Thickness/Cross Section from the View
Style menu located on the View Toolbar or View - Simple Toolbar.

6. Use the Visibility dialog to display each of the other groups.

Tip
You can use the Model Info tree to quickly switch the group currently being viewed. Simply expand
the Groups branch so all the groups in the model are visible in a list. Highlight any group in the list
and then right click. Select Show Active Group from the menu changes the view so only the Active
group is visible. You can also change the Active group by double-clicking on any other group in the
list (the title of the group will go from black to blue text to signify the group is now Active).

Tip
You can combine groups very easily using the Model Info tree. Select any number of groups using
the Ctrl or Shift keys and the mouse. Once the groups are selected, right click and select the
Combine command. This places all the entities of the selected groups into one new group which
can then be made Active to be viewed.

Tip
Other than Combine, there are 5 other boolean operations which can be used to create new
groups from multiple groups using the Group → Operation → Boolean command.

Using the Group Information

In this section of the example, you’ll use a group to display specific information about the model. Display
the axial forces in the upper stringers.

Procedure

1. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View Toolbar or View - Simple Toolbar), or press Crtl+Q.
2. In the Visibility dialog Group tab, turn on the Show Active Group radio button, select 6..Property 5 -
Upper Stringer - T Section from the drop-down list, and click Done.

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Using Layers

3. Select the View Select icon (on View Toolbar or View - Simple Toolbar).
4. In the View Select dialog, set Contour Style to Criteria, and click the Deformed and Contour Data
button.
5. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog, set the Output Vectors Contour option to 3022..Beam
EndA Axial Force.
6. Click OK (all dialog boxes).

Note
Femap now displays a criteria plot of the axial forces for the elements displayed.

Using Layers
Working with layers is quite easy as long as you understand the basic layering concepts: every entity in
Femap references a layer, and a layer is either on or off. The View → Visibility command controls which
layers are displayed. This section of the example shows you how to work with layers.

Reset the Display

Reset the display of the wing model.

Procedure

1. Select the View Select icon (on View Toolbar or View - Simple Toolbar).

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 View the different layers

2. In the View Select dialog, set Contour Style to None - Model Only, and click OK.

3. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View Toolbar or View - Simple Toolbar), or press Crtl+Q.
4. In the Visibility dialog, choose the Show Full Model option, and click Done.

View the different layers

View the different layers in the model.

Procedure

1. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar), or press
Crtl+Q.
2. In the Visibility dialog, on the Layer tab, choose the View Multiple Layers option.
3. Check 2..Middle Section, uncheck 1..Inner Section, unckeck 3..Outer Section, and click Done.

4. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar), or press
Crtl+Q.
5. In the Visibility dialog, check 1..Inner Section, check 3..Outer Section, uncheck 2..Middle Section,
and click Done.

Tip
You can hide and show layers very easily using the Model Info tree. You can simply check or
uncheck layers one at a time. You can also select any number of layers using the Ctrl or Shift keys
and the mouse. Once the layers are selected, right click on the visibility check boxes and choose
the Show Selected, Show Selected Only, or the Hide Selected commands. You can also choose
to View All Layers or View Visible Layers Only by selecting those commands from the right click
menu for Layers.

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View the different layers

6. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar), or press
Crtl+Q.
7. In the Visibility dialog , on the Group tab, choose the Show/Hide Multiple Groups option.
8. Check 7..Property 101 - Upper Wing Skin, 8..Property 102 - Lower Wing Skin and 10..Property
104 - Spar Webs.

Note
Instead of getting check marks in the check boxes, you will get green circles with white + signs,
designating the group is being shown. If you check a group again, you will then get a red circle with
a - sign, which means the group is hidden in the display. Finally, if you check it again, the group will
become clear and not be shown or hidden in the display.

9. Click Done.

10. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar), or press
Crtl+Q.
11. In the Visibility dialog box, on the Group tab, choose the Show Full Model option.
12. Again in the Visibility dialog box, choose the Layer tab, turn on the View All Layers radio button, and
click Done.

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 Using a Contour Group for Post-processing

Using a Contour Group for Post-processing

Sometimes you may want to create an image that displays the results on a single group of elements while
showing the rest of the model as a reference. This can be accomplished by setting a Contour Group in the
Contour Options dialog box.

Procedure

1. Select View Select icon (on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar).
2. In the View Select dialog, set Contour Style to Contour, and click the Deformed and Contour Data
button.
3. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog, set the Output Vectors Contour option to 7033..Plate Top
VonMises Stress, and click Contour Options.
4. In the Select Contour Options dialog, turn on the Contour Group Select radio button, and select
7..Property 101 - Upper Wing Skin from the drop down list.
5. Set Contour Fill Mode to Level Colors, and click OK (all dialog boxes).

Note
Use the Contour Options command from the Post Options menu on the Post Toolbar to quickly
access the Contour Options dialog box and change the Contour Group.

Results

This is the end of the example. You don’t need to save the model file.

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Using a Contour Group for Post-processing

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 Using View Select

7. Working with View Select and View Options

Femap provides a wide variety of viewing options that help you be more productive. This example
introduces two dialog boxes that control how your model is displayed on the screen: View Select and
View Options.

• View Select controls the top level display options. With View Select, you can control whether your
model is displayed in hidden line or plain wireframe mode, turn on and off stress contours, animations,
deformed plots, etc.
• View Options provides the detailed control over how entities are displayed: element color, node label
display, perspective, etc. View Options also provides extensive control over post-processing options.

Other Femap capabilities that control the display of your model include groups, layers, and post-processing
displays. These features are explored in other examples.

Using View Select

The View Select dialog box lets you control the following types of view information:

• Model Style: Controls general model display.

• Deformed Style: Controls display of deformed plots for post-processing.
• Contour Style: Controls display of contour plots for post-processing.

The following example lets you explore some of the Model Style options. You will explore the other types
of view information in the post-processing examples.

For more information on View Select, see:

• Section 5.12, "Groups, Layers and Viewing Your Model" in the Femap User Guide.
• Section 6.1.5, "View, Select and View, Options" in the Femap Commands Guide.
• Section 8.2, "Types of Views - View Select..." in the Femap Commands Guide.

Open the Model File

Open the model file containing the wing model.

Procedure

1. Select the File → Open command.

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Explore Hidden Line Options

2. In the Open dialog, go to the Examples directory in your Femap installation. Locate
[Link] file, and click Open.

3. Select the File → Save As command, and save the model file with a different name.

Explore Hidden Line Options

In this portion of the example, you will explore Hidden Line options.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Select command.

2. In the View Select dialog, select Hidden Line, and click OK.
Note
Hidden Line shows only the entities that are visible.

Control the Display Loads and Constraints

In the Visibility dialog, you can use the Load/Constraint tab to control the display of load sets and
constraint sets. In this example, you will display the second load set in the model.

Procedure

1. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar), or press
Crtl+Q.

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 Using View Options

2. On the Visibility dialog Load/Constraint tab, turn on the View Selected Load Set radio button, select
2..Pressure Distribution from the drop-down list, and click Done.
Note
The pressure load set is now visible. Rotate the model for a better view.

3. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar), or press
Crtl+Q.
4. On the Visibility dialog Load/Constraint tab, turn on the View Active Load Set radio button, and
click Done.

Note
This tab can be used to visualize different Constraint Sets without making them active.

Using View Options

The View Options dialog box lets you control the following categories of view information:

• Labels, Entities, and Color: Controls the display of model entities, such as nodes and elements. You can
choose whether entities will be drawn, if and how they will be labeled, and the colors that will be used.
• Tools and View Style: Controls display of tools, such as the workplane. This category also lets you
control the style of the settings for free edge, element filling, shading, and perspective options.
Additional options let you control view-related items such as the legend, origin, and view axes.
• Post Processing: Controls all of the graphical post-processing options, including deformed, contour,
criteria, and XY plots. None of these options, however, will have any effect unless you select one of the
post-processing options through View Select.

In this example, you’ll explore the first two categories on the View Options dialog box.

For more information on View Options, see:

• Section 6.1.5, "View, Select and View, Options" in the Femap Commands Guide.
• Section 8.3, "View Options - PostProcessing" in the Femap Commands Guide.

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Display Elements Based on Property Color

Display Elements Based on Property Color

Display the elements based on their property color.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Options command.

2. In the View Options dialog Category options, turn on the Labels, Entities, and Color radio button.
3. In the Options section, select Element.

Note
The options on the right side of the dialog box change.

4. From the Color Mode drop-down, select 3..Property Colors, click Apply, and then click OK.

Note
Use Apply to see the effects of the change without exiting the dialog box. Initially, elements are
displayed based on their own (entity) color. When you change the display to Property Colors,
Femap displays each element using the element property’s color. This capability is very useful for
visualizing how the various properties in your model are distributed, and to help you ensure that
elements reference the appropriate properties.

5. You can rotate the model using the mouse while pressing the middle mouse button. If you do not
have a three button mouse, press the Dynamic Rotate icon in the toolbar.

Shrink the Elements

Use Shrink functionality on the elements to make the borders of the properties easier to see.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Options command.

2. In the View Options dialog Category options, turn on the Tools and View Style radio button.
3. In the Options section, select Shrink Elements.
4. Check the Option On box, click Apply, and then click OK.

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 Display Elements Filled

Display Elements Filled

Display the elements filled in.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Options command.

2. In the View Options dialog Category options, turn on the Tools and View Style radio button.
3. In the Options section, select Fill, Backspace, and Hidden, check the Fill On box, click Apply, and
then click OK.

Note
The model is now displayed with the elements filled with their property colors.

Tip
All of the options explained in the Using View Options section of this example (and more) are also
available from the View Style menu located on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar.

For instance, to quickly change the Color Mode from Entity to Property Color, choose the Color
With... (Entity Colors/Property Colors/Material Colors) command on the View Style menu.
In addition, the Fill and Shrink commands on the View Style menu will perform the same
operations used in this example.

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Display Elements Filled

Results

This is the end of the example. You don’t need to save the model file.

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 PostProcessing Overview

8. Using Post-Processing
Once you have obtained results from an analysis, you can view these results either graphically or as
reports. Femap graphical PostProcessing includes deformation plots, contour/criteria plots, XY plots, and
freebody plots. The graphical results can be displayed on the screen or output as a file. Report-based
PostProcessing provides text output of PostProcessing data with a variety of formats, printing options, and
sorting options.

In this set of examples, you will explore the following Femap graphical PostProcessing capabilities:

• Deformation and contour results: You will select contour options as well as display dynamic isosurfaces
and cutting planes.
• XY plots: You will generate an XY plot of results in the Charting pane and also generate a new results
vector.
• Results displays in other applications. You will use a deformation/contour plot in a word processing
application, and an animation in a presentation application.

For more information on PostProcessing, see:

• Section 5, "The FEA Process" in the Femap User Guide.

• Section 7.2.4, "Tools, Charting" in the Femap Commands Guide.
• Section 8, "Post-Processing" in the Femap Commands Guide.

PostProcessing Overview
The basic Femap PostProcessing procedure is as follows:

1. Obtain analysis results. Femap automatically recovers the results from many analysis programs. If
your analysis program does not allow this automatic recovery, you can import results (File → Import
→ Analysis Results).

Note
Analysis output data is stored in sets. If you run your model with several different loading
conditions or analysis types, Femap will keep the output data from each analysis, mode shape,
or time step in a different output set.

2. Define the type of plot and the data to be displayed. From the View Select dialog box, you can choose
the type of deformed or contour plot to display. You can also select the data to be displayed. For XY
plots, use the Charting pane to create a Data Series to define the style and data used for display.
3. Define detailed display options. From the View Options dialog box, you can control options that
include the appearance of titles, deformed/undeformed model display, number of levels in a contour

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Generating Deformation and Contour Results

plot, etc. For XY plots, set options in the Charting pane using the icon menus, the Charting and Chart
Data Series dialog, or right click menus.

Generating Deformation and Contour Results

You can display results as deformations, contours, or combine both types of plots in the same view.

From the View Select dialog, you can select the following types of deformed and contour data:

Plot Type Description

Deformed Style:
Deform A plot of the deformed shape.
Animate An animation of the deformed shape.
Animate Multi-Set Animation across several output sets. Good for
transient, nonlinear, and frequency response
analysis.
Arrow A plot showing arrows representing direction and
magnitude of output.
Trace Displays trace lines connecting historical positions
of nodes.
Streamline Displays flow results from a Computational Fluid
Dynamics analysis (Femap Flow).
Contour Style:
Contour Displays contour areas or lines.
Criteria Displays elemental values at the centroids of
elements.
Beam Diagram Displays results along the length of line elements.
Similar to 3D shear and bending moment diagrams.
IsoSurface Displays interior surfaces of constant values in solid
models.
Section Cut Shows contours through any planar cut of a solid
model.
Arrow Displays arrows at the centroids of elements.

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 Generating a Deformed and Contour Plot

Note
For multi-set animation and trace plots, you can also choose to animate only the contours. These types
of plots can be extremely useful for heat transfer analyses.

Generating a Deformed and Contour Plot

In this section of the example, you will generate a deformed and contour display.

Open the Model File

Task

Open the model file containing a fan blade model and results from a linear statics analysis.

Procedure

1. Select the File → Open command.

2. In the Open dialog box, go to the Examples directory in your Femap installation. Locate
[Link] file, then click Open.
3. Save the model file with a different name.

Select Deformed and Contoured Plot Types

In the following procedure, you will select the deformed and contoured plot types, and specify the
PostProcessing data for the results. Then, you will specify the method used to contour the results.

Procedure

1. Press the F5 Key to open the View Select command.

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Generate Another Deformed/Contour Plot

2. In the View Select dialog, set Deformed Style to Deform, Contour Style to Contour, and click the
Deformed and Contour Data button.
3. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog Output Vectors section, set Deform to 1..Total Translation,
Contour to 60031..Solid VonMises Stress, and then click the Contour Options button..
4. In the Select Contour Options dialog, set Data Conversion to Max Value.
5. Click OK (all dialog boxes).

Note
The data conversion options control how Femap converts the results from pure data at element
centroids, corners, and nodes to the continuous graphical representation. In this example, you have
chosen the maximum value using corner data. To calculate the value of an interior node in this
mesh, the software takes the maximum value of the data at the corners.

Generate Another Deformed/Contour Plot

Generate another deformed/contour plot using the averaged data conversion option.

Procedure

1. Press the F5 Key to open the View Select command.

2. In the View Select dialog, click the Deformed and Contour Data button, and in the Select
PostProcessing dialog, click Contour Options.
3. In the Select Contour Options dialog, set Data Conversion to Average.
4. Click OK (all dialog boxes).
Note
Use the Contour Options command from the Post Options menu on the Post Toolbar to quickly
access the Contour Options dialog.

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 Displaying Dynamic Isosurfaces and Cutting Planes

Note
You have now chosen the average value using corner data. To calculate the value of an interior
node in this mesh, the software takes the average value of the data at the corners.

Tip
You can use the difference in the maximum and average results to make a quick estimate of
the fidelity of the model. If there is a large difference between these two contours, especially at
locations that don’t have sharp corners or breaks in the model, then your model may require a finer
mesh.

What to do next

Don’t close the model file. You will need it for Example B.

Displaying Dynamic Isosurfaces and Cutting Planes

In this example, you will display:

• Dynamic isosurfaces - You can dynamically change the value of the displayed isosurface.
• Dynamic cutting planes - You can choose an arbitrary cutting plane and dynamically pass it through a
solid model.

Change the Appearance of the Plot

Change the appearance of the plot by turning off display of the undeformed model and filled edges.

Prerequisites

Use the fan blade model from Example A.

Procedure

1. Press F6 Key to open the View Options command.

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View the Regions of Constant Stress

2. In the View Options dialog, set Category to PostProcessing.

3. In the Options section, select Undeformed Model.
4. Uncheck or turn off the Draw Entity check box (upper right on the dialog), and click Apply.

Note
The undeformed model can be toggled on and off quickly using the Undeformed command from
the Post Options menu on the Post Toolbar.

5. In the Category section, select Tools and View Style.

6. In the Options section, select Filled Edges.
7. Uncheck Draw Entity, and click OK.

Note
The element edges (as well as surface edges) can be toggled on and off quickly using the Filled
Edges command from the View Style menu on the View Toolbar or View - Simple Toolbar.

View the Regions of Constant Stress

View the regions of constant stress.

Procedure

1. Press F6 Key to open the View Options command.

2. In the View Options dialog, set Category to Tools and View Style.
3. In the Options section, select Filled Edges.
4. Check or turn on the Draw Entity check box (upper right side of the dialog), and click OK.
5. Select the View → Advanced Post → Dynamic IsoSurface command.
6. In the Dynamic IsoSurface Control dialog, move the slider bar.
The display shows regions with the stress value selected on the dialog box.

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 Dynamically Display a Plane Cut

7. Click OK.

Dynamically Display a Plane Cut

Dynamically display a plane cut.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Advanced Post → Dynamic Cutting Plane command.

2. In the Dynamic Section Cut Control dialog, move the slider bar.
The display shows contour values along a plane cut through the model. To change the plane, pick the
Plane button.

3. Click OK.

What to do next

Save and close this model file. You will need it for Example D.

Generating XY Plots Using the Charting Pane

Femap can generate XY plots of results using the Charting dockable pane. There are two different entities
in the Charting pane, Charts and Data Series. Any number of Chart entities may exist in the model and
each Chart may display any number of selected Data Series. The Type of Data Series is set by choosing a
specific tab in the Chart Data Series dialog. Only information needed for that Type of Data Series is found
on each tab. The Type determines what will be displayed in the selected Chart. In addition, each Type of
Data Series requires specific input to properly create the XY plot.

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Generating an XY Plot

Data Series Type Description

Vector vs Entity Plots XY data as a function of ID number or position
of nodes or elements along an axis direction for an
output vector in one output set.
Vector vs Set Plots XY data versus the output set number or
output set value for an output vector for a specified
node or element location across several output
sets.
Vector Combination vs Set Plots XY data versus the output set number or
output set value for a combination of output
vectors for a specified node or element location
across several output sets.
Vector vs Vector Plots XY data versus two selected output vectors at
two locations across several output sets.
Expand Complex Plots XY data of complex output expanded across a
range of phase angles.
Function Plots XY data for functions. Not a PostProcessing
option.

Generating an XY Plot
In this example, you will display a plot of VonMises stress, and then create and display the same vector as
nodal stresses.

Open the Model File

Open the model file containing a plate model and results from a linear statics analysis.

Procedure

1. Select the File → Open command.

2. In the Open dialog, go to the Examples directory in your Femap installation. Locate
[Link] file, and click Open.

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 Generate an XY Plot

Generate an XY Plot

Generate an XY plot of the plate top VonMises stresses using the Charting pane.

Prerequisites

If the Charting pane is not already displayed, select the Tools → Charting, or click the Charting icon on
the Panes Toolbar.

The Charting dockable pane provides icons, icon menus, and a drop-down list to manage and create plots
of output data. For more information, including descriptions of the Charting pane controls, see Tools →
Charting... in the Femap Commands Guide.

Procedure

1. Click the Chart Manager icon (first icon on left) in the Charting pane to create a new Chart.
2. In the Chart Manager dialog, click New Chart.
The Charting dialog will appear. This tabbed dialog allows a number of options to be selected for the
new chart. For this example, the default Chart settings are OK. Click Done (all dialog boxes).

Note
In a new model, the Chart Selector is set to 0..None/Create New by default. Because of this,
when a new Data Series is created, a default Chart will also be created along with the Data Series.

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Make a Node Group to Reduce Data

Therefore, it is not really required to use the Chart Manager unless you are creating multiple
Charts.

3. Click the Data Series Manager icon (second icon, to the right of the drop-down) in the Charting
pane to create a new Data Series.
4. In the Chart Data Series Manager dialog, click New Data Series.
5. In the Chart Data Series dialog, set Type to 0..Vector vs. Entity.
6. Then in the X-Axis Values section, select Position.
7. Finally, in the Data Source section, set Output Set to 1..Simcenter NASTRAN Case 1, and Vector to
7033..Plate Top VonMises Stress.
8. Click OK, then Cancel, and in the Chart Data Series Manager dialog, click Done.

Note
This graph plots all element centroid values vs. position, which is not very useful. You’ll create
another output vector which will be more useful.

Make a Node Group to Reduce Data

Make a group of the nodes on the top curve to reduce the amount of data being plotted.

Procedure

1. Select the Group → Create/Manage command.

2. In the Group Manager dialog, click New Group.
3. In the New Group dialog box, enter a Title: “Top Nodes”. Click OK, then in the Group Manager dialog,
click Done.
4. Select the Group → Node → On Curve command.
5. In the Entity Selection - Enter Curve(s) To Select Nodes for Group dialog, pick the straight curve on
the top edge of the part (Curve 3), and click OK.

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 Plot the New Group

Plot the New Group

Plot the new group with the elemental output vector, which will be converted to nodal output.

Procedure

1. Click the Data Series Manager icon in the Charting pane.

2. In the Chart Data Series Manager dialog, highlight the Data Series starting with "1..” in the Available
Chart Data Series list, and click Edit Selected.
3. In the Chart Data Series dialog Group section, turn on the Select radio button.
4. Select 1..Top Nodes from the drop down, and in the Output Processing section, set Convert to
0..Average.
5. Click OK, and then in the Chart Data Series Manager dialog, click Done.
The Charting panel is updated with the chart appearing like this:

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Using Results Displays in Other Applications

Tip
It is also possible to create a new output vector which has been permanently converted from
elemental to nodal values. To do this, use the Model → Output → Process command.
a. In the Process Output Data dialog, choose the Convert tab, set Conversion Approach to
Average Value, and then click the Select Output to Process... button.
b. In the Select Output Sets to Process dialog Output Sets section, check the 1..Simcenter
NASTRAN Case 1 box, and in the Output Vectors section check the 7033..Plate Top
VonMises Stress box. Then click OK.
c. In the Process Output Data dialog, "Averageg Full Model 1..Simcenter NASTRAN Case 1
[7033..Plate Top VonMises Stress]” should now appear in the Operations That Will Be
Processed - Review Before Pressing OK section. Click OK and a new output vector,
“24000000..Avg-Converted Vec 7033”, will be available for the selection. When plotting this
converted vector, be sure to change the setting for Convert to -1..None in the Chart Data
Series dialog.

Using Results Displays in Other Applications

Femap provides several ways of using results displays in other applications. You can:

• Copy the active view to the clipboard using File → Picture → Copy or by simply clicking in the graphics
window and pressing Ctrl+C. When using the Charting pane, use the Copy Chart to Clipboard icon.
The copied data will be placed on the clipboard as both a Bitmap and Device Independent Bitmap (DIB).
You can then paste the image into any other Windows program. See Example D.
• Save the active view as a standard Windows bitmap, Windows Device Independent Bitmap, JPEG, PNG,
GIF, or TIFF file. To do this, use File → Picture → Save.
• If the selected view is animating, create movie files (AVI or animated GIF). You can also use a special
bitmap format that can be displayed with the Femap replay program.

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 Copy the Deformation/Contour Displays to Microsoft Word

Copy the Deformation/Contour Displays to Microsoft Word

In this example, you will display a Femap graphic in another application. Copy the deformation/contour
displays to a Microsoft Word document. If you don’t have this program, try using a similar Windows
application.

Procedure

1. Open the [Link] file that you saved previously.

2. Display the deformation/contour plot. Make sure that undeformed geometry is on (View Options),
and that data conversion set to Average (View Select, Deformed and Contour Data, Contour
Options).

3. Select the File → Picture → Copy command.

Note
This command puts a copy of the plot on the Windows Clipboard.

4. Open Microsoft Word. In the Home ribbon, click the Paste icon (Office 2007, 2010, and 2013), or pick
Edit → Paste (in older versions of Word).
5. In the Word document, enter a title for the figure.
6. Return to Femap and change the data conversion option to Max Value. Generate the plot, and copy it
into the Microsoft Word document. Enter another figure title.

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Using an Animation in Another Application

7. Close Microsoft Word. You don’t need to save the model file. Close Femap.

Using an Animation in Another Application

In this example, you will animate a deformed/contour display, save it as a movie file, and add it to a
presentation created in Microsoft Power Point. If you don’t have this program, try using a similar Windows
application.

Animate the Model

Animate the model.

Procedure

1. Open the [Link] model file that you saved prviously.

2. Click the View Visibility icon (on View Toolbar and View - Simple Toolbar), or press Crtl+Q.
3. In the Visibility dialog, choose the Load/Constraint tab.

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 Adjust and Refine the Animation

4. Turn on the View No Loads and View No Constraints radio buttons, and click Done.
5. Press the F5 Key to start the View Select command.
6. In the View Select dialog, set Model Style to Hidden Line, Deformed Style to Animate, and Contour
Style to Contour. Then click OK.

Note
The initial animation is very fast. You may need to adjust the speed. This can be done by using
the View → Advanced Post → Animation command. Click on Slower as needed to slow down the
animation.

Adjust and Refine the Animation

Adjust the animation speed and refine the display.

Procedure

1. elect the View → Advanced Post → Animation command.

2. In the Animation Control dialog, click Slower (press until animating is at an acceptable speed), and
then click OK.

3. Click the Post Options icon (on the Post Toolbar).

Note
If the Post Toolbar is not showing, use Tools → Toolbars → Post to make it visible.

4. On the Post Options drop menu, select Undeformed to toggle it off.

5. Click Post Options (pick the icon again), and select Scale Deformation from the drop down menu.
6. In the Deformation Scale dialog, enter 2, and click OK.
7. Click Post Options (pick the icon again), and select Animation Frames from the drop down menu.
8. In the Animation Frames dialog box, enter 10, and click OK.
9. Click Post Options (pick the icon again), and select Animation - Positive Only to toggle it on.
10. Click Post Options (pick the icon again), and select Animate Contours to toggle it on.

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Save the Animation as a Movie

11. Press the F6 Key to open the View Options command.

12. In the View Options dialog Category section, turn on the Tools and View Style radio button.
13. In the Options section, select Filled Edges, and then unckeck the Draw Entity check box (upper right
side of the fdialog). Click OK.

Save the Animation as a Movie

Save the animation as a movie file (*.AVI), and insert it into a presentation.

Procedure

1. Select the File → Picture → Save command.

2. In the Save Picture File As dialog, set Files of Type to Video for Windows (*.AVI).
3. In the Save Picture File As dialog, enter a file name: "Animated Plate", and click Save.
4. In the Save Video Compression dialog, click OK.
5. Launch Microsoft PowerPoint, and use the commands there to insert the AVI file you just created.
6. When you are finished, close Microsoft PowerPoint and Femap.

Results

This is the end of the example. You don’t need to save the model file.

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 Understanding the Problem

9. Preparing Geometry for Meshing

In this example, you will learn to identify surface shapes that can cause meshing problems, then how to
correct the problems to improve the mesh quality.

The example includes the following steps:

• Understanding the problem.

• Preparing the geometry for meshing.
• Creating new boundary surfaces.
• Suppressing features.
• Meshing the model.
• Applying loads and constraints.

Understanding the Problem

In this example, the part is a bearing block used in a large piece of industrial machinery as a simple shim.
It is subject to a very large vertical load. You will be examining the amount of vertical deflection due to the
vertical load.

To generate a good-quality mesh on this part, you will address two issues:

• Due to some fine changes in shape, the front and back faces of the part are split into three distinct faces,
some of them very poorly shaped for meshing.
• The part contains features (the holes) that are not important for the analysis.

Preparing the Surfaces for Meshing

To create a solid mesh, Femap first meshes the outside surface of the model with triangles. Every triangle
is connected to three others, one on each edge. Then, based on the surface mesh, Femap meshes the
inside volume with tetrahedral elements.

If the faces of the solid are poorly shaped or degenerate, the surface mesh may have poor quality. An
extremely thin face, especially one that is basically triangular, will have poor triangulation at its collapsed
end.

For example, here are two faces: one rectangular, one triangular:

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Importing the Geometry

When these two surfaces are meshed, the sharp triangular one will always have poor aspect ratio triangles
at the sharp end. As you will see in the example, in Femap the solution to this problem is to combine the
adjacent surfaces and mesh them as one.

Suppressing Features

A complex solid model may contain geometric features that are not significant enough to affect the
analysis. In the example, you will suppress geometric features from the analysis without removing them
from the geometric model. As a result, you can generate a much smoother mesh.

Importing the Geometry

To begin the example, you will start a new model, import the geometry, then slice it in half since it is
symmetrical.

Procedure

1. Select the File → New command.

2. Select the File → Import → Geometry command.
3. In the Geometry File to Import dialog, go to the Examples directory in your Femap installation. Locate
BearingBlock.X_T, then click Open.

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 Cutting the Geometry in Half

4. In the Parasolid Read Options dialog, click OK.

5. Rotate the model to an orientation similar to the following figure.

Cutting the Geometry in Half

Slice the symmetric part along the global ZX plane, at Y=1.

Procedure

1. Select the Geometry → Solid → Slice command.

2. In the Solid Slice dialog Operation section, turn on the Slice radio button (should already be on), and
in the Method section, turn on the With Plane radio button (should already be ). Click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection - Select Solid to Slice dialog, double-click to select the solid.

Note
You can double-click to automatically select the solid and go to the next dialog.

4. In the Plane Locate - Specify Plane for Intersection dialog, click Methods, and select Global Plane
from the menu.
5. In the Global Plane - Specify Plane for Intersection dialog, turn on the ZX Plane radio button, and
enter a value of 1 for Y Base field. Click OK.

6. Select the Delete → Geometry → Solid command.

7. In the Entity Selection - Select Solid to Delete dialog, pick the +Y side of the solid, and click OK.
8. In the Confirm Delete dialog, click OK.

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Creating New Boundary Surfaces

9. Press Ctrl+A to open the View → Autoscale → Visible command (autoscales the view so the extents
of the geometry can be seen).

Creating New Boundary Surfaces

To improve the quality of the mesh, combine some of the faces of the part to create larger boundary
surfaces. The boundary surface defines an area to be meshed. In the following procedure, you will create
boundary surfaces by combining each triangular face with the adjacent rectangular face.

Procedure

1. Click the View Style menu (on View Toolbar or View - Simple Toolbar), and select Wireframe
from the menu.
2. Select the Geometry → Boundary Surface → From Surfaces on Solid command.
3. In the Entity Selection - Select Surface(s) to Combine into Boundary dialog, select one triangular face
and the adjacent rectangular face, and click OK.

4. In the Entity Selection - Select Surface(s) to Combine into Boundary dialog, select the two faces on
the opposite side of the part. Click OK, and then click Cancel.
You should now have two new boundary surfaces.

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 Suppressing Features

Suppressing Features
Next, you will suppress the hole so that it will not be used in the meshing process.

Procedure

1. Select the Mesh → Mesh Control → Feature Suppression command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Solid for Feature Suppression dialog, simply click OK.

Note
Since there is only one solid, it is automatically selected.

3. In the Feature Suppression dialog, turn on the Manual and Remove radio buttons, and then click the
Loops button.
4. In the Entity Selection - Select Loops for Feature Suppression dialog box, pick a curve on either side of
the hole, and click OK.
Note
When you pick loops, you pick a single curve at the top or bottom of a hole to suppress all faces
underneath that loop in the topology of the solid.

Note
While the Mesh → Mesh Control → Feature Suppression command is certainly useful, it may
be more efficient to use the Feature Suppression tool in the Meshing Toolbox when suppressing

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Meshing the Model

individual features. One especially nice feature of the Feature Suppression tool is when Action
is set to Toggle Suppression, as this allows you to suppress the feature using a single click, then
restore the feature simply by clicking it again.

The surfaces are now gray, which means that they are suppressed. You may need to press Ctrl+G to
see this change.

Meshing the Model

Mesh the model using a large element size to keep the model under the 300-node demo license limit. If
you have a full Femap installation, you might want to use a smaller element size to improve your results.
You will now generate a solid mesh of the model (with element size 0.5).

Procedure

1. Select the Mesh → Geometry → Solids command.

Note
Since there is only one solid, it is automatically selected.

2. In the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, click Load.

3. In the Material Library dialog Femap Standard Libraries tab, select AISI 4340 Steel, and click Load.
4. In the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, click OK.
5. In the Automesh Solids dialog, click the Update Mesh Sizing... button.
6. In the Automatic Mesh Sizing dialog Basic Curve Sizing section, set the Element Size to 0.5, and
click OK.
7. In the Automesh Solids dialog, click OK.

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 Apply a load

8. Review the Messages dockable pane to see information about the tet-meshing process.

Note
Your meshing diagnostic results may vary slightly from the values shown here. The key item in
the diagnostics is the quality of surface triangles going into the tetrahedral mesher. Most of the
triangles (~ 98%) have minimum angles between 60 and 25 degrees. The high quality surface
mesh leads to high quality tetrahedral elements in the solid mesh.

Apply a load
To prepare the model for analysis, apply a total vertical load at the top of the part. You will now apply a
load of 10,000 pounds (5,000 pounds on the half symmetry model).

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → On Surface command.

2. Because no Load Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one. In the New Load Set
dialog, enter the Title: “5000 in +X”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection - Enter Surface(s) to Select dialog, pick the top surface of the part (Surface 21),
and click OK.

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Apply a Y Symmetry Constraint

4. In the Create Loads on Surfaces dialog, enter 5000 for the FX value, and click OK.

5. In the Entity Selection - Enter Surface(s) to Select dialog, click Cancel.

Apply a Y Symmetry Constraint

To prepare the model for analysis, fix the bottom of the part, and apply symmetric constraints. You will
now apply a Y symmetry constraint along the symmetry cut that you made earlier, and fix the bottom of
the part.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Constraint → On Surface command.

2. Because no Constraint Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one. In the New
Constraint Set dialog, enter the Title: “Fixed Base plus Symmetry”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection Enter Surface(s) to Select dialog, pick the surface that is the plane of symmetry
(Surface 18), and click OK.

4. In the Create Constraints on Geometry dialog Advanced Types section, turn on the Surface and
Allow Sliding only along Surface (Symmetry). radio buttons, and click OK.
5. In the Entity Selection Enter Surface(s) to Select dialog, pick the bottom two surfaces (Surfaces 11
and 20), and click OK.
6. In the Create Constraints on Geometry dialog Standard Types section, turn on the Fixed radio
button, and click OK.
7. In the Entity Selection Enter Surface(s) to Select dialog, click Cancel.

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 On Your Own

Note
The picture above is shown without elements for clarity.

On Your Own
To complete an analysis:

• Solve the model with the Simcenter Nastran static solver using the Model → Analysis command
• Create a new analysis set with 36..Simcenter Nastran as the Analysis Program and 1..Static as the
Analysis Type
• Run the analysis by clicking the Analyze button
• Display a deformed and contour plot of T1 translation using one of the following methods:
◦ The View → Select command.
◦ The Post Data, Deformed, and Contour icons on the Post Toolbar. Also, look at the Post Options
icon which contains many useful functions such as turning the undeformed shape on and off quickly.

◦ The commands on the right click menu of the Results → All Results branch of the Model Info tree
(right click on the desired Results set to access the menu).

This is the end of the example. You don’t need to save your model file.

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On Your Own

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 Importing the Geometry

10. Repairing Sliver Geometry for Meshing

In this example, you will learn how to repair geometry for meshing. Slivers are small faces that are created
due of numerical inaccuracies in Boolean or other solid modeling operations. Typically, these faces are
much smaller than the other faces that define your solid. While they are small, they can cause great
difficulties with meshing.

The example includes these main steps:

• Importing the geometry with a missing sliver

• Stitching the surfaces
• Meshing the model
• Repairing problems with the geometry that caused the mesh to fail
• Meshing the new solid

Importing the Geometry

Start Femap and open a new model file. Import the Parasolid geometry file.

Procedure

1. Select the File → New command.

2. Select the File → Import → Geometry command.
3. In the Geometry File to Import dialog, go to the Examples directory in your Femap installation. Locate
Geometry_Repair.X_T, and click Open.
4. In the Parasolid Read Options dialog, click OK.
The Parasolid file is imported as surfaces that need to be stitched together. The surfaces are assigned
a random color. In this case, the sliver in the geometry is quite obvious, but often slivers are difficult
to see.
5. Rotate the model to an orientation similar to the following image.

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Stitching the Surfaces

Stitching the Surfaces

You will now stitch the surfaces together to create a sheet solid, which is a type of Parasolid solid that has
no volume. A sheet solid is basically a surface that you can use to perform solid surface operations, such as
the Intersect, Stitch, Explode, and Slice commands.

Procedure

1. Select the Geometry → Solid → Stitch command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Surfaces to Stitch dialog, click Select All, and click OK.
3. In the Surface/Solid Stitching dialog, click OK.
Femap will not create a valid solid. It will temporarily make all of the surfaces transparent, while
highlighting the curves that were not stitched together.

The view will remain like this until a Window → Regenerate command has been performed using
Ctrl+G or as part of another command, such as going from Solid to Wireframe using the View Style
menu on the View Toolbar or View - Simple Toolbar.
The Messages dockable pane should also indicate that you have “Created Sheet Solid 1”.

Tip
A sheet solid looks very similar to a regular solid. Follow the steps below to determine whether the
model is a solid or a sheet solid.

4. Select the Tools → Mass Properties → Solid Properties command.

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 Meshing the Model

5. In the Entity Selection - Select Solid for Mass Prop dialog, double-click on the solid to select it, and
click OK (in all dialogs).

What to do next

Examine the Messages dockable pane. If the volume has a value of 0, it is a sheet solid. If the volume has
a value greater than 0, it is a regular solid. In this case, you have a sheet solid.

