femap basic - day 2
TRANSCRIPT
Femap Training
Basic Course
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 1-2
Femap with Nastran - Basic
Day 2 Agenda
Building Geometry in Femap, Import and Modifications
• Exercise 6 - Creating Solid Meshing
• Exercise 7 - Tetrahedral vs. Hexahedral Meshing
Midsurfacing of Geometry
• Exercise 8 - Midsurface Modeling
• Exercise 9 - Interactive Midsurface Meshing
Definitions of Loads and Constraints
• Exercise 10 - Bearing Load
FE Assembly Connections
• Exercise 11 - Solid Assembly with Linear Contact
Analysis Set Manager and Nastran Solution Sequences
Visualizing and Documenting Results
• Exercise 12a,b - PostProcessing with Deformed Contour and XY Plots
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-3
Femap Basic Importing and Meshing Geometry
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-4
Direct CAD Interfaces
Solid Edge (.par, .psm, .pwd, .asm)
NX Unigraphics (.prt)
NX I-deas (.idi)
Pro/Engineer (.prt, .asm)
Catia v4 (.mdl, .exp, .dlv)
Catia v5 (.catP*) – optional
SolidWorks (.sldprt, .sldasm)
Standard CAD Interfaces
Parasolid
ACIS
STEP (AP 203 Solid Entities, AP 214 Surfaces)
IGES
DXF
STL – reads .stl files as triangular surface mesh
Geometry Import Formats
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-5
Sheet Solids vs. Solids
General considerations
Any parasolid entity that has area and no volume (i.e. a surface,
or stitched body of surfaces) is called Sheet Solid.
Any parasolid entity that has area AND volume is Solid
Verify volume with the Tools, Mass Properties, Solid Properties
command.
Sometimes this can cause confusion when stitching, and there is
an unknown sliver. The part looks like a solid and lists out as a
solid, but when you look at the messages window it will say
"Sheet Solid 1 Created, Solid 1 Passes Body Checking"
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-6
Troublesome Geometry
The challenge of meshing a part will usually arise from a
combination of two factors
The modeling approach of the part
The geometry translation interface that was used to bring the
geometry into Femap
You usually don't know if you have a problem with your
geometry until you try to mesh it
The Messages window is valuable for troubleshooting the
areas of your geometry the mesher is having trouble with
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-7
Troublesome Geometry
Geometry, Solid, Cleanup command
Is used to "cleanup” a solid
This command will check the solid
and remove any extraneous features
which are not part of the actual solid
Geometry, Solid, Explode/Stitch
commands
Sometimes, problems with small
slivers, or edges that don't quite meet
each other can be solved by
exploding the solid, and re-stitching it
with a tolerance wider than the
slivers.
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-8
The solid meshing process of
Femap is done internally
First involves meshing of
surfaces of the solid with plot-
only plate elements
The plate mesh is evaluated,
and if it is a valid surface mesh,
Femap then creates tetrahedral
elements moving from the
outside mesh inward.
The Messages window
documents each step of the
meshing process.
The Process of Solid Meshing
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-9
Feedback from Messages Window
The error message:
“Boundary Intersection. No edges of the boundary to be
meshed may intersect any other boundary edge” - usually
means that elements are being created on top of each other,
or are protruding into each other
This is usually due to a discontinuity or other error in the
geometry that is being meshed
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-10
Boundary Surface from Surfaces
on Solid
Geometry Boundary Surface From Surfaces on Solid
Takes the surfaces you select and uses the enclosing outer curves to
form a regular boundary surface
The surfaces must be stitched into a solid.
This feature works best with surfaces that have small to moderate
curvature.
Can be used to remove sliver surfaces by selecting surfaces that
surround the sliver.
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-11
Edge and Feature Supression
Mesh, Mesh, Control Feature Suppression
Example – suppress the hole
in the block when meshed.
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran
Exercise 6
Creating Solid Meshing
1-12
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran
Exercise 7
Tetrahedral vs. Hexahedral Meshing
1-13
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-14
Femap BasicMidsurfacing of Geometry
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-15
Mid-surfacing commands allows users
to extract midsurfaces in order to
reduce the complexity and increase
accuracy of the FE Model
For the part shown:
Solids: 113,512 nodes and 63,875
elements ( > 3 minutes solve time)
Shells: 1725 nodes and 1576 elements
(< 10 seconds solve time)
Mid-surfacing of Geometry
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-16
Geometry, Midsurface Commands
Geometry, Midsurface, Single in Solid
Creates a single trimmed mid-surface between
two surfaces of a solid.
Geometry, Midsurface, Single
Creates a single sheet surface between two
surfaces that extends beyond extent of both
surfaces.