Meshing the Model

You will now mesh the model containing the sliver.

Procedure

1. Select the Mesh → Geometry → Solids command.

2. In the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, click Load.
3. In the Select From Material Library dialog Femap Standard Libraries tab, pick any material, click
Load
4. In the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, click OK.
5. In the Automatic Mesh Sizing dialog, click OK.

Note
Femap displays the message: “Mesher Aborted”. Click OK or No to any question. For more
information about why the mesher failed, examine the messages in the Messages dockable pane.

Tip
Femap first meshes the outside surface of the model. Then, based on the surface mesh, it meshes
the inside volume with elements. The error message “Surface mesh has at least one hole” indicates
that the tet mesher was not able to correctly mesh the surface. Femap aborted the meshing
process and left the failed surface mesh on the model for diagnostic purposes.

6. Select the Tools → Undo command.

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Running Cleanup

Tip
Ctrl+Z is the shortcut for this command.

Note
Check the Messages dockable pane to make sure that you have undone the meshing command. If
not, select Undo until you have.

Running Cleanup
Since meshing was aborted, you need to repair the geometry. First, you will try to use the geometry
Cleanup command. If that does not work, you will need to make manual repairs.

Procedure

1. Select the Geometry → Solid → Cleanup command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Solid(s) for Cleanup dialog, pick the solid, and click OK.
3. In the Solid Validation and Cleanup dialog Advanced Geometry Cleanup section, check Enable
Advanced Cleanup. This automatically checks Clean Invalid Geometry, Remove Small Features,
and Optimize.

Note
The Check Geometry, Match Model Scale Factor, Remove Redundant Geometry, and Show
Progress Messages boxes in the Validate Geometry section should already be checked and should
remain checked.

4. Click OK.

Note
The Messages pane says that the solid has passed geometry checking. However, if you zoom and
rotate the model, you will see that there is still a missing sliver.

Tip
Although the geometry passed the checker, you still may not be able to mesh it. Often, you will not
be able to tell if a piece of geometry can be meshed without first trying to mesh it. With experience,
you will learn what can be meshed and what needs to be modified.

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 Removing the Problem Geometry

Before you mesh, try to visualize the size of the element and how the geometry could be
constructed with it. If you can’t see how your geometry could be made from the elements, chances
are the mesher won’t be able to, either.

Results

The Geometry → Solid → Cleanup command did not work in this context so you will need to make
manual repairs.

Removing the Problem Geometry

Since the geometry checker didn’t repair the geometry automatically, you will now repair it manually by
first exploding the sheet solid into surfaces, and then delete the surface the sliver was removed from.

Procedure

1. Select the Geometry → Solid → Explode command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Solid(s) to Explode dialog, pick the solid, and click OK.
3. Select the Delete → Geometry → Surface command.
4. In the Entity Selection - Select Surface(s) to Delete dialog, pick the surface that the sliver was
removed from (Surface 7), and click OK.
5. In the Confirm Delete dialog, click OK again to confirm the deletion.

Creating a New Surface

Now that you have removed the problem geometry next to the sliver, you can create a new surface that
can be meshed with the following procedures.

Verify Two Curves Defining One Edge

When the curve was projected onto the face, the surface and the curve on one edge were split. You will
now verify there are two curves defining one edge.

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Merge the Curves

Procedure

1. Select the List → Geometry → Curve command.

2. Position the cursor over the model to highlight the curves.
Note
One edge of the model will contain two curves (A and B, as shown in the figure).

3. In the Entity Selection - Select Curve(s) to List dialog, click Cancel.

Merge the Curves

You will now run geometry Cleanup on the model to merge the curves, and then use the new curve to
create a new surface.

Procedure

1. Select the Geometry → Solid → Cleanup command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Solid(s) for Cleanup dialog, click Select All, and click OK.
3. In the Solid Validation and Cleanup dialog Advanced Geometry Cleanup section, check Enable
Advanced Cleanup. This automatically checks Clean Invalid Geometry, Remove Small Features,
and Optimize.
Check Geometry, Match Model Scale Factor, Remove Redundant Geometry, and Show Progress
Messages are already checked in the Validate Geometry section, and should remain checked. Click
OK.
4. Press Ctrl + G to select the Window → Regenerate command (the screen will verify that the curves
were merged).
5. Select the Geometry → Surface → Edge Curves command.
6. In the Edge Surface dialog, pick the four curves that made up the original surface.

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 Stitch the Surfaces

7. Click OK, and then click Cancel.

8. Press Ctrl + G to select the Window → Regenerate command.

Stitch the Surfaces

You will now stitch the surfaces together.

Procedure

1. Select the Geometry → Solid → Stitch. Stitch all surfaces together by selecting all of the surfaces.
2. In the Entity Selection - Select Surfaces to Stitch dialog box, click Select All, and click OK.
3. In the Surface/Solid Stitching dialog, click OK.
4. Look at the Messages pane to verify that a solid was created. You can also double-check by using
Tools → Mass Properties → Solid Properties.

Mesh the New Solid

Now the solid is repaired, you will mesh the new solid.

Procedure

1. Select the Mesh → Geometry → Solids.

2. In the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, click Load.
3. In the Select From Material Library dialog, select any material, and click Load.
4. In the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, you will keep the default values for the meshing. Click OK.

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On Your Own

You will Make sure you load any material from the library.
5. In the Automesh Solids dialog, you will keep the default values for the meshing. Click OK.

On Your Own
To complete the analysis:

• Apply a 100 psi pressure on the top surface and fix the bottom surface.
• Solve the model with the Simcenter Nastran solver, using a Static Analysis Type.
• Display a contour of Solid von Mises Stress.

This is the end of the example. You don’t need to save your model file.

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 Importing the Mesh

11. Repairing a Mesh

In this example, you will learn how to repair a flawed mesh created from imported geometry. Femap's
geometry import capability is very robust. Importing from Parasolid systems, the capability is 100%
reliable. Importing from ACIS, IGES, STEP, Pro/Engineer, and CATIA files, the reliability is very good. If
imported geometry contains problem surfaces, automatic meshing may not produce the best results.
Sometimes it is easier to correct a bad mesh that results from bad geometry than it is to fix bad geometry
and then try to mesh it.

The example includes the following steps:

• Importing a flawed mesh

• Examining free edges to reveal the hole in the mesh
• Repairing the mesh problems
• Meshing the model again

Importing the Mesh

Start Femap and open a new model file. Import the neutral file containing the simple part with the flawed
mesh.

Procedure

1. Select the File → New command.

2. Select the File → Import → Femap Neutral command.
3. In the Read Model from Femap Neutral dialog, go to the Examples directory in your Femap
installation. Locate [Link] file, and click Open.
4. In the Neutral File Read Options dialog, click OK.

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Examining Free Edges

Examining Free Edges

Examine the free edges to identify potential problems, and display them.

Procedure

1. Select the View Select icon (on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar).
2. In the View Select dialog Model Style section, turn on the Free Edge radio button, and click OK.

3. Click the Zoom icon (on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar), and zoom in on the free
edges.

Creating a Group for Free Edge Nodes and Elements

To repair the hole in the mesh, you will first create a group containing all free edge nodes.

Procedure

1. Select the Group → Create/Manage command.

2. In the Group Manager dialog, click New Group.
3. In the New Group dialog, enter the Title: “Free Edge Nodes”, and click OK.
4. In the Group Manager dialog, click Done.
5. Select the Group → Node → ID command.
6. In the Entity Selection - Select Node(s) to Group dialog, click Method ^, and select ID - Free Edge
from the menu.

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 Add the Elements Using Free Edge Nodes

7. In the Entity Selection - Select Node(s) to Group (Pick On Free Edge) dialog, select the 5 nodes which
are currently visible on the screen, and click OK.

Add the Elements Using Free Edge Nodes

Add the elements using those free edge nodes to the group.

Procedure

1. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View Toolbar and the View - Simple Toolbar), or press
Crtl+Q.
2. In the Visibility dialog box, select the Group tab.
3. Turn on the Show Active Group radio button, select 1..Free Edge Nodes from the drop down, and
click Done.
4. Select the Group → Element → using Node command.
5. In the Entity Selection - Select Node(s) Used by Entities for Group dialog, choose 1..Free Edge Nodes
from the Group drop down list, and click OK.
6. Press Ctrl+D to select the Window → Redraw (redraw the view).
Double-clicking in the graphics window at any time when another command is not running will
perform the View → Redraw command.
7. Select the Group → Operations → Automatic Add command.
8. In the Automatically Add to Group dialog, turn on the Active radio button, and click OK.
Note
You have now created a group containing the free edge nodes and the elements using the free
edge nodes. We are concerned with the hole in the mesh.

Creating New Plate Elements

You will now create plot only plate elements to fill the hole.

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Mesh the Model

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Element command.

2. In the Define PLATE Element dialog, click the Type button.
3. In the Element/Property Type dialog Plane Elements section, turn on the Plot Only radio button, and
click OK.
4. In the Define PLOT PLANAR Element dialog, turn on the Triangle radio button.
5. Click in the first field next to Nodes, and pick three nodes to create a triangular element.
6. Click OK, and then create two additional elements to close the hole. Click Cancel.

Note
As you create elements to fill the hole, the free edge plot will change.

7. Select the View Select icon (on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar).
8. In the View Select dialog Model Style section, turn on the Draw Model radio button, and click OK.

9. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View Toolbar and the View - Simple Toolbar), or press
Crtl+Q.
10. In the Visibility dialig Group tab, turn on the Show Full Model radio button, and click Done.

Mesh the Model

Now that you have closed the hole using plate elements, you can generate the tetrahedral mesh. The
Solids from Elements command lets you create solids from elements without the underlying geometry.

Procedure

1. Select the Mesh → Geometry → Solids from Elements command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Elements to Mesh dialog, click Select All, and click OK.
3. In the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, click Load.
4. In the Select From Material Library dialog Femap Standard Libraries tab, select any material from
the library, and click Load.

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 Mesh the Model

5. In the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, click OK.

6. In the Automesh Solids dialog, click OK.
7. Press Ctrl+A to select the View → Autoscale → Visible (autoscales the model).

Results

This is the end of the example. You don’t need to save your model file.

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Mesh the Model

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 Importing the Geometry

12. Analyzing a Beam Model

In this example, you will use rod and L beam elements to represent a truss structure, and then work
through the entire Femap analysis process, which includes:

• Importing the geometry of the truss

• Defining the material and property
• Meshing the model using beams and rods
• Applying constraints and loads
• Analyzing the model using Simcenter Nastran
• PostProcessing the results

Importing the Geometry

Open a new model file and import the geometry of the truss. These curves will then be meshed with rod
and beam elements.

Procedure

1. Select the File → New command.

2. Select the File → Import → Femap Neutral command.
3. In the Read Model from Femap Neutral dialog, go to the Examples directory in your Femap
installation. Locate the [Link] file, and click Open.
4. In the Neutral File Read Options dialog, click OK.

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Defining the Material

Defining the Material

The first step for the meshing process is to define the material and property for the beam and rod
elements. You will define the material by selecting a standard material from the Femap material library.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Material command.

Tip
You can also create a new Material using the New command on the right click menu of the
Materials branch in the Model Info tree (simply click to highlight the top level of the Materials
branch or any existing Material, and right click to see the menu).

2. In the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, click Load.

3. In the Material Library dialog Femap Standard Libraries tab, select AISI 4340 Steel, and click Load.
4. In the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, click OK, and then click Cancel.

Display the Boundary Surface on a Hidden Layer

Femap has a library of general cross sections for you to choose from, but you may not always want to use
them. You can define an arbitrary cross section by creating a surface in Femap, or by importing external
geometry. Femap will then calculate the section properties from that surface. The neutral file that you
imported has a boundary surface on a different layer that is not currently shown. You will now display it.

Procedure

1. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View - Simple Toolbar or the View Toolbar) or press Crtl+Q.
2. In the Visibility dialog Layer tab, check 2..Beam Section, uncheck 1..Default Layer, and click Done.
3. Press Ctrl + A to select the View → Autoscale → Visible command.
The boundary section and curves are displayed.

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 Define a Property for the Beam Elements

Define a Property for the Beam Elements

You will now define a property for the beam elements. First create a general beam cross section, then
define a vector to define the section Y axis. Then, you will define the beam property with the cross section
and the material that you created.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Property command.

Tip
You can also create a new Property using the New command on the right click menu for the
Properties branch in the Model Info tree (simply click to highlight the top level of the Properties
branch or any existing Property, and right click to see the menu).

2. In the Define Property dialog, click the Elem/Property Type button.

3. In the Element Property Type dialog Line Elements section, turn on the Beam radio button, and click
OK.
4. In the Define Property - BEAM Element Type dialog, click the Shape... button.
5. In the Cross Section Definition dialog, set the Shape option to General Section, and click Surface.
6. In the Select Surface to Check dialog, click on the surface, and then click OK.
7. In the Vector Locate - Define Section Y Axis dialog, define Base with 0, 0, 0 (make sure these are the
X, Y, Z values for the base), define Tip with 0, 1, 0 (enter these X, Y, Z values for the tip), and click
OK.
The selected surface becomes the section and is displayed in the preview pane of the Cross Section
Definition dialog.
8. In the Cross Section Definition dialog, click OK.
9. In the Define Property dialog, enter the Title: “General Beam Section”.
The calculated section properties are now displayed in this dialog.
10. Select AISI 4340 Steel from the Material drop down list. Click OK, and then click Cancel.

Meshing the Model

You will mesh the model with two types of elements: beam elements on the longitudinal curves, and
rod elements on the curves that connect the beams. Once you create the elements, you will merge the

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Hide the Beam Section and Show the Default Layer

coincident nodes. In the following procedures, you will create a beam mesh along the longitudinal curves
with beams whose properties were defined in the previous section.

Hide the Beam Section and Show the Default Layer

Hide the beam section and show the default layer.

Procedure

1. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View - Simple Toolbar or the View Toolbar) or press Crtl+Q.
2. In the Visibility dialog Layer tab, check 1..Default Layer, uncheck 2..Beam Section, and click Done.

Tip
You can hide and show layers very easily using the Model Info tree simply checking or unchecking
layers one at a time. You can also select any number of layers using the Ctrl or Shift keys and the
mouse. Once the layers are selected, right click on the visibility check boxes and choose the Show
Selected, Show Selected Only, or the Hide Selected commands. Finally, you can also choose to
View All Layers or View Visible Layers Only by selecting those commands from the right click
menu for Layers in the Model Info tree.

3. Press Ctrl + A to select the View → Autoscale → Visible.

Rotate the Model to Get a Trimetric View

Rotate the model to get a trimetric view for meshing.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Rotate → Model command or press the F8 Key.

2. In the View Rotate dialog, click the Trimetric button, and click OK.

Mesh the Longitudinal Curves with Beams

You will now mesh the longitudinal curves using beams. Use the general beam cross section to define the
beam. After you select the cross section, you will enter a vector to define the beam element orientation.

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 Display the Deam Elements with Cross Sections

It’s important that this vector be identical to the one used to define the cross section properties. Otherwise,
your analysis results may be incorrect.

Procedure

1. Select the Mesh → Geometry → Curve command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Curves to Mesh dialog, pick the curves highlighted in the following
figure (Curve IDs 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, and 32), and click OK.

3. In the Geometry Mesh Options dialog, set the Property option to 1..General Beam Section, and click
OK.
4. In the Vector Locate - Define Section Y Axis dialog, set the Base options to 0, 0, 0 (make sure these
are the X, Y, Z values for the base), set the Tip option to 0, 1, 0 (enter these X, Y, Z values for the
tip), and click OK.

Display the Deam Elements with Cross Sections

You will now display the beam elements with their cross sections visible.

Procedure

1. Press the F6 Key to select the View → Options command.

2. In the View Options dialog Category section, turn on the Labels, Entities, and Color radio button.
3. Under Options, select Element - Orientation/Shape,
The available options in the dialog are changed based on the selection.
4. Under Element Shape, select 3..Show Cross Section, and click OK.

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Rotate and Zoom the Model

Tip
You can also toggle the cross sections of line elements on/off using the Thickness/Cross Section
command from the View Style Menu located on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar.

Rotate and Zoom the Model

Rotate and zoom the model to get a better look at the cross section. Your cross section may have an
incorrect orientation that you need to modify.

Procedure

1. Rotate the model to an orientation where the Z-Axis of the View Axes is pointing towards the left
of the graphics window and the Y-Axis of the View Axes is pointing toward the top of the graphics
window.

2. Click the Zoom icon (on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar).
3. Compare your beams with the following diagram. If any are oriented differently, you will need to
modify them. The following steps show you how to reverse the normals when they are facing in the
wrong direction. It is normal for you to need to modify the normal direction of some of your beams to
make it look like the figure below.

4. Now that you determined which beam elements need to be updated, rotate the model slightly to
make selecting the elements easier. You may need to rate the model periodically to aid in selection of
entities for meshing.
5. Select the Modify → Update Elements → Line Element Reverse Direction command.
6. In the Entity Selection - Select Element(s) to Update Direction dialog, pick the elements to modify,
and click OK. (Pick only the elements with cross sections facing in the wrong direction)
7. In the In Update Element Direction dialog, turn on the Reverse Direction radio button, and click OK.

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 Creating the Rod Mesh

8. Press Ctrl + A to select the View → Autoscale → Visible command.

Creating the Rod Mesh

You will now mesh the remaining curves with rod elements to connect the beams.

Mesh the Curves

You will now mesh the curves. You will also need to create a new property to define the rods.

Procedure

1. Select the Mesh → Geometry → Curve command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Curves to Mesh dialog, pick all of the unmeshed curves (the cross
braces and the connection between the two rows of beams), and click OK.

3. In the Geometry Mesh Options dialog, click the Property icon .

Note
You only have the General Beam Section property in your model, so you will need to create a rod
property.

4. In the Define Property dialog box, click the Elem/Property Type button.
5. In the Element/Property Type dialog Line Elements section, turn on the Rod radio button, and click
OK.
6. In the Define Property - ROD Element Type dialog, enter the Title: “2 inch Diameter Rod”, enter a value
of 3.14 for the Area, A option, select 1..AISI 4340 Steel from the Material drop down, and click OK.
7. In the Geometry Mesh Options dialog, click OK.
The property you created is selected for the element’s property. The curves are meshed with rod
elements.

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Reduce the Amount of Information Displayed

Reduce the Amount of Information Displayed

You will now reduce the amount of information displayed by turning off the display of geometry and
labels.

Procedure

1. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View - Simple Toolbar or the View Toolbar), or press
Crtl+Q.
2. In the Visibility dialog Entity/Label tab, uncheck the Geometry... header (unchecks all geometric
entities).
3. Turn on the Labels radio button, click the All Off button, and click Done.
Note
You can use the Entity Display Toolbar to quickly toggle Geometry and Labels on and off. If the
Entity Display Toolbar is not visible, you can turn it on using the Tools → Toolbars → Entity
Display command to make visible (shown undocked).

You have the option to toggle ALL Geometry on and off using the second icon or you can turn
them on and off individually by clicking the icon for each geometric entity one at a time.
The first icon (View Entity/Labels Toggle) can be toggled to select if the toolbar is currently
controlling the overall display of the various entity types available on the toolbar or the labels for
those entity types. Toggle it to allow you to toggle labels on and off.

Merging Coincident Nodes

Because the curves were meshed with two meshing operations, there will be nodes at the ends of both
the beam and rod elements. You will need to merge these coincident nodes to effectively sew the model
together. In the following procedure, you will merge all coincident nodes. While there should not be any

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 Applying Constraints and Loads

nodes to merge in this model, it is typically a good idea to perform this command once the creation of line
elements has been completed to make sure the model is properly connected.

Procedure

1. Select the Tools → Check → Coincident Nodes command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Node(s) to Check dialog , click Select All, and click OK.
3. In the Check/Merge Coincident dialog, select Merge from the Action drop down, select Automatic
from the Keep ID drop down, select Current Location from the Move To drop down, and click OK.
4. Look in the Messages dockable pane to see how many coincident nodes have been merged. All rod
and beam elements are now connected together.

Applying Constraints and Loads

You will now create a constraint set to model symmetry and to fix the end. The symmetry of the truss will
be used to reduce the model to half the size. You will also apply a load to this model to simulate something
hanging from the truss.

To simulate the symmetry of this part, you will constrain the four nodes that are at the halfway point of
the structure. You are defining symmetry across the X-plane through these four points. By imposing this
type of constraint condition, you are actually introducing a stiffness exactly equal to the structure modeled,
just mirrored about the X-plane.

Create the Constraints

Create the constraints to model symmetry and fix the end.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Rotate → Model command, or press the F8 key.

2. In the View Rotate dialog, click Isometric, and click OK.
3. Select the Model → Constraint → Create/Manage Set.
4. In the Constraint Set Manager dialog, click New Constraint Set.
5. In the New Constraint Set dialog, enter the Title: “Symmetry and Other Constraints”, and click OK.
6. Select the Model → Constraint → Nodal (you will apply constraints at these nodes to model
symmetry).
7. In the Entity Selection - Enter Nodes(s) to Select dialog, pick nodes A, B, C, and D (see the following
figure), and click OK.

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Create the Constraints

8. In the Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog, click the X Symmetry button.

9. Enter the Title: “X Symmetry”, and click OK.

Note
The TX, RY, and RZ DOF are selected. Because you are applying nodal constraints, you could
control the constraint of each degree of freedom individually in the dialog box, or you can use the
quick keys to apply common constraint conditions.

10. In the Entity Selection - Enter Nodes(s) to Select dialog, pick nodes E and F (see the following figure).
You are now fixing the nodes on the opposite end.

11. In the Click OK Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog, click Fixed (all DOF are selected).
12. Enter the Title: “Fixed”, and click OK.
13. In the Entity Selection - Enter Nodes(s) to Select dialog, pick nodes G and H (see the following figure,
rotated for clarity), and click OK.

14. In the Create Nodal Constraints dialog, check TZ and RX, enter the Title: “Singularity Constraints”,
and click OK.
15. In the Entity Selection - Enter Nodes(s) to Select dialog, click Cancel.

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 Turn Off Element Cross Sections

Turn Off Element Cross Sections

Turn off element cross sections to better see the constraints.

Procedure

1. Press the F6 Key to select the View Options command.

2. In the View Options dialog Category section, turn on the Labels, Entities and Color radio buton.
3. In the Options section, select Element Orientation/Shape, Select 0..Line/Plane Only in the Element
Shape options, and click OK.

Tip
If you turn the constraint labels back on, you will see the degree of freedom numbers displayed for
each constraint. To do this, press the F6 Key, and select Constraints in the Options list of the View
Options dialog, and then select 1..Degree of Freedom in the Label Mode section.

Applying a Load to the Model

You will now apply a load in the negative Y direction to simulate something hanging from this truss. Like
constraints, loads are grouped in sets. Before creating any loads, you must create a set to hold them. The
load you will create is in the negative Y direction.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Create/Manage Set command.

2. In the Load Set Manager dialog, click New Load Set.
3. In the New Load Set dialog, enter the Title: “200 in -Y Direction”, and click OK.
4. Select the Model → Load → Nodal command.
5. In the Entity Selection - Enter Nodes(s) to Select dialog, pick nodes A and B, and click OK.

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Analyzing the Model

6. In the Create Loads on Nodes dialog, If not already highlighted, select Force (the default) from the list
of loads located in the left portion of the dialog.
7. Enter -200 in the FY field, and click OK.
8. In the Entity Selection - Enter Nodes(s) to Select dialog, click Cancel.

Analyzing the Model

Analyze the model using the Simcenter Nastran solver. You will create the analysis set and solve the model.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the New button.
3. In the Analysis Set dialog, enter the Title: “Half-Truss Static Analysis”.
4. Set Analysis Program to 36..Simcenter Nastran, set the Analysis Type to 1..Static, and click OK.
5. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog box, click Analyze.

Post-Processing the Results

For this example, you will display three types of results: Criteria Plots, Beam Diagrams, and Stresses on
Beam Cross Sections. As an alternative to contours, you can use a basic criteria display that shows the
output value of each element. The primary purpose of a criteria display, however, is to limit the display
based on a selected criteria.

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 Display a Basic Criteria View

Display a Basic Criteria View

Display a basic criteria view of the analysis results.

Procedure

1. Press the F5 Key to select the View Select command.

2. In the View Select dialog, set Deformed Style to Deform, Contour Style to Criteria, and click the
Deformed and Contour Data button.
3. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog Output Vectors section, set Deform to 1..Total Translation,
Contour to 3022..Beam EndA Axial Force, and click OK (all dialog boxes).
4. Select the View → Rotate → Model command, or press the F8 Key.
5. In the View Rotate dialog, click Trimetric, and click OK.

Turn Off Display of Undeformed Elements

To reduce clutter, you will turn off display of undeformed elements.

Procedure

1. Press the F6 Key to select the View Options command.

2. In the View Options dialog Category section, turn on the PostProcessing radio button, and select
Undeformed Model in the Options section.
3. Uncheck Draw Entity (upper right), and click OK.

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Display Elements Above Maximum Limit

Display Elements Above Maximum Limit

Text

Procedure

1. Press the F6 Key to select the View Options command.

Note
In the View Options dialog Category section, the PostProcessing radio button is already on.

2. In the Options section, select Criteria Limits.

3. Enter 0 for Minimum, 350 for Maximum, set Limits Mode to 1..Above Maximum, and click OK.
Note
Only the elements with axial force values above 350 are displayed as shaded beams; the other
elements do not have a color.

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 Displaying Beam Diagrams

Displaying Beam Diagrams

To conclude the example, you will generate beam diagrams of the axial stress. Beam diagrams display
results along the length of line elements. You will also learn how to control the direction of the beam
diagrams.

Generate a Beam Diagram

Generate a beam diagram of beam end axial stress.

Procedure

1. Select View Select icon (on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar).
2. In the View Select dialog Deformed Style section, turn on the None - Model Only radio button, and
in the Contour Style section, turn on the Beam Diagram radio button.
3. Then click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
4. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog, set the Contour option to 3164..Beam EndA Max Comb
Stress, and click OK (all dialog boxes).

Change the Plane Where the Beam Diagram is Drawn

You can change the plane where the beam diagram is drawn. Femap always draws the diagram on the
plane you choose, even if the output is actually based on forces/stresses on a different plane.

Procedure

1. Press the F6 Key to select the View Options command.

2. In the View Options dialog Category section, turn on the PostProcessing radio button (if is not
already turned on).

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View Calculated Stresses on the Cross-Section

3. In the Options section, select Beam Diagram, set Default Direction to 1..Element Z, and click OK.
Note
The beam diagrams are now drawn on the element Z plane.

View Calculated Stresses on the Cross-Section

Interactively view calculated stresses on the cross-section of beam elements.

Procedure

1. Select the View Select icon (on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar).
2. In the View Select dialog, set Contour Style to None - Model Only, and click OK.
3. Select the View → Advanced Post → Beam Cross Section command.
4. In the In Beam Cross Section Stress Control dialog Elements section, turn on the Single radio button.
5. Click in the field next to the Single option, and pick the element in the top row, towards the back of
model, and the middle element (Should be Element 2, 3, or 4, but may have a different ID).
6. In the Location section, set Position to 85, and turn on the Screen Space radio button.
A plot of the Axial Stress on the cross section of the beam should now appear while the dialog is still
displayed.

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 View Calculated Stresses on the Cross-Section

7. In the Location section, turn on the Model Space radio button.

Shown zoomed in and slightly rotated for clarity.

8. Move the slider bar between End A and End B.

This will dynamically change the results for a single element when set to Screen Space or Model
Space.
9. Set Position to 50, and turn on the Screen Space radio button.
10. In the Show Stress section, select 7..Combined Shear Stress from the drop-down, and check the
Vector Plot option..
11. Click the Advanced button.
12. In the Advanced Options dialog Vector Plot Options section, uncheck the Solid Vector option, and in
the General Options section, check the Section Outline option.
13. Set Vector Length to 80, and click OK (All dialog boxes).

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View Calculated Stresses on the Cross-Section

Results

This is the end of this example. You don’t need to save the model file.

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 Importing the Geometry

13. Analyzing an Axisymmetric Model

In this example, you will take advantage of the axisymmetric nature of a pressure vessel and analyze the
part using axisymmetric elements.

The example includes the following steps:

• Importing the geometry.

• Meshing the model.
• Applying constraints and loads.
• Analyzing the model using Simcenter Nastran.
• Post-processing the results.

Importing the Geometry

To begin the example, you will import the geometry of a pressure vessel that was created in AutoCAD.
The geometry was exported from AutoCAD as an AutoCAD DXF file. DXF files are popular for transferring
geometry between CAD programs and desktop publishing software.

Procedure

1. Select the File → New command.

2. Select the File → Import → Geometry command.
3. In the Geometry File to Import dialog, go to the Examples directory in your Femap installation. Locate
[Link], and click Open.
4. In the DXF Read Options dialog, click OK.

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Meshing the Model

5. Select the File → Save command, and enter a name for the *.modfem file you are saving to.

Meshing the Model

In this portion of th eexample, you will first set the global mesh size, then define the materials and
properties for the mesh. Next, you will create a boundary surface and mesh the part.

Setting the Global Mesh Size

As the first step in the meshing process, you will set the global mesh size then view it to verify that mesh
spacing is appropriate.

Procedure

1. Select the Mesh → Mesh Control → Default Size command.

2. In the Default Mesh Size dialog, uncheck Set Element Size on Next Use, set the Element Size value
to 0.15, the Minimum Number of Elements value to 2, and click OK.
3. Press the F6 Key to select the View → Options command.
4. In the View Options dialog Category section, turn on the Labels, Entities and Color radio button.
5. In the Options section, select Curve - Mesh Size, and in the Show As section, select 2..Symbols (all
curves). Click OK.
You should see small dots/diamonds along each of the geometric entities in Femap. These dots/
diamonds indicate where nodes will be created during any automatic meshing commands that use
this geometry.

Create the Material

Create the material by selecting a standard material from the Femap material library.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Material command.

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 Create the Property

Tip
You can also create a new Material using the New command on the right click menu of the
Materials branch in the Model Info tree (simply click to highlight the top level of the Materials
branch or any existing Material, and right click).

2. In the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, click Load.

3. In the Select from Material Library dialog Femap Standard Libraries tab, select 15-5PH Stainless
H1025, and click Load.
4. In the Load Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, click OK, and then click Cancel.

Create the Property

Create the property for the axisymmetric mesh elements.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Property command.

Tip
You can also create a new Property using the New command on the right click menu of the
Properties branch in the Model Info tree (simply click to highlight the top level of the Properties
branch or any existing Property, and right click).

2. In the Define Property - Plate Element Type dialog, click the Elem/Property Type button.
3. In the Element/Property Type dialog Volume Elements section, turn on the Axisymmetric radio
button, and click OK.
4. In the “OK to show Axisymmetric Axis in all Views?” question box, click Yes.
5. In the Define Property - AXISYMMETRIC Element Type dialog, enter the Title: “Axisymm 15-5PH”, and
select 15-5PH Stainless H1025 from the Material drop down list. Click OK, and then click Cancel.

Correct the Axisymmetric Axis Orientation

Correct the axisymmetric axis orientation. This axis gives a visual cue to the orientation of the model and
for axisymmetric shell elements, provides the axis used to define load direction.

Procedure

1. Press the F6 Key to select the View → Options command.

2. In the View Options dialog Category section, turn on the Tools and View Style radio button.

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Create a Boundary Surface

3. In the Options section, select Axisymmetric Axes, and select 2..Global Y, X Radial for the Direction
option. Click OK.

Create a Boundary Surface

You will now create a boundary shape. This shape could be broken down into simple geometric regions for
mapped meshing, but it is much easier to create a Femap boundary surface and automatically mesh the
whole part.

Procedure

1. Select the Geometry → Boundary Surface → From Curves command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Curve(s) on Closed Boundary dialog, and click Select All. Click OK, and
then click Cancel.

Generate a Mesh

Generate a mesh of the model.

Procedure

1. Select the Mesh → Geometry → Surface command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Surfaces to Mesh dialog, pick the boundary surface, and click OK.
3. In the Automesh Surfaces dialog, select Axisymm 15-5PH from the Property drop down, and in the
Mesher section, turn on the Tri radio button. Click OK

Tip
In this example, you are meshing the model with triangular axisymmetric elements. In version 6
of Simcenter Nastran and above, quadrilateral axisymmetric elements are also supported. After
completing the example, you may want to try it again with quad elements simply by changing
the default mesh size from 0.25 to 0.1 and using the Quad option in the Mesher section of the
Automesh Surfaces dialog.

4. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View Toolbar and the View - Simple Toolbar), or press
Crtl+Q.

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 Applying Constraints and Loads

5. In the Visibility dialog box Entity/Label tab, uncheck the Geometry... header (unchecks all geometric
entities).

6. Turn on the Labels radio button, click the All Off button, and click Done
Tip
You can use the Entity Display Toolbar to quickly toggle Geometry and Labels on and off. If the
Entity Display Toolbar is not visible, you can turn it on using the Tools → Toolbars → Entity
Display command to make visible (shown undocked).

You have the option to toggle ALL Geometry on and off using the second icon or you can turn
them on and off individually by clicking the icon for each geometric entity one at a time.
The first icon (View Entity/Labels Toggle) can be toggled to select if the toolbar is currently
controlling the overall display of the various entity types available on the toolbar or the labels for
those entity types. Toggle it to allow you to toggle labels on and off.

Applying Constraints and Loads

To prepare the model for analysis, constrain the base of the model, and apply a pressure load. Since this
model is axisymmetric, there is no need to apply any constraints on loads out of plane.

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Defining Constraints

Defining Constraints

Constrain the bottom nodes along the flat edge against vertical movement.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Constraint → Nodal command.

Because no constraint sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Constraint Set dialog, enter the Title: “Constrained in TY”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection - Enter Nodes(s) to Select dialog, pick the six nodes along the bottom of the
part (see following figure), and click OK.

4. In the Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog DOF section, check TY, and click OK.
5. In the Entity Selection - Enter Nodes(s) to Select dialog, click Cancel.

Defining Loads

In an axisymmetric model, a pressure load is applied to the edges of the axisymmetric elements. Since the
load is applied to the edges of the elements, Femap requires you to specify the element and which face of
the element gets the load. Here you will use the Adjacent Faces method to apply loads to the model. You
will now apply a pressure load to the interior faces of the elements.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Elemental command.

Because no load sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Load Set dialog, enter the Title: “Internal Pressure”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection - Enter Element(s) to Select dialog, click Select All, and click OK.

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 Defining Loads

4. In the Create Loads on Elements dialog, select the Pressure load type, enter 100 in the Value field,
and click OK.
Tip
In this example, you are applying a pressure load to edges. However, if you wanted instead to apply
a nodal force load to an axisymmetric model, some solvers require that you define the load data as
force/length/radian, while others use force/length/degree. Be sure to check your analysis software’s
documentation to verify which convention is appropriate.

5. In the Face Selection dialog Method section, turn on the Adjacent Faces radio button.
6. In the Selection Info section, enter 85 in the Tolerance field, and click in the Face field.
Note
Clicking in this field moves the focus (the flashing cursor) there. When you select from the Graphics
window, Femap will know that you are trying to pick a face.

7. Pick an element face on the inside of the part, and click the Preview icon to see a preview of
which element faces have the pressure load applied. Click OK.

8. In Entity Selection - Enter Element(s) to Select dialog box, click Cancel.

The Adjacent Faces method selects connected free faces (edges, in this case) until it finds a
connected free face that exceeds the angle tolerance. In this example, by entering a very large angle
tolerance of 85 degrees, the software selects all the internal faces up to the corners along the Y axis.
To go around this corner, you would need to enter an angle of 90 degrees or greater.

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Analyzing the Model

Analyzing the Model

Solve the model using the Simcenter NASTRAN solver. You will create the analysis set, and solve the model.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the New button.
3. In the Analysis Set dialog box, select 36..Simcenter Nastran from the Analysis Program drop-down,
select 1..Static from the Analysis Type drop-down list, and click OK.
4. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click Analyze.
5. Click Yes to verify that it is OK to flip the model, and click Yes again to force all element normals to lie
along the correct global axis.

Tip
Simcenter Nastran also makes the following assumptions for an axisymmetric model:
• The Z axis is the axis of symmetry.
• The X axis is in the radial direction.
• All nodes must lie in the X-Z plane of the global coordinate system, and must have a non-
negative X (radial) coordinate.
• All loads must be in the X-Z plane.
• The Y axis of all nodal displacement coordinate systems must be parallel to the global Y axis.
• XY and YZ shear stresses and strains are zero.
• All gravity vectors must be parallel to the axis of symmetry.
• All angular velocity vectors must lie on the axis of symmetry.

6. In the Scale Factor for Axisym Forces dialog, click OK.

Tip
The scale factor does not affect the pressures that you defined for this example. However, if you
define nodal forces for an axisymmetric model, the scale factor lets you convert nodal load values
for use with a different solver. For instance, suppose that you have defined a nodal force value for a
solver that uses units of force/length/degree. To analyze the model with a different solver, you can
use the scale factor to convert the nodal load value to units of force/length/radian.

7. Click Yes to save the model so you can view the results in the correct model.

Post-processing the Results

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 Post-processing the Results

Procedure

1. Press the F8 Key to select the View → Rotate → Model command.

2. In the View Rotate dialog, click ZX Front, and click OK.
3. Press Crtl+A to select the View → Autoscale → Visible command.
This will allow you to see your entire model in the graphics window.

4. Press the F5 Key to select the View Select command.

5. In the View Select dialog Deformed Style section, turn on the Deform radio button, and in the
Contour Style section, turn on the Contour radio button.
6. Click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
7. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog Output Vectors section, select 1. Total Translation from the
Deform drop down, and select 6029: Axisym Azimuth Stress in the Contour section. Click OK (All
dialog boxes).

8. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View Toolbar and the View - Simple Toolbar), or press
Crtl+Q.
9. In the Visibility dialog box Entity/Label tab, turn on the Draw Entity radio button, and uncheck Node
in the Mesh section. Click Done.

Note
You can use the Entity Display Toolbar to quickly toggle Nodes on and off. If the Entity Display
Toolbar is not visible, you can turn it on using the Tools → Toolbars → Entity Display command to
make it visible (shown undocked).

10. Press the F6 Key to select the View Options command.

11. In the View Options dialog Category section, turn on the PostProcessing radio button, and in the
Options section, select Undeformed Model.

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Post-processing the Results

12. Check Draw Entity (upper right), and click OK.

Results

This is the end of the example. You don’t need to save your model file.

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 Importing the Geometry

14. Analyzing a Midsurface Model of a Welded

Pipe
In this example, you will model a welded pipe to determine the force distribution along the weld line
between the two tubes.

To use this model with the 300-node demonstration version, you will model a midsurface shell mesh on a
quarter of this part, then use symmetrical boundary conditions to represent the remaining three-quarters
of this model.

The example includes the following steps:

• Importing the geometry using the Parasolid interface.

• Slicing the model.
• Creating the midsurface model.
• Meshing the model.
• Applying loads and constraints.
• Analyzing the model using Simcenter Nastran.
• Post-processing the grid-point force balance results using Freebody Display.

Importing the Geometry

To begin the example, you will start Femap, open a new model file, and Import the Parasolid geometry file.

Procedure

1. Select the File → New command.

2. Select the File → Import → Geometry.

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Slicing the Model

3. In the Geometry File to Import dialog, go to the Examples directory in your Femap installation. Locate
Pipe.X_T, then click Open.
4. In the Parasolid Read Options dialog, click OK.
5. Rotate the model to the orientation shown (take notice of the View Axes with Z pointing to the right).

Slicing the Model

Slice the model so that the -X quarter remains. In the following procedure, you will slice will go through
the XY global axis at Z=5.0, and following that, will slice the model through the global YZ axis at X=0.0.

Procedure

1. Select the Geometry → Solid → Slice command.

2. In the Solid Slice dialog Operation section, turn on the Slice radio button (should already be on), and
in the Method section, turn on the With Plane radio button (should already be on).
3. Click the Repeated Slicing button.
4. In the Entity Selection - Select Solid to Slice dialog, pick the solid, and click OK.
5. In the Plane Locate - Specify Plane for Intersection dialog, click Methods, and select Global Plane
from the menu.
6. In the Global Plane - Specify Plane for Intersection dialog, turn on the XY Plane radio button, enter
5.0 in the Z value field, and click OK.
7. In the Global Plane - Specify Plane for Intersection dialog, turn on the YZ Plane radio button, enter
0.0 in the Z value field, click OK, and then click Cancel.

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 Delete the -Z Half and +X Quarter

Delete the -Z Half and +X Quarter

Delete the negative Z half and positive X quarter of the model.

Procedure

1. Select the Delete → Geometry → Solid command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Solid(s) to Delete dialog, pick the negative Z half of the model (solids
on left in the previous "Slicing the Model" task), and click OK. Then in the Confirm Delete dialog
box, click OK.
3. Select the Delete → Geometry → Solid command.
4. In the Entity Selection - Select Solid(s) to Delete dialog, pick the positive X half of the model (only 1/4
of the original geometry will remain in the model), and click OK. Then in the Confirm Delete dialog,
click OK.

Creating the Midsurface Model

In this portion of the example, you will create the midsurface model, and delete the original solid. You will
then stitch the unconnected surfaces together to form one piece of geometry.

Creating the Midsurface

Use the automatic midsurfacing capability to create a midsurface model.

Procedure

1. Select the Geometry → Midsurface → Automatic command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Surfaces to Midsurface dialog, click Select All, and click OK.

3. In the Automatic Midsurface Generation dialog, click the Measure Distance icon or press Ctrl+D
on the keyboard. Doing either will open Femap’s distance measuring tool.

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Creating the Midsurface

Note
The Measure Distance icon button or Ctrl+D command lets you determine distance for the target
thickness.
The software uses this value to determine which surfaces to place a midsurface between. The
target thickness should be slightly larger than the largest distance between the planes on the solids
that you want midsurfaced. If the target thickness is too low, the midsurfaces will not be created. If
the target thickness is too high, some midsurfaces will be created between the wrong surfaces.

4. In the Locate - Define Location to Measure From dialog, click Methods, and select On Point from the
menu.
5. In the On Point - Define Location to Measure From dialog, pick point A (see following figure), and click
OK.

Note
If you have trouble picking, click in the Point ID field to reset the picking focus.

6. In the On Point - Define Location to Measure From dialog, pick point B (see above figure), and click
OK.
The target thickness value should be approximately 0.1.
7. In the Automatic Midsurface Generation dialog Midsurface Options section, check the pre-v11.1
Midsurface Method box , and click OK.

Tip
The Geometry → Midsurface → Automatic command is actually a combination of three
commands: (1) Geometry → Midsurface → Generate; (2) Geometry → Midsurface → Intersect;
and (3) Geometry → Midsurface → Cleanup. If the Automatic command has removed necessary
midsurfaces, you can work through the midsurfacing commands one at a time, so that you can
more easily pick which surfaces should be kept.

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 Deleting the Solid

Deleting the Solid

Delete the original solid.

Procedure

1. Select the Delete → Geometry → Solid command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Solid(s) to Delete dialog, pick the solid (solid 3), and click OK (all dialog
boxes).

Stitching the Geometry

Stitch the three surfaces together into one piece of geometry.

Procedure

1. Select the Geometry → Solid → Stitch command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Surfaces to Stitch dialog, click Select All, then click OK.
3. In the Surface/Solid Stitching dialog, click OK.
You will notice that the model will become transparent and the curves which were not stitched
together will be highlighted and possibly labeled. This lets you know all of the internal surfaces are
now part of the same sheet solid.

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Meshing the Model

Meshing the Model

In this portion of the example, you will be meshing the model. The first step is to assign mesh attributes for
the different surfaces. If the correct attributes are not assigned, the results won’t be accurate. Then you will
set the size for the mesh, and finally, you will mesh the midsurface.

Assigning Mesh Attributes

Assign the mesh attributes to the surfaces.

Procedure

1. Select the Geometry → Midsurface → Assign Mesh Attributes command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Surfaces to Assign Attributes dialog, click Select All, and click OK.
3. In the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, click Load.
4. In the Select From Material Library dialog Femap Standard Libraries tab, choose AISI 4340 Steel,
click Load, and click OK.
5. In the “OK to Consolidate Properties by Thickness?” question box, click No.

Note
Each surface now has a Plate property and a material assigned to it. Clicking Yes would have
minimized the number of new properties created based on similar thickness.

Meshing the Model

Set the mesh size to the default value, and mesh the model.

Procedure

1. Select the Mesh → Mesh Control → Size on Surface command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Surface(s) to Set Mesh Size dialog, click Select All, and click OK.
3. In the Automatic Mesh Sizing dialog, enter 0.3 in the Element Size value field, click OK, and then
click Cancel (in the Entity Selection dialog).
Femap will display small diamonds that indicate the mesh seed locations along the edges of the
surfaces being meshed.

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 Meshing the Model

4. Select the Mesh → Geometry → Surface command.

5. In the Entity Selection - Select Surfaces to Mesh dialog, click Select All, and click OK.
6. In the Automesh Surfaces dialog box, click OK.
Note
The Property drop-down is filled in with 0..Use Meshing Attributes and all other meshing options
are grayed out.

7. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View Toolbar and the View - Simple Toolbar), or press
Crtl+Q.
8. In the Visibility dialog Entity/Label tab, uncheck the Surface box in the Geometry section, and click
Done.

Tip
You can use the Entity Display Toolbar to quickly toggle Surfaces on and off. If the Entity Display
Toolbar is not visible, you can turn it on using the Tools → Toolbars → Entity Display command to
make it visible (shown undocked).

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Applying Loads and Constraints

Applying Loads and Constraints

In this portion of the example, you will apply a load that represents 1000 pounds vertical. Since the model
is symmetric, you will also need to apply constraints to define this symmetry.

Apply a Load

Apply a load that represents 1000 pounds vertical (+Y). Since you have modeled only one-quarter of the
part, you need to apply a load of 250 to the top curve.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → On Curve command.

Because no load sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Load Set dialog, enter the Title: “250 in +Y Direction”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection - Enter Curve(s) to Select dialog, pick the top curve as shown in the following
figure, and click OK.

4. In the Create Loads on Curves dialog, select the Force load type, and enter 250 for FY in the Loads
section. Click OK, and then click Cancel.

Apply Nodal Constraints

You will now apply nodal constraints to the symmetric edges, and fix one edge of the part.

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 Apply Nodal Constraints

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Constraint → Nodal command.

Because no constraint sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Constraint Set dialog, enter the Title: “Symmetry and Other Constraints”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection - Enter Nodes(s) to Select dialog, click Methods, and select On Curve from the
menu.
4. In the Entity Selection - Enter Nodes(s) to Select (On Curves) dialog box, pick the two curves shown
below, and click OK.

5. In the Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog, click Z Symmetry, and click OK.
6. In the Entity Selection dialog, click Methods, and select On Curve from the menu.
7. Pick the three curves shown in the following figure, and click OK.

8. Then in the Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog, click X Symmetry, and click OK.
9. Click No (to combine, not overwrite).
10. In the Entity Selection dialog, click Methods, and select On Curve from the menu.
11. Pick the curve shown in the following figure, and click OK.

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Analyzing the Model

12. Then in the Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog, click Fixed, and click OK.
13. Click No (to combine, not overwrite), and then click Cancel.

14. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View Toolbar and the View - Simple Toolbar), or press
Crtl+Q.
15. In the Visibility dialog, turn on the Labels radio button, click the All Off button, and click Done.

Tip
You can use the Entity Display Toolbar to quickly toggle Labels on and off. If the Entity Display
Toolbar is not visible, you can turn it on using the Tools → Toolbars → Entity Display command to
make it visible (shown undocked).

The first icon (View Entity/Labels Toggle) can be toggled to select if the toolbar is currently
controlling the overall display of the various entity types available on the toolbar or the labels for
those entity types. Toggle it to allow you to toggle labels on and off.

Analyzing the Model

Solve the model using the Simcenter Nastran solver. You will first create the analysis set, and then solve
the model.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the New button.
3. In the Analysis Set dialog, select 36..Simcenter Nastran from the Analysis Program drop-down list,
select 1..Static from the Analysis Type drop-down list, and click OK.
4. Highlight Global Requests and Conditions in the tree structure (double-click to expand), highlight
Output Requests, and click Edit.

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 Post-processing the Results

5. In the NASTRAN Output Requests dialog Nodal section, check the Force Balance option.
6. In the Customization section, select 2..PostProcess Only from the Results Destination drop down
(should already be selected), and click OK.
Note
Using 2..PostProcess Only will force Simcenter Nastran to create output in a binary file (.op2 file)
instead of in the print file (.f06 file). The .f06 file does not contain the Grid Point Force data required
for Femap to create a Freebody Diagram. Also, 3..Print and Post can not be used to retrieve
Grid Point Force data. This is because Femap always reads in the .f06 file first to attain any error,
warning, and information messages. If the .f06 contains output, Femap will read that output in and
skip the read of the .op2 file.

Tip
When you pick the force balance option, Simcenter Nastran will output all the forces that act on
each node of the model from all elements connected to that node. With this information, you can
create a freebody diagram of the model or any portion of the model.

7. In the Analysis Manager dialog, click Analyze.

Post-processing the Results

For this analysis, you will generate a freebody display. First you will group the elements in the model to
split it along the weld line. You will then view a freebody diagram of part of the model, thus displaying
forces along the weld.

Create a Group

Create a group of the nodes and elements of the lower surface.

Procedure

1. Select the Group → Create/Manage command.

2. In the Group Manager dialog, click New Group.

Tip
You can also create a new Group using the New command on the right click menu of the Groups
branch in the Model Info tree (simply click to highlight the top level of the Groups branch or any
existing Group, and right click to see the menu).

3. In the New Group dialog, enter the Title “Lower Surface”, and click OK.
4. In the Group Manager dialog box, click Done.
5. Select the Group → Element → On Surface command.

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Generate a Freebody Display

6. In the Entity Selection - Enter Surface(s) to Select Elements for Group dialog, pick the lower surface,
and click OK.

7. Select the Group → Node → On Surface command.

8. In the Entity Selection - Enter Surface(s) to Select Nodes for Group dialog, pick the lower surface, and
click OK.
9. Click the Grp item on the Status Bar (bottom of the Femap window), and select Show Active from
the menu.
Note
The Status Bar lists the active group (for example, Grp:2).

Tip
You can also manage groups using the Model Info tree. Double click on any group to make it the
Active group, and the you can toggle on/off the Show Active Group command using the right click
menu available on any Group.

Generate a Freebody Display

Generate a freebody display.

Procedure

1. Select the Tools → PostProcessing Toolbox.

2. Click on the title of the Freebody tool to expand it.

Tip
If the Expand Active Only option in the PostProcessing Toolbox is off (default is on), click the +
next to Freebody (or double-click the word Freebody) to expand the Freebody tool.

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 Generate a Freebody Display

3. In the section above the Freebody Properties of the Freebody tool, click the Select Output Set icon

.
4. In the Select Output Set dialog, highlight 1..Simcenter NASTRAN Case 1, and click OK.

5. In the Freebody Properties section of the Freebody tool, click the Create Freebody icon .
6. In the In Freebody Manager dialog, click New Freebody.
7. In the In New Freebody dialog, enter the Title “Lower Surface”, and click OK.
8. In the Freebody Manager dialog, click Done.
9. In the Freebody Properties section of the Freebody tool, under Entities, choose Group Select from
the Entity Selection Mode drop-down list, and then select -1..Active or 2..Lower Surface from the
Group drop-down list.

Note
Instead of having to create a group, elements can be selected directly when the Entity Selection
Mode is set to Entity Select.

Simply click the Select Freebody Elements icon, and select elements with the standard entity
selection dialog box. The elements can then be highlighted in the graphics window by clicking the
Show Freebody Elements icon, and the elements being used by the Freebody entity can be reset
by clicking the Reset Freebody Elements icon.

10. In the Freebody Properties section of the Freebody tool, under Nodal Vector(s), uncheck the FX
and FZ boxes for Displayed Forces.

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Generate a Freebody Display

Note
Since you are only viewing Y components of force, you see the vertical reaction forces at the fixed
end of the part as well as the vertical load transfer through the nodes at the welded interface.
There is variation in vertical load transfer through the welded connection.
Calculating an effective length for a node (average length of element edge on either side of a node,
~0.2778 inches) with the highest force (99.532 pounds) indicates a running load of approximately
358.3 pounds/inch.

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 Generate a Freebody Display

If you were to assume an equal distribution of load (250 pounds) along the total length of the joint
(1.399 inches), the the running load would have been 178.7 pounds/inch.

Results

This is the end of the example. You don’t need to save your model file.

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Generate a Freebody Display

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 Importing the Geometry

15. Analyzing a Midsurface Model of an

Electrical Box
In this example, you will learn to work with Femap’s semi-automatic midsurface extraction capabilities to
build an idealized model of an electrical box.

Note
To work through this example, you must have a licensed copy of Simcenter Nastran for Femap. You will
not be able to complete this example with the 300-node demo version.

The example includes the following steps:

• Importing the geometry using the STEP interface.

• Creating the midsurface model.
• Meshing the model.
• Applying loads and constraints.
• Analyzing the model using Simcenter Nastran.
• Post-processing the results.

Importing the Geometry

To begin the example, you will import the geometry. First start Femap, and open a new model file. Then
import the STEP file containing the geometry.

Procedure

1. Select the File → New command.

2. Select the File → Import → Geometry command.
3. In the Geometry File to Import dialog, go to the Examples directory in your Femap installation. Import
the [Link] file.

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Creating the Midsurface Model

4. In the STEP Read Options dialog, click OK.

5. Select the View → Rotate → Model command.

Note
You can press the F8 Key instead of using the command above.

6. In the View Rotate dialog, click Dimetric, and click OK.

7. Click the View Style menu icon (on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar), and select
Wireframe.

Creating the Midsurface Model

In this portion of th eexample, you will create the midsurface model, and then delete the original solid.
Once the midsurface has been generated, you will need to so some additional cleanup work on the
geometry before you can mesh it.

Creating the Midsurface

Use the automatic midsurfacing capability to create a midsurface model.

Procedure

1. Zoom and rotate the part to get a better view of the points we will be picking to designate the Target
Distance for midsurfacing.

2. Select the Geometry → Midsurface → Automatic command.

3. In the Entity Selection - Select Surfaces to Midsurface dialog, click Select All, then click OK.

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 Creating the Midsurface

4. In the Automatic Midsurface Generation dialog Midsurface Options section, check the pre-v11.1
Midsurface Method box.

Note
The pre-V11.1 Midsurface Method is used in this example because it presents the additional tools
available for modifying midsurfaces should the Geometry → Midsurface → Automatic command
not create a full satisfactory midsurface representation. For instance, the desired surfaces may
not be created or some surfaces may need to be manually altered. Please try the example again
without turning on the pre-V11.1 Midsurface Method option to see what the enhanced face
pairing algorithm does using this geometry.

5. In the Automatic Midsurface Generation dialog, click the Measure Distance icon or press Ctrl+D
on the keyboard. Doing either will open Femap’s distance measuring tool.

Note
The Measure Distance icon or Ctrl+D command lets you determine distance for the target
thickness. The software uses this value to determine which surfaces to place a midsurface between.
The target thickness should be slightly larger than the largest distance between the planes on the
solids that you want midsurfaced. If the target thickness is too low, the midsurfaces will not be
created. If the target thickness is too high, some midsurfaces will be created between the wrong
surfaces.

6. In the Locate - Define Location to Measure From dialog box, click Methods, and select On Point from
the menu.
7. In the On Point - Define Location to Measure From dialog, pick point A (see figure below), and click
OK.

8. In the On Point - Define Location to Measure From dialog, pick point B (see figure above), and click
OK.
9. In the In the Automatic Midsurface Generation dialog, click OK (to accept the value calculated by the
Measure Distance command).

Results

The target thickness value should be approximately 4.93.

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Deleting the Solid

Deleting the Solid

Delete the original solid.

Procedure

1. Select the Delete → Geometry → Solid command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Solid(s) to Delete dialog box, enter the element ID 1, and click OK.
3. In the Confirm Delete dialog, click OK.

4. Click the View Style menu icon (on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar), and choose
Solid.

Cleaning Up Geometry - Trim the Surface

To create a more accurate midsurface model while you trim each rib, and then delete the top portion of
the midsurface model.

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 Cleaning Up Geometry - Delete Top of Each Rib

Procedure

1. Select the Geometry → Midsurface → Trim with Curve command.

2. In the Select Surface/Solid to Trim dialog, pick one of the eight ribs, and click OK.

3. In the Entity Selection - Select Line(s) to Trim With dialog, pick the curve on the lower portion (see C
above), and click OK.
The curve now cuts through the surface.

What to do next

Repeat the process in steps 2 and 3 to trim the other seven ribs, and click Cancel.

Tip
You can rotate the model by holding down the middle mouse button and moving the mouse.

Cleaning Up Geometry - Delete Top of Each Rib

Delete the top portion of each rib.

Procedure

1. Select the Delete → Geometry → Surface command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Surface(s) to Delete dialog, pick the new surfaces that have been
created on the top of each rib (see D in the following figure), and click OK.

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Cleaning Up Geometry - Intersect Ribs with Walls

3. In the Confirm Delete dialog, click OK.

The top of each rib has been deleted.

Cleaning Up Geometry - Intersect Ribs with Walls

Intersect the new ribs with the walls of the electric box.

Procedure

1. Select the Geometry → Midsurface → Intersect command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Surfaces/Solids to Automatically Intersect dialog, click Select All, and
click OK.

Meshing the Model

In this portion of th eexample, you will complete the first step in meshing the model which is to assign
mesh attributes for the different surfaces. If the correct attributes are not assigned, the results won’t be
correct. Afterwards, you will set the size for the mesh, and then mesh the midsurface.

Assigning Mesh Attributes

Assign the mesh attributes to the surfaces.

Procedure

1. Select the Geometry → Midsurface → Assign Mesh Attributes command.

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 Set the Mesh Size

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Surfaces to Assign Attributes dialog,click Select All, and click OK.
3. In the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, click Load.
4. In the Select From Material Library dialog Femap Standard Libraries tab, select AISI 4340 Steel, and
click Load.
5. In the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, click OK.
6. In the “OK to Consolidate Properties by Thickness?” question box, click No.
Each surface now has a Plate property and a material assigned to it. Clicking Yes would have
minimized the number of new properties created based on similar thickness.

Tip
If midsurfaces are created manually using commands such as Geometry → Surface → Offset or
Geometry → Surface → Extrude, the surfaces do not have mesh attributes. You must manually
assign mesh attributes by creating or assigning existing properties using the correct thickness.

Set the Mesh Size

Set the mesh size to the default value, then mesh the model.

Procedure

1. Select the Mesh → Mesh Control → Size on Surface command.

2. In the Entity Selection - Select Surface(s) to Set Mesh Size dialog , click Select All, and click OK.
3. In the Automatic Mesh Sizing dialog, click OK, and then click Cancel (in Entity Selection).
4. Select the Mesh → Geometry → Surface command.
5. In the Entity Selection - Select Surfaces to Mesh dialog box, click Select All, and click OK.
6. In the Automesh Surfaces dialog, click OK.

7. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar), or press
Crtl+Q.
8. In the Visibility dialog Entity/Label tab, turn on the Draw Entity radio button.
9. Uncheck the Node box located in the Mesh section, uncheck the top-level box for Geometry, and
click Done.

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Applying Loads and Constraints

Applying Loads and Constraints

In this portion of the example, you will apply a pressure load to the surface at the back of the part. You will
also constrain the holes at the base.

Create a Load Set

Create a load set, the apply a pressure to the back of the part.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → On Surface command.

Because no load sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Load Set dialog, enter the Title “Pressure Load on Back Middle Surface”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection - Enter Surface(s) to Select dialog, select by an ID (the middle surface at the
back of the part), and click OK. It may have a different Surface ID (usually the ID is 129).
4. In the Create Loads on Surfaces dialog, select the Pressure load type.
5. In the Load section, enter -1 in the Value field for Pressure. Click OK, and then click Cancel (in
Entity Selection).

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 Constrain the Holes

Constrain the Holes

Constrain the holes at the bottom of the part.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Constraint → On Curve command.

Because no constraint sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Constraint Set dialog, enter the Title “Pinned Holes”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection - Enter Curve(s) to Select dialog box, pick the eight curves around the holes at
the base, and click OK.

Tip
You may want to rotate the model and zoom in on the corners of the model to make selection of
these curves easier. While in a command you can use the middle mouse button to rotate the model
as well as the Zoom and Previous Zoom icons on the View Toolbar or View - Simple Toolbar.

4. In the Create Constraints on Geometry dialog Standard Types section, turn on the Pinned - No
Translation radio button, click OK, and then click Cancel (in Entity Selection).

Tip
To see the nodes and elements on which the loads and constraints are applied, use the Model →
Load → Expand and Model → Constraint → Expand commands.

Analyzing the Model

Solve the model using the Simcenter Nastran solver. You will create the analysis set, and then solve the
model.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog box, click New.

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Post-processing the Results

3. In the Analysis Set dialog box, select 36..Simcenter Nastran as the Analysis Program, select
1..Static as the Analysis Type, and click OK.
4. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click Analyze.

Post-processing the Results

In this portion of th eexample, you will display deformation and stress contours for this analysis.

Display Deformation

Display and deformed/contour plot of translation and stress.

Procedure

1. Press the F5 key to select the View → Select command.

2. In the View Select dialog Deformed Style section, turn on the Deform radio button, and in the
Contour Style section, turn on the Contour radio button. Then click the Deformed and Contour
Data button.
3. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog Output Vectors section, select 1..Total Translation from the
Deform drop down, select 7026..Plate Top MajorPrn Stress from the Contour drop down, and click
OK (in all dialogs).

4. Rotate the model so that you can see the back.

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 Display Double-Sided Planar Contours

You can see the plate top stress contour on both faces of the plate elements.

Display Double-Sided Planar Contours

You will now change the contour options to display double-sided planar contours. If you select a standard
top or bottom plate vector for contouring, as you did previously, Femap can automatically contour both top
and bottom stresses on the same plot.

Procedure

1. Press the F5 Key to select the View Select command.

2. In the View Select dialog, click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
3. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog Output Vectors section, check Double-Sided Planar
Contours, and click Contour Options.

Note
Because the default for contours in Femap is Match Output (i.e., show nodal results as nodal
contours and elemental results as elemental contours), the following commands are not really
required to get the desired plot. They are simply shown as a reference should you want to
use a specific Contour Type (Nodal, Elemental, or Match Output), change the method of Data
Conversion (Average, Maximum, or Minimum), or toggle Use Corner Data on/off.

4. In the Select Contour Options dialog Contour Type section, turn on the Elemental radio button, and
in the Data Conversion section, turn on the Average radio button.
5. In the Data Selection section, check Use Corner Data, and click OK (in all dialogs).
6. Rotate the model to look at the back.

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Show Element Thicknesses

The contour on the back of the part shows plate top major stress.

Show Element Thicknesses

To more easily see double-sided results, change the view to show the element thicknesses.

Procedure

1. Press the F6 Key to select the View → Options comand.

2. In the View Options dialog Category section, turn on the Labels, Entities and Color radio button.
3. In the Options, select Element - Orientation/Shape, select 1..Show Fiber Thickness from the
Element Shape section, and click Apply.
4. In the Category section, turn on the Tools and View Style radio button.
5. In the Options section, select Filled Edges, uncheck Draw Entity, and click OK.
The contour on the back of the part shows plate top major stress.

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 Show Element Thicknesses

Tip
You can also toggle Filled Edges and Thickness/Cross Section on and off very easily using the
View Style Menu located on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar. Simply select Filled
Edges or Thickness/Cross Section from the View Style menu to turn them off, then select the
command again to turn them back on at any time.

Results

This is the end of the example. You don’t need to save your model file.

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Show Element Thicknesses

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 Importing the Model

16. Direct Transient Analysis – Hinge Model

Dynamic Analysis is used when a structure undergoes loading that occurs over time as opposed to static
analysis which only takes into account the behavior of a structure at one time step. In many ways, dynamic
analysis is a more realistic type of analysis as compared to static analysis, but is also more complex. The
loading is applied as a function of time during dynamic analysis, therefore, responses to the loading such
as displacements, velocities, accelerations, forces, and stresses are also time-varying.

For our first exploration of dynamic analysis, we will look at Direct Transient Analysis. Direct Transient
Response can be used to determine a structure’s response to a time-varying excitation where all of the
applied forces are known for each instant of time. In many cases, the desired responses to be computed
are nodal displacements and accelerations, as well as, element forces and stresses.

For this example we will be using a model of a hinge bracket that has already been created. You will work
through the entire analysis process which includes:

• Creating a loading function to represent sinusoidal excitation.

• Applying loads and constraints.
• Analyzing the model using Simcenter Nastran.
• Post-processing the results using XY plotting capabilities.

Importing the Model

Create a new model, and import a Femap neutral file containing the Nodes, Elements, Properties, and
Materials.

Procedure

1. Select the File → New command.

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Creating the Dynamic Loading Function

2. Select the File → Import → Femap Neutral command.

3. In the Read Model from Femap Neutral dialog, locate [Link] in the Femap_INSTALL_FOLDER/
Examples/Dynamics directory, and click Open.
4. In the Neutral File Read Options dialog, click OK.

Creating the Dynamic Loading Function

In order for the loading to be time dependent you must create a function to represent a sine pulse loading
condition. You will now create a function to be used for applying a dynamic load.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Function command.

Tip
You can also create a new Function using the New command on the right click menu of the
Functions branch in the Model Info tree (simply click to highlight the top level of the Functions
branch or any existing Function, and right click to see the menu).

2. In the Function Definition dialog, enter the Title “200 Hz sinusoidal pulse”.

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 Creating the Dynamic Loading Function

3. Select 1..vs. Time from the Type drop-down list.

4. In the Data Entry section, turn on the Equation radio button.
5. Enter the following values in the corresponding fields:
X = 0.0
To X = 0.005
Delta X = (0.005/8)
Y = sin(360*200*!x)

Note
The equation used in the Y field uses a formula creation syntax that Femap can read. For example
the “sin” portion of the equation is telling Femap to take the sine of the value that is in the
parenthesis (). The “!x” represents the variable x value as x increases from 0.0 to 0.005 based on
the Delta X value (0.005/8 = 0.000625 for this example which will give us the needed 8 data points
for our sine wave). The “200” value is our frequency in Hz.

6. Click the Add button .

The X and Y Values will be created for the function. You will need to Zero the curve after one single
pulse, therefore you need to add one point with a zero Y value, and a X value larger than 0.005.

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Verify the Function

Note
Simcenter/NASTRAN will use the curve coordinates for interpolation purposes and this is why the
zero point must be added.

7. In the Data Entry section, turn on the Single Value radio button.
8. Enter the following values in the corresponding fields: X = 0.0055, Y = 0.00.

9. Then click the Add button , click OK, and then click Cancel.

Verify the Function

Verify the function using the Charting pane in Femap. The plot in the Function Definition dialog probably
already verified the function, but this step will explain how to show functions with the Charting pane.

Procedure

1. Select the Tools → Charting command.

2. In the Charting pane, click the Chart Manager icon to create a new Chart.
3. In the Chart Manager dialog, click New Chart.
The Charting dialog will appear. This tabbed dialog box allows a number of options to be selected for
the new chart. For this example, the default Chart settings are OK. Click Done in all dialogs.

Tip
In a new model, the Chart Selector is set to 0..None/Create New by default. Because of this,
when a new Data Series is created, a default Chart will also be created along with the Data Series.
Therefore, it is not really required to use the Chart Manager unless you are creating multiple Charts.

4. In the Charting pane, click the Data Series Manager icon to create a new Data Series.
5. In the Chart Data Series Manager dialog, click New Data Series.

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 Creating the Transient Load

6. In the Chart Data Series dialog, select 5..Function from the Type drop down.
7. In the Data Source section, check 1..200 Hz sinusoidal pulse, click OK, and then click Cancel.
8. In the Chart Data Series Manager dialog, click Done.

Results

The newly created Data Series is now displayed in the Charting pane:

The XY Plot should show a sine wave which levels off at the right hand side as shown below.

Tip
There is quick method to bring up a the Charting pane with a chart called “XY Show” in the Femap user
interface, specifically to view a single XY plot of functions. This is accomplished using the Functions
branch of the Model Info tree (Functions can be found in the Model branch). Expand the Functions
branch and all functions currently in the model will be listed. Use the Show in Charting command on
the right click menu for Functions. Simply highlight any number of functions, then right-mouse click and
choose the Show in Charting command. A new Chart called “XY Show” will appear in the Charting pane
and a contain a new Data Series for each selected Function.

Tip
You can change the colors and other parameters of each Data Series and the whole Chart using the icon
menus, Charting and Chart Data Series dialogs, and right click menus.

Creating the Transient Load

Apply the transient load to the hinge bracket.

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Creating the Constraints

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Nodal command.

Because no Load Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Load Set dialog, enter the Title “Transient Excitation”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select Node 44 at bottom right of the
structure, and click OK.

4. In the Create Loads on Nodes dialog, select Force from the selection list.
5. In the Load section, enter 75 into the FZ field.
6. In the Load section, select 1..200 Hz Sinusoidal Pulse from the Time/Freq Dependence drop-down
list, click OK, and then click Cancel (in Entity Selection).

Creating the Constraints

The model needs to be constrained for this example. You will nw create a constraint set, and apply fixed
nodal constraints.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Constraint → Nodal command.

Because no constraint sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Constraint Set dialog, enter the Title “Hole Fixed”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select the nodes around the edge of the hole.
This can be done by selecting one node at a time or by holding down the Control (Ctrl) key and
clicking near the center of the circle and dragging the mouse out which will create a circular picking
window. Once all of the nodes are inside the circular picking window let go of the mouse button and
all the nodes will be selected, click OK.
Note
Holding down the Shift Key can also create a rectangular picking area and other picking options
such as polygon, freehand, and query are available by pressing the Pick button inside any Entity
Selection dialog.

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 Setting up the Analysis Set Manager

4. In the Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog, click the Fixed button, click OK, and then click Cancel (in
Entity Selection).

What to do next

THE MODEL IS NOW READY TO BE ANALYZED!

Please save your model before continuing.

Setting up the Analysis Set Manager

It is possible to save multiple Analysis Sets or Cases with your Femap model. This allows you to create
multiple Analysis Cases, and select the appropriate Cases to be submitted to Simcenter Nastran. For
example, you can setup one Case to perform a Static analysis, one for Modal Analysis, another for Direct
Transient Analysis, and yet another for Heat Transfer. All the Cases can be saved with one model along with
the different boundary conditions required for each separate analysis in separate load and constraint sets.
You can also submit jobs to Simcenter Nastran directly from the case manager by pressing the Analyze
button.

In order for Simcenter Nastran to perform a direct transient analysis, there are certain parameters which
must be defined within the Analysis Set. This will allow Simcenter Nastran to take into account the effects
of damping, know the number of desired time steps (each time step will produce an individual results set),
and the output interval. You will now create an analysis case for Direct Transient Analysis using the Femap
Analysis Set Manager.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the New button.
3. In the Analysis Set dialog, enter the Title “Direct Transient”.
4. Select 36..Simcenter Nastran from the Analysis Program drop-down, and select 3..Transient
Dynamic/Time History from the Analysis Type drop-down.

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Setting up the Analysis Set Manager

5. Click the Next button until reaching the NASTRAN Modal Analysis dialog.
Note
The Solution Type is set to Direct for this analysis. If you were running a Modal Transient Analysis,
you would want to set this to Modal before clicking the Next button.

6. Click the Next button again.

7. In the NASTRAN Dynamic Analysis dialog, Enter the following values in the corresponding fields:
Overall Structural Damping Coefficient (G) = 0.2
Frequency for System Damping (W3) = 90
Number of Steps = 99 (100 results sets produced including t=0)
Time per Step = 0.0005
Output Interval = 1
The Overall Structural Damping Coefficient (G) = 2 * (critical damping ratio), therefore the system
will experience 10% equivalent viscous damping. The Frequency for System Damping (W3) value of
90 was chosen because it is the first fundamental bending mode of this structure (This value may be
obtained from a normal modes analysis). The Output Interval of 1 will create an output set in the
results file for every time step that is calculated, a value of 2 would create an output set for every
other time step that Simcenter Nastran calculates, and 3 would be every third time step and so on.

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 Setting up the Analysis Set Manager

Note
Advanced Nastran: There are many Simcenter Nastran options that can be selected and then
saved using the Analysis Set Manager. These options include NASTRAN Executive and Solution
Options, NASTRAN Bulk Data Options, NASTRAN GEOMCHECK (Element Quality Checks), NASTRAN
Model Check (Overall Model Checks), Specific Analysis Type Options, selection of sets for Boundary
Conditions, NASTRAN Output Requests, and many others. The dialog boxes for each group of
options can be reached by pressing the Next button on the Analysis Set dialog box, selecting the
desired options in that specific dialog box, and then pressing the Next button again to progress to
the next group of options.

Note
Advanced Nastran: For users familiar with any Nastran solver who would like to visually inspect
the input deck before it is sent to the solver this can be accomplished by clicking the Preview
Input button in the Analysis Set Manager dialog. This opens a text viewer containing the Sincenter
Nastran input deck, and the viewer can become an editor by checking the box under Edit Preview.

8. Click OK, and then in the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the Analyze button.
The Analysis should now be running, when it is complete results will be available for PostProcessing.

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Post-Processing the Results

Post-Processing the Results

In many cases, the results of Dynamic Analysis are best viewed utilizing the XY Plotting capabilities of
Femap. In this portion of the example, you will examine the response of a single node across the entire
time history of the analysis. You will be able to use the loaded node, node number 44.

Create an XY Plot

Create an XY Plot of response of a single node of the structure.

Procedure

1. Select the Tools → Charting command.

2. Double-click the chart to open the Charting dialog box.

Note
If you double-click with the cursor over a Data Series line the Chart Data Series dialog will open
instead of the Charting dialog. Also, if you happen to double-click while over one of the Axes, the
Charting dialog will be opened with the Chart Axes tab selected. If this is the case, choose the
Chart Settings tab before continuing.

3. In the Charting dialog, click Select Data Series.

4. In the Select Chart Data Series, uncheck 1..200 Hz sinusoidal pulse, and click OK.
5. In the Charting dialog, click Done.