Geometry, Midsurface, Trim to Solid
Trims a surface with a solid and deletes any
part(s) of the surface which lie outside the
volume of the solid.
Geometry, Midsurface, Trim with Curve
Trims or breaks a surface with a curve
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-17
Geometry, Midsurface, Extend
Extends a surface by using one of a surface's edge curves using Extend
Shape method
Geometry, Midsurface Commands
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-18
Geometry, Midsurface, Automatic
Automatically generates midplanes, trims them
to solid and cleans up any surfaces that are
determined not to be part of the model
Mid-surfaces are extracted from parallel faces
Automatically creates a group called “Midsurface”
Geometry, Midsurface Commands
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-19
Geometry, Midsurface, Offset Tangent Surfaces
Offset Tangent… for use on solids of constant
thickness only
The offset surfaces will be automatically stitched
together and finally you will be asked if you want to
delete the original solid.
Geometry, Midsurface, Generate, Intersect and
Cleanup
These are the steps in order that the automatic
command follows.
Geometry, Midsurface, Assign Meshing Attributes
Prompt’s you for the material for the selected
surface(s) and then automatically create the
properties referencing the original thickness(es) of
the solid.
Geometry, Midsurface Commands
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran
New Mid-surfacing approach
Start with the command Geometry – Midsurface, Offset
Tangent Surfaces…
Pick one face on inside or
outside of the sheet metal solid
Femap finds the rest
V10 New Mid-Surfacing Method
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran
New Mid-surfacing approach Enter Offset Distance or
Measure Offset Distance
V10 New Mid-Surfacing Method
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran
New Mid-surfacing approach Delete orginal solid and
automesh using Property
Attributes Only
V10 New Mid-Surfacing Method
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran
New Mid-surfacing approach Automesh using Meshing
Attributes (Triangles)
V10 New Mid-Surfacing Method
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran
New Mid-surfacing approach Automesh using Meshing
Attributes, More Options
V10 New Mid-Surfacing Method
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran
New Mid-surfacing approach Automesh using Meshing Attributes and Interactive Meshing
V10 New Mid-Surfacing Method
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-26
Exercise 8
Midsurface Modeling
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-27
Exercise 9
Interactive Midsurface Meshing
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-28
Femap BasicLoads and Constraints
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-29
Body or Global Loads – applied to the entire model.
Acceleration Translational (gravity) and Rotational
Rotational Velocity and Center of Rotations
Thermal – Default Temperature
Body Loads
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-30
Structural Loads
Load Type Points Curves Surfaces Nodes Elements
Force
Force Per Length
Force Per Area
Force Per Node
Moment
Moment Per Length
Moment Per Area
Moment Per Node
Displacement
Enforced Rotation
Velocity
Rotational Velocity
Acceleration
Rotational Acceleration
Distributed Load
Pressure
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-31
Thermal Loads
Load Type Points Curves Surfaces Nodes Elements
Temperature
Element Temperature
Heat Flux (Heat Energy /Unit Area)
Heat Flux per Length
Heat Flux per Node
Heat Generation (Heat Energy /
Unit Volume)
Element Heat Flux
Convection
Radiation
Element Heat Generation
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-32
Fluid Loads
Load Type Points Curves Surfaces Nodes Elements
Static Fluid Pressure
Total Fluid Pressure
General Scalar
Steam Quality
Relative Humidity
Fluid Height Condition
Unknown Condition
Slip Wall Condition
Fan Curve
Periodic Condition
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-33
Notes on Loads
Nastran Displacement and Enforced Rotation loads require
constraining the loaded object in the direction of the applied load
(NX, MSC.Nastran)
e.g. A Displacement Load of x=.10, and y=.10 applied to a point
requires that the corner be constrained in X and Y
For NX Nastran Advanced Nonlinear (SOL601), loads should be
applied with a time-based function.
For solvers other than NX Nastran, refer to the Femap Users Guide
for details on the loads supported by Femap for the solver used
Also refer to that solver’s documentation on how to apply loads.
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-34
Creating Load Sets
Model, Load , Create/Manage Set command creates a new or
activates an existing load set
You may create as many different load cases as necessary
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-35
Creating Load
Model, Load command creates a new load
referring to defined Load Set
To apply any loads the selection of model
entity must be done first
Load can be applied on mesh and/or
geometry
Load type depends on analysis type and
application entity
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-36
Advanced Loading with Functions
Model, Functions uses to create general X vs. Y tables
Data Entry can be created
By choosing a single value, using a linear ramp or equation
By using Get XY Plot Data function from two column text file
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran
Model, Load on Surface,
Bearing Force with Normal To
Surface option checked
Bearing Loads
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran
Bearing Loads definitions can
have an included angle – here
bearing load is defined with 120
degree Load Angle
Femap Version 10.1.1Bearing Loads
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-39
Advanced Loading, Distributed Loads
You can make load equations as a function of nodal or element
centroidal location without having previously created a function
XEL and XND will give the x coordinate of the element's centroid, or
node's location, respectively.
The input, !i will cycle through all of the entities you selected in the
entity selection box to apply the load on.
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-40
Dynamics Analysis Load Set Options
Provides the solution type and control information for dynamics
The Model, Load, Dynamic Analysis command
Direct Transient
Modal Transient
Direct Frequency
Modal Frequency
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-41
Nonlinear Analysis Load Set Options
Model, Load, Nonlinear Analysis
Static
Creep
Transient
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-42
Heat Transfer Analysis Load Set
Options
Model, Load, Heat Transfer
command is used for:
Radiation
Free Convection
Forced Convection
Not required for conduction-
only models.
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-43
Creating Constraint Sets
Model, Constraint, Create/Manage Set command creates a new
or activates an existing constraint set
You may create as many different constraint sets
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-44
Constraints Definition
Constraints specified on model mesh
For example Model, Constraint, Nodal specifies six (6) nodal
degrees of freedom
X translation = 1, X rotation = 4
Y translation = 2, Y rotation = 5
X translation = 3, Z rotation = 6
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-45
Constraints Definition
Geometric Constraints - applied
to Geometry and Expanded to
model mesh during export into
solution
Model, Constraint, On Point
Model, Constraint, On Curve
Model, Constraint, On
Surface
Standard Types, Advanced
Types, Surface and
Cylinder/Hole predefinitions
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-46
Exercise 10 - Bearing Load
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-47
Femap Basic
FE Assembly Connections
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-48
FEM Data Units
Femap is unitless
Femap does not track units
But…
Femap standard material and beam section libraries use in-lbs units
Solid geometry defaults to inches on desktop, meters in model file database
Parasolid (regardless of product) always stores data in meters
Units conversion tool lets user convert units of data in model
User must be aware of current units system being used
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-49
FEM Data Units
Femap uses the Parasolid geometry engine to interact with CAD solid model
In order for Parasolid to guarantee the precision of solids, all entities must be within a "size box" that is 1000 x 1000 x 1000 centered at the origin
In order for parts to be modeled that would fall outside this box, most CAD systems utilize a scale factor
As recommended by Parasolid, most parts are stored internally in meters
Users expecting to work in a US unit system of inches and pounds will find that the Parasolid solid itself is 39.37 times smaller inside Parasolid.
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-50
Tools, Convert Units
Convert all quantities using
conversion of basic units
Convert specific entities with
individual conversion factors
E.g. convert N-mm units in
model to N-m
Length: 0.001 m = 1 mm
Mass: 1000 kg = 1 tonne
Force: 1 N = 1 N
Energy: 0.001 N•m = 1
N•mm
Units Conversion
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-51
Solid Geometry Scale Factor
Scaling of geometry is done
internally in Femap so that with
default scaling, a part of 1.0 on
the desktop will be stored as
0.0254 in the database
Inches on desktop, meters in
database
If user wishes to create solid
geometry in mm, then set scale
factor to 1000
Parasolid: always stored in SI no
matter what unit it is created in
Independent of product (Femap,
UGNX, SOLID EDGE, etc.)
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-52
Solid Geometry Scale Factor
Import parasolid geometry
Stored in SI
Desire to work in mm units in Femap
Solid geometry scale factor = 1000
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-53
What is a FEA Assembly?
In the context of a Finite Element Model, an Assembly should be
considered to be any FEM model with more than one element type
or property.
Examples are:
Multi-body solid assembly (same or multiple materials)
Beam models with multiple cross-sectional areas
Mixed Shell and Solid models
Mixed Beam and Shell models
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-54
Finite Element Model Connections
Coincident Node
Shell to Solid and Beam to Solid Connections
Welded Connections
Mesh “Connections” and Properties
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-55
Coincident Nodes
For model mesh check runTools,
Check, Coincident Nodes
command and Merge…
For large models, or models
where you anticipate there a large
number of coincident nodes,
uncheck the List Coincident
Entities option
Depending on how the model was
set up before meshing (e.g. use of
“Slice Match”, etc.), some meshes
will be generated automatically
with coincident nodes
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-56
Shell to Solid and Beam to Solid
Connections
Shell and Beam Elements have 6 DOFs per node, while Solids
Elements have 3 DOFs per node.