6. In the Charting pane, click the Data Series Manager icon to create a new Data Series.
7. In the Chart Data Series Manager dialog, click New Data Series.
8. In the Chart Data Series dialog, select 1..Vector vs. Set from the Type drop down.
9. In the X-Axis Values section, turn on the Output Set Value radio button.
10. In the Data Source section, select 4..T3 Translation from the Vector drop down.
11. In the Data Source section, enter 44 in the Location field, click OK, and then click Cancel.
12. In the Chart Data Series Manager dialog, click Done.
The XY Plot the Z-translation of Node 44 should appear like this:

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 Change the Range

Note
The XY Plot can be manipulated to take a closer look at a certain portion of the plotted response.
The largest deflections of the loaded Node 44 occur between 0 and 0.03 on the X-Axis (Time),
therefore we will change the range of the X-axis in order to zoom in on this part of the plot.

Change the Range

Change the range of the X-axis on the XY Plot of Node 44.

Procedure

1. Double-click the chart to open the Charting dialog.

2. In the Charting dialog, select the Chart Axes tab, and turn on the X Axis radio button.
3. In the Range and Style section, uncheck Autoscale.
4. In the Range and Style section, enter the following values in the Range fields: First Range field = 0.0,
Second Range field = 0.03, and click Done.
The Plot should now appear like this:

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Change the Range

Results

This Concludes the Direct Transient Analysis example. It is your choice whether or not to save the model
file.

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 Importing the Neutral File

17. Modal Frequency Analysis of the Hinge

Model
Modal Frequency Response Analysis is used to determine a structure’s response to harmonic (oscillatory)
excitation where all forces at each forcing frequency are known and defined within a frequency domain.
The responses consist of complex numbers defined as magnitude and phase or as real and imaginary
components.

First a Normal Modes Analysis will be run on the Hinge model to determine the natural frequencies. By
using an Simcenter Nastran option which allows analysis restarts, we will then perform a modal frequency
response analysis without extracting the normal modes again. The purpose of this example is to determine
the hinge structure’s response to a loading of unit amplitude across a frequency range up to 600 Hz. This
frequency range has been chosen based on a prior normal modes analysis and contains the first three
modes of the structure. We will assume the critical damping of the system to be 10%.

For this example we will be using a model of a hinge bracket that has already been created. You will work
through the entire analysis process which includes:

• Utilizing analysis restarts in Simcenter Nastran to increase solution efficiency.

• Creating functions to define unit amplitude for frequency response loading and modal damping table.
• Analyzing the model using Simcenter Nastran Frequency/Harmonic Response solution.
• Post-processing the results data using XY plotting capabilities.

Importing the Neutral File

Create a new model, and import a Femap neutral file containing the Nodes, Elements, Properties, and
Materials.

Procedure

1. Select the File → New command.

2. Select the File → Import → Femap Neutral command.
3. In the Read Model from Femap Neutral dialog, locate [Link] in the Femap_INSTALL_FOLDER/
Examples/Dynamics directory, and click Open.
4. In the Neutral File Read Options dialog, click OK.

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Creating the Constraints

Creating the Constraints

The model needs to be constrained for this example. You will create a constraint set, and apply fixed nodal
constraints.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Constraint → Nodal command.

Because no constraint sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Constraint Set dialog, enter the Title “Hole Fixed”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select the nodes around the edge of the hole.
This can be done by selecting one node at a time or by holding down the Control (Ctrl) key and
clicking near the center of the circle and dragging the mouse out which will create a circular picking
window. Once all of the nodes are inside the circular picking window let go of the mouse button and
all the nodes will be selected, click OK.
Note
Holding down the Shift Key can also create a rectangular picking area and other picking options
such as polygon, freehand, and query are available by pressing the Pick button inside any Entity
Selection dialog.

4. In the Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog, click the Fixed button, click OK, and then click Cancel (in
Entity Selection).

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 Running the Normal Modes Analysis

Running the Normal Modes Analysis

Extracting the normal modes will allow Simcenter Nastran to select solution frequencies automatically in
order to create a solution frequency function. You will also take advantage of the analysis restarts option to
transition from normal modes analysis to frequency response analysis. You will now create an analysis case
for Normal Analysis and specify analysis restarts using the Femap Analysis Set Manager.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the New button.
3. In the Analysis Set dialog, enter the Title “Normal Modes Analysis”.
4. Select 36..Simcenter Nastran from the Analysis Program drop-down list, select 2..Normal Modes/
Eigenvalue from the Analysis Type drop-down list, and click the Next button.

5. In the NASTRAN Executive and Solution Options dialog, check the Save Databases for Restart box in
the Restart Control section, and click OK.

Note
Make sure the files that Simcenter Nastran will be using for the Restart are in a directory where
none of the directory names has a space in it. For Example: If the path to the *.MASTER would
be C:\Analysis Files\[Link], Simcenter Nastran will not be able to get to the restart file.
A path such as C:\Analysis_Files\[Link] would be able to be run because the directory
name has an underscore instead of a space. To force Nastran to place the MASTER in a particular
directory, you may need to turn on some settings in File → Preferences. Click the Interfaces tab,
set the Direct Output To option to 2..Specified Directory, select a directory, set Scratch Directory
to 2..Output Directory, and check the Include Database Files in Scratch box.

6. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog box, click the Analyze button.
Important
Once the Normal Modes Analysis has been completed, verify that results have been retrieved from
Simcenter Nastran by pressing the F5 key (View Select command) and then clicking the Deformed
and Contour Data button. In the Select Post Processing dialog under Output Sets, make sure
[Link] 1, 89.813 Hz is visible (If there are no results, then the analysis may not have completed

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Creating Unit Load for Frequency Response Loading

successfully and therefore the model should be checked for mistakes and then rerun). Click OK, and
then click OK again.
Also be sure that the Simcenter Nastran databases (the *.MASTER and *.DBALL files, “*” denotes
the filename the user has given to this example when saved before running the analysis) have been
saved for Restart purposes in the directory where the analysis has taken place (should be in the same
directory as where the results files, *.op2 and *.f06, can be found).

Creating Unit Load for Frequency Response Loading

A Unit Load must be created to remain constant across the entire frequency range. A simple function will
be used to represent the temporal portion of the load, and then be given a direction to represent the
spatial portion of the loading condition.

Create a Function

Create a function for the Unit Load.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Function command.

Tip
You can also create a new Function using the New command on the right click menu of the
Functions branch in the Model Info tree (simply click to highlight the top level of the Functions
branch or any existing Function, and right click to see the menu).

2. In the Function Definition dialog, enter the Title “Load Value vs. Frequency”.
3. Select 3..vs. Frequency from the Type drop down.
4. In the Data Entry section, turn on the Single Value radio button, and enter these values into the
corresponding fields:

X = 0, Y = 1, and click the Add button .

X = 3000, Y = 1, and click the Add button .
5. Click OK, and then click Cancel.

Apply the Unit Load

Apply the 1.0 unit load to the hinge bracket.

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 Modal Damping Definition

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Nodal command.

Because no Load Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Load Set dialog, enter the Title “Unit Load”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select Node 44 at bottom right of structure,
and click OK.

4. In the Create Loads on Nodes dialog, and highlight Force from the selection list.
5. In the Load section, enter 1.0 into the FZ field.
6. in the Load section, select 1..Load Value vs. Frequency from the Time/Freq Dependence drop
down, click OK, and then click Cancel (in Entity Selection).
The Frequency Response Loading Condition has now been applied.

Modal Damping Definition

A simple function must be created to represent the modal damping of the system. The type of function
created depends on the units of the assumed damping value:
1. If the structural damping coefficient (G) is known, then the 6..Structural Damping vs. Freq Function
Type should be used.
2. If the critical damping ratio is known, then the 7..Critical Damping vs. Freq Function Type should be
used.
3. If the Quality/Magnification Factor (Q) is known, then the 8..Q Damping vs. Frequency Function
Type should be used.

In this example, a critical damping ratio of 10% across the frequency range is desired. Therefore, you will
use the 7..Critical Damping vs. Freq Function Type.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Function command.

2. In the Function Definition dialog, enter the Title “Damping Function”.

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Running the Modal Frequency Response Analysis

3. Select 7..Critical Damping vs. Freq from the Type drop down.
4. In the Data Entry section, turn on the Single Value radio button.
5. In the Data Entry section, enter these values into the corresponding fields:

X = 0, Y = 0.1, then click the Add button .

X = 3000, Y = 0.1, then click the Add button .
6. Click OK, and then click Cancel.

Results

THE MODEL IS NOW READY TO BE ANALYZED!

Running the Modal Frequency Response Analysis

Solution Frequencies can be defined two separate ways. One way is to create a function which gradually
raises the frequency in defined increments in a given frequency range. If you have not extracted the
normal modes in a previous analysis, this is a way to create a frequency table to excite the structure. The
disadvantage of this method is that it will give you a large number of data points to review in general and
not concentrate the results around the natural modes, where the response should be the highest.

Because you have run a normal modes analysis, and Simcenter NASTRAN has the Analysis Restart
capability you setup earlier, you can use a different and more effective method to create the frequency
table. Utilizing the known results of the normal modes analysis you ran earlier in the example, Femap can
create a much more accurate frequency table for Modal Frequency Response. The frequency table, along
with other parameters, will be defined within the Analysis Set before the Hinge model is analyzed.

You will now create an analysis case for Modal Frequency Response Analysis and specify analysis restarts
using the Femap Analysis Set Manager. A Modal Frequency Table based on the first three normal modes
will be created within the analysis set.

The following XY Plot shows three peaks, one peak for each of the first three modes. The Y value is
arbitrary on this plot, but the x-values are an excellent way to visualize where the excitations are occurring
with respect to the frequency range. Also, the width of the base of each peak represents the frequency
bandwidth associated with each forcing frequency.

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 Running the Modal Frequency Response Analysis

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the New button.
3. In the Analysis Set dialog, enter the Title “Modal Frequency Response Analysis”.
4. Select 36..Simcenter Nastran from the Analysis Program drop down, select 4..Frequency/
Harmonic Response from the Analysis Type drop down, and click Next.
5. In the NASTRAN Executive and Solution Options dialog Restart Control section, check the Restart
Previous Analysis box.
6. In the Restart Control section, click the Browse button (...) and locate the *.MASTER file that was
created earlier in the example, and click Open.

Tip
Remember, this should be located in the same directory as your Normal Modes Analysis Results File.

7. Click the Next button until reaching the NASTRAN Modal Analysis dialog.
8. In the NASTRAN Modal Analysis dialog Solution Type section, turn on the Modal radio button, and
click Next.
9. In the NASTRAN Dynamic Analysis dialog Equivalent Viscous Damping section, select 2..Damping
Function from the Modal Damping Table drop down.
10. In the Limit Response Based on Modes section, enter the following value in the corresponding field:
Highest Freq (Hz) = 1000
11. In the Frequency Response section, click the Modal Freq button.
12. In the Frequency Table From Modal Results dialog Modal Results section, select 1..Mode 1,
89.81314 Hz from the First Freq drop down, and then select 3..Mode 3, 568.1405 Hz from the
Last Freq drop down.
13. In the Additional Solution Frequency Points section, enter the following values into the corresponding
fields, and then click OK:
Number of Points per Existing Mode = 5
Frequency Band Spread = 10 (%)

Note
These values, 5 per Existing Mode and 10% Frequency Band Spread, are somewhat standard for
creating the Frequency Table using existing Normal Modes.

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PostProcessing the Results

14. In the NASTRAN Dynamic Analysis dialog Frequency Response section, make sure 3..Modal
Frequency Table appears in the Frequencies drop down, and click OK.

15. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the Analyze button.

PostProcessing the Results

In many cases, the results of Modal Frequency Analysis are best viewed utilizing the XY Plotting capabilities
of Femap found in the Charting pane. In this portion of the example, you will examine the response of a
single node across the entire frequency range of the analysis. You will use the loaded node, node number
44.

Create an XY Plot

Task

Create an XY Plot of response of a single node of the structure over the frequency range.

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 Create an XY Plot

Procedure

1. Select the Tools → Charting command to open the Charting pane.

2. Click the Chart Manager icon .

You will be creating a new Chart.
3. In the Chart Manager dialog, click New Chart.
The Charting dialog appears. This tabbed dialog box allows a number of options to be selected for the
new chart. For this example, the default Chart settings are OK. Click Done (all dialog boxes).

Note
In a new model, the Chart Selector is set to 0..None/Create New by default. Because of this,
when a new Data Series is created, a default Chart will also be created along with the Data Series.
Therefore, it is not really required to use the Chart Manager unless you are creating multiple
Charts.

4. Click the Data Series Manager icon on the Charting pane to create a new Data Series.
5. In the Chart Data Series Manager dialog, click New Data Series.
6. In the Chart Data Series dialog box, select 1..Vector vs. Set from the Type drop down.
7. In the X-Axis Values section, turn on the Output Set Value radio button.
8. In the Data Source section, uncheck Use All Output Sets.
9. In the Data Source section, select 11..Case 1 Freq 80.83183 from the Starting Set drop down,
select 25..Case 1 Freq 624.9545 from the Ending Set drop down, and select 4..T3 Translation from
the Vector drop down.

Note
The first 10 output sets in the model represent the normal modes of the structure and should not
be included in a plot of the frequency response of Node 44.

10. In the Data Source section, enter 44 in the Location field, click OK, and then click Cancel.
11. In the Chart Data Series Manager dialog, click Done.
The newly created Data Series is displayed in the Charting pane.

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Change the XY Plot

Tip
The XY Plot can be manipulated to view the XY Plot using a Log scale on either the X-Axis, Y-Axis, or
both axes at once. Some of the results along the Y-Axis are close to 0.0 compared to others, a plot
using a Log Scale for the Y-Axis may display a more useful plot.

Change the XY Plot

Change the XY Plot of Node 44 to have the Y-Axis use a Log Scale.

Procedure

1. Double-click on the chart to open the Charting dialog box.

2. In the Charting dialog, select the Chart Axes tab, and turn on the Y Axis radio button.
3. In the Range and Style section, check Logarithmic Scale, and click Done.

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 Change the XY Plot

Results

This concludes the Modal Frequency Response Analysis example. Please save this model as
[Link] for use in a later tutorial.

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Change the XY Plot

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 Importing the Model

18. Frequency Response of Tower with Seismic

Excitation
This example will move step by step through a Frequency Response Analysis of a tower being forced at a
base node with a 1g sinusoidal (Seismic) loading condition. The model of the tower has been constructed
and a modal analysis has been run previously. You will import the model and concentrate on the creation
of Frequency Response loading conditions, the two different methods of applying the excitation to the
model (Large Mass and Direct Methods), and post-processing the results of the analysis by examining
accelerations of specific nodes.

For this example you will be using a model of a communications tower that has already been created. You
will work through the entire analysis process which includes:

• Creating a loading condition to represent a seismic excitation.

• Applying loads and constraints specific to both methods of creating the excitation.
• Analyzing the model using Simcenter Nastran.
• Post-processing the results using multiple curves in XY plots.

Importing the Model

Create a new model, and import a Femap neutral file containing the Nodes, Elements, Properties, and
Materials.

Procedure

1. Select the File → New command.

2. Select the File → Import → Femap Neutral command.

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View the Results of Modal Analysis

3. In the Read Model from Femap Neutral dialog box, locate [Link] in the Femap_INSTALL_FOLDER/
Examples/Dynamics directory, and click Open.
4. In the Neutral File Read Options dialog, click OK.

View the Results of Modal Analysis

In this portion of the example, you will be viewing the results of the Modal Analaysis which was done for
the example model.

View an Animation of Mode Shapes

You will now view an animation of the Mode Shapes created by the Natural Frequencies.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Select command, press the F5 Key, or choose the View Select icon from the
View Toolbar and View - Simple Toolbar.
2. In the View Select dialog Deformed Style section, turn on the Animate radio button.
3. Click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
4. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog Output Sets section, select 1..Mode 1, 10.8234 Hz from the
drop down.
5. In the Output Vectors section, select 1..Total Translation from the Deform dropdown, and click OK.
6. In the View Select dialog, click OK.

Results

The Model should now be moving based on the first Natural Frequency.

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 Change the Output Set (Mode Shape)

Change the Output Set (Mode Shape)

Change the Output Set (Mode Shape) being viewed a few different ways.

Procedure

You can follow Steps 1-3 in View an Animation of Mode Shapes, select The mode you want to view
from the drop-down list in the Output Set section, and then follow Steps 5-6.
Or...
2. Right click anywhere in the graphics window and select Post Data from the menu.
3. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog Output Set section, select the mode you want to view from
the drop down, and click OK.
Alternatively, you can select the Tools → Toolbars → Post command (if the Post Toolbar is already
visible just click the icons shown below).

Click the Next Set icon , or the Previous Set icon to move back and forth through the existing
Output Sets (These icons are located on the Post Toolbar)

Note
The Toolbars contain many popular commands that can be accessed in one click or choosing off a
short menu instead of through multiple cascading menus and/or dialog boxes. Take some time to
become familiar with some of the features conveniently located on the Post Toolbar.

View the Undeformed Model

After all of the Mode Shapes have been viewed, you will now view the undeformed model.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Select command, press the F5 Key, or choose the View Select icon from the
View Toolbar and View - Simple Toolbar.
2. In the View Select dialog Deformed Style section, turn on the None-Model Only radio button, and
click OK.

Alternitavely, you can click the Select an Undeformed View icon on the Post Toolbar.

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Modal Damping Definition

Modal Damping Definition

A simple function must be created to represent the modal damping of the system. The type of function
created depends on the units of the assumed damping value. You will now create a function to represent
the desired Critical Damping for the system.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Function command.

Tip
You can also create a new Function using the New command on the right click menu of the
Functions branch in the Model Info tree (simply click to highlight the top level of the Functions
branch or any existing Function, and right click to see the menu).

2. In the Function Definition dialog, enter the Title “Damping Function”.

3. Select 7..Critical Damping vs. Freq from the Type drop down.
4. In the Data Entry section, turn on the Single Value radio button.
5. In the Data Entry section, enter these values into the corresponding fields.

X = 0, Y = 0.1, then click the Add button .

X = 100, Y = 0.1, then click the Add button .
6. Click OK, and then click Cancel.

Creating Function for Seismic Loading

A Function must be created to remain constant across the entire frequency range. A simple function will be
used to represent the temporal portion of the load and then given a direction and magnitude to represent
the spatial portion of the loading condition later in the example. You will now create a function for the
Seismic Loading.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Function command.

2. In the Function Definition dialog, enter the Title “1g Loading”.
3. Select 3..vs. Frequency from the Type drop down.
4. In the Data Entry section, turn on the Single Value radio button.
5. In the Data Entry section, enter these values into the corresponding fields:

X = 0, Y = 1, then click the Add button .

X = 100, Y = 1, then click the Add button .

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 Creating the Base Node and Rigid Connection

6. Click OK, and then click Cancel.

Creating the Base Node and Rigid Connection

Create the Base Node

Create the Base Node (node where the excitation is applied).

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Node command.

2. In the Locate – Enter Coordinates or Select with Cursor dialog, enter the following values into the
corresponding fields: X = 0, Y = -220, Z = 0, click OK, and then click Cancel.

Create Rigid Connection

Create a rigid connection between the “Base Node” and the “Tower”.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Element command.

2. In the Define (“Type of Element”) Element – Enter Nodes or Select with Cursor dialog, click the Type
button.
3. In the Element/Property Type dialog Other Elements section, turn on the Rigid radio button, and
click OK.
4. In the Define RIGID Element – Enter Nodes or Select with Cursor dialog RBE2 tab, select the newly
created node located below the tower (node 269) for the Node in the Independent section.
5. In the Dependent section, uncheck the RX, RY, and RZ boxes, and click the Nodes button.
6. In the Entity Selection – Select Dependent Node(s) dialog, select the node at the bottom of each leg
of the tower (nodes 50, 61, 67, and 78), and click OK.

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Large Mass Method

7. In the Define RIGID Element – Enter Nodes or Select with Cursor dialog, click OK, and then click
Cancel.

Results

At this point the exercise will have two separate sections. One section will cover the Large Mass Method,
and the other will cover the Direct Method of creating a seismic loading condition. Please give both
methods a try. Save your model at this point as [Link], in order to have a good starting point for
the two separate sections.

Large Mass Method

Creating the Seismic Mass

Create a Mass Property, and then creat a Mass Element.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Property command.

2. In the Define Property – RIGID (or “Type of Element”) Element Type, click the Elem/Property Type
button.
3. In the Element/Property Type dialog Other Elements section, turn on the Mass radio button, and
click OK.
4. In the Define Property – MASS Element Type dialog, enter the Title “Base Mass”.
5. In the Property Values section, enter 1.0E13 in the Mass, M or Mx field, click OK, and then click
Cancel.
6. Select the Model → Element command.
7. In the Define MASS Element – Enter Node or Select with Cursor dialog, select the Base Node (Node
269), select 3..Base Mass from the Property drop down, click OK, and then click Cancel.

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 Creating the Load

Creating the Load

Create the Load for the Large Mass.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Nodal command.

Because no Load Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Load Set dialog, enter the Title “Seismic Load”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select the Base Node (node 269), and click
OK.
4. In the Create Loads on Nodes dialog, highlight Force from the selection list.
5. In the Load section, enter 386.4E13 into the FX field, uncheck the FY and FZ boxes, select 2..1g
Loading from the Time/Freq Dependence drop down, and click OK.
6. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, click Cancel.

Creating the Permanent Constraints

Create the Permanent Constraints on the Base Node.

Procedure

1. Select the Modify → Edit → Node command.

2. In the Entity Selection – Select Node(s) to Edit dialog, select the Base Node (node 269), and click OK.
3. In the Locate – Select Coordinates or Select with Cursor dialog, click the Parameters button.
4. In the Node Parameters dialog Permanent Constraint section, check the TY, TZ, RX, RY, and RZ
boxes, and click OK.
This will create Permanent Constraints on the Node Entry in the Simcenter NASTRAN input file
(GRID,269,0,0.,-220.,0.,0,23456). These type of constraints do not require a defined constraint set.
Simcenter NASTRAN understands that this particular node is constrained in the 23456 degrees of
freedom for any analysis regardless of other Constraint Sets.
5. In the Locate – Select Coordinates or Select with Cursor dialog, click OK.

Results

THE MODEL IS NOW READY TO BE ANALYZED!

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Running the Seismic Analysis

Running the Seismic Analysis

You will now create an analysis case for Seismic Analysis using the Femap Analysis Set Manager. As in the
Modal Frequency Example, y will create the Solution Frequency Table using the existing Modal Analysis
results.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the New button.
3. In the Analysis Set dialog, enter the Title “Seismic Analysis”.
4. Select 36..Simcenter Nastran from the Analysis Program drop down, and select 4..Frequency/
Harmonic Response from the Analysis Type drop down.
5. Click the Next button until reaching the NASTRAN Modal Analysis dialog.
6. In the NASTRAN Modal Analysis dialog Solution Type section, turn on the Modal radio button, and
click the Next button.
7. In the NASTRAN Dynamic Analysis dialog Equivalent Viscous Damping section, select 1..Damping
Function from the Modal Damping Table drop down.
8. In the Limit Response Based on Modes section, enter the following value in the corresponding field:
Highest Freq (Hz) = 200.

Note
The Overall Structural Damping Coefficient (G) does not need to be defined because we have
already taken care of this with the function created for the Modal Damping Table.

9. In the Frequency Response section, click the Modal Freq... button.

10. In the Frequency Table From Modal Results dialog, select 1..Mode 1, 10.8234 Hz from the First Freq
drop down, and select 5..Mode 5, 28.03074 Hz from the Last Freq drop down.
11. In the Additional Solution Frequency Points section, enter the following values into the
corresponding fields: Number of Points per Existing Mode = 5, Frequency Band Spread = 10
(%), and click OK.

Note
These values, 5 per Existing Mode and 10% Frequency Band Spread, are somewhat standard for
creating the Frequency Table using existing Normal Modes.

12. In the NASTRAN Dynamic Analysis dialog Frequency Response section, verify 3..Modal Frequency
Table appears in the Frequencies drop down, and click OK.

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 Post-Processing the Results

13. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the Analyze button.

Post-Processing the Results

In many cases, the results of Modal Frequency Analysis are best viewed utilizing the XY Plotting capabilities
of Femap. You will examine the nodal accelerations of a few nodes across the entire frequency range of
the analysis. For this example you will view the accelerations at node numbers 75, 249, and 151. Create a
XY Plot of the responses of multiple nodes of the structure over the frequency range.

Procedure

1. Select the Tools → Charting command.

2. Click the Chart Manager icon .

3. In the Chart Manager dialog, click New Chart.
The Charting dialog appears. This tabbed dialog box allows a number of options to be selected for the
new chart. For this example, the default Chart settings are OK.
Click Done (all dialog boxes).

Tip
In a new model, the Chart Selector is set to 0..None/Create New by default. Because of this,
when a new Data Series is created, a default Chart will also be created along with the Data Series.
Therefore, it is not really required to use the Chart Manager unless you are creating multiple Charts.

4. Click the Data Series Manager icon to create a new Data Series.
5. In the Chart Data Series Manager dialog, click New Data Series.
6. In the Chart Data Series dialog, select 1..Vector vs. Set from the Type drop down.

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Direct Method

7. In the X-Axis Values section, turn on the Output Set Value radio button.
8. In the Data Source section, uncheck Use All Output Sets.
9. In the Data Source section, select 11..Case 1 Freq 9.741056 from the Starting Set drop down,
select 35..Case 1 Freq 30.83381 from the Ending Set drop down, and select 22..T1 Acceleration
from the Vector drop down.

Note
The first 10 output sets in the model represent the normal modes of the structure and should not
be included in a plot of the frequency response of Node 44.

10. In the Data Source section, click the Select Multiple button.
11. In the Entity Selection - Select Node dialog, enter 75 in the ID field, and click the More button. Enter
249 in the ID field, and click the More button again. Finally, enter 151 in the ID field, and click the
More button, and click OK.
12. In the Chart Data Series dialog, click OK, and then click Cancel.
13. In the Chart Data Series Manager dialog, click Done.
The XY Plot of the accelerations at nodes 75, 249, 151 should look like this:

Results

This concludes the Seismic Analysis using the Large Mass Method section of the example. Please save this
model as [Link]. Please open the [Link] model that you saved earlier in the example
and we will now complete the analysis using the Direct Method.

Direct Method
Create the Load and Permanent Constraints.

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 Create Acceleration Load

Create Acceleration Load

Create an Acceleration Load for the Direct Method.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Nodal command.

Because no Load Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Load Set dialog, enter the Title “Seismic Load”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select the Base Node (node 269), and click
OK.
4. In the Create Loads on Nodes dialog, highlight Acceleration from the selection list.
5. In the Load section, enter 386.4 into the AX field, and uncheck the AY and AZ boxes.
6. In the Load section, select 2..1g Loading from the Time/Freq Dependence drop down, and click OK.
7. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, click Cancel.

Create Constraints

Create constraints on the Base Node.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Constraint → Nodal command.

Because no Constraint Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Constraint Set dialog, enter the Title “Fixed Base Node”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select the Base Node (Node 269), and click
OK.
4. In the Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog, click the Fixed button, and click OK.
5. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, click Cancel.

Results

THE MODEL IS NOW READY TO BE ANALYZED!

Running the Seismic Analysis

You wuill now create an analysis case for Seismic Analysis using the Femap Analysis Set Manager. Similar
to the Modal Frequency Example, you will create a Solution Frequency Table using the existing Modal
Analysis results.

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Running the Seismic Analysis

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the New button.
3. In the Analysis Set dialog box, enter Title: “Seismic Analysis”.
4. Select 36..Simcenter Nastran from the Analysis Program drop down list, and select 4..Frequency/
Harmonic Response from the Analysis Type drop down.
5. Click the Next button until reaching the NASTRAN Bulk Data Options dialog.
6. In the NASTRAN Bulk Data Options dialog PARAM section, check the box next to RESVEC, and make
sure the On radio button is turned on.

Note
It is highly recommended during Frequency Response where the Direct Method is used that the
Residual Vector Parameter (RESVEC) be used for increased solution accuracy.

7. Click the Next button until reaching the NASTRAN Modal Analysis dialog.
8. In the NASTRAN Modal Analysis dialog Solution Type section, turn on the Modal radio button, and
click the Next button.
9. In the NASTRAN Dynamic Analysis dialog Equivalent Viscous Damping section, select 1..Damping
Function from the Modal Damping Table drop down.
10. In the Limit Response Based on Modes section, enter the following value in the corresponding field:
Highest Freq (Hz) = 200.

Note
The Overall Structural Damping Coefficient (G) does not need to be defined because we have
already taken care of this with the function created for the Modal Damping Table.

11. In the Frequency Response section, click the Modal Freq... button.
12. In the Frequency Table From Modal Results dialog Modal Results section, select 1..Mode 1, 10.8234
Hz from the First Freq drop down, and select 5..Mode 5, 28.03074 Hz from the Last Freq drop
down.
13. In the Additional Solution Frequency Points section, enter the following values into the
corresponding fields: Number of Points per Existing Mode = 5, Frequency Band Spread = 10
(%), and click OK.

Note
These values, 5 per Existing Mode and 10% Frequency Band Spread, are somewhat standard for
creating the Frequency Table using existing Normal Modes.

14. In the NASTRAN Dynamic Analysis dialog Frequency Response section, verify 3..Modal Frequency
Table appears in the Frequencies drop down, and click OK.
15. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the Analyze button.

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 Post-Processing the Results

Post-Processing the Results

In many cases, the results of Modal Frequency Analysis are best viewed utilizing the XY Plotting capabilities
of Femap. You will examine the nodal accelerations of a few nodes across the entire frequency range of
the analysis. For this example you will use the view the accelerations at node numbers 75, 249, and 151.
Create a XY Plot of the responses of multiple nodes of the structure over the frequency range.

Procedure

1. Select the Tools → Charting command.

2. Click the Chart Manager icon in the Charting pane to create a new Chart.
3. In the Chart Manager dialog, click New Chart.
The Charting dialog will appear. This tabbed dialog box allows a number of options to be selected for
the new chart. For this example, the default Chart settings are OK.
Click Done (all dialog boxes).

Tip
In a new model, the Chart Selector is set to 0..None/Create New by default. Because of this,
when a new Data Series is created, a default Chart will also be created along with the Data Series.
Therefore, it is not really required to use the Chart Manager unless you are creating multiple
Charts.

4. Click the Data Series Manager icon in the Charting pane to create a new Data Series.
5. In the Chart Data Series Manager dialog, click New Data Series.
6. In the Chart Data Series dialog, select 1..Vector vs. Set from the Type drop down.
7. In the X-Axis Values section, turn on the Output Set Value radio button.
8. In the Data Source section, uncheck Use All Output Sets.
9. In the Data Source section, select 11..Case 1 Freq 9.741056 from the Starting Set drop down,
select 35..Case 1 Freq 30.83381 from the Ending Set drop down, select 22..T1 Acceleration from
the Vector drop down, and click the Select Multiple button.

Note
The first 10 output sets in the model represent the normal modes of the structure and should not
be included in a plot of the frequency response of Node 44.

10. In the Entity Selection - Select Node dialog, enter 75 in the ID field, and click the More button. Enter
249 in the ID field, and click the More button again. Finally, enter 151 in the ID field, click the More
button, and click OK.
11. In the Chart Data Series dialog, click OK, and then click Cancel.
12. In the Chart Data Series Manager dialog, click Done.

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Post-Processing the Results

The XY Plot of the accelerations at nodes 75, 249, 151 should look like this:

Results

This concludes the Seismic Analysis example. Please save this model as [Link].

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 Opening an Existing Femap Model

19. Random Response of the Hinge Model

Random Frequency (Vibration) Response can be used to simulate such effects as earthquake ground
motion, pressure fluctuations caused by wind on tall buildings and aircraft, and acoustic excitation due
to jet and rocket engine noise. In Simcenter Nastran, Random Response Analysis is performed as a
post-processing to a previously completed Frequency Response Analysis. Random Response requires many
of the same inputs used in Frequency Response, but also requires an additional user-defined loading
condition such as a load governed by a Power Spectral Density (PSD) function.

There are two separate methods to create enforced base motion to excite the structure using Simcenter
Nastran. The first method is the Large Mass method which requires a load, such as a force, be applied
to a large mass attached to the structure, which in this case will simulate an acceleration load. A
Large Mass is described as an object (usually a single point mass) between 1.0E+5 and 1.0E+13 times
the mass of the structure. The Direct Method is quite a bit easier to setup and allows you o apply an
acceleration load directly to a specific node and does not require a Large Mass in order to apply enforced
motion. The Direct Method may be used with all versions of Simcenter Nastran, therefore it should be the
preferred method for those users who are learning to perform analyses involving enforced motion. You
will explore both methods in this exercise. A great resource for Random Vibration Analysis is located at:
[Link]

For this example, you may use the model that was saved at the end of the Modal Frequency Response
exercise or the model found in the Random Response folder of the Femap Examples directory. You will
work through the entire analysis process which includes:

• Creating a Power Spectral Density (PSD) function.

• Creating an enforced motion loading condition using the Large Mass Method and the Direct Method.
• Setting up a group in order to make specific output requests.
• Analyzing the model using Simcenter Nastran Random Response solution.
• Post-processing results functions using XY plotting capabilities.

Opening an Existing Femap Model

Open an existing Femap model file [Link].

Procedure

1. Select the File → Open command.

2. In the Open dialog, go to Femap_INSTALL_FOLDER/Examples/Dynamics/Random Response/
[Link], and click Open.

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Deleting Existing Loads and Boundary Conditions

Deleting Existing Loads and Boundary Conditions

You will now delete existing Load Sets and Constraint Sets.

Procedure

1. Select the Delete → Model → Load Set command.

2. In the Entity Selection – Select Load Set(s) to Delete dialog , click Select All, and click OK.
3. In the Confirm Delete dialog, click OK.
4. Select the Delete → Model → Constraint Set command.
5. In the Entity Selection – Select Constraint Set(s) to Delete dialog, click Select All, and click OK.
6. In the Confirm Delete dialog, click OK.

Results

Tip
You can quickly delete both Load Sets and Constraint Sets from the Model Info tree. Simply highlight
either the top-level Loads branch or the Constraints branch, right click and choose the Delete
command form the menu (this will delete ALL Load Sets or Constraint Sets). This command will also
work with any number of individual Load Sets or Constraint Sets which are currently highlighted in the
Model Info tree.

Defining the Power Spectral Density Function

Power Spectral Density (PSD) functions are created from empirical data recovered by accelerometers
during dynamic testing. In this example, you will actually be creating an Acceleration Spectral Density
(ASD) function which approximates the actual PSD plot, but will refer to it as a PSD function. You will use a
very basic PSD function in order to demonstrate the use of a PSD function in Random Response. The Units
of our PSD function are G2/Hz, where G is Gravitational Acceleration vs. Frequency in Hz.

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 Create a Simple PSD Function

Create a Simple PSD Function

Create a simple PSD function.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Function command.

Tip
You can create a new Function using the New command on the right click menu of the Functions
branch in the Model Info tree (simply click to highlight the top level of the Functions branch or any
existing Function, and right click see the menu).

2. In the Function Definition dialog, enter the Title “PSD Function”.

3. Select 3..vs. Frequency from the Type drop down.
4. In the Data Entry section, turn on the Single Value radio button.
5. In the Data Entry section, enter these values into the corresponding fields:

X = 20, Y = 0.1, then click the Add button

X = 40, Y = 1.0, then click the Add button
X = 100, Y = 1.0, then click the Add button
X = 350, Y = 0.1, then click the Add button
X = 900, Y = 0.1, then click the Add button
6. Click OK, and then click Cancel.

Verify the PSD Function

Visual verification of the PSD function in a XY Plot is always a good check before analyzing the model. You
will now verify the PSD function using the XY Plotting Feature of Femap.

Procedure

1. Select the Tools → Charting command.

2. Click the Data Series Manager icon in the Charting pane to create a new Data Series.
3. In the Chart Data Series Manager dialog, click New Data Series.
4. In the Chart Data Series dialog, select 5..Function from the Type drop down.
5. In the Data Source section, check 4..PSD Function, click OK, and then click Cancel.
6. In the Chart Data Series Manager dialog, click Done.

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Verify the PSD Function

7. Double-click the chart to open the Charting dialog.

8. Select the Chart Axes tab, and turn on the X Axis radio button.
9. In the Range and Style section, check Logarithmic Scale, and click Done.
The newly created Data Series is now displayed in the Charting pane.

Tip
There is quick method to open the Charting pane with a chart called “XY Show” in the Femap
user interface, specifically to view a single XY plot of functions. This is accomplished using the
Functions branch of the Model Info tree (Functions can be found in the Model branch). Expand
the Functions branch and all functions currently in the model will be listed.
Use the Show in Charting command on the right click menu for Functions. Simply highlight any
number of functions, right click, and choose the Show in Charting command. A new Chart called
“XY Show” will appear in the Charting pane, and a contain a new Data Series for each selected
Function.
You can change the colors and other parameters of each Data Series and the whole Chart using the
icon menus, Charting and Chart Data Series dialogs, and right click menus.

Caution
At this point the exercise will split into two separate sections. One section will cover the Large
Mass Method and the other will cover the Direct Method of Enforced Motion Application. If you
are familiar with the Large Mass Method and plan to continue using this method, please continue
on with the tutorial. If you have not done Enforced Motion analysis before, it is suggested you
concentrate on the Direct Method, which begins with Creating Enforced Motion Loading - Direct
Method. The Direct Method is the updated means to perform an Enforced Motion Analysis. If you
would like to give both methods a try, please save your model at this point as [Link], in
order to have a good starting point for the two separate sections.

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 Creating Enforced Motion Loading - Large Mass Method

Creating Enforced Motion Loading - Large Mass Method

You will now define the Large Mass and load for Enforced Motion. By using the Enforce Motion command,
Femap will create the appropriate base mass and force, as well as the rigid element connecting the bass
mass to the structure.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Enforce Motion command.

Because no Load Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Load Set dialog, enter the Title “Enforced Motion”, and click OK.
Femap will ask for the coordinates of a Base Mass.
3. In the Locate – Enter Coordinates for Base Mass dialog, enter the following values in the
corresponding fields: X = -0.5, Y = 4, Z = 0 (this will position a point mass at the center of the
hole), and click OK.
4. In the Entity Selection – Select Nodes on Base dialog, select the nodes around the edge of the hole
either one node at a time or using alternative picking methods discussed in previous examples, and
click OK.
A good idea here is holding the Ctrl Key, selecting near the center of the hole and dragging the
picking circle out until desired nodes are within circular picking area.

5. In the Create Loads on Nodes (Node 289) dialog, highlight Acceleration from the selection list if not
already selected.
6. In the Load section, select 1..Load Value vs Frequency from the Time/Freq Dependence drop
down.
7. Check the AZ box for the text field to become available, and enter 386.14 into the AZ field, and click
OK.

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Constrain the Excitation Node

Note
The PSD value specified for this analysis is in g^2/Hz units. If the PSD units are (in/
sec^2)^2/Hz, then you would use a value of 1.0 instead of 386.14.

8. In the Mass/Accel Scale Factor dialog, verify the values of the following fields: Mass = 0.0070248,
Factor = 1000000, and click OK.

Constrain the Excitation Node

Create a constraint set to constrain the excitation node in all directions except for the acceleration
direction (Z-translation).

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Constraint → Nodal command.

Because no Constraint Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Constraint Set dialog, enter the Title “Load Constraint”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select the node 289 at the center of the circle,
and click OK.
4. In the Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog, click the Fixed button.

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 Creating a Group for Output Request Needs

5. In the DOF section, uncheck the TZ box (leaving the rest of degrees-of-freedom checked), and click
OK.
6. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, click Cancel.

Creating a Group for Output Request Needs

Create a group containing a couple of nodes in order to recover specific requested output responses. This
is used to request output using the old XYPLOT method and is now optional, as results are also sent to the
output files.

Procedure

1. Select the Group → Create/Manage command.

Tip
You can also create a new Group using the New command on the right click menu of the Groups
branch in the Model Info tree (simply click to highlight the top level of the Groups branch or any
existing Group, and right click to see the menu).

2. In the Group Manager dialog, click New Group.

3. In the New Group dialog, enter the Title “Results Nodes”, and click OK.
4. In the Group Manager dialog, click Done.
5. Select the Group → Node → ID command.
6. In the Entity Selection – Select Node(s) for Group dialog, enter 44 into the ID field, and click More.
7. In the Entity Selection – Select Node(s) for Group dialog, enter 289 into the ID field, click More, and
click OK.

Results

THE MODEL IS NOW READY TO BE ANALYZED!

Running the Random Response Analysis

Create an analysis case for Random Response Analysis and specify output requests using the Analysis Set
Manager.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the New button.

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Running the Random Response Analysis

3. In the Analysis Set dialog, enter the Title “Random Response”.

4. Select 36..Simcenter Nastran from the Analysis Program drop down list, and select 6..Random
Response from the Analysis Type drop down.
5. Click the Next button until reaching NASTRAN Modal Analysis dialog.
6. In the NASTRAN Modal Analysis dialog Solution Type section, turn on the Modal radio button, and
click Next.
7. In the NASTRAN Dynamic Analysis dialog Equivalent Viscous Damping section, select 2..Damping
Function from the Modal Damping Table drop down.
8. In the Limit Response Based on Modes section, enter the following value in the corresponding field:
Highest Freq (Hz) = 900.
9. Select the Solution Frequencies tab.
10. In the In Data section, select 1..FREQ1 from the Form of Frequency List drop down.
11. In the In Data section, enter the following values in the corresponding fields (all values in Hz): First
Frequency (F1) = 20.0, Number of Increments (NDF) = 340, Frequency Increment (DF) = 2.0, and
click the Add button.
12. In the Data section, select 4..FREQ4 from the Form of Frequency List drop-down.
13. In the In Data section, enter the following values in the corresponding fields: First Frequency (F1) =
20.0, Last Frequency (F2) = 700.0, Number of Frequency (NFM) = 5, Spread (FSPD +/-%) = 10, and
click the Add button.

14. Click the Next button until reaching the second NASTRAN Output for Random Analysis dialog.
Note
This dialog has a large number of check boxes.

15. In the NASTRAN Output for Random Analysis dialog Nodal Output Request section, check the T3
boxes for Displacement and Acceleration (requests XY data for the node across the frequency
range), and click the Next button.

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 Running the Random Response Analysis

16. In the Nodal Results dialog, highlight 1..Results Nodes from the Group selection list, and click OK.
17. In the NASTRAN Power Spectral Density Factors dialog Edit Correlation Table section, select 4..PSD
Function from the PSD Function drop down, and click Apply.
the Correlation Table allows you to specify the PSD function for each subcase and also specify
correlation between multiple subcases when performing a random analysis with multiple subcases. In
this case, there is only one case (i.e., the Primary case), so this table will be used to simply specify the
PSD Function.
The Correlation Table now contains additional information about the PSD function which will be
used in the analysis. The data appears in this form in the Correlation Table Factor*(Function
ID) :PSD Interpolation option.

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Post-Processing the Random Response Analysis

18. Click OK, and in the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click Analyze.
Upon completion of the analysis, Femap will ask “OK to read PSD vs. Frequency Functions?”...Click
Yes.

Post-Processing the Random Response Analysis

You requested XY plotted data (PSD vs. Frequency functions) for the nodal acceleration and displacement
for the node that we placed in our Results Nodes group. Femap creates functions representing this data.
This data is available in the *.f06 print results file, and NOT the *.op2 binary results file. Make sure to
read in the *.f06 file in order to view the requested output if you are using the File → Import → Analysis
Results command to import results. You will now view the Acceleration results function using the XY
Plotting Feature of Femap.

Procedure

1. Select the Tools → Charting command.

2. Click the Data Series Manager icon in the Charting pane to create a new Data Series.
3. In the Chart Data Series Manager dialog Available Chart Data Series section, highlight 1..PSD
Function (4), click the Remove from Chart button to remove 1..PSD Function (4) from the current
Chart, and click New Data Series.
4. In the Chart Data Series dialog, select 5..Function from the Type drop down.
5. In the Data Source section, check both 7..ACC3 PSD Node 44 and 8..ACC3 PSD Node 289 check
boxes.
6. In the Chart Data Series dialog, enter 6.7067E-6 in the Scale field (top right), click OK, and click
Cancel.
The combination of PSD defined as g^2/Hz with the unit acceleration as 386.14 in/sec^2 gives
consistent units for all responses including stresses. The acceleration response units are then actually
(in/sec^2)^2. To easily compare the acceleration responses to the input, you can scale the responses
by 1/386.14^2. The resulting scaled response chart is now in g^2/Hz.
7. In the Chart Data Series Manager dialog, click Done.
8. Double-click in the chart to open the Charting dialog, and in the Charting dialog box, select the Chart
Axes tab.
9. Turn on the X Axis radio button.
10. In the Range and Style section, uncheck Logarithmic Scale (if already not checked, do nothing).
11. Turn on the Y Axis radio button.
12. In the Range and Style section, check Logarithmic Scale.
13. Select the Labels and Markers tab.
14. In the Markers section, uncheck Display Markers, and click Done.
The plot of the Acceleration Functions of Node 44 and 289 should look like this:

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 Creating Enforced Motion Loading - Direct Method

Results

This completes the Random Response example using the Large Mass Method. Save model,
[Link].

Creating Enforced Motion Loading - Direct Method

No Large Mass is required to apply an excitation such as acceleration to an individual node when the
Direct Method is used to define Enforced Motion. Please note, this portion of the example begins after the
example instructed you to save a model called [Link] which contains a defined PSD function.
If you did not complete the earlier portion of the example, a copy of [Link] may be found in
the Random Response folder of the Femap Examples directory.

Create a Base Node

Create a base node and connect it to the structure with a rigid element.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Element command.

2. In the Define PLATE Element – Enter Nodes or Select with Cursor dialog, click the Type button.
3. In the Element/Property Type dialog Other Elements section, turn on the Rigid radio button, and
click OK.
4. In the Define RIGID Element – Enter Nodes or Select with Cursor dialog RBE2 tab, turn on the New
Node At Center radio button in the Independent section of the dialog.

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Create an Acceleration Load

5. In the Dependent section, check the RX, RY, and RZ boxes under DOF (if not checked already).
6. In the Dependent section, click the Nodes button.
7. In the Entity Selection – Select Dependent Node(s) dialog box, select the nodes around the edge
of the hole either one node at a time or using alternative picking methods discussed in previous
examples. A good idea here is holding the Ctrl Key, selecting near the center of the hole and dragging
the picking circle out until desired nodes are within circular picking area (this will pick the center
node, but we will remove it from the selection list in the next step), and click OK.

8. In the Define RIGID Element – Enter Nodes or Select with Cursor dialog, click OK, and click Cancel.

Create an Acceleration Load

Create an acceleration load directly on a node.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Nodal command.

Because no Load Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Load Set dialog, enter the Title: "Acceleration Load", and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select Node 289 at center of hole, and click
OK.

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 Creating the Constraints

4. In the Create Loads on Nodes dialog box, highlight Acceleration from the selection list.
5. In the Load section, enter 386.14 into the AZ field.
6. In the Load section, uncheck the AX and AY boxes.
7. In the Load section, select 1..Load Value vs. Frequency from the Time/Freq Dependence drop
down, and click OK.
8. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, click Cancel.

Creating the Constraints

The node being excited needs to be fixed (including in the direction of the acceleration) when using the
Direct Method. This is a major difference between the Large Mass Method and the Direct Method. You will
now create a constraint set and apply a fixed nodal constraint on the excited node.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Constraint → Nodal command.

Because no Constraint Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Constraint Set dialog, enter the Title “Load Constraint”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select the node 289 at the center of the circle,
and click OK.
4. In the Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog DOF section, click Fixed, and click OK.
5. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, click Cancel.

Creating a Group for Output Request Needs

Create a group containing a couple of nodes in order to recover specific requested output responses. This
is used to request output using the old XYPLOT method and is now optional, as results are also sent to the
output files.

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Running the Random Response Analysis

Procedure

1. Select the Group → Create/Manage command.

Tip
You can also create a new Group using the New command on the right click menu of the Groups
branch in the Model Info tree (simply click to highlight the top level of the Groups branch or any
existing Group, and right click to see the menu).

2. In the Group Manager dialog, click New Group.

3. In the New Group dialog, enter the Title “Results Nodes”, and click OK.
4. In the Group Manager dialog, click Done.
5. Select the Group → Node → ID command.
6. In the Entity Selection – Select Node(s) for Group dialog, enter 44 into the ID field, and click More.
7. In the Entity Selection – Select Node(s) for Group dialog, enter 289 into the ID field, click More, and
click OK.

Results

THE MODEL IS NOW READY TO BE ANALYZED!

Running the Random Response Analysis

Create an analysis case for Random Response Analysis, and specify output requests using the Analysis Set
Manager.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the New button.
3. In the Analysis Set dialog, enter the Title “Random Response”.
4. Select 36..Simcenter Nastran from the Analysis Program drop down, and select 6..Random
Response from the Analysis Type drop down.
5. Click the Next button until reaching the NASTRAN Modal Analysis dialog.
6. In the NASTRAN Modal Analysis dialog Solution Type section, turn on the Modal radio button, and
click the Next button.
7. In the NASTRAN Dynamic Analysis dialog Equivalent Viscous Damping section, select 2..Damping
Function from the Modal Damping Table drop down.
8. In the Limit Response Based on Modes section, enter the following values in the corresponding
fields: Highest Freq (Hz) = 900.

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 Running the Random Response Analysis

9. Select the Solution Frequencies tab.

10. In the Data section, select 1..FREQ1 from the Form of Frequency List drop down.
11. In the Data section, enter the following values in the corresponding fields (all values in Hz): First
Frequency (F1) = 20.0, Number of Increments (NDF) = 340, Frequency Increment (DF) = 2.0, and
click the Add button.
12. In the Data section, select 4..FREQ4 from the Form of Frequency List drop down.
13. In the Data section, enter the following values in the corresponding fields: First Frequency (F1) =
20.0, Last Frequency (F2) = 700.0, Number of Frequency (NFM) = 5, Spread (FSPD +/-%) = 10, and
click the Add button.

14. Click the Next button until reaching the second NASTRAN Output for Random Analysis dialog.

Note
This dialog box has a large number of check boxes and is pictured shortly.

15. In the NASTRAN Output for Random Analysis dialog box, check the T3 boxes for Displacement and
Acceleration in the Nodal Output Request section (this will request XY data for the node across the
frequency range).

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Running the Random Response Analysis

16. Click the Next button.

17. In the Nodal Results dialog box, highlight 1..Results Nodes from the Group selection list.
18. Click OK.
19. In the NASTRAN Power Spectral Density Factors dialog box, the Correlation Table allows you to
specify the PSD function for each subcase and also specify correlation between multiple subcases
when performing a random analysis with multiple subcases. In this case, there is only one case (i.e.,
the Global case), so this table will be used to simply specify the PSD Function. Select 4..PSD Function
from the PSD Function drop-down list in the Edit Correlation Table section.
20. Click Apply.

Note
The Correlation Table now contains additional information about the PSD function which will be
used in the analysis. The data appears in this form in the Correlation Table: Factor*(Function
ID) :PSD Interpolation option.

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 Post-Processing the Random Response Analysis

21. Click OK, and in the Analysis Set Manager dialog box, click Analyze. Upon Completion of the Analysis,
Femap will ask “OK to read PSD vs. Frequency Functions?”...Click Yes.

Post-Processing the Random Response Analysis

You requested XY plotted data (PSD vs. Frequency functions) for the nodal acceleration and displacement
for the node that you placed in your Results Nodes group. Femap creates functions representing this data.
This data is available in the *.f06 print results file, and NOT the *.op2 binary results file. Make sure to
read in the *.f06 file in order to view the requested output if you are using the File → Import → Analysis
Results command to import results. You will now view the Acceleration results function using the XY
Plotting Feature of Femap.

Task

Procedure

1. Select the Tools → Charting command.

2. Click the Data Series Manager icon in the Charting pane to create a new Data Series.
3. In the Chart Data Series Manager dialog Available Chart Data Series section, highlight 1..PSD
Function (4), click the Remove from Chart button to remove 1..PSD Function (4) from the current
Chart, and click New Data Series.
4. In the Chart Data Series dialog, select 5..Function from the Type drop down.
5. In the Data Source section, check both 7..ACC3 PSD Node 44 and 8..ACC3 PSD Node 289 check
boxes.
6. In the Chart Data Series dialog, enter 6.7067E-6 in the Scale field (top right), click OK, and click
Cancel.

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Post-Processing the Random Response Analysis

The combination of PSD defined as g^2/Hz with the unit acceleration as 386.14 in/sec^2 gives
consistent units for all responses including stresses. The acceleration response units are then actually
(in/sec^2)^2. To easily compare the acceleration responses to the input, you can scale the responses
by 1/386.14^2. The resulting scaled response chart is now in g^2/Hz.
7. In the Chart Data Series Manager dialog, click Done.
8. Double-click in the chart to open the Charting dialog, and in the Charting dialog box, select the Chart
Axes tab.
9. Turn on the X Axis radio button.
10. In the Range and Style section, uncheck Logarithmic Scale (if already not checked, do nothing).
11. Turn on the Y Axis radio button.
12. In the Range and Style section, check Logarithmic Scale.
13. Select the Labels and Markers tab.
14. In the Markers section, uncheck Display Markers, and click Done.
15. Select the Labels and Markers tab.
16. In the Markers section, uncheck Display Markers, and click Done.
The plot of the Acceleration Functions of Node 44 and 289 should look like this:

Results

This completes the Random Response example using the Large Mass Method. Save model,
[Link].

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20. Response Spectrum Analysis
Response Spectrum Analysis is an approximate method used to predict the peak response of some
component to a transient excitation at the base of the structure. The primary assumption made for this
analysis process is that the peak response of the component is calculated without regard to the exact time
it is occurring.

Response Spectrum Analysis in general, is actually a two-step analysis process. The first step is to perform
a transient dynamic analysis of some relatively coarse representation of a base structure. Parameters
are added to the analysis which cause Simcenter Nastran to create and output an acceleration response
spectrum at selected locations on the structure. Typically these are locations where some detailed model
of interest is attached.

The second step of applying the spectrum to the detailed model is performed by using a specialized
solution based on a normal modes analysis. This technique calculates the peak response by scaling the
modal responses by the input spectrum and then summing the modal responses using one of the available
summation techniques. It is a useful and economical tool in determining the maximum response of a
structure without regard to the exact time it is occurring.

This type of analysis is also referred to as Shock Spectrum Analysis.

In the example problem, you will apply the acceleration vs time history from an earthquake to a
transmission tower as a base drive transient response analysis. You will request output spectra to be
generated at the location on the tower where a bracket is attached. This spectrum is then used as input to
our second analysis of the actual bracket where we look for peak values of stress or displacement.

For this example two models will be used. You will work through the entire two part analysis process
which includes:

Part 1: Creation of the spectrum

• Import the tower model including an acceleration vs time function for a typical earthquake.
• Create loading function to apply the acceleration to the base of the tower.
• Create functions to represent Oscillation (solution) Frequencies and Oscillation Damping.
• Create direct transient analysis with response spectrum generation option activated.
• Analyze the model using Simcenter Nastran.
• Post-process the acceleration spectra (nodal results) using XY plotting capabilities.
Part 2: Application of the spectrum
• Import the hinge bracket model and previously created spectra curves from the Femap neutral file.
• Create the rigid element and large foundation mass required to apply the spectra.
• Create the required constraints and Simcenter Nastran SUPORT entries.
• Create a function to assign a damping value to each spectra curve function required for the Simcenter
Nastran DTI table.

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Importing the Tower Model

• Create a modal damping table to be used in the analysis.

• Create a normal modes analysis with the spectrum application option activated.
• Submit the analysis and post process the peak response results.

Importing the Tower Model

The tower model will be imported from a Femap neutral file which also contains the earthquake
acceleration vs time function. You will now import a Femap neutral file containing the Nodes, Elements,
Properties, Materials, and a Function (for Acceleration Load).

Procedure

1. Select the File → New command.

2. Select the File → Import → Femap Neutral command.
3. In the Read Model from Femap Neutral dialog, locate tower_spec_gen_start.neu in the
Femap_INSTALL_FOLDER/Examples/Dynamics/Response Spectrum directory, and click Open Neutral
File.
4. In the Read Options dialog, click OK.

Create a Constraint Set

Create a constraint set and apply fixed nodal constraints at base drive node.

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 Creating the Dynamic Loading Function

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Constraint → Nodal command.

Because no Constraint Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Constraint Set dialog, enter the Title “Base Drive Fixed”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select node 999 at center of tower base, and
click OK.

4. In the Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog, click the Fixed button, and click OK
5. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, click Cancel.

Creating the Dynamic Loading Function

In order for the loading to be time dependent we must use or create a vs time function. The earthquake
acceleration vs time function was imported with the neutral file. You will now verify the imported function
using the XY Plotting Feature of Femap.

Procedure

1. In the Model Info tree, expand the Model branch.

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Creating the Load

2. Expand the Functions Branch to view the Functions in the model.

3. Highlight 1..el centro n/s data, right click, and select the Show in Charting command.
The Charting pane displays the acceleration vs time plot shown below.

Once the function has been reviewed, either close the Charting pane or move it to have access to the
main graphics window.

Creating the Load

You will now create a nodal load.

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 Creating the Oscillator Functions to Generate Response Spectra

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Nodal command.

Because no Load Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Load Set dialog, enter the Title “Base Excitation”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog box, select Node 999, and click OK.
4. In the Create Loads on Nodes dialog box, highlight Acceleration from the selection list.
5. In the Load section, enter 1.0 into the AX field, uncheck the AY and AZ boxes, select 1..el centro n/s
data from the Time/Freq Dependence drop down, and click OK.
6. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, click Cancel.

Creating the Oscillator Functions to Generate Response Spectra

Functions for the Frequency range and the Damping values must be created in order to generate the
desired results from the analysis.

Create a function for the Response Spectrum Frequencies

Create a function for the Response Spectrum Frequencies. This is a list of the oscillator frequencies or
solution frequencies that we are requesting for the output spectrum.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Function command.

2. In the Function Definition dialog, enter the Title “Oscillator Frequencies”.
3. Select 0..Dimensionless from the Type drop down.
4. In the Data Entry section, turn on the Equation radio button.
5. In the Data Entry section, enter the following values in the corresponding fields: X = 20, To X =
3000, Delta X = 20, and click the Add button .

Note
You enter nothing in the Y field, therefore generating a 0 for the Y-Value at all X-Values, which
creates a frequency range.

6. Click OK, and click Cancel.

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Create a Function to List Damping Values

Create a Function to List Damping Values

Create a function to list the Damping values to be used. One spectra (acceleration vs frequency curve) will
be output for each damping value included.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Function command.

2. In the Function Definition dialog, enter the Title “Oscillator Damping Values”.
3. Select 0..Dimensionless from the Type drop down.
4. In the Data Entry section, turn on the Single Value radio button (if not already on).
5. In the Data Entry section, enter the following values in the corresponding fields:

X = 0, then click the Add button .

X = 0.02, then click the Add button .
X = 0.04, then click the Add button .

Note
You enter nothing in the Y field, therefore generating a 0 for the Y-Value at all X-Values, which
creates different damping values.

6. Click OK, and click Cancel.

Creating a Group for Output Request Needs

Create a group containing a node or nodes that represent the output locations. These are the locations
where our component of interest attach to the base structure.

Procedure

1. Select the Group → Create/Manage command.

Tip
You can also create a new Group using the New command on the right click menu of the Groups
branch in the Model Info tree (simply click to highlight the top level of the Groups branch or any
existing Group, and right click to see the menu).

2. In the Group Manager dialog, click New Group.

3. In the New Group dialog, enter the Title “Results Node”, and click OK.
4. In the Group Manager dialog, click Done.
5. Select the Group → Node → ID command.

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 Setting up the Analysis Set Manager

6. In the Entity Selection – Select Node(s) for Group dialog, enter 120 into the ID field, and click OK.

Results

THE MODEL IS NOW READY TO BE ANALYZED!

Setting up the Analysis Set Manager

Create an analysis case for Direct Transient Analysis using the Femap Analysis Set Manager. The number
of time steps, time per step, and selection of Response/Shock Spectrum Frequencies and Damping
functions must be set in order for Simcenter Nastran to run the analysis.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the New button.
3. In the Analysis Set dialog, enter the Title “Response Spectrum Generation”.
4. Select 36..Simcenter Nastran from the Analysis Program drop down, and select 5..Response
Spectrum from the Analysis Type drop down.
5. Click the Next button until reaching the NASTRAN Dynamic Analysis dialog.
6. In the NASTRAN Dynamic Analysis dialog Transient Time Step Intervals section, enter the following
values for the corresponding fields: Number of Steps = 5000, Time per Step = 0.001, and Output
Interval = 1.
7. In the Frequency Response section, select 2..Oscillator Frequencies from the Frequencies drop
down.
8. In the Response/Shock Spectrum section, select 3..Oscillator Damping Values from the Damping/
Freq Correlation drop down.

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Setting up the Analysis Set Manager

9. Click the Next button until reaching NASTRAN Output for Response Spectrum Analysis dialog.
10. In the NASTRAN Output for Response Spectrum Analysis dialog, turn on the Absolute radio button (if
not already on).
11. Check the T1, T2, and T3 boxes next to Acceleration, and click OK.

12. In the Nodal Results dialog, highlight 1..Results Node from the Group selection list, and click OK.

13. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click Analyze.

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 Post-processing - Response Spectrum Generation

Post-processing - Response Spectrum Generation

You requested XY plotted data for the nodal accelerations for the node that you placed in your Results
Nodes group. Your Oscillator Damping function will be used by Simcenter Nastran to produce an
acceleration vs frequency curve at 0%, 2%, and 4% damping conditions. Femap will create functions
representing this data. This data is available in the *.f06 print results file and NOT the *.op2 binary results
file. If no new functions appear after importing the *.op2 file, then be sure to read in the *.f06 file as well
to view the requested output. You will now view the Acceleration vs Frequency results function using the
XY Plotting Feature of Femap.

Procedure

1. Expand the Functions branch to view the Functions in the model:

2. Highlight 4..ABSACC1 120 0, 5..ABSACC1 120 0.02, and 6..ABSACC1 120 0.04 Functions by holding
down Ctrl key, and clicking them one at a time.
3. Right click, and select the Show in Charting command.
4. Double-click either Axes in the Charting pane.
5. In the Charting dialog, select the Chart Axis tab, and turn on the X Axis radio button (if not already).
6. In the Range and Style section, check the Logarithmic Scale box.
7. Turn on the Y Axis radio button.
8. In the Range and Style section, check the Logarithmic Scale box, and click Done.
The XY Plot of X-Acceleration at 0%, 2%, and 4% damping should look like this:

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Importing the Hinge Bracket Model

Results

This completes the Response Spectrum Generation example. Save the model as [Link].

Importing the Hinge Bracket Model

In this portion of the example, the hinge bracket model will be imported from a Femap neutral file which
also contains the spectra functions created in part 1 of the example. You will now import a Femap neutral
file containing the Nodes, Elements, Properties, Materials, and Functions (from Output).

Procedure

1. Select the File → New command.

2. Select the File → Import → Femap Neutral command.
3. In the Read Model from Femap Neutral dialog, locate hinge_resp_spec_start.neu in the
Femap_INSTALL_FOLDER/Examples/Dynamics/Response Spectrum directory, and click Open.
4. In the Neutral File Read Options dialog, click OK.

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 Create a Rigid Element

Create a Rigid Element

You will now create a Rigid Element for attaching large foundation mass. The new center node will
correspond to the spectrum output location (node 120) from Part 1 of the example.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Element command.

2. In the Define (“Type of Element”) Element – Enter Nodes or Select with Cursor dialog, click the Type
button.
3. In the Element/Property Type dialog Other Elements section, turn on the Rigid radio button, and
click OK.
4. In the Define RIGID Element – Enter Nodes or Select with Cursor dialog, click the RBE2 tab.
5. In the Independent section, turn on the New Node At Center radio button.
6. In the Dependent section, uncheck the RX, RY, and RZ boxes.
7. In the Dependent section, click the Nodes button.
8. In the Entity Selection – Select Dependent Node(s) dialog, select the following nodes (71, 73, 95,
97), and click OK.

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Create Mass Property and Mass Element

9. In the Define RIGID Element – Enter Nodes or Select with Cursor dialog, click OK, and click Cancel.

Create Mass Property and Mass Element

Create Mass Property and then Mass Element at center node of rigid element.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Property command.

2. In the Define Property – Mass (or “Type of Element”) Element Type dialog, click the Elem/Property
Type button.
3. In the Element/Property Type dialog Other Elements section, turn on the Mass radio button, and
click OK.
4. In the Define Property – MASS Element Type dialog, enter the Title “Large Foundation Mass”.
5. In the Property Values section, enter a value in the Mass, M or Mx field (value should be 1.0E+3 to
1.0E+6 times the total model mass), click OK, and click Cancel..

6. Select the Model → Element command.

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 Create the Constraint Set and Nodal Constraint for SUPORT

7. In the Define MASS Element – Enter Node or Select with Cursor dialog, select the new center node of
the newly created rigid element (Node 290 or 291).
8. Select 3..Large Foundation Mass from the Property drop-down list, click OK, and click Cancel.

Create the Constraint Set and Nodal Constraint for SUPORT

You are now ready to create the input required to apply the Y- direction spectra from Part 1 to the hinge
bracket model. You will apply ordinary constraints to the large foundation mass location for unexcited
directions and create SUPORT constraints for the excited directions. Create the constraint set and nodal
constraint used to create the SUPORT entry required for the excitation.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Constraint → Nodal command.

Because no Constraint Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Constraint Set dialog, enter the Title “SUPORT DOF”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select the new node at center from the RBE2
element (node 290 or 291), and click OK.

4. In the Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog DOF section, check TY, and click OK.
5. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, click Cancel.

Create the Constraint Set and Nodal Constraint for Non-excited DOFs

Create the constraint set and nodal constraints for the non-excited DOFs on the Large Foundation Mass.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Constraint → Create/Manage Set command.

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Create a Function for Modal Damping vs Frequency

2. In the Constraint Set Manager dialog, click the New Constraint Set button.
3. In the New Constraint Set dialog, enter the Title “Non-Excited DOF”, and click OK.
4. In the Constraint Set Manager dialog box, click Done.
5. Select the Model → Constraint → Nodal command.
6. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select new node at center from RBE2
element (node 290 or 291), and click OK.
7. In the Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog DOF section, click the Fixed button, uncheck TY, and click
OK.
8. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, click Cancel.

Create a Function for Modal Damping vs Frequency

Create a function for the modal Damping vs frequency table to be used.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Function command.

2. In the Function Definition dialog, enter the Title “Modal Damping Function”.
3. Select 7..Critical Damp vs Freq from the Type drop down.
4. In the Data Entry section, turn on the Single Value radio button (if not already on).
5. In the Data Entry section, enter the following values in the corresponding fields:

X = 0, Y = 0.02, and click the Add button .

X = 1000, Y = 0.03, and click the Add button .
X = 2000, Y = 0.04, and click the Add button .
X = 3000, Y = 0.04, and click the Add button .
6. Click OK, and click Cancel.

Note
This will identify which spectra curve to use, or for Simcenter Nastran to interpolate between the
spectra curves provided if the damping value does not match the damping value of the input
curves. For the case with spectra for only a single damping value, this input is not required.

Create a Function for Nastran Correlation Spectra Curve Function

Create a new function named “DTI table, single axis” which will provide Simcenter Nastran with correlation
of the spectra curve function with its damping value.

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 Setting up the Analysis Set Manager

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Function command.

2. In the Function Definition dialog, enter the Title “DTI Table, Single Axis”.
3. Select 16..Critical Damp vs. Function from the Type drop down.
4. In the Data Entry section, turn on the Single Value radio button (if not already on).
5. In the Data Entry section, enter the following values in the corresponding fields:

ID = 4, Y = 0.0, then click the Add button .

ID = 5, Y = 0.02, then click the Add button .
ID = 6, Y = 0.04, then click the Add button .
6. Click OK, and click Cancel.

Setting up the Analysis Set Manager

Create an analysis case for Normal Modes Analysis using the Femap Analysis Set Manager. You will also
activate the Response Spectrum Application option.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the New button.
3. In the Analysis Set dialog, enter the Title “Response Spectrum Application”.
4. Select 36..Simcenter Nastran from the Analysis Program drop down, and select 2..Normal Modes/
Eigenvalue from the Analysis Type drop down.
5. Click the Next button until reaching NASTRAN Modal Analysis dialog.
6. In the NASTRAN Modal Analysis dialog Range of Interest section, enter 0.0 in the From value field,
and 3000 in the To value field.
7. In the Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors section, enter 0 in the Number Desired value field.
8. Click the Next button until reaching the NASTRAN Response Spectrum Application dialog.
9. In the NASTRAN Response Spectrum Application dialog Spectrum section, turn on the Acceleration
radio button.
This activates the other controls in the dialog.
10. In the NASTRAN Response Spectrum Application dialog, do the following:
a. In the Spectrum section, select 11..DTI Table, Single Axis from the Spectrum Function ID drop
down.
b. In the Modal Combination section, select 1..SRSS from the Method drop down.

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Setting up the Analysis Set Manager

c. In the Base DOF section, verify that Large Mass Method is selected, then select 1..SUPORT DOF
from the SUPORT Set drop down.
d. In the Modal Damping section, select 10..Modal Damping Function from the Damping Func
drop-down.

11. Click the Next button until reaching Boundary Conditions dialog.
12. In the Boundary Conditions dialog Primary Sets section, select 2..Non-Excited DOF from the
Constraints drop down, and click Next.

13. In the NASTRAN Output Requests dialog Elemental section, check the Stress check box, uncheck the
Strain Energy check box, and click OK.

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 Post-processing - Response Spectra Application

14. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog box, click Analyze.

Post-processing - Response Spectra Application

The analysis creates a single results case with the requested output quantities. This result set represents
the peak response of the structure based on the modal combination method chosen. All normal stress and
displacement post processing is available.

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Post-processing - Response Spectra Application

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 Importing the Model

21. Thermal Stress Analysis - Mounting Plate

Heat Transfer Analysis is used to determine the effects Conduction, Convection, and Radiation can have on
a structure. Heat Transfer can occur during a Steady-Sate condition or over time with Transient Analysis.
Material Properties, Heat Transfer Coefficients, and Heat Flux can be temperature dependent. Flow
conditions can be set for Forced Convection, view factor calculations performed for Radiation analysis,
as well as many other factors which help determine a system’s behavior when thermal conditions are
involved. Simcenter Nastran supports many options used in Heat Transfer analysis, many of which will be
explored in this example.

A mounting plate will be subject to a temperature of 250º F at same time another portion of the
plate is being heated at 200º F. The ambient temperature of the plate and surroundings is 70º F. A
temperature will be calculated at each node in the model using the Steady-State Heat Transfer capability of
Simcenter Nastran. Those nodal temperatures will then become the loading condition for a static analysis
to determine the thermal stress the mounting plate will encounter.

For this example you will use a model of a mounting plate (with underlying geometry) that has already
been created. The analysis process includes:

• Creating an ambient temperature body load as well as nodal temperatures.

• Analyzing the model with Simcenter Nastran’s Steady-State Heat Transfer Solution Method.
• Creating a load from the temperature results, as well as, defining pinned constraints.
• Analyzing the model with Simcenter Nastran’s Static Solution Method and then post processing the
stress results using Femap’s contour capabilities.

Importing the Model

Import a Femap neutral file containing the Nodes, Elements, Properties, and Materials.

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Creating the Thermal Boundary Conditions

Procedure

1. Select the File → New command.

2. Select the File → Import → Femap Neutral command.
3. In the Read Model from Femap Neutral dialog, locate [Link] in the Femap_INSTALL_FOLDER/
Examples/Heat_Transfer directory, and click Open.
4. In the Neutral File Read Options dialog, click OK.

Creating the Thermal Boundary Conditions

The model needs to have an ambient temperature set with a body load. Then localized heating in the form
of nodal temperatures will also be created.

Creating the Temperature Body Load

Creating the Temperature Body Load.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Body command.

Because no Load Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Load Set dialog, enter the Title “Thermal”, and click OK.
3. In the Create Body Loads dialog Thermal section, check the Active box for the Default Temperature
(T) field to become available.
4. Enter 70 into the Default Temperature (T) value field, and click OK.

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 Creating the Nodal Temperatures

Creating the Nodal Temperatures

You will now create the Nodal Temperatures using the nodes’ associativity to the underlying geometric
curves.

Procedure

1. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View - Simple Toolbar or the View Toolbar) or press Crtl+Q.
2. In the Visibility dialog, select the Entity/Label tab.
3. In the Geometry labels section, check the Curve box located.
4. In the Mesh labels section, uncheck the Element box, and click Done.
5. Select the Model → Load → Nodal command.
6. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, click the Methods button, and select On
Curve.
7. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select (On Curves) dialog, choose the curve that makes up
the lower right hand portion of the hole (curve 10), and click OK.

8. In the Create Loads on Nodes dialog, highlight Temperature from the selection list.
9. In the Load section, enter 200 into the Temperature field, and click OK.

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View the Model

10. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, click the Methods button and select On
Curve.
11. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select (On Curves) dialog, choose the curve that makes up
the upper left hand portion of the hole (curve 9), and click OK.
12. In the Load section, enter 250 into the Temperature field, and click OK.
13. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, click the Methods button and select On
Curve.
14. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select (On Curves) dialog, choose the 12 curves that make
up the outside perimeter of the plate (curves clockwise from top right: 3, 36, 32, 2, 37, 17, 1, 38, 26,
4, 35, 16), and click OK.

15. In the Load section, enter 70 into the Temperature field, and click OK.
16. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select (On Curves) dialog, click Cancel.

View the Model

View the model with the elements and applied nodal temperatures visible.

Procedure

1. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View - Simple Toolbar or the View Toolbar) or press Crtl+Q.
2. In the Visibility dialog Mesh section, check the Element box.
3. in the Loads section, check the Temperature box.
4. In the Geometry section, uncheck the Curve box located, and click Done.

Results

THE THERMAL MODEL IS NOW READY TO BE ANALYZED!

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 Running the Steady-State Thermal Analysis

Running the Steady-State Thermal Analysis

Create an analysis case for Steady-State Heat Transfer using the Femap Analysis Set Manager.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the New button.
3. In the Analysis Set dialog, enter the Title “Thermal Analysis”.
4. Select 36..Simcenter Nastran from the Analysis Program drop down, select 20..Steady-State Heat
Transfer from the Analysis Type drop down list, and click OK.
5. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click Analyze.