Use “RBE3” Rigid Element to transmit rotations between Solids and
Shells and Solids and Beams
To create a RBE3, use Interpolation Factor in the Rigid Element dialog
box
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran
Rigid Elements
New Node At Center can be
used from Independent section
of Define RIGID Element
When used, FEMAP will
automatically create a node at
“center” of all the selected
Dependent (or converted Nodes
to Average) nodes
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran
Rigid Elements
Convert button for conversion
of rigid element to
interpolation element and vice
versa. When converting from
rigid element to interpolation,
FEMAP will ask “OK to Convert
only Translational Degrees of
Freedom?”
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-59
Welded Connections
Femap supports Weld/Fastener Elements
Creates CWELD (NX , NEi, MSC) or CFAST elements for Nastrans
(NX , MSC) only
Spot Weld uses an “effective length” calculation based on the
thickness of the two shell elements connected.
A fastener element uses a similar type of connection.
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-60
Welded Connections
Femap supports Weld/Fastener Elements
Multiple options for generating Weld/Fastener Elements
Orientation of Weld is defined by either “Projection”
method or “Axis” method and may be limited by the type of
Weld selected
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-61
Mesh, Connect Menu
Generation of Constraint Equations (MPC’s), Rigid and Line
Elements connections between meshes as closest links
Also allows “unzipping” of coincident nodes
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-62
Connect Menu
Contact Regions, Properties, and Connections are moved to the
Connect menu
Connect, Automatic command finds the closest matching
surfaces between solids and automatically”
Specify search tolerance and type of contact
Model Info window has a Connections object tree
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-63
Connection (Contact) Properties
In the Define Connection Property dialog box, first select the tab for the solver
For NX Nastran select in Connect Type for different types of contact behavior like
Contact or
Glue
Always press the Defaultsbutton when switching Contact Type or manually creating a new Connection Property.
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-64
Connect Menu
Fluid Region command creates individual segmentsrepresenting incompressible fluid volume regions andis available in Nastrans (NX, MSC) supported solution sequences (SOL 103, 107-112, 129 and 200).
Bolt Region command creates individual regions of a single element or multiple elements where you would like to apply a bolt "preload" (NEi, NX, MSC).
Rotor Region command creates individual regions of nodes to be used as individual "rotors" in rotor dynamic analysis in NX Nastran. Rotor Dynamics is only supported in supported Nastran Solution Sequences 110 and 111.
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-65
Exercise 11
Solid Assembly with Linear Contact
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-66
Analysis Set Manager
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-67
FEA Solution Setup
Direct access to solver when preinstalled in File, Preferences, Interfaces…
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-68
FEA Solution Setup
Start analysis using Model, Analysis…New then typeTitle and choose
Analysis Program and Analysis Type, OK
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-69
FEA Solution Setup
Analyze starts solution of active
Analysis Set
Export creates Nastran input file
like .DAT, .NAS
Active selects Analysis Set for
solution
Preview Input displays input file,
which can be edited, analyzed or
exported
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-70
NX Nastran Solution Setup
Direct access from Model, Analysis… choose New Analysis Set
and NX Nastran as Analysis Program
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran
Check Analysis Options and Analyze…
2-71
NX Nastran Solution Setup
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran
Close NX Nastran Monitor after solution
2-72
NX Nastran Solution Setup
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-73
NEiNastran Solution Setup
Direct access from Model, Analysis… choose New Analysis Set and
NEiNastran as Solver.
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran
Check Anaysis Options and Analyze…
2-74
NEiNastran Solution Setup
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran
Review the input file and Run analysis
2-75
NEiNastran Solution Setup
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-76
NEiNastran Solution Setup
Review NEiNastran Error/Warnings box after analysis regarding errors
and warnings and Exit editor
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-77
Visualizing and Documenting Results
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-78
Nodal vs Centroidal Stresses
Output data from analysis programs varies in the
position that it is calculated
Nodes or the centroid of the element
If you select nodal data, e.g., translations, Femap
uses it directly
For results with element centroid data but no corner
data, you can either:
Average the Centroidal values for all the elements connected
to each node (default); or
Use the Maximum of the Centroidal values of the connected
elements.
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-79
Nodal vs Centroidal Stresses
For results with element centroid data and element
corner data you can either:
Average the values at each node (element corner data) to
determine the data (default),
Use the maximum of the values at each node (element corner
data)
Average the Centroidal values for all the elements connected
to each node (ignores the corner data you have); or
Use the Maximum of the Centroidal values of the connected
elements.
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-80
View Select dialog box
Deformed style
Deformed
Animation
Vector
Trace
Contour style
Contour, Criteria
Beam Diagram
IsoSurface
Section Cut