Post-Processing the Thermal Results

The Steady-State Heat Transfer Analysis has created a resultant nodal temperature at each node. The best
way to view the temperature distribution across the Plate is with a contour plot. You will now view the
temperature results in a Femap contour plot.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Select command, or press the F5 Key. Or choose the View Select icon from
the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar.
2. In the View Select dialog Contour Style section, turn on the Contour radio button.
3. Click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
4. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog, select 1..Case 1 Time 1 from the Output Sets drop down
list, and select 31..Temperature from the Contour drop down (in the Output Vectors section).
5. Click the Contour Options button.
6. In the Select Contour Options dialog Contour Fill Mode section, turn on the Level Colors radio
button, and click OK (all dialog boxes).
The contour plot of the temperatures should look like this (Shown without temperature loads
displayed):

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Creating Nodal Temperatures from the Thermal Results

Creating Nodal Temperatures from the Thermal Results

The results of the Thermal analysis will be used to thermally load the plate for a static analysis which will
produce a stress value after the model has been constrained.

Create the Nodal Temperatures

Create the Nodal Temperature on all nodes.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → From Output command.

2. In the Select Type of Load dialog Nodal Loads section, turn on the Temperature radio button, and
click OK.

3. In the Create Loads From Output dialog From Output Sets section, select 1..Case 1 Time 1 from the
Single Output Set/Current Load Set drop down.

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 Creating the Constraints

4. In the Load Components section, select 31..Temperature from the X Vector drop down, and click
OK.
5. In the “OK to Update Existing Temperatures? Temperatures already exist on some Nodes. Choose Yes
to Overwrite, No to Abort.” message window, click the Yes button.

Creating the Constraints

Create pinned nodal constraints.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Constraint → Nodal command.

Because no Constraint Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Constraint Set dialog, enter the Title “Pinned”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, click the Methods button and select On
Curve.
4. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select (On Curves) dialog, choose the 12 curves that make
up the outside perimeter of the plate (curves clockwise from top right: 3, 36, 32, 2, 37, 17, 1, 38, 26,
4, 35, 16), and click OK.

Note
Because the same exact curves are being picked for this step as where chosen the last time the
Entity Selection dialog box was used, the Previous button can be clicked and the curves will be
selected again.

5. In the Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog DOF section, click the Pinned button, and click OK.
6. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, click Cancel.

View the Model

View the model with the elements and constraints visible.

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Running the Thermal Stress Analysis

Procedure

1. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View Toolbar and the View - Simple Toolbar), or press
Crtl+Q.
2. In the Visibility dialog Mesh section, check the Constraint box.
3. In the Loads section, uncheck the Temperature box located, and click Done.

Results

THE THERMAL STRESS MODEL IS NOW READY TO BE ANALYZED!

Running the Thermal Stress Analysis

Create an analysis case for Static Analysis using the Femap Analysis Set Manager.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the New button.
3. In the Analysis Set dialog, enter the Title “Thermal Stress”.
4. Select 36..Simcenter Nastran from the Analysis Program drop down, select 1..Static from the
Analysis Type drop down, and click OK.
5. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click Analyze.

Post-Processing the Thermal Results

PostProcess the Thermal Results.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Select command, or press the F5 Key. Or choose the View Select icon from
the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar.
2. In the View Select dialog Contour Style section, turn on the Contour radio button (if not already on).
3. Click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
4. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog, select 2..Simcenter NASTRAN Case 1 from the Output Sets
drop down.

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 Post-Processing the Thermal Results

5. In the Output Vectors section, select 7033..Plate Top VonMises Stress from the Contour drop
down, and click OK.
6. In the View Select dialog, click OK.
The contour plot of the stress should look like this:

Results

This Concludes the Thermal Stress Analysis example. It is recommended to save the model file.

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Post-Processing the Thermal Results

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 Importing the Model

22. Steady - State Thermal Analysis - Circuit

Board
A circuit board will be subject to a heat generation loads being created by different sized chips on the
board. The temperature of the back side of the plate is 45º C and the ambient temperature of the system
is 25º C. The board is made of a composite material, and the chips are made of a material with a higher
conductivity. A temperature will be calculated at each node in the model using the Steady-State Heat
Transfer capability of Simcenter Nastran. This model will be used to demonstrate other Heat Transfer
capabilities for the next few examples.

For this example you will be using a model of a circuit board that has already been created including the
materials and properties. The analysis process includes:

• Creating an ambient temperature body load, as well as, heat generation loads and nodal temperatures.
• Analyzing the model with Simcenter Nastran’s Steady-State Heat Transfer Solution Method.
• Viewing the contour plot of the solid elements using the section cut and multiple dynamic cutting plane
post-processing features of Femap.

Importing the Model

Import a Femap neutral file containing the Nodes, Elements, Properties, and Materials.

Procedure

1. Select the File → New command.

2. Select the File → Import → Femap Neutral command.
3. In the Read Model from Femap Neutral dialog, locate [Link] in the Femap_INSTALL_FOLDER/
Examples/Heat_Transfer directory, and click Open.

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Examining the Material Properties for Thermal Analysis

4. In the Neutral File Read Options dialog, click OK.

Examining the Material Properties for Thermal Analysis

Look at the existing material properties in the model.

Procedure

1. Select the Modify → Edit → Material command.

2. In the Entity Selection – Select Material(s) to Edit dialog, click the Select All button, and click OK.

Note
This step is here to view values that should be entered at a minimum for any thermal analysis.
Please, DO NOT CHANGE THE VALUES or the results of the analysis will be altered, and not match
those in the example. Also, instead of using the Modify → Edit → Material command, the List →
Model → Material command can be used to view the values in the Messages box.

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 Creating the Heat Generation Loads and Thermal Boundary Conditions

The values of the material are in the following units:

Conductivity, K = W/cmº C
Specific Heat, Cp = kJ/kgº C
Mass Density (rho) = kg/cm3
3. In the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, click OK.
4. View the values for the Chips material, and click OK.

Creating the Heat Generation Loads and Thermal Boundary Conditions

Each chip generates a different amount of heat. The heat generation loads will be placed at the center
node of each chip to create an even distribution through the chip.

The model needs to have an ambient temperature set with a body load and nodal temperatures on the
backside of the board.

Creating the Temperature Body Load

Create the Temperature Body Load.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Body command.

Because no Load Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Load Set dialog, enter the Title “Heat Generation”, and click OK.

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Creating the Heat Generation Loads

3. In the Create Body Loads dialog Thermal section, check the Active box for the Default Temperature
(T) field to become available.
4. Enter 25 into the Default Temperature (T) field, and click OK.

Creating the Heat Generation Loads

Create the Heat Generation loads at the center of each chip.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Nodal command.

2. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select Node 378 at center of the large chip,
and click OK.

3. In the Create Loads on Nodes dialog, highlight Heat Generation from the selection list.
4. In the Load section, enter 0.12 into the Generation field (the units are in watts), and click OK.
5. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select Node 434 at center of the taller small
chip, and click OK.
6. In the Create Loads on Nodes dialog, highlight Heat Generation from the selection list.
7. In the Load section, enter 0.10 into the Generation field (the units are in watts), and click OK.
8. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select Node 408 at center of the shorter small
chip, and click OK.
9. In the Create Loads on Nodes dialog, highlight Heat Generation from the selection list.
10. In the Load section, enter 0.08 into the Generation field (the units are in watts), and click OK.
11. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, click Cancel.

Creating Nodal Temperatures

Create the nodal temperatures on the backside of the circuit board.

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 Running the Steady-State Thermal Analysis

Procedure

1. Select the View → Rotate → Model command, or press the F8 Key.

2. In the View Rotate dialog box, click the ZX Front button, and click OK.

Note
You can also use the View Orient Toolbar to have one click access to several frequently used views.
You can turn on this toolbar using Tools → Toolbars → View Orient.

3. Select the Model → Load → Nodal command.

4. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select Nodes on the backside of the circuit
board by holding down the Shift key, clicking and dragging the mouse to create a box select around
the nodes, and click OK.

5. In the Create Loads on Nodes dialog, highlight Temperature from the selection list.
6. In the Load section, enter 45 into the Temperature field (units are in ºC), and click OK.
7. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, click Cancel.

Results

THE MODEL IS NOW READY TO BE ANALYZED!

Running the Steady-State Thermal Analysis

Create an analysis case for Steady-State Heat Transfer using the Femap Analysis Set Manager.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the New button.
3. In the Analysis Set dialog, enter the Title “Circuit Board”.

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Post-Processing the Thermal Results

4. Select 36..Simcenter Nastran from the Analysis Program drop down, select 20..Steady-State Heat
Transfer from the Analysis Type drop down, and click OK.
5. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click Analyze.

Post-Processing the Thermal Results

The Steady-State Heat Transfer Analysis has created a resultant nodal temperature at each node. The best
way to view the temperature distribution across the circuit board is with a contour plot.

View the Temperature Results

View the temperature results in a Femap contour plot.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Rotate → Model or press the F8 Key.

2. In the View Rotate dialog, click the Dimetric button, and click OK.

3. Select the View → Select command, or press the F5 key. Or choose the View Select icon from
the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar.
4. In the View Select dialog Contour Style section, turn on the Contour radio button.
5. Click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
6. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog, select 1..Case 1 Time 1 from the Output Sets drop down.
7. In the Output Vectors section, select 31..Temperature from the Contour drop down, and click the
Contour Options button.
8. In the Select Contour Options dialog Contour Fill Mode section, turn on the Level Colors radio
button, and click OK (all dialog boxes).
The contour plot of the temperatures should look like this (shown without thermal loads for clarity):

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 Utilize Femap’s Dynamic Cutting Plane Feature

Utilize Femap’s Dynamic Cutting Plane Feature

Viewing the internal temperature results can be useful. This can be done by using an Advanced Femap
PostProcessing feature called Dynamic Cutting Plane which creates a cross-section view of solid element
results.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Advanced Post → Dynamic Cutting Plane command.

In the Dynamic Section Cut Control dialog, a slider bar can be moved right or left to move the
selected cutting plane through the model. The cutting plane can be specified using the Plane button
in the dialog.
2. Click the Plane button.

3. In the Plane Locate – Define Primary Cutting Plane dialog, click the Methods button and select Global
Plane.
4. In the Global Plane – Define Primary Cutting Plane dialog, turn on the YZ Plane radio button, and
click OK.
5. In the Dynamic Section Cut Control dialog, move the slider bar back and forth and the model will be
cut away as it moves. Stop the bar when the number in the Value field is near 2.5.
The Plot should appear something like this:

6. Click OK to dismiss the Dynamic Section Cut Control dialog.

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Create Multiple Cutting Planes

Create Multiple Cutting Planes

Create Multiple Cutting Planes for use with Femap’s Dynamic Cutting Plane Feature.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Select command, or press the F5 Key. Or choose the View Select icon from
the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar.

2. In the View Select dialog Contour Style section, turn on the Section Cut radio button.
3. Click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
4. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog, click the Section Cut button.
5. In the Section Cut Options dialog, turn on the Multiple Sections radio button.
6. Check the 2 and 3 boxes (1 already checked), and click the Section 2 button.
7. In the Global Plane – Define Primary Cutting Plane dialog, turn on the ZX Plane radio button, and
click OK.
8. In the Section Cut Options dialog, click the Section 3 button.
9. In the Global Plane – Define Primary Cutting Plane dialog, turn on the XY Plane radio button, and
click OK (all dialog boxes).
10. Select the View → Advanced Post → Dynamic Cutting Plane command.
In the Dynamic Section Cut Control dialog, the 1, 2, and 3 radio buttons next to Section are now
available for picking.

11. Turn on the different radio buttons to be move the corresponding section planes through the model:
For instance, Take Section 1 to a value near 1.5, Section 2 a value near 2.6, and Section 3 a value
near 0.175.
The Plot should resemble this:

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 Create Multiple Cutting Planes

12. Click OK to dismiss the Dynamic Section Cut Control dialog.

Results

This Concludes the Circuit Board Heat Generation Analysis example. Please save the model file as
[Link] for use in later examples such as the Free Convection example.

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Create Multiple Cutting Planes

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 Opening an Existing Femap Model

23. Steady - State Thermal Analysis - Free

Convection
The same circuit board will be subject to the same loading conditions as in the last example, but this time
Free Convection will be used to allow heat to transfer between the top of the board and the surroundings.
By taking Free Convection into account, the temperature will again be calculated at each node in the
model using the Steady-State Heat Transfer capability of Simcenter Nastran. The temperatures on the
circuit board based on the Conduction only conditions that existed in the last example are worst case
because heat was not able to transfer to the surroundings using Free Convection.

For this example you will use a model of a circuit board that has already been created. The analysis process
includes:

• Creating a Free Convection thermal condition on the top surface of the circuit board.
• Analyzing the model with Simcenter Nastran’s Steady-State Heat Transfer Solution Method.
• Viewing the contour plot of the solid elements and the contour plot of the Convection Surface using
groups.

Opening an Existing Femap Model

Open an existing Femap model file [Link].

Procedure

1. Select the File → Open command.

2. In the Open dialog, navigate to Femap_INSTALL_FOLDER/Examples/Heat_Transfer/[Link],
and click Open.
If the circuit board model is showing any contours or section cuts, proceed to the next step.
Otherwise, you are done.
3. Press the F5 Key to select the View → Select command.
4. In the View Select dialog Contour Style section, turn on the None – Model Only radio button, and
click OK.
The model should only be showing elements and thermal loads to begin the example.

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Creating the Free Convection Boundary Conditions

Creating the Free Convection Boundary Conditions

The top surface of the circuit board will allow Free Convection to the surroundings. It is required that it
have a convection heat transfer coefficient (h) in order to create the proper effects due to free convection.
For this example you will use h = 4.1E-5 W/mm^2ºC. You will now create the Free Convection Boundary
Condition.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Elemental command.

2. In the Entity Selection – Enter Elements(s) to Select dialog, click the Select All button, and click OK.
3. In the Create Loads on Elements dialog, highlight Convection from the selection list.
4. In the Load section, enter 4.1E-5 in the Coefficient field, enter 25 in the Temperature field, and
click OK.
5. In the Face Selection dialog Method section, turn on the Adjacent Faces radio button.
6. Click in the Face field to activate the selection capability.
7. Select the top Element face of ANY Element on the top surface of the circuit board (not the chips), for
example face 2 on Element 82.

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 Running the Steady-State Thermal Analysis

8. Click OK, and click Cancel (in the Entity Selection dialog).

Note
Creating this type of convection condition will actually create plot-only planer elements on
the model and Femap will require the model be saved during the Analyze step for proper
PostProcessing.

Results

THE MODEL IS NOW READY TO BE ANALYZED!

Running the Steady-State Thermal Analysis

Use an existing analysis case for Steady-State Heat Transfer using the Femap Analysis Set Manager.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the Analyze button.
3. When prompted, save your model.

Note
An analysis should already exist in [Link]. If one does not, please follow the procedure
in the Running the Steady-State Thermal Analysis section of the example.

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Post-Processing the Thermal Results

Post-Processing the Thermal Results

The Steady-State Heat Transfer Analysis has created a resultant nodal temperature at each node. The best
way to view the temperature distribution across the circuit board is with a contour plot. The Elemental Free
Convection values can also be viewed with a contour plot of a selected group.

View Temperature Results - Contour Plot

View the temperature results in a Femap contour plot.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Rotate → Model, or press the F8 Key.

2. In the View Rotate dialog, click the Dimetric button, and click OK.

Note
You can also use the View Orient Toolbar to have one click access to several frequently used views.
You can turn on this toolbar using Tools → Toolbars → View Orient.

3. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View - Simple Toolbar or the View Toolbar) or press Crtl+Q.
4. In the Visibility dialog box, select the Entity/Label tab.
5. Click the All Off button.
6. Check the Element box located in the Mesh section, and click Done.

7. Select the View → Select command, or press the F5 Key. Or choose the View Select icon from
the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar.
8. In the View Select dialog Contour Style section, turn on the Contour radio button.
9. Click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
10. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog, select 1..Case 1 Time 1 from the Output Sets drop down.
11. In the Output Vectors section, select 31..Temperature from the Contour drop down, and click OK.
12. In the View Select dialog box, click OK.
The contour plot of the temperatures should look like this:

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 View Temperature Results - Animation

Note
The Maximum Nodal Temperature is lower due to the effects of free convection.

View Temperature Results - Animation

View the temperature results in a Femap animation.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Select command, or press the F5 Key. Or or choose the View Select icon from
the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar.
2. In the View Select dialog Deformed Style section, turn on the Animate radio button.
3. Click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
4. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog, select 1..Case 1 Time 1 from the Output Sets drop down.
5. In Output Vectors section, select 31..Temperature from the Deform and Contour drop downs, and
click OK.

Note
Femap needs a deformation vector to animate a contour plot, therefore use Temperature as the
deformation vector. Temperature will not actually be used deform the model, but a deformation
vector does need to be selected.

6. In the View Select dialog Deformed Style section, check the Skip Deformation box, and click OK.
7. The speed of the animation can be controlled by using the View → Advanced Post → Animation
command while the Model is animating. Click the Slower and Faster buttons until the desired
viewing speed is found.

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Creating a Group for Viewing Purposes

Creating a Group for Viewing Purposes

Create a group containing an element type in order to view contours on the Convection Surface only.

Procedure

1. Select the Group → Create/Manage command.

2. In the Group Manager dialog, click New Group.
3. In the New Group dialog, enter the Title “Convection Surface”, and click OK.
4. In the Group Manager dialog, click Done.
5. Select the Group → Element → Type command.
6. In the Entity Selection – Select Element Types for Group dialog, select 32..Plot Planar from the Type
drop down, and click OK.

Note
Femap created these Plot-planer elements to be used with the Convection loading condition.

7. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View - Simple Toolbar or the View Toolbar) or press Crtl+Q.
8. In the Visibility dialog, select the Group tab.
9. In the Entity section, turn on the Show Active Group radio button, select 1..Convection Surface
from the Show Active Group drop down, and click Done.

10. Select the View → Select command, or press the F5 Key. Or choose the View Select icon from
the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar.
11. In the View Select dialog Deformed Style section, turn on the None - Model Only radio button.
12. Click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
13. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog, select 1..Case 1 Time 1 from the Output Sets drop down.
14. In the Output Vectors section, select 80031..Elem Free Convection from the Contour drop down,
and click OK (all dialog boxes).
The Plot of the Free Convection values should look like this:

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 Creating a Group for Viewing Purposes

Results

This Concludes the Circuit Board Free Convection example. Please save the model file as [Link].

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Creating a Group for Viewing Purposes

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 Opening an Existing Femap Model

24. Temperature - Dependent Effects - Circuit

Board
The same circuit board will be subject to the same loading conditions as in the last two examples, but this
time the conductivity of the Material Property of the chips will be temperature dependent, as well as, the
Convection Coefficient.

For this example you will be using a model of a circuit board that has already been created. The analysis
process includes:

• Creating functions to represent temperature-dependence for the Conductivity of the Chips and for the
Free Convection Coefficient.
• Analyzing the model with Simcenter Nastran’s Steady-State Heat Transfer Solution Method.
• Viewing the contour plot of the solid elements and the contour plot.

Opening an Existing Femap Model

Open an existing Femap model file [Link].

Procedure

1. Select the File → Open command.

2. In the Open dialog, locate FEMAP_INSTALL_FOLDER/Examples/Heat_Transfer/Temperature Dependent
Circuit/[Link], and click Open.
If results are showing in the model, go to the next step. Otherwise, you are done.
3. Select the View → Select command.
4. In the View Select dialog Deformed Style and Contour Style sections, turn on the None - Model
Only radio buttons, and click OK.

Creating a Temperature Dependent Material Property

A function will be created to define the relationship between Temperature and Conductivity for the Chips
Material Property. This function will then be referenced by the Material Property using a portion of the
Define Material dialog box.

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Create Conductivity vs Temperature Function

Create Conductivity vs Temperature Function

Create a Conductivity vs. Temperature (k vs. T) function.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Function command.

Tip
You can also create a new Function using the New command on the right click menu of the
Functions branch in the Model Info tree (simply click to highlight the top level of the Functions
branch or any existing Function, and right click to see the menu).

2. In the Function Definition dialog, enter the Title “Chips (k vs. T)”.
3. Select 2..vs. Temperature from the Type drop down.
4. In the Data Entry section, turn on the Single Value radio button.
5. In the Data Entry section, enter these values into the corresponding fields:

• X = 10, Y = 0.333, then click the Add button

• X = 30, Y = 0.386, then click the Add button

• X = 50, Y = 0.415, then click the Add button

• X = 70, Y = 0.437, then click the Add button

• X = 90, Y = 0.452, then click the Add button

• X = 120, Y = 0.461, then click the Add button

• X = 200, Y = 0.461, then click the Add button

6. Click OK, and click Cancel.

Modify the Chips Material Property

Modify the Chips Material Property to reference the k vs. T function.

Procedure

1. Select the Modify → Edit → Material command.

2. In the Entity Selection – Select Material(s) to Edit dialog, select any element on one of the Chips, and
click OK.

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 Creating a Temperature Dependent Convection Coefficient (h)

Note
You can also edit an existing Material using the Edit command on the right click menu of the
Materials branch in the Model Info tree (simply click to highlight any existing Material, and right
click to see the menu). In this case, highlight 2..Chips in the Materials Model Info branch, right
click, and select Edit.

3. In the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, select the Function References tab.
4. In the Thermal section, select 1..Chips (k vs. T) from the Conductivity, K drop down.
5. Click the General tab.
6. In the Thermal section, enter 1.0 in the Conductivity, k field (1.0 * function value), and click OK.

Creating a Temperature Dependent Convection Coefficient (h)

A function will be created to define the relationship between Temperature and Free Convection Coefficient.
This function will then be referenced by the Convection loads.

Create A Convection Coefficient vs Temperature Function

Create Convection Coefficient vs. Temperature (h vs. T) function.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Function command.

2. In the Function Definition dialog, enter the Title “Convection Coefficient”.
3. Select 2..vs. Temperature from the Type drop down.
4. In the Data Entry section, turn on the Single Value radio button.
5. In the Data Entry section, enter these values into the corresponding fields:

X = 10, Y = 1.2E-5, then click the Add button .

X = 30, Y =5.3E-5, then click the Add button .
X = 50, Y = 8.9E-5, then click the Add button .
X = 70, Y = 1.2E-4, then click the Add button .
X = 90, Y = 3.1E-4, then click the Add button .
X = 120, Y = 5.1E-4, then click the Add button .
X = 200, Y = 5.1E-4, then click the Add button .
6. Click OK, and click Cancel.

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Create a Free Convection Boundary Condition

Create a Free Convection Boundary Condition

Create the Free Convection Boundary Condition.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Elemental on Face command.

2. In the Face Selection dialog Method section, turn on the Adjacent Faces radio button.
3. In the Face Selection dialog Selection Info section, click in the Face value field to activate selection
capability.
4. Select the top Element face of any Element on the top surface of the circuit board (not the chips)…for
example face 2 on Element 82, and click OK.

5. In the Create Loads on Elements dialog, highlight Convection from the selection list.
6. In the Load section, enter 1.0 into the Coefficient field, and then enter 25 in the Temperature field.
7. Select 2..Convection Coeff from the Time/Freq Dependence drop down next to the Coefficient
field, and click OK.
8. In the Face Selection dialog, click Cancel.

Note
Creating this type of convection condition will actually create plot-only planer elements on
the model and Femap will require the model be saved during the Analyze step for proper
PostProcessing.

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 Running the Steady-State Thermal Analysis

Results

THE MODEL IS NOW READY TO BE ANALYZED!

Running the Steady-State Thermal Analysis

Create an analysis case for Steady-State Heat Transfer using the Femap Analysis Set Manager.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog box, click the Analyze button.
3. When prompted, save your model.

Note
An analysis should already exist in [Link]. If one does not, please follow the Running
the Steady-State Thermal Analysis section of the example.

Post-Processing the Thermal Results

The Steady-State Heat Transfer Analysis has created a resultant nodal temperature at each node. The best
way to view the temperature distribution based on the Temperature Dependency across the circuit board is
with a contour plot. You will now view the temperature results in a Femap contour plot.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Rotate → Model command, or press the F8 Key.

2. In the View Rotate dialog box, click the Dimetric button, and click OK.

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Using the Dynamic Isosurface Feature of Femap

Note
You can also use the View Orient Toolbar to have one click access to several frequently used views.
You can turn on this toolbar using Tools → Toolbars → View Orient.

3. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View - Simple Toolbar or the View Toolbar) or press Crtl+Q.
4. In the Visibility dialog box, select the Entity/Label tab.
5. Click the All Off button.
6. Check the Element box located in the Mesh section, and click Done.

7. Select the View → Select command, or press the F5 Key. Or choose the View Select icon from
the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar.
8. In the View Select dialog Contour Style section, turn on the Contour radio button.
9. Click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
10. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog, select 2..Case 1 Time 1. from the Output Sets drop down.
11. In the Output Vectors section, select 31..Temperature from the Contour drop down, and click OK
(all dialog boxes).
The contour plot of the temperatures should look like this:

The Maximum temperature is lower than the two previous examples due to the representing the
Material properties and Convection Coefficient with a higher degree of accuracy and realism.

Using the Dynamic Isosurface Feature of Femap

The Dynamic Isosurface is utilized to show areas of identical results values throughout a model containing
solid elements. In this case, the results values of interest are temperatures and this feature will always use

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 Using the Dynamic Isosurface Feature of Femap

the selected Contour Output Vector to create the isosurfaces. You will now utilize the Dynamic IsoSurface
feature of Femap.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Advanced Post → Dynamic IsoSurface command.

In the Dynamic IsoSurface Control dialog, there is a slider bar that can be moved right or left to move
the IsoSurface through the model to view the areas of identical value.

2. In the Dynamic IsoSurface Control dialog, move the slider bar through the entire range of values
(from left to right). After seeing the entire range of values, try moving the slider bar until the value
reaches just above 45, 60, 75, and 95 to examine the different IsoSurface at each value.

3. Click Cancel to dismiss the dialog.

The model will be fully contoured again.

Results

This Concludes the Circuit Board with Temperature Dependent Factors Analysis example. Please save the
model file as [Link].

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Using the Dynamic Isosurface Feature of Femap

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 Opening a Femap Model and Creating the Geometry

25. Enclosure Radiation

Three plates will be used for this simple example of Enclosure Radiation. The plates on each side Can be
shaded and the center plate Can shade the other two. An Emissivity Value will be assigned to each face of
the plates that will be involved in the analysis. The geometry will be created using Femap.

The analysis process includes:

• Creating geometry to represent the plates, and meshing the model with parabolic elements.
• Assigning Emissivity values, and applying heat flux to the model.
• Analyzing the model with Simcenter Nastran’s Steady-State Heat Transfer Solution Method.
• Viewing contour plots of the nodal temperature results.

Opening a Femap Model and Creating the Geometry

You will now open a new Femap model file, and create the surfaces.

Procedure

1. Select the File → New command.

2. Select the Geometry → Surface → Corners command.
3. In the Locate - Enter First Corner of Surface dialog, enter these values into the corresponding fields:
X = 0, Y = 0, Z = 0, then click the OK button.
X = 5, Y = 0, Z = 0, then click the OK button.
X = 5, Y = 5, Z = 0, then click the OK button.
X = 0, Y = 5, Z = 0, then click the OK button.
A square surface is now created.
4. Again in the Locate - Enter First Corner of Surface dialog, enter these values into the corresponding
fields:
X = 0, Y = 0, Z = 4, then click the OK button.
X = 5, Y = 0, Z = 4, then click the OK button.
X = 5, Y = 5, Z = 4, then click the OK button.
X = 0, Y = 5, Z = 4, then click the OK button.
A second square surface is now created offset from the first surface.
5. Again in the Locate - Enter First Corner of Surface dialog, enter these values into the corresponding
fields:
X = 0, Y = 0, Z = -3, then click the OK button.
X = 5, Y = 0, Z = -3, then click the OK button.
X = 5, Y = 5, Z = -3, then click the OK button.

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Creating Materials and Properties

X = 0, Y = 5, Z = -3.
A third square surface is now created offset from the other surfaces.
6. In the Locate - Enter First Corner of Surface dialog, click OK, and click Cancel.

Creating Materials and Properties

Create a Material and a Property.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Material command.

2. In the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, enter the Title “Plates”.
3. In the General tab's Thermal section, enter 237 in the Conductivity, k field (units: W/m º K), enter
903 in the Specific Heat, Cp field (units: J/kg º K), enter 2702 in the Mass Density field (units:
kg/m^3), click OK, and click Cancel.
The Material is created.
4. Select the Model → Property command.
5. In the Define Property – PLATE Element Type dialog, enter the Title “Plates”.
6. In the Property Values section, enter 0.001 in the Thicknesses, Tavg or T1 field.
7. Select Plates from the Material drop down (top right of the dialog).
8. Click the Elem/Property button.
9. In the In Element / Property Type dialog, check Parabolic Elements at the top of the dialog, and click
OK.
This will create second order elements (parabolic) with mid-side nodes when the plates are meshed.
10. In the Define Property – PLATE Element Type dialog, click OK, and click Cancel.
The Property is created.

Meshing the Plates

Set the mesh size, and mesh the plates.

Procedure

1. Select the Mesh → Mesh Control → Default Size command.

2. In the Default Mesh Size dialog, uncheck Set Element Size on Next Use, enter 1 in both the Element
Size and Minimum Number of Elements fields, and click OK.
The mesh size is set.
3. Select the Mesh → Geometry → Surface command.

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 Reversing the Element Normals

4. In the Entity Selection – Select Surfaces to Mesh dialog, click the Select All button, and click OK.
5. In the Automesh Surfaces dialog Node and Element Options section, select Plates from the
Property drop down.
6. In the Node Options section, check the Midside Nodes check box, and click OK.
7. Select the View → Rotate → Model command, or press the F8 Key.
8. In the View Rotate dialog, click the Isometric button, and click OK.

Note
You can also use the View Orient Toolbar to have one click access to several frequently used views.
You can turn on this toolbar using the Tools → Toolbars → View Orient command.

9. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View - Simple Toolbar or the View Toolbar) or press Crtl+Q.
10. In the Visibility dialog box, select the Entity/Label tab, and click the All Off button.
11. Check the Element box located in the Mesh section, check the Constraints header box (checks all
constraint types), check the Loads header box (checks all load types), and click Done.
12. Press Crtl+A to select the View → Autoscale → Visible command.
This allows you to see your entire model in the graphics window. The model should now look like
this:

Reversing the Element Normals

The plate elements each have two faces. Because the model is representing an enclosure, the normals
of the elements on the two outer surfaces must point towards the middle surface. First, the element
normals need to be turned on in order to see which elements are not pointing towards the center. Next,
the elements with normals not facing the middle plate will be modified. You will now view, and reverse the
Element Normals.

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Reversing the Element Normals

Procedure

1. Selcet the View → Options command, or press the F6 Key. Or choose options from the view icon
located on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar.
2. In the View Options dialog Category section, turn on the Labels, Entities and Color radio button.
3. Highlight Element - Direction from the selection list.
This changes the right side of the View Options dialog to have specific options for the highlighted
option.
4. In the Normal Style section, highlight 1..Normal Vectors from the selection list.
5. Check the Show Direction box (upper right corner of the dialog), and click OK.
The normal vector should now be visible:

The normal vectors need to be reversed on the left plate while in Isometric View (shown).
6. Select the Modify → Update Elements → Orient Plate Normal/First Edge command.
7. In the Entity Selection – Select Element(s) to Update Direction dialog, click the Method button and
highlight On Surface.
8. Choose the surface on the left side of the graphics window (Surface 2), and click OK.
9. In the Update Element Directions dialog Normal section, turn on the Reverse Normal Direction radio
button, and click OK.

The Model should now look like this:

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 Creating Radiation Emissivity and Heat Flux Loads

Creating Radiation Emissivity and Heat Flux Loads

Because the middle surface will need to radiate to both other surfaces an Emissivity value needs to be
placed on both faces of the middle surfaces elements. The Emissivity values are created by loading the face
of the elements and defining whether the elements Can Shade or Can be Shaded after the selection of the
Enclosure Radiation option.

Create a load set and Body Load

Create a load set and Body Load.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Body command.

Because no Load Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Load Set dialog, enter the Title “Radiation”, and click OK.
3. In the Create Body Loads dialog Thermal section, check the Active box for the Default Temperature
(T) field to become available.
4. Enter 475 into the Default Temperature (T) field, and click OK.

Create Radiation Settings

Create the Radiation settings.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Heat Transfer command.

2. In the Heat Transfer Loads dialog Radiation section, enter 5.670E-8 in the Stefan-Boltzmann field
(units: W/m^2º K^4), and click OK.

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Create Radiation Loads

Create Radiation Loads

Create the Radiation loads.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Elemental command.

2. In the Entity Selection – Enter Elements(s) to Select dialog, click the Method button and highlight On
Surface.
3. Choose the surface on the left hand surface (surface 2), and click OK.
4. In the Create Loads on Elements dialog, highlight Radiation from the selection list.
5. Check the Enclosure Radiation box (bottom of the dialog), and check the Can Be Shaded box
(activated by checking Enclosure Radiation).
6. In the Load section, enter 1.0 in the Emissivity field, and click OK.

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 Create Radiation Loads

7. In the Face Selection dialog Method section, turn on the Face ID radio button.
8. In the Selection Info section, enter 1 into the Face field, and click OK.

9. In the Entity Selection – Enter Elements(s) to Select dialog, click the Methods button and highlight
On Surface.
10. Choose the surface on the right hand side (surface 3), and click OK.
11. In the Create Loads on Elements dialog, highlight Radiation from the selection list.
12. Check the Enclosure Radiation box (bottom of the dialog), and check the Can Be Shaded box
(activated by checking Enclosure Radiation).
13. In the Load section, enter 1.0 in the Emissivity field, and click OK.
14. In the Face Selection dialog, enter 1 into the Face field, and click OK.
15. In the Entity Selection – Enter Elements(s) to Select dialog, click the Methods button and highlight
On Surface.
16. Choose the surface on the middle surface (surface 1), and click OK.
17. In the Create Loads on Elements dialog, highlight Radiation from the selection list.
18. Check the Enclosure Radiation box (bottom of the dialog), and check the Can Shade box (activated
by checking Enclosure Radiation).
19. In the Load section, enter 1.0 in the Emissivity field, and click OK.
20. In the Face Selection dialog box, enter 1 into the Face field, and click OK.
21. In the Entity Selection – Enter Elements(s) to Select dialog box, click the Methods button and
highlight On Surface.

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Create Heat Flux Load

22. Choose the surface on the middle surface (surface 1), and click OK.
23. In the Create Loads on Elements dialog, highlight Radiation from the selection list.
24. Check the Enclosure Radiation box (bottom of the dialog), and check the Can Shade box (activated
by checking Enclosure Radiation).
25. In the Load section, enter 1.0 in the Emissivity field, and click OK.
26. In the Face Selection dialog, enter 2 into the Face field, click OK, and click Cancel (in the Entity
Selection dialog).

Create Heat Flux Load

Create a Heat Flux Load on an element.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Elemental command.

2. In the Entity Selection – Enter Element(s) to Select dialog, choose the center element on the middle
surface (element 13), and click OK.

3. In the Create Loads on Elements dialog, highlight Heat Flux from the selection list.
4. In the Load section, enter 1200 into the Flux field, and click OK.
5. In the Face Selection dialog Selection Info section, enter 1 in the Face field, click OK, and click
Cancel (in the Entity Selection dialog).

Results

THE MODEL IS NOW READY TO BE ANALYZED!

Running the Steady-State Thermal Analysis

Create an analysis case for Steady-State Heat Transfer using the Femap Analysis Set Manager.

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 Post-Processing the Thermal Results

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the New button.
3. In the Analysis Set dialog, enter the Title “Radiation”.
4. Select 36..Simcenter Nastran from the Analysis Program drop down, and select 20..Steady-State
Heat Transfer from the Analysis Type drop down.
5. Click the Next button until reaching the Boundary Conditions dialog.
6. In the Boundary Conditions dialog Primary Sets section, select 1..Radiation from the Load and
Initial Conditions drop-down menus, and click Next.
7. In the Nastran Output Requests Dialog Customization section, select the Femap output type and
click OK.

8. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click Analyze.

Post-Processing the Thermal Results

The Radiation Analysis has created a resultant nodal temperature at each node. The best way to view the
temperature distribution across the model is with a contour plot.

Create a Group

Create a group.

Procedure

1. Select the Group → Create/Manage command.

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View Temperature Results - Contour Plot

2. In the Group Manager dialog, click New Group.

3. In the New Group dialog, enter the Title “Parabolic Elements”, and click OK.
4. In the Group Manager dialog, click Done.
5. Select the Group → Element → Type command.
6. In the Entity Selection – Select Element Types for Group dialog, select 18..Plate, Parabolic from the
Type drop down, and click OK.
This will allow for better viewing of the plate element results.

View Temperature Results - Contour Plot

View the temperature results in a Femap contour plot.

Procedure

1. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar), or press
Crtl+Q.
2. In the Visibility dialog, select the Group tab.
3. In the Entity section, turn on the Show Active Group radio button, select 1..Parabolic Elements
from the Show Active Group drop down, and click Done.
4. Select the View → Select command.
5. In the View Select dialog Contour Style section, turn on the Contour radio button.
6. Click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
7. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog, select 1..Case 1 Time 1 from the Output Sets drop down.
8. In the Output Vectors section, select 31..Temperature from the Contour drop down, and click OK
(all dialog boxes).
The contour plot of the temperatures should look like this:

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 View Temperature Results - Contour Plot

Note
The plate further away from the middle plate has a lower temperature.

Results

This Concludes the Enclosure Radiation example. Please save the model file as [Link].

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View Temperature Results - Contour Plot

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 Creating the Nonlinear Material

26. Plastic Deformation of Rod - Nonlinear

Material
A simple rod model will be built out of a material which will become nonlinear after the model reaches a
defined yield criteria (von Mises Stress). The model will be loaded axially beyond the yield stress and then
unloaded. These loading conditions will leave the rod plastically deformed. The displacement and strain
results will then be viewed with an XY plot.

For this example, a model made of rod elements will be created using Femap. The analysis process
includes:

• Creating a function to represent a strain vs. stress curve and use it to define a nonlinear material.
• Creating the mesh, loads, and boundary conditions.
• Analyzing the model with Simcenter Nastran’s Nonlinear Static Solution Method.
• Viewing the displacements and strains using Femap’s XY Plotting Capabilities.

Creating the Nonlinear Material

You will now create the Nonlinear Material and a Stress vs Strain Function to be used in the example.

Create a Simple Stress vs Strain Function

Create a simple stress vs. strain function.

Procedure

1. Select the File → New command.

2. Select the Model → Function command.
3. In the Function Definition dialog, enter the Title “Stress vs. Strain”.
4. Select 13..Stress vs. Strain from the Type drop-down list.
5. In the Data Entry section, turn on the Single Value radio button.
6. In the Data Entry section, enter these values into the corresponding fields:

X = 0, Y = 0, then click the Add button .

X = 0.001, Y = 200, then click the Add button .
X = 0.003, Y = 235, then click the Add button .
X = 0.005, Y = 270, then click the Add button .

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Create the Material

7. Click OK, and click Cancel.

Results

Tip
There is quick method to open the Charting pane with a Chart called “XY Show” in the Femap user
interface, specifically to view a single XY plot of functions. This is done using the Functions branch of
the Model Info tree (Functions can be found in the Model branch). Expand the Functions branch and
all functions currently in the model will be listed.

Use the Show in Charting command on the right click menu for Functions. Simply highlight any number
of Functions, right click, and choose the Show in Charting command. A new Chart called “XY Show” will
appear in the Charting pane and a contain a new Data Series for each selected Function.

You can change the colors and other parameters of each Data Series and the whole Chart using the icon
menus, Charting and Chart Data Series dialog, and right click menus.

Create the Material

Create the Material.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Material command.

2. In the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, enter the Title “Nonlinear Material”.
3. In the Stiffness section, enter 200,000 in the Young’s Modulus, E field (units: N/mm2), and enter
0.3 in the Poisson’s Ratio, nu field.
4. Choose the Nonlinear tab.
5. In the Nonlinearity Type section, turn on the Plastic radio button.
6. In the Nonlinear Properties section, Select 1..Stress vs. Strain from the Function Dependence
drop down.
7. In the Yield Function section, select 0..von Mises from the Yield Criterion drop down, enter 180 in
the Initial Yield Stress field, click OK, and click Cancel..

Creating the Property and Mesh

Create a Property, and Create the Nodes and Elements.

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 Creating Loads and Constraints

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Property command.

2. In the Define Property – PLATE Element Type dialog, click the Elem/Property Type button.
3. In the Element / Property Type dialog Line Elements section, turn on the Rod radio button, and click
OK.
4. In the Define Property – ROD Element Type dialog, enter the Title “Rod”.
5. In the Property Values section, enter 1 in the Area, A field.
6. Select 1..Nonlinear Material from the Material drop down, click OK, and click Cancel.
7. Select the Mesh → Between command.
8. In the Select the Generate Between Corners dialog Node and Element Options section, select 1..Rod
from the Property drop down.
9. In the Mesh Size section, enter 11 in the #Nodes field, and click OK.
10. In the Locate – Enter Corner 1 of Mesh (Cancel to Abort or Backup) dialog, enter these values X = 0, Y
= 0, Z = 0, and click OK.
11. In the Locate – Enter Corner 2 of Mesh (Cancel to Abort or Backup) dialog, enter these values X =
100, Y = 0, Z = 0, and click OK.
12. Select the View → Autoscale → Visible command, or press Ctrl+A to fit the rod model into the view
window.

Creating Loads and Constraints

Two Load Sets must be created in order to simulate a loading condition and an unloaded condition. A load
does need to be applied for the unloaded condition for the analysis to run, so a very small load will be
applied axially in a second load set to accomplish the relaxation of the rod.

Create the Fixed Constraint

Create the fixed constraint.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Constraint → Create/Manage Set command.

2. In the Constraint Set Manager dialog, click the New Constraint Set.
3. In the New Constraint Set dialog, enter the Title “Fixed”, and click OK.
4. In the Constraint Set Manager dialog, click Done.
5. Select the Model → Constraint → Nodal command.

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Creating the “Loading” Load Set

6. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select the node at the left end of the rod
(Node 1), and click OK.
7. In the Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog, click the Fixed button, and click OK.
8. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, click Cancel.

Creating the “Loading” Load Set

Create the Loading Load Set.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Create/Manage Set command.

2. In the Load Set Manager dialog, click New Load Set.
3. In the New Load Set dialog, enter the Title “Loaded”, and click OK.
4. In the Load Set Manager dialog, click Done.
5. Select the Model → Load → Nodal command.
6. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select the node at the free end of the rod
(Node 11), and click OK.
7. In the Create Loads on Nodes dialog, highlight Force from the selection list.
8. In the Load section, turn on the FX radio button, enter 300 in the FX field (units: N), and click OK.
9. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, click Cancel.

Creating the “Unloading” Load Set

Create the Unloading Load Set.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Create/Manage Set command.

2. In the Load Set Manager dialog, click New Load Set.
3. In the New Load Set dialog, enter the Title “Unloaded”, and click OK.
4. In the Load Set Manager dialog, click Done.
5. Select the Model → Load → Nodal command.
6. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select the node at the free end of the rod
(Node 11), and click OK.
7. In the Create Loads on Nodes dialog, highlight Force from the selection list.

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 Running the Nonlinear Static Analysis with Two Cases

8. In the Load section, enter 0.001 in the FX field (units: N), and click OK.
9. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, click Cancel.

Results

THE MODEL IS NOW READY TO BE ANALYZED!

Running the Nonlinear Static Analysis with Two Cases

Certain settings need to be defined in order for a nonlinear analysis to run. First, the type of analysis must
be chosen as either Nonlinear Static or Nonlinear Transient Response. Also, the number of increments
must be entered, iterations allowed per increment, and if an output set is required for all the steps that
lead to the final result. Settings such as Solution Strategy Overrides, Stiffness Updates, Creep Criteria,
and other Nonlinear options are also available for Simcenter Nastran through Femap. You will now create
an analysis set with multiple cases for Nonlinear Static Analysis using the Femap Analysis Set Manager.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the New button.
3. In the Analysis Set dialog, enter the Title “Plastic Deformation”.
4. Select 36..Simcenter Nastran from the Analysis Program drop down, and select 10..Nonlinear
Static from the Analysis Type drop down.
5. Click the Next button until reaching Boundary Conditions dialog.
6. In the Primary Sets section, select 0..None from the Constraints drop down, select 0..None from
the Loads drop down, and click Next.
7. In the NASTRAN Output Requests dialog Elemental section, check the Total Strain box, and click OK.
8. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the MultiSet button.
9. In the Select Load and Constraint Sets for Analysis Cases dialog, check the boxes beside all the
Constraint Sets (1) and all the Load Sets (2), if not already checked, and click OK.
In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, two cases have been created: (Case names are based on Load and
Constraint Set titles) “Case: 1..Fixed – Loaded” and “Case: 2..Fixed – Unloaded”.

Note
All dialog boxes in the Analysis Set Manager can also be reached through the Tree Structure.

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Running the Nonlinear Static Analysis with Two Cases

10. Double click the words “Case: 1..Fixed – Loaded”, or click the + sign to the left of them, and highlight
Nonlinear Options under “Case: 1..Fixed – Loaded”.
11. Click the Edit button.
12. In the NASTRAN Nonlinear Analysis dialog Basic section, enter 10 in the Increments or Time Steps
field.
13. In the Output Control section, select 3..ALL from the Intermediate drop down, and click OK.

14. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, highlight Nonlinear Options under “Case: 2..Fixed – Unloaded”,
and click the Edit button.
15. In the NASTRAN Nonlinear Analysis dialog Basic section, enter 5 in the Increments or Time Steps
field .

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 Post-Processing the Results

16. In the Output Control section, select 3..ALL from the Intermediate drop down, and click OK.
17. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click Analyze.

Post-Processing the Results

A multi-set animation of the results would show the plastic deformation, but due to the relatively small
displacements in this model, a XY plot of the displacements and strain values would create a clearer
method to visualize this results.

Create an XY Plot of Displacement

Text

Procedure

1. Select the Tools → Charting command.

Note
The two icons we will be using in this example are:

• Chart Manager - Opens the Chart Manager.

• Data Series Manager - Opens the Chart Data Series Manager.

2. Click the Chart Manager icon in the Charting pane to create a new Chart.
3. In the Chart Manager dialog, click the New button.
The Charting dialog appears. This tabbed dialog allows a number of options to be selected for the
new chart. For this example, the default Chart settings are OK. Click Done (all dialog boxes).

Tip
In a new model, the Chart Selector is set to 0..None/Create New by default. Because of this,
when a new Data Series is created, a default Chart will also be created along with the Data Series.
Therefore, it is not really required to use the Chart Manager unless you are creating multiple
Charts.

4. Click the Data Series Manager icon in the Charting pane to create a new Data Series.
5. In the Chart Data Series Manager dialog, click New Data Series.
6. In the Chart Data Series dialog, select 1..Vector vs. Set from the Type drop down.
7. In the X-Axis Values section, turn on the Output Set Value radio button.

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Create an XY Plot of Plastic Strain

8. In the Data Source section, select 1..Total Translation from the Vector drop down, enter 11 in the
Location field, click OK, and click Cancel.
9. In the Chart Data Series Manager dialog, click Done.

Results

The Plot of Node 11’s Total Translation should look like this:

Create an XY Plot of Plastic Strain

Create an XY Plot of plastic strain of a single element of the rod over all the output sets.

Procedure

1. Click the Data Series Manager icon in the Charting pane to create a new Data Series.
2. Highlight 1..Total Translation (Node 11) vs. Set Value located in the Available Chart Data Series
list.
3. Click the Edit Selected button.
4. In the Chart Data Series dialog Data Source section, select 3921..Nonlinear Rod Plastic Strain from
the Vector drop down, enter 10 in the Location field, and click OK.
5. In the Chart Data Series Manager dialog, click Done.
The Plot of Element 10’s Nonlinear Plastic Strain should look like this:

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 Create an XY Plot of Plastic Strain

Results

This concludes the Plastic Deformation example. It is recommended to save the model file.

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Create an XY Plot of Plastic Strain

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 Creating the Geometry

27. Gap Contact - Cantilever Beam

A cantilever beams with a tubular cross section will be used to demonstrate Gap Contact found in
Nonlinear Static Analysis. The beam will have one end fixed, and the free end will be loaded with a Force.
During the analysis, the deformation of the model will cause the gap to close creating contact. Contact in
analysis almost always signals the use of a nonlinear solution. This example will use the Nonlinear Static
solving capability of Simcenter Nastran.

For this example a beam model will be created using Femap. The analysis process includes:

• Creating a beam property, meshing an existing curve.

• Creating a Gap property and the gap element, then loads and constraints.
• Analyzing the model with Simcenter Nastran’s Nonlinear Static Solution Method.
• Viewing the stresses on the beam using Femap’s Beam Diagram post-processing capability.

Creating the Geometry

Create lines to represent the beams.

Procedure

1. Select the File → New command.

2. Select the Geometry → Curve-Line → Coordinates command.
3. In the Locate – Enter First Location of Line dialog, enter the following values: X = 0, Y = 0, and Z = 0,
and click OK.
4. In the Locate – Enter Second Location of Line dialog , enter the following values: X = 10, Y = 0, and Z
= 0, click OK, and click Cancel.
5. Press Ctrl+A to Autoscale the visible parts of the model.

Creating the Materials and Properties

In this portion of the example, you will create a beam property, and mesh an existing curve.

Create a Material

Create a Material.

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Create the Tubular Beam Property

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Material command.

Tip
You can also create a new Material using the New command on the right click menu of the
Materials branch in the Model Info tree (simply click to highlight the top level of the Materials
branch or any existing Material, and right click to see the menu).

2. In the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, click Load.

3. In the Select From Material Library dialog Femap Standard Libraries tab, highlight AISI 4340 Steel
from the selection list, and click Load.

Tip
Any material properties entered manually can be saved and recalled for future use by giving the
material a name, and clicking the Save button in the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog. Depending
on the selected tab in the Select From Material Library dialog, the material can be saved to a
Personal or Shared library. Once stored in a Shared or Personal library, the material can be loaded
into a new model by clicking the Load button.

4. In the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, click OK, and click Cancel.

Create the Tubular Beam Property

Create the tubular Beam Property.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Property command.

Tip
You can also create a new Property using the New command on right click menu of the Properties
branch in the Model Info tree (simply click to highlight the top level of the Properties branch or
any existing Property, and right click to see the menu).

2. In the Define Property – PLATE Element Type dialog, click the Elem/Property Type button.
3. In the Element / Property Type dialog Line Elements section, turn on the Beam radio button, and
click OK.
4. In the Define Property – BEAM Element Type dialog, enter the Title “Square Tube”.
5. Select AISI 4340 Steel from the Material drop down, and click the Shape button.
6. In the Cross Section Definition dialog, select Rectangular Tube from the Shape drop down.

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 Meshing the Curves

Tip
Before entering any or all dimensions, a help diagram for the selected shape is displayed, which
details each dimension.

7. In the Size section, enter the following values into the corresponding fields: Height = 0.5, Width =
0.5, and Thickness = 0.1.
8. Click Draw Section (under the preview window), and click OK.

9. In the Define Property – BEAM Element Type dialog, click OK, and click Cancel.

Meshing the Curves

Set the mesh size on the curves, and mesh the line.

Procedure

1. Select the Mesh → Mesh Control → Size Along Curve command.

2. In the Entity Selection – Select Curve(s) to Set Mesh Size dialog, choose the curve (curve 1), and click
OK.
3. In the Mesh Size Along Curves dialog Mesh Size section, enter 10 in the Number of Elements field,
click OK, and click Cancel (in Entity Selection).
The mesh size it now set.
4. Select the Mesh → Geometry → Curve command.
5. In the Entity Selection – Select Curve(s) to Mesh dialog, choose curve 1, and click OK.
6. In the Geometry Mesh Options dialog Node and Element Options section, select Square Tube from
the Property drop down, and click OK.
7. In the Vector Locate – Define Element Orientation Vector dialog, enter the following values for Base:
X = 0, Y = 0, Z = 0, and for Tip: X = 0, Y = 1, Z = 0. Click OK.

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Creating the Gap Property and Element

8. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View - Simple Toolbar or the View Toolbar) or press Crtl+Q.
9. In the Visibility dialog, select the Entity/Label tab.
10. Uncheck the Geometry header (unchecks all geometric entities), and click OK.

Note
You can use the Entity Display Toolbar to quickly toggle Geometry on and off. If the Entity Display
Toolbar is not visible, you can turn it on using the Tools → Toolbars → Entity Display command to
make visible (shown undocked).

You have the option to toggle ALL Geometry on and off using the second icon or you can turn
them on and off individually by clicking the icon for each geometric entity one at a time.

Creating the Gap Property and Element

Every Gap element MUST have a Gap property associated with it that has the correct Initial Gap distance
value. Compression and Tension Stiffness values are also required to control the closing of the gap. In
this example, only one gap element is required, therefore only one Gap Property must be created. If a
model would require multiple Gap elements to be created at a number of different initial gap distances,
then an individual Gap Property must be created for EVERY different initial gap distance. Gap Contact is a
node-to-node method of contact and therefore should have a corresponding number and spacing of nodes
on each contact line or surface for effective convergence of the Nonlinear Analysis.

Create the Node

Create a Node to represent the other side of the Gap.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Node command.

2. In the Locate – Enter Coordinates or Select with Cursor dialog, enter these values: X = 7, Y = -0.5, Z =
0, click OK, and click Cancel

Create the Gap Property

Create a Gap Property.

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 Create a Gap Element

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Property command.

2. In the Define Property – BEAM Element Type dialog, click the Elem/Property Type button.
3. In the Element / Property Type dialog Line Elements section, turn on the Gap radio button, and click
OK.
4. In the Define Property – GAP Element Type dialog, enter the Title “Gap”.
5. In the Property Values section, enter 0.5 in in the Initial Gap field, 1000000 in the Compression
Stiffness field, 0.0001 in the Tension Stiffness field, click OK, and click Cancel.

Tip
A great way to determine the Initial Gap value for a gap of undetermined distance is to use the
Distance Measurement Tool in Femap. This can be accessed by highlighting the Initial Gap field
(or any other dialog field which requires a distance) and pressing Ctrl+D on the keyboard. This will
open a point-to-point measuring tool prompting you to choose a start point, and an end point. This
is a very helpful Femap tool.

Create a Gap Element

Create a Gap element between a node on the beam and the newly created node.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Element command.

2. In the Define GAP Element – Enter Nodes or Select with Cursor dialog, choose the 8th node from the
left side of beam (Node 8) and the newly created node (Node 12).

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Creating the Loads and Constraints

3. In the Orientation section, click the Vector button.

4. In the Vector Locate – Define Element Orientation Vector dialog, enter these values for: Base: X = 0, Y
= 0, Z = 0, for Tip: X = 0, Y = 0, Z = 1, and click OK.
5. In the Define GAP Element – Enter Nodes or Select with Cursor dialog, select Gap from the Property
drop down, click OK, and click Cancel.

Creating the Loads and Constraints

In this portion of the example, you will create the Loads and Constraints.

Apply a Fixed Constraint

Apply a fixed constraint to the left end of the beam and the bottom node of the Gap.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Constraint → Nodal command.

Because no Constraint Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Constraint Set dialog, enter the Title “Fixed”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select the node at the fixed end of the beam
(Nodes 1), select the node on the bottom of the gap (node 12), and click OK.

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 Apply a Force

4. In the Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog, click the Fixed button, and click OK.
5. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, click Cancel.

Apply a Force

Apply a Force load to the free end of the beam.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Nodal command.

Because no Load sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Load Set dialog, enter the Title “Force”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select the node at the free end of the beam
(Node 11), and click OK.
4. In the Create Loads on Nodes dialog, highlight Force from the selection list.
5. In the Load section, enter -2000 in the FY field (units: Pounds), click OK, and click Cancel (in Entity
Selection).
The model should now look like this:

Results

THE MODEL IS NOW READY TO BE ANALYZED!

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Running the Nonlinear Static Analysis

Running the Nonlinear Static Analysis

Certain settings need to be defined in order for a nonlinear analysis to run. First, the type of analysis must
be chosen as either Nonlinear Static or Nonlinear Transient Response. Also, the number of increments
must be entered, iterations allowed per increment, and if an output set is required for all the steps that
lead to the final result. Settings such as Solution Strategy Overrides, Stiffness Updates, Creep Criteria,
and other Nonlinear options are also available for Simcenter Nastran through Femap. You will now create
an analysis case for Nonlinear Static Analysis using the Femap Analysis Set Manager.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the New button.
3. In the Analysis Set dialog, enter the Title “Gap Contact”.
4. Select 36..Simcenter Nastran from the Analysis Program drop down, and select 10..Nonlinear
Static from the Analysis Type drop down.
5. Click the Next button until reaching NASTRAN Nonlinear Analysis dialog.
6. In the NASTRAN Nonlinear Analysis dialog Basic section, enter 10 in the Increments or Time Steps
field.
7. In the Output Control section, select 3..ALL from the Intermediate drop down, and click OK.
8. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click Analyze.

Post-Processing the Gap Contact Results

The Nonlinear Static Analysis has completed. The best way to view the deformation results of the beams
is with a deformed plot. The best ways to view the stress results on the beam is with the Beam Diagram
contour capability. You will now view the results in a Femap Beam Diagram plot of a deformed model.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Select command

2. In the View Select dialog Deformed Style section, turn on the Deform radio button.
3. In the Contour Style section, turn on the Beam Diagram radio button.
4. Click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
5. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog, select 10..Case 10 Time 1. from the Output Sets drop
down.
6. In the Output Vectors section, select 1..Total Translation from the Deform drop down, select
3164..Beam EndA Max Comb Stress from the Contour drop down, and click OK.
7. In the View Select dialog, click OK.

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 Post-Processing the Gap Contact Results

8. Select the Tools → Toolbars → Post command

This opens the Post Toolbar.

9. Click the Post Options icon , and select Actual Deformation.

10. Select the View → Options command
11. In the View Options dialog Category section, turn on the PostProcessing radio button.
12. Highlight Beam Diagram from the selection list.
This changes the right side of the View Options dialog to have specific options for the highlighted
option.
13. Highlight 3..Global Y from the Default Direction selection list, and click OK.
14. Click OK.
The Beam Diagram plot of the deformed model should look like this:

Results

This Concludes the Gap Contact example. It is recommended to save the model file.

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 Creating the Geometry

28. Large Deformation - Cantilever Beam

Nonlinear Analysis is analysis which often consists of models which undergo large deformations due
to geometric or material nonlinearities. This realm of analysis includes such other concepts as plastic
deformation, snap-through, creep, physical contact between objects, shrink-fitting, hyperelastic materials,
and thin-shell buckling. The behavior experienced by many objects and systems in the world can be
modeled with a greater degree of accuracy using the nonlinear capabilities of Simcenter Nastran.

Two separate cantilever beams with I-Beam Cross Sections will be used to demonstrate large deformations
usually found in Nonlinear Static Analysis. For the beam properties one Standard Cross Section (PBEAM)
and one NASTRAN Beam (PBEAML) will be created. The beams will have one end fixed, and the free end
will be loaded with a Moment. This example will use the Nonlinear Static solving capability of Simcenter/
Nastran.

For this example a beam model will be created using Femap. The analysis process includes:

• Creating a beam property two separate ways, mesh an existing curves, and viewing the cross-sections of
the elements.
• Creating Moment loads on free ends of I-Beams and fixed constraints.
• Analyzing the model with Simcenter Nastran’s Nonlinear Static Solution Method.
• Viewing the large deformations of I-Beams using Femap’s Multi-Set Animation capability.

Creating the Geometry

Create lines to represent the beams.

Procedure

1. Select the File → New command.

2. Select the Geometry → Curve-Line → Coordinates command.
3. In the Locate – Enter First Location of Line dialog, enter these values X = 0, Y = 0, and Z = 0, and click
OK.
4. In the Locate – Enter Second Location of Line dialog, enter these values X = 300, Y = 0, and Z = 0,
and click OK.
5. In the Locate – Enter First Location of Line dialog, enter these values X = 0, Y = 0, and Z = 200, and
click OK.
6. In the Locate – Enter Second Location of Line dialog, enter these values X = 300, and Y = 200, click
OK, and click Cancel.
7. Select the View → Rotate → Model command, or press the F8 Key.

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Creating the Materials and Properties

8. In the View Rotate dialog, click the Isometric button, and click OK.

Note
You can also use the View Orient Toolbar to have one click access to several frequently used views.
You can turn on this toolbar selecting the Tools → Toolbars → View Orient command.

9. Press Crtl+A to select the View → Autoscale → Visible command. This will allow you to see your
entire model in the graphics window.

Creating the Materials and Properties

In this portion of the example, you will create a Material, a Beam Property and a Cross Section Property.

Create a Material

Create a Material.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Material command.

2. In the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, enter the Title “I-Beam”.
3. In the Stiffness section, enter 200000 in the Young’s Modulus, E field (units: N/mm2), enter 0.3 in
the Poisson’s Ratio, nu field, click OK, and click Cancel.

Create the Standard Beam Property

Femap has two separate ways to define the cross section of a beam property. Both methods allow the
user to pick from a list of pre-defined cross sections and enter in specific values for the dimensions. The
Standard Beams (PBEAM) also allow you to create a General Section (choose from any planer surface),
choose the stress recovery points, define the orientation of the Y-axis on the property form, and choose
to calculate the Shear Center offset and Warping Constant. The NASTRAN Beam (PBEAML) object allows
changes to the dimension of the beam on the actual PBEAML property input card, and always calculates
the Shear Center offset and Warping Constant. Both Beams use the Cross Section Y-axis for orientation, but
the relationship between the Cross section Y-Axis and Z-Axis are opposite for the two types of beams. You
will now create the Standard Beam Property.

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 Create the Standard Beam Property

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Property command.

2. In the Define Property – PLATE Element Type dialog, click the Elem/Property Type button.
3. In the Element / Property Type dialog Line Elements section, turn on the Beam radio button, and
click OK.
4. In the Define Property – BEAM Element Type dialog, enter the Title “Standard Beam”.
5. Select I-Beam from the Material drop down.
6. Click the Shape button.
7. In the Cross Section Definition dialog, select I-Beam or Wide Flange (W) from the Shape drop down.

Tip
Before entering any or all dimensions, a help diagram for the selected shape is displayed, which
details each dimension.

8. In the Size section, enter the following values into the corresponding fields:
Height = 8
Width, Top = 8
Width, Bottom = 8
Thick, Top = 0.5
Thick, Bottom = 0.5
Thickness = 0.5 (this is the thickness of the web of the beam)
9. Click the Draw Section button (below the preview pane), and click OK

10. In the Define Property – BEAM Element Type dialog, click OK, and click Cancel.

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Create the Cross Section Property

Create the Cross Section Property

Create the NASTRAN Cross Section Beam Property.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Property command.

2. In the Define Property – BEAM Element Type dialog, enter the Title “NASTRAN Beam”.
3. Select I-Beam from the Material drop down.
4. Click the Shape button.
5. In the Cross Section Definition dialog, turn on the NASTRAN radio button (upper right corner of
dialog).
6. Select NASTRAN I from the Shape drop down.
7. In the Size section, enter the following values into the corresponding fields:
DIM1 = 8 (Height)
DIM2 = 8 (Width, Bottom)
DIM3 = 8 (Width, Top)
DIM4 = 0.5 (thickness of the web of the I-beam)
DIM5 = 0.5 (Thick, Bottom)
DIM6 = 0.5 (Thick, Top)
8. Click the Draw Section button (below preview pane), and click OK.

9. In the Define Property – BEAM Element Type dialog, click OK, and click Cancel.

Meshing the Curves

Set the mesh size on the curves, and mesh the line.

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 Meshing the Curves

Procedure

1. Select the Mesh → Mesh Control → Size Along Curve command.

2. In the Entity Selection – Select Curve(s) to Set Mesh Size dialog, choose both curves (curve 1 and 2),
and click OK.
3. In the Mesh Size Along Curves dialog Mesh Size section, enter 15 in the Number of Elements field,
click OK, and click Cancel (in Entity Selection).
The mesh size is set.
4. Select the Mesh → Geometry → Curve command.
5. In the Entity Selection – Select Curve(s) to Mesh dialog box, choose curve 1, and click OK.

6. In the Geometry Mesh Options dialog, select Standard Beam from the Property drop down, and click
OK.
7. In the Vector Locate – Define Element Orientation Vector dialog, enter these values for Base: X = 0, Y
= 0, and Z = 0, enter values for Tip: X = 0, Y = 0, and Z = 1, and click OK.
8. Select the Mesh → Geometry → Curve command.
9. In the Entity Selection – Select Curve(s) to Mesh dialog, choose curve 2, and click OK.
10. In the Geometry Mesh Options dialog, select NASTRAN Beam from the Property drop down, and
click OK.
11. In the Vector Locate – Define Element Orientation Vector dialog, enter these values for Base: X = 0, Y
= 0, and Z = 0, enter these values for Tip: X = 0, Y = 1, and Z = 0, and click OK.

Note
This is a different orientation vector than was used with the standard beam Property.

12. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View - Simple Toolbar or the View Toolbar) or press Crtl+Q.
13. In the Visibility dialog, select the Entity/Label tab.
14. Uncheck the Geometry header (unchecks all geometric entities), and click Done.

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Viewing the Beam Cross Sections

Note
You can use the Entity Display Toolbar to quickly toggle Geometry on and off. If the Entity Display
Toolbar is not visible, you can turn it on using the Tools → Toolbars → Entity Display command to
make visible (shown undocked).

You have the option to toggle ALL Geometry on and off using the second icon or you can turn
them on and off individually by clicking the icon for each geometric entity one at a time.

Viewing the Beam Cross Sections

View the Beam cross sections.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Options command.

2. In the View Options dialog Category section, turn on the Labels, Entities and Color radio button.
3. Highlight Element – Orientation/Shape from the selection list
This changes the right side of the View Options dialog to have specific options for the highlighted
option.
4. Then highlight 3..Show Cross Section from the Element Shape selection list, and click OK.

Tip
You can toggle the cross-sections of line elements on/off using the Thickness/Cross Section
command from the View Style menu located on the View Toolbar or View - Simple Toolbar.

The model should now look like this:

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 Creating the Loads and Constraints

Creating the Loads and Constraints

Apply fixed constraints to the fixed end of both beams, and apply a moment to the free end of each beam.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Constraint → Nodal command.

Because no Constraint Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Constraint Set dialog, enter the Title “Fixed”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select the node at the fixed end of each beam
(Nodes 1 and 17), and click OK.
4. In the Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog box, click the Fixed button, and click OK.
5. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, click Cancel.
6. Select the Model → Load → Nodal command.
Because no Load Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
7. In the New Load Set dialog, enter the Title “Moment”, and click OK.
8. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select the node at the free end of each beam
(Nodes 16 and 32), and click OK.
9. In the Create Loads on Nodes dialog, highlight Moment from the selection list.
10. In the Load section, enter 534000 in the MZ field (units: Nmm), click OK, and click Cancel (in Entity
Selection).

Results

THE MODEL IS NOW READY TO BE ANALYZED!

Running the Nonlinear Static Analysis

Certain settings need to be defined in order for a nonlinear analysis to run. First, the type of analysis must
be chosen as either Nonlinear Static or Nonlinear Transient Response. Also, the number of increments
must be entered, iterations allowed per increment, and if an output set is required for all the steps that
lead to the final result. Settings such as Solution Strategy Overrides, Stiffness Updates, Creep Criteria,
and other Nonlinear options are also available for Simcenter Nastran through Femap. You will now create
an analysis case for Nonlinear Static Analysis using the Femap Analysis Set Manager.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the New button.
3. In the Analysis Set dialog, enter the Title “Large Deformation”.

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Post-Processing the Large Deformation Results

4. Select 36..Simcenter Nastran from the Analysis Program drop down, and select 10..Nonlinear
Static from the Analysis Type drop down.
5. Click the Next button until reaching the NASTRAN Nonlinear Analysis dialog.
6. In the NASTRAN Nonlinear Analysis dialog Basic section, enter 10 in the Increments or Time Steps
field.
7. In the Output Control section, select 3..ALL from the Intermediate drop down, and click OK.
8. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click Analyze.

Post-Processing the Large Deformation Results

The Nonlinear Static Analysis has been completed. The best way to view the deformation results of the
beams is with a deformed plot.

View Deformation Results - Deformed Plot

The Nonlinear Static Analysis has completed. The best way to view the deformation results of the beams is
with a deformed plot. You will now view the deformation results in a Femap deformed plot.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Select command.

2. In the View Select dialog Deformed Style section, turn on the Deform radio button.
3. Click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
4. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog, select Last Analysis Step, Time 1 (differs based on machine
set-up) from the Output Sets drop down.
5. In the Output Vectors section, select 1..Total Translation from the Deform drop down, and click OK.
6. In the View Select dialog, click OK.
7. Select the Tools → Toolbars → Post command (if the Post Toolbar is already visible just click the
icons shown below).
This opens the Post Toolbar.

8. Click the Post Options icon from the Post Toolbar, and select Actual Deformation from the
drop down.

Note
This can also be accomplished using these steps:

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 View Deformation Results - Deformed Plot

a. Press the F6 key or use the View → Options menu.

b. Select PostProcessing as the Category.
c. Highlight Deformed Style in the Options list.
d. Uncheck the % of Model (Actual) box, and click OK.
It is much easier to use the Post Options menu on the Post Toolbar for this task.

Note

The Post Options icon also has these toggles and options
a. Undeformed: Turn the Undeformed Model On/Off.
b. Scale Deformation: Set a Deformation Scale for the Model.
c. Animation Frames: Set the number of frames used in Animation.
d. Animation – Positive Only: Animate only in the loaded direction.
e. Animation – Load and Unload: Animate loading only, then return.
f. Animate Contours: Animate the contours as the model deforms.
g. Filled Contours: Use outlines only for contours.
h. Contour Options…: Displays the Contour Options dialog box.
i. Laminate Options...: Displays the Laminate Options dialog box.
j. Contour Arrows...: Displays the Contour Arrow Options dialog box.
k. Advanced Contour Arrows...: Displays the Advanced Contour Arrow Options dialog box.
l. Freebody...: Displays the View Freebody Options dialog box.
m. More Options…: Displays the View Options dialog box set to the PostProcessing category.
Most of these options relate to Animation of one Output Set only.

9. Select the View → Autoscale → Visible command, or press Ctrl+A.

The deformed plot of the nodal displacements actual deformation should look like this:

If you would like to toggle the Undeformed model on and off to compare the deformed model to
the original model, click the Post Options icon on the Post Toolbar and select Undeformed from the
drop-down menu.

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Animating the Results Using Animate Multi-Set

Animating the Results Using Animate Multi-Set

View all the Output Sets in one sequential animation.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Select command.

2. In the View Select dialog Deformed Style section, turn on the Animate-MultiSet radio button.
3. Click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
4. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog Output Sets section, select 1..Case 1 Time 0.05 from the
Initial drop down, select Last Analysis Step, Time 1 from the Final drop down, and click OK.
5. In the View Select dialog, click OK.

Tip
You can use the Model Info tree to quickly create a multi-set animation. Simply expand the Results
branch, then the Analysis Study branch so the 1..Large Deformation study is visible in the list.
Highlight 1..Large Deformation, right click, and select Animate Study from the menu for Analysis
Study.
Another way to accomplish this is via the Model Info tree. Expand the Results branch, and expand
the All Results branch, so all the Output Sets in the model are visible in a list. Highlight the Output
Set you want to use as the first step in the multi-set animation in the list, then hold down the Shift
key and highlight the Output Set you want to use as the final step in the multi-step animation. Click
the right mouse button on one of the highlighted Output Sets and choose MultiSet Animate from
the right click menu for Results.

The model should now be animating the deformations one step at a time.
6. Select the View → Advanced Post → Animation command to speed up and slow down the
animation.

Return the Model to a Deformed Plot

You will now return the model to a Deformed Plot view.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Select command.

2. In the View Select dialog Deformed Style section, turn on the Deformed radio button, and click OK.

Results

This Concludes the Large Deformation example. It is recommended to save the model file.

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 Return the Model to a Deformed Plot

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Return the Model to a Deformed Plot

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 Importing the Neutral File

29. Slide Line Contact - Hyperelastic Seals

Two semicircular seals are being pressed together at a given enforced displacement. The seals are the
same size and shape and the rounded sides of the seals will come into contact with one another. The seals
are made of a hyperelastic material and the model allows the use of plane strain elements for analysis.
Contact between the rounded sides of each seal will be modeled using Slide Line Contact. Slide line
contact differs from Gap contact in that is not simply a point-to-point or node-to-node representation of
contact, but a 2-D relationship between a set of Target nodes and a set of Source Nodes. This example will
use the Nonlinear Static solving capability of Simcenter Nastran.

For this example a model of two seals has already been created. The analysis process includes:

• Modifying the hyperelastic material.

• Creating a Slide Line property and then selecting the Target and Source sets to create the slide line
element for contact.
• Creating an Enforced Displacement to bring the seals together into contact.
• Analyzing the model with Simcenter Nastran’s Nonlinear Static Solution Method.
• Viewing the multi-set animation of the analysis sets to understand how the contact between the seals
progresses.

Importing the Neutral File

Import a Femap neutral file containing the Nodes, Elements, Properties, and Materials.

Procedure

1. Select the File → New command.

2. Select the File → Import → Femap Neutral command.

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Modifying the Material

3. In the Read Model from Femap Neutral dialog, locate [Link] in the Femap_INSTALL_FOLDER/
Examples/Nonlinear directory, and click Open.
4. In the Neutral File Read Options dialog, click OK.

Modifying the Material

The seals need to be made of a hyperelastic material. The model currently has an isotropic material
defined. The type of material needs to be selected and the correct Directional and Volumetric Deformation
Constants entered for the analysis to run correctly. You will now modify the Material.

Procedure

1. Select the Modify → Edit → Material command.

2. In the Entity Selection – Select Material(s) to Edit dialog, click OK.
3. In the Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog, click the Material Type button.

Tip
You can also edit an existing Material using the Edit command on the right click menu of the
Materials branch in the Model Info tree (simply highlight any existing Material, and right click to
see the menu).

4. In the Material Type dialog, turn on the Hyperelastic radio button, and click OK.
5. In the Define Material - HYPERELASTIC dialog, enter the Title “Hyperelastic”.
6. In the Distortional Deformation Constants (Aij) section, enter 100 in the Table Column 0 - Row 1
field (A10), and enter 0.005 in the Table Column 1 - Row 0 field (A01).
7. In the Volumetric Deformation Constants (Di) section, uncheck the Default to 0.0 box, enter
10000 in the first Volumetric Deformation Constants (Di) field, and click OK.

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 Creating the Slide Line Property and Element

Creating the Slide Line Property and Element

The Slide Line Element requires a property be defined to include values for Target width, Source width,
Non-Sliding Frictional Stiffness, Static Friction Coefficient and Stiffness Scale Factor. Additionally, the Slide
Line Plane can be defined, as well as, a check to specify Unsymmetrical or Symmetrical Penetration.

Here are some additional considerations that should be taken into account when using Slide Line Contact:

• Slide Line Contact must always be used in conjunction with Static Nonlinear or Transient Nonlinear
Analysis.
• The XY Plane for Slide Line Contact is always defined by the global or local coordinate system that is
referenced in the Slide Line property.
• Target and Source designation is for naming purposes only in symmetric penetration. When
Unsymmetrical Penetration is used, only Source nodes are checked for penetration into the Target
segment.
• The Z-axis of the reference coordinate system in the Slide Line Property is used to align the slide line
elements. The right hand rule should be taken into account when selecting Target and Source nodes.
Source and Target segment Normals MUST face each other.
• When performing Static Nonlinear analysis, try to use an enforced displacement instead of applied
loads, if possible, due to better convergence of the model. (Enforced displacement can not be used in
Transient Nonlinear Analysis).

Create the Slide Line Property

Create the Slide Line Property.

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Create the Slide Line Property

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Property command.

2. In the Define Property – PLATE Element Type dialog, click the Elem/Property Type button.
3. In the Element / Property Type dialog Other Elements section, turn on the Slide Line radio button,
and click OK.
4. In the In Define Property – SLIDE LINE Element Type dialog, enter the Title “Slide Line”.
5. In the Property Values section, enter these values: 1.95 in the Target Width field, 1.95 in the Source
Width field, 0.5 in the Nonsliding Frictional Stiffness field, 0.4 in the Static Friction Coefficient
field.

Note
The slide line plane used in this analysis is in 0..Basic Rectangular, but a local coordinate system
could be generated and referenced for a slide line that does not lie in the Global XY Plane.

Note
Symmetrical Penetration is often more accurate when contact is occurring between two
bodies which allow the same level of penetration, but creates longer computation times than
Unsymmetrical Penetration (Source Only).

6. Click OK, and click Cancel.

The property is created.

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 Create the Slide Line Element

Create the Slide Line Element

Create the Slide Line Element.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Element command.

2. In the Define SLIDE LINE Element – Enter Nodes or Select with Cursor dialog, select 2..Slide Line from
the Property drop down.
3. Click the Target Nodes button.
4. In the Entity Selection – Select Target Nodes dialog, choose the nodes on the lower seal in the
following order: (Nodes 183 to 189 and Nodes 254 to 261), and click OK.

Note
It is critical to choose the nodes one at a time, in this order for the Slide Line Element to work
properly.

5. In the Define SLIDE LINE Element – Enter Nodes or Select with Cursor dialog, click the Source Nodes
button.
6. In the Entity Selection – Select Source Nodes dialog, choose the nodes on the Upper seal in the
following order: (Nodes 100 to 106 and Nodes 6 to 13), and click OK.

Note
It is recommended to choose the Source nodes one at a time, in the reverse order of the Target
nodes for the Slide Line Element to work more effectively.

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Creating the Loads and Constraints

7. In the Define SLIDE LINE Element – Enter Nodes or Select with Cursor dialog, click OK, and click
Cancel.

Creating the Loads and Constraints

In this portion of the example, you will create the Loads and Constraints.

Apply Constraints to the Bottom of the Lower Seal

Apply constraints to the bottom of the Lower Seal to not allow translation in the Y and Z directions, and fix
the center node in the X-direction as well..

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Constraint → Nodal command.

Because no Constraint Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Constraint Set dialog, enter Title “Constraints”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select the nodes at the bottom of the Lower
Seal using a box pick (Hold down Shift and click the left mouse button to start box, drag box around
nodes, let go to complete box), and click OK.

4. In the Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog, check the TY and TZ boxes, and click OK.

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 Apply Enforced Displacements to the Top of the Upper Seal

5. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog , select the Center node at the bottom of the
Lower Seal (Node 167), and click OK.
6. In the Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog, check the TX, TY, and TZ boxes, and click OK.
7. In the Simcenter Femap with Nastran dialog, answer “Selected Constraints Already Exist. OK to
Overwrite (No=Combine)?” by clicking Yes, and then click Cancel (in Entity Selection).

Apply Enforced Displacements to the Top of the Upper Seal

Apply Enforced Displacements to the top of the Upper Seal.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Nodal command.

Because no Load Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Load Set dialog, enter the Title “Displacements”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select the nodes at the top of the Upper
Seal using a box pick (Hold down Shift and click the left mouse button to start box, drag box around
nodes, let go to complete box), and click OK

4. In the Create Loads on Nodes dialog, highlight Displacement from the selection list.
5. In the Load section, enter -0.6 in the TY field (units: Inches), click OK, and click Cancel (in Entity
Selection).

Apply Constraints to the Top of the Upper Seal

Apply constraints to the top of the Upper Seal to not allow translation in the Z direction, and fix the center
node in the X-direction as well. Also, in Simcenter Nastran, the degree of freedom in the direction of an
Enforced Displacement must be constrained. Therefore, the Y-translation of all the nodes on the top of the
Upper seal must be constrained.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Constraint → Nodal command.

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Running the Nonlinear Static Analysis

2. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog. select the nodes at the top of the Upper Seal
using a box pick, and click OK.

3. In the Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog, check the TY and TZ boxes, and click OK.
4. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select the Center node at the top of the Upper
Seal (Node 1), and click OK.
5. In the Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog, check the TX, TY, and TZ boxes, and click OK.
6. In the Simcenter Femap with Nastran dialog, answer “Selected Constraints Already Exist. OK to
Overwrite (No=Combine)?” by clicking Yes, and click Cancel (in Entity Selection).
The Model should now look like this:

Results

THE MODEL IS NOW READY TO BE ANALYZED!

Running the Nonlinear Static Analysis

Certain settings need to be defined in order for a nonlinear analysis to run. First, the type of analysis must
be chosen as either Nonlinear Static or Nonlinear Transient Response. Also, the number of increments
must be entered, iterations allowed per increment, and if an output set is required for all the steps that
lead to the final result. Settings such as Solution Strategy Overrides, Stiffness Updates, Creep Criteria,

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 Post-Processing the Slide Line Contact Results

and other Nonlinear options are also available for Simcenter Nastran through Femap. You will now create
an analysis case for Nonlinear Static Analysis using the Femap Analysis Set Manager.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the New button.
3. In the Analysis Set dialog, enter the Title “Slide Line”.
4. Select 36..Simcenter Nastran from the Analysis Program drop down, and select 10..Nonlinear
Static from the Analysis Type drop down.
5. Click the Next button until reaching NASTRAN Nonlinear Analysis dialog.
6. In the NASTRAN Nonlinear Analysis dialog Basic section, enter 30 in the Increments or Time Steps
field.
7. In the Output Control section, select 3..ALL from the Intermediate drop down, and click OK.
8. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click Analyze.

Post-Processing the Slide Line Contact Results

The Nonlinear Static Analysis has been completed. The best way to view the deformation and stress results
of the seals is a contour plot. After the contour Plot of the final step is viewed, watch the contact progress
with a contoured Multi-set Animation.

View Results in a Contour Plot

View the results in a Femap contour plot of a deformed model.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Select command.

2. In the View Select dialog Deformed Style section, turn on the Deform radio button.
3. In the Contour Style section, turn on the Contour radio button.
4. Click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
5. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog, select Last Analysis Step, Time 1 (differs based on machine
set-up) from Output Sets drop down.
6. In the Output Vectors section, select 1..Total Translation from the Deform drop down. and select
8153..Nonlinear Plate Mid VonMises Stress from the Contour drop down.
7. Click the Contour Options button.

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View Results in a Contour Plot

8. In the Select Contour Options dialog Contour Fill section, turn on the Level Colors radio button, and
click OK (all dialogs).
9. Select the Tools → Toolbars → Post command (if the Post Toolbar is already visible just click the
icons shown below).
This opens the Post Toolbar.

10. Click the Post Options icon from the Post Toolbar, and select Actual Deformation from the
drop down.
The deformation and nonlinear stress results should look similar to this:

11. Zoom in on the Contact Region

The Nodes do no meet up exactly as in gap contact because they are allowed to slide along the Slide
Line as the model changes shape.

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 View Results in an Animation

View Results in an Animation

View the results as a Femap Animation of all the analysis sets to see contact between the seals as they are
pushed together.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Select command.

2. In the View Select dialog Deformed Style section, turn on the Animate – MultiSet radio button.
3. Click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
4. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog Output Sets section, select 1..Case 1 Time 0.0333333) from
the Initial drop down, select Last Analysis Step, Time 1. (differs based on machine set-up) from the
Final drop down (or leave it blank - Femap will use the Final Analysis Set in the model automatically),
and click OK.
5. In the View Select dialog box, click OK.
6. Press Ctrl+A to Autoscale the Model.

Tip
If using Analysis Studies, which is the default, right click on the Analysis Study (1..Slide Line) in the
Model Info tree and select Animate Study from the right click menu to Animate-MultiSet.

7. Select the View → Select command.

8. In the View Select dialog Deformed Style and Contour Style sections, turn on the None - Model
Only radio buttons to stop the animation and remove the contour of stress from the display, and click
OK.

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View Results in an Animation

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 Importing the Neutral File

30. 3D Contact - Plastic Clip and Base

A plastic clip made of solid elements will come into contact with a fixed base and move through a range of
motion based on enforced displacements using slide line contact.

For this example the clip and the base have already been created. The analysis process includes:

• Creating Slide Line elements by selecting the Target and Source node sets for contact.
• Creating an Enforced Displacement to bring the Clip into contact with the Base.
• Defining the analysis parameters to aid in convergence of the Nonlinear solution.
• Analyzing the model with Simcenter Nastran’s Nonlinear Static Solution Method.
• Viewing the multi-set animation of the analysis sets to understand the contact between the objects.

Importing the Neutral File

Import a Femap neutral file containing the Nodes, Elements, Properties, and Materials.

Procedure

1. Select the File → New command.

2. Select the File → Import → Femap Neutral command.
3. In the Read Model from Femap Neutral dialog, locate [Link] in the Femap_INSTALL_FOLDER/
Examples/Nonlinear directory, and click Open.
4. In the Neutra File Read Options dialog, click OK.

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Creating the Contact (Slide Line) Element

These Elements are solid 3-D elements.

Creating the Contact (Slide Line) Element

Create the Slide Line Element.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Element command.

2. In the Define PLATE Elements – Enter Nodes or Select with Cursor dialog, click the Type button.
3. In the Element / Property Type dialog Other Elements section, turn on the Slide Line radio button,
and click OK.
4. In the Define SLIDE LINE Element – Enter Nodes or Select with Cursor dialog, select 3..Slide Line from
the Property drop down.
5. Click the Target Nodes button.
6. In the Entity Selection – Select Target Node(s) dialog, click the Pick button, and select Front from the
menu.
Note
This will allow you to choose the entity that is in front of other entities. The screen is always the XY
plane in this command, so the entity that is in the front is the entity that has the highest value in
the Z-direction (perpendicular to the XY plane of the screen).

7. Choose the nodes on the fixed base in the following order: (Nodes 1145 to 1179), and click OK.

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 Creating the Permanent Constraints

Note
It is critical to choose the nodes one at a time, in this order for the Slide Line Element to work
properly. Also, be sure that only one node is chosen at each location, the slide line property
specifies the XY Plane used and any nodes chosen outside that plane will cause the analysis to end
without running.

8. In the Define SLIDE LINE Element – Enter Nodes or Select with Cursor dialog, click the Source Nodes
button.
9. In the Entity Selection – Select Source Node(s) dialog, choose nodes on the Plastic Clip in the
following order: (30, 31, 557-571, 422-435, and 53), and click OK.

10. In the Define SLIDE LINE Element – Enter Nodes or Select with Cursor dialog, click OK.
11. In the Simcenter Femap with Nastran dialog, click NO (The elements were selected in the correct
order, so the selection order does not need to be reversed), and click Cancel.
The Model should now look like this:

Creating the Permanent Constraints

For this example every node will have some degrees of freedom permanently constrained in order for the
analysis to run correctly and more efficiently. For example the base will be fixed for the duration of the
analysis and is assumed to be undeformable. Therefore, all the nodes of the base will be permanently
constrained. Because of this, stress values will only be calculated for the plastic clip. You will now create
Permanent Constraints on multiple nodes with one command.

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Creating the Loads and Constraints

Procedure

1. Select the Modify → Update Other → Perm Constraint command.

2. In the Entity Selection – Select Node(s) to Update Permanent Constraints dialog, click Select All, and
click OK.
3. In the Update Nodal Permanent Constraints dialog, check the TZ, RX, and RY boxes, and click OK.

4. Select the Modify → Update Other → Perm Constraint command.

5. In the Entity Selection – Select Node(s) to Update Permanent Constraints dialog, choose all the nodes
of the fixed base with a box pick (Hold down Shift and click the left mouse button to start box, drag a
box around the fixed base, let go to complete box), and click OK.

6. In the Update Nodal Permanent Constraints dialog, check the TX, TY, TZ, RX, RY and RZ boxes, and
click OK.

Creating the Loads and Constraints

In this portion of the example, you will create the Loads and Constraints.

Apply Constraints to the Bottom of the Clip

Apply constraints to the bottom of the Clip to not allow translation in the Y direction, and fix the loaded
nodes in the X Translation direction as well. In order for Simcenter Nastran to use enforced displacements,
the degree of freedom in the direction of the enforced displacement must be constrained.

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 Apply Enforced Displacements

Procedure

1. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar), or press
Crtl+Q.
2. In the Visibility dialog, select the Entity/Label tab.
3. Uncheck Node and Perm Constraint under the Mesh header, and click Done.
4. Select the Model → Constraint → Nodal command.
Because no Constraint Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
5. In the New Constraint Set dialog, enter the Title “Constraints”, and click OK.
6. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select the 6 nodes shown at the bottom of the
Clip using a box pick (Hold down Shift and click the left mouse button to start box, drag a box around
nodes, let go to complete box), which selects Nodes 74-76 and 730-732, and click OK.

7. In the Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog, check the TY box, and click OK.
8. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog box, select the 2 nodes on the right side of the
bottom of the Clip: (Nodes 73 and 729), and click OK.
9. In the Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog, check the TX and TY boxes, click OK, and click Cancel (in
Entity Selection).

Apply Enforced Displacements

Apply Enforced Displacements to the nodes constrained in both X and Y Translation in the step above
(nodes 73 and 729).

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Nodal command.

Because no Load Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Load Set dialog, enter the Title “Displacements”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select the 2 nodes on the right side of the
bottom of the Clip: (Nodes 73 and 729), and click OK.
4. In the Create Loads on Nodes dialog, highlight Displacement from the selection list.

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Running the Nonlinear Static Analysis

5. In the Load section, turn on the TX radio button, enter 2.25 in the TX field (units: Inches), click OK,
and click Cancel (in Entity Selection).

Results

THE MODEL IS NOW READY TO BE ANALYZED!

Running the Nonlinear Static Analysis

Certain settings need to be defined in order for a nonlinear analysis to run. First, the type of analysis must
be chosen as either Nonlinear Static or Nonlinear Transient Response. Also, the number of increments
must be entered, iterations allowed per increment, and if an output set is required for all the steps that
lead to the final result. Settings such as Solution Strategy Overrides, Stiffness Updates, Creep Criteria,
and other Nonlinear options are also available for Simcenter Nastran through Femap. You will now create
an analysis case for Nonlinear Static Analysis using the Femap Analysis Set Manager.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the New button.
3. In the Analysis Set dialog, enter the Title “Snapfit”.
4. Select 36..Simcenter Nastran from the Analysis Program drop down, and select 10..Nonlinear
Static from the Analysis Type drop down.
5. Click the Next button until reaching the NASTRAN Nonlinear Analysis dialog.
6. In the NASTRAN Nonlinear Analysis dialog Basic section, enter 75 in the Increments or Time Steps
field.
7. In the Output Control section, select 3..ALL from the Intermediate drop down, and click OK.
8. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click Analyze.

Post-Processing the Slide Line Contact Results

The Nonlinear Static Analysis has been completed. The best way to view the deformation and stress results
of the plastic part is a contour plot. After the contour Plot of the final step is viewed, watch the contact
progress with a contoured Multi-set Animation.

View Results in a Contour Plot

View the results in a Femap contour plot of a deformed model.

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 View Results in an Animation

Procedure

1. Select the View → Select command.

2. In the View Select dialog Deformed Style section, turn on the Deform radio button.
3. In the Contour Style section, turn on the Contour radio button.
4. Click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
5. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog, select Last Analysis Step, Time 1 (differs based on machine
set-up) from the Output Sets drop down.
6. In the Output Vectors section, select 1..Total Translation from the Deform drop down, select
60171..Nonlinear Solid Von Mises Stress from the Contour drop down, and click OK.
7. In the View Select dialog, click OK.
8. Select the Tools → Toolbars → Post command (if the Post Toolbar is already visible just click the
icons shown below).
This opens the Post Toolbar.

9. Click the Post Options icon from the Post Toolbar, and select Actual Deformation from the
drop down.
The deformation and nonlinear stress results should look like this:

View Results in an Animation

View the results in a Femap Animation of all the analysis sets.

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View Results in an Animation

Procedure

1. Select the View → Select command, or press the F5 Key. Or choose the View Select icon from
the View Toolbar and View - Simple Toolbar.
2. In the View Select dialog Deformed Style section, turn on the Animate – Multi-Set radio button.
3. Click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
4. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog Output Sets section, select 1..Case 1 Time 0.0333333
from the Initial drop down, select Last Analysis Step, Time 1. (differs based on machine set-up)
from the Final drop down (or leave it Blank and Femap will use the Final Analysis Set in the model
automatically), and click OK.
5. In the View Select dialog box, click OK.
6. Finally, press Ctrl+A to Autoscale the Model.

Tip
You can use the Model Info tree to quickly create a multi-set animation. Simply expand the Results
branch, then the Analysis Study branch so the 1..Snapfit study is visible in the list. Highlight
1..Snapfit, right click, and select Animate Study from the menu for Analysis Study.
Another way to accomplish this is via the Model Info tree. Expand the Results branch, and expand
the All Results branch, so all the Output Sets in the model are visible in a list. Highlight the Output
Set you want to use as the first step in the multi-set animation in the list, hold down the Shift
key, and highlight the Output Set you want to use as the final step in the multi-step animation.
Right click on one of the highlighted Output Sets, and choose MultiSet Animate from the menu for
Results.

The Contact between the Clip and the Base can be viewed in this mode as the objects come into
contact.
7. Select the View → Select command.
8. In the View Select dialog Deformed Style and Contour Style sections, turn on the None-Model Only
radio buttons, and click OK
This stops the animation and no longer displays the stress contour.

Results

This concludes the 3-D Contact example. It is recommended you save the model file.

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 Importing the Neutral File

31. Large Deformation - Multi-Step Structural

(SOL 401)
A small part made of plate elements will be subjected to a functionally-dependent load and experience
large deformation.

For this example the part already been created. The analysis process includes:

• Creating a functionally-dependent Load to create large deformation.

• Defining the analysis parameters for the Nonlinear solution (Analysis Set Manager).
• Analyzing the model with Simcenter Nastran’s Multi-Step Structural Solution (SOL 401).
• Viewing the deformed plot and multi-set animation of the analysis sets to see the large deformation.

Importing the Neutral File

Import a Femap neutral file containing the Nodes, Elements, Properties, Materials, and Constraints.

Procedure

1. Select the File → New command.

2. Select the File → Import → Femap Neutral command.
3. In the Read Model from Femap Neutral dialog, locate [Link] in the Femap_INSTALL_FOLDER/
Examples/Multi_Step_Nonlinear directory, and click Open.
4. In the Neutral File Read Options dialog, click OK.

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Creating the Functionally Dependent Loads

These Elements are Plate Elements. The nodes at the bottom edge of the part are fixed in all degrees
of freedom.

Creating the Functionally Dependent Loads

Apply functionally dependent Forces to nodes opposite the constrained edge in the positive Z direction.
The function will be used to step the load up as the analysis progresses.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Function command.

2. In the Function Definition dialog, enter the Title “Loading Function”.
3. Select 1..vs. Time from the Type drop down.
4. In the Data Entry section, turn on the Linear Ramp radio button.
5. In the Data Entry section, enter the following values in the corresponding fields: X = 0.0, To X = 1,
Delta X = 0.05, Y = 0.0, To Y = 1, and click the Add button .
X and Y Values will be created for the function.

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 Running the Nonlinear Static Analysis

6. Click OK, and click Cancel.

7. Select the Model → Load → Nodal command.
Because no Load Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
8. In the New Load Set dialog, enter the Title “Forces”, and click OK.
9. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select the 3 nodes on the edge opposite the
constrained edge (Nodes 55, 56, and 57), and click OK.

10. In the Create Loads on Nodes dialog, highlight Force from the selection list.
11. In the Load section, turn on the FZ radio button, and enter 1333.3 in the FZ field.
12. In the Load section, select 1..Loading Function from the Time/Freq Dependence drop down, click
OK, and click Cancel (in Entity Selection).
The Model should now look like this:

THE MODEL IS NOW READY TO BE ANALYZED!

Running the Nonlinear Static Analysis

Create an analysis case for Advanced Nonlinear Static Analysis using the Femap Analysis Set Manager.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

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Running the Nonlinear Static Analysis

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the New button.

3. In the Analysis Set dialog, enter the Title “Large 401”.
4. Select 36..Simcenter Nastran from the Analysis Program drop down, and select 27..Multi-Step
Structural from the Analysis Type drop down.
5. Click the Next button until reaching Subcase 0 Time Steps dialog.
6. In the Subcase 0 Time Steps dialog, enter 20 in row 0 of the Number of Increments column, and
select All Times from the drop down located in the Output Frequency column.

Note
To access the Subcase # Time Steps dialog (above) from the tree structure in the Analysis Set
Manger, highlight the Time Steps item located in Global Requests and Conditions or any
subcase.

7. Click the Next button until reaching the Boundary Conditions dialog.
8. In the Boundary Conditions dialog Primary Sets section, select 1..Forces from the Loads drop down,
(optionally) select 0..None from the Loads (Time) field, and click OK.

9. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click Analyze.

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 Post-Processing the Large Deformation Results

Post-Processing the Large Deformation Results

The Advanced Nonlinear Static Analysis has been completed. The best way to view the deformation and
stress results of the plastic part is a contour plot. After the contour Plot of the final step is viewed, watch
the contact progress with a contoured Multi-set Animation.

View Results in a Contour Plot

View the results in a Contour Plot.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Select command, or press the F5 Key. Or choose the View Select icon from
the View Toolbar and View - Simple Toolbar.
2. In the View Select dialog Deformed Style section, turn on the Deform radio button.
3. In the Contour Style section, turn on the Contour radio button.
4. Click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
5. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog, select Last Analysis Step, Time 1. (differs based on machine
set-up) from the Output Sets drop down.
6. In the Output Vectors section, select 1..Total Translation from the Deform drop down, select
7033..Plate Top Von Mises Stress from the Contour drop down, and click OK.
7. In the View Select dialog, click OK.
8. Select the Tools → Toolbars → Post command (if the Post Toolbar is already visible just click the
icons shown below).
This will open the Post Toolbar.

9. Click the Post Options icon from the Post Toolbar, and select Actual Deformation from the
drop down (must have a check mark next to it in the menu).
10. Press Ctrl+A to select the View → Autoscale → Visible command, and spin the wheel of the mouse
or hold down the Shift key and click the left mouse button and move the mouse until the entire
deformed image can be seen..
The deformation and nonlinear stress results should look like this:

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View Results in an Animation

View Results in an Animation

View the results in a Femap Animation of all the analysis sets.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Select command.

2. In the View Select dialog Deformed Style section, turn on the Animate – MultiSet radio button.
3. Click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
4. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog Output Sets section, select 1..Case 1 Time 0.00625 from
the Initial drop down, select Last Analysis Step, Time 1. (differs based on machine set-up) from
the Final drop down (or leave it Blank and Femap will use the Final Analysis Set in the model
automatically), and click OK.
5. In the View Select dialog box, click OK.
6. Finally, press Ctrl+A to Autoscale the Model.

Tip
You can use the Model Info tree to quickly create a multi-set animation. Simply expand the Results
branch, then the Analysis Study branch so the 1..Large 401 study is visible in the list. Highlight
1..Large 401, right click, and select Animate Study from the menu for Analysis Study.
Another way to accomplish this is via the Model Info tree. Expand the Results branch, and expand
the All Results branch, so all the Output Sets in the model are visible in a list. Highlight the Output
Set you want to use as the first step in the multi-set animation in the list, hold down the Shift
key, and highlight the Output Set you want to use as the final step in the multi-step animation.
Right click on one of the highlighted Output Sets, and select MultiSet Animate from the menu for
Results.

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 View Results in an Animation

The part can now be viewed as it experiences large deformation.

7. Select the View → Select command.
8. In the View Select dialog Deformed Style and Contour Style sections, turn on the None-Model Only
radio buttons, and click OK.

Results

This concludes the Large Deformation - Multi-Step Structural (SOL 401) example. It is recommended to
save the model file.

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View Results in an Animation

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 Importing the Neutral File

32. Surface to Surface Contact - Multi-Step

Nonlinear Kinematic (SOL 402)
A clip made of solid elements will come into contact with a fixed base and move through a range of
motion based on enforced displacements using surface to surface contact.

For this example the clip and the base have already been created. Also, permanent constraints and the
contact segments have also been created to focus the example on performing the analysis. The analysis
process includes:

• Creating the Connection Property and defining the Connector for surface to surface contact in Simcenter
Nastran.
• Creating a functionally-dependent Enforced Displacement to bring the Clip into contact with the Base.
• Defining the analysis parameters to aid in convergence of the Nonlinear solution (Analysis Set
Manager).
• Analyzing the model with Simcenter Nastran’s Multi-Step Nonlinear Kinematic Solution (SOL 402).
• Viewing the multi-set animation of the analysis sets to understand the contact between the objects.

Importing the Neutral File

Import a Femap neutral file containing the Nodes, Elements, Properties, Materials, Permanent Constraints,
and Connection Regions.

Procedure

1. Select the File → New command.

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Creating the Contact Conditions

2. Select the File → Import → Femap Neutral command.

3. In the Read Model from Femap Neutral dialog, locate [Link] in the Femap_INSTALL_FOLDER/
Examples/Multi_Step_Nonlinear directory, and click Open.
4. In the Neutral Dile Read Options dialog, click OK.

These Elements are solid 3-D elements.

Creating the Contact Conditions

In order for surface-to-surface contact to occur during analysis with Simcenter Nastran Multi-Step
Nonlinear Kinematic Method (SOL 402), several parameters must be defined. In general, Connection
Regions are created, a Connection Property is defined, then a Connector (contact pair) is created to define
the contact relationship between the two Connection Regions.

First, Connection Regions must be created using the Connect → Connection Region command. While this
dialog box is open, elements and element faces can be chosen to represent the areas on different parts
in the model that will come into contact with one another. The process consists of choosing all elements
around the outside edge of a part that may possibly come into contact with another part. Once these
elements are chosen, an element face must be chosen to allow Simcenter Nastran to know what face of
the element will be part of a contact surface. When all the elements have be chosen and faces selected,
the Connection Region will, by default, be shown as orange colored plate elements with thick orange
edges on the screen.

For this model, the Connection Regions have been created to save modeling time and focus on the
use of the Simcenter Nastran Multi-Step Nonlinear Kinematic solution sequence (SOL 402). Viewing the
Connection Regions will show how these regions should be created. The regions in this model were
created by choosing the Elements radio button, then clicking the Add Multiple button in the Define
Connection Region dialog box. Add Multiple allows a number of elements around the edge of the part to
be chosen at the same time, then element faces are selected using the Adjacent Faces option located in
the Method section of the Face Selection dialog box.

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 Viewing the Connection Regions

Viewing the Connection Regions

View the Connection Regions.

Procedure

1. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View Toolbar ot the View - Simple Toolbar), or press
Crtl+Q.
2. In the Visibility dialog, select the Entity/Label tab.
3. Click the All Off button.
4. Check the Region box located in the Connections section, and click Done.
This makes only the Connection Regions visible on the screen. These regions will be used along with
a connection property to create a connector, used for the surface-to-surface contact.
5. Rotate the View to see the element faces which make up the connection regions.

Creating a Connector

After the Connection Regions have been created and visually confirmed, the next step in creating a
Connector (contact pair) is creating the Connection Property. Because this type of property is only used to
specify contact conditions, it is a command on the Connect menu.

SOL 402 supports two different types of contact, both surface-to-surface contact and edge to edge
contact. The algorithm supports large deformations and finite sliding between contact pairs. For large
deformation problems, the contact stiffness and contact forces are rotated with the geometry consistent
with other element formulation in SOL 402. In addition, the SOL 402 contact algorithm updates the
geometry and pairing when there is finite sliding between the contacting surfaces. For more information
on the options see Section [Link], "Simcenter Nastran Multistep Nonlinear Kinematic Contact Properties
(Multistep Kinematic (402) tab)" of the Femap Commands manual or Chapter 9: “Contact conditions (SOL
402)” of the “Multi-Step Nonlinear User’s Guide (SOL 401 and SOL 402)”.

Create the Connection Property

Create the Connection Property.

Procedure

1. Select the Connect → Connection Property command.

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Create the Connector (Contact Pair)

Tip
You can also create a new Connection Property using the New command on the right click menu
of the Connection Property branch in the Model Info tree (simply click to highlight the top level
of the Connection Properties branch or any existing Connection Property, tand right click to see
menu).

2. In the Define Connection Property dialog, enter the Title “Contact”.

3. Select the Multistep Kinematic (402) tab.
4. Click the Defaults button located in the lower left of the dialog.
5. Ensure 0..Contact is selected from the Type drop down (top of dialog), click OK, and click Cancel.

Create the Connector (Contact Pair)

Once the Connection Property is defined, the Connector (contact pair) can be created. To create a
Connector, a Target Connection Region and a Source Connection Region must be chosen from available
Connection Regions. In this model, the Connector will be created in a certain manner to minimize
convergence time during the solution. You will now create the Connector (contact pair).

Procedure

1. Select the Connect → Connector command.

2. In the Define Contact Connector - Select Connection Regions dialog, select 1..Contact from the
Property drop down, select 1..Deformable from the Target drop down, and select 2..Rigid from the
Source drop down. Click OK, and click Cancel.

3. Click the View Visibility icon (on the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar), or press
Crtl+Q.
4. In the Visibility dialog box, select the Entity/Label tab.
5. Check the Element box located in the Mesh section, check the Connector box located in the
Connections section, check the Constraints header box (checks all constraint types), check the
Loads header box (checks all load types), and click Done.
This shows the elements and contact segments only. A line with a symbol is shown from contact
segment to contact segment to represent a contact pair exists between the segments.
6. Press Crtl+R or the F8 key.
7. In the View Rotate dialog, click XY Top, and click OK.

Tip
You can also use the View Orient Toolbar to have one click access to several frequently used views.
Turn on this toolbar by selecting the Tools → Toolbars → View Orient command.

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 Creating the Loads and Constraints

The Model should now look like this:

Creating the Loads and Constraints

In this portion of the example, you will create the Loads and Constraints.

Apply Constraints to the Bottom of the Clip

Apply constraints to the bottom of the Clip to not allow translation in the Y direction and apply an Enforced
Displacement load in the X-direction as well.

Note
The nodes of the Base do not need additional constraints, as they have permanent constraints defined
for all three translational degrees of freedom. In addition, the Clip is permanently constrained in Z.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Constraint → Create/Manage Set command.

2. In the Constraint Set Manager dialog, click New Constraint Set.
3. In the New Constraint Set dialog, enter the Title “Constraints”, and click OK.
4. In the Constraint Set Manager dialog, click Done.

Note
You can also create a new Constraint Set using the New command on the right click menu of
the Constraints branch in the Model Info tree (simply click to highlight the top level of the
Constraints branch or any existing Constraint Set, and right click to see the menu).

5. Select the Model → Constraint → Nodal command.

6. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select the 8 nodes shown at the bottom of the
Clip using a box pick (hold down Shift and click the left mouse button to start box, drag a box around
nodes, let go to complete box), which selects Nodes 73-76 and 729-732, and click OK.

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Apply Enforced Displacements

7. In the Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog, check the TY box, click OK, and click Cancel (in Entity
Selection).

Apply Enforced Displacements

Apply functionally-dependent Enforced Displacements to the nodes constrained in both the X and Y
Translation directions in the last step. The function will be used to step the displacement load up as the
analysis progresses.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Load → Nodal command.

Because no Load Sets exist in the model, Femap will prompt you to create one.
2. In the New Load Set dialog, enter the Title “Displacements”, and click OK.
3. In the Entity Selection – Enter Node(s) to Select dialog, select the 2 nodes on the right side of the
bottom of the Clip: (Nodes 73 and 729), and click OK.

4. In the Create Loads on Nodes dialog, highlight Displacement from the selection list.
5. In the Load section, enter 2.25 in the TX field (units: Inches), click OK, and click Cancel (in Entity
Selection).

Results

THE MODEL IS NOW READY TO BE ANALYZED!

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 Running the Nonlinear Static Analysis

Running the Nonlinear Static Analysis

Create an analysis case for Advanced Nonlinear Static Analysis using the Femap Analysis Set Manager.

Procedure

1. Select the Model → Analysis command.

2. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click the New button.
3. In the Analysis Set dialog, enter the Title “Snapfit 402”.
4. Select 36..Simcenter Nastran from the Analysis Program drop down, and select 28..Multi-Step
Nonlinear Kinematic from the Analysis Type drop down.
5. Click the Next button until reaching Subcase 0 Time Steps dialog.
6. In the Subcase 0 Time Steps dialog, enter 20 in Row 0 of the Number of Increments column.
7. Select All Times from the drop down located in the Output Frequency column, and click OK.

8. In the Analysis Set Manager dialog, click Analyze.

Post-Processing the Surface to Surface Contact Results

The Advanced Nonlinear Static Analysis has been completed. The best way to view the deformation and
stress results of the plastic part is a contour plot. After the contour Plot of the final step is viewed, watch
the contact progress with a contoured Multi-set Animation.

View Results in a Contour Plot

The Advanced Nonlinear Static Analysis has been completed. The best way to view the deformation and
stress results of the plastic part is a contour plot. After the contour Plot of the final step is viewed, watch
the contact progress with a contoured Multi-set Animation. You will now view the results in a Femap
contour plot of a deformed model.

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View Results in a Contour Plot

Procedure

1. Select the View → Select command or press the F5 Key. Or choose the View Select icon from
the View Toolbar or the View - Simple Toolbar.
2. In the View Select dialog Deformed Style section, turn on the Deform radio button.
3. In the Contour Style section, turn on the Contour radio button.
4. Click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
5. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog, select Last Analysis Step, Time 1 (may differ based on
machine set-up) from the Output Sets drop down.
6. In the Output Vectors section, select 1..Total Translation from the Deform drop down, select
60031..Solid Von Mises Stress from the Contour drop down, and click OK.
7. In the View Select dialog, click OK.
8. Select the Tools → Toolbars → Post command (if the Post Toolbar is already visible just click the
icons shown below).
This opens the Post Toolbar.

9. Click the Post Options icon from the Post Toolbar, and select Actual Deformation from the
drop down list. (Must have a check mark next to it in the menu).
If the Undeformed model is currently NOT visible, skip this step:
The deformation and nonlinear stress results should look like this:

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 View Results in an Animation

View Results in an Animation

View the results in a Femap Animation of all the analysis sets.

Procedure

1. Select the View → Select command or press the F5 Key. Or choose the View Select icon from
the View Toolbar and View - Simple Toolbar.
2. In the View Select dialog Deformed Style section, turn on the Animate – Multi-Set radio button.
3. Click the Deformed and Contour Data button.
4. In the Select PostProcessing Data dialog Output Sets section, select 1..Case 1 Time 0.01 from the
Initial drop down, select Last Analysis Step (may differ based on machine set-up) from the Final
drop down (or leave it Blank and Femap will use the Final Analysis Set in the model automatically),
and click OK.
5. In the View Select dialog, click OK,
6. Press Ctrl+A to Autoscale the Model.

Tip
You can use the Model Info tree to quickly create a multi-set animation. Simply expand the Results
branch, then the Analysis Study branch so the 1..Snapfit 402 study is visible in the list. Highlight

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View Results in an Animation

1..Snapfit 402, then right mouse click and select Animate Study from the right click menu for
Analysis Study.
Another way to accomplish this via the Model Info tree. Expand the Results branch, and expand
the All Results branch, so all the Output Sets in the model are visible in a list. Highlight the Output
Set you want to use as the first step in the multi-set animation in the list, hold down the Shift
key, and highlight the Output Set you want to use as the final step in the multi-step animation.
Right click on one of the highlighted Output Sets, and choose MultiSet Animate from the menu for
Results.

The Contact between the Clip and the Base can be viewed in this mode as the objects come into
contact.
7. Select the View → Select command.
8. In the View Select dialog Deformed Style and Contour Style sections, turn on the None-Model Only
radio buttons, and click OK.
This stops the animation.

Results

This concludes the Surface to Surface Contact - Multi-Step Nonlinear Kinematic (SOL 402) example. It is
recommended to save the model file.

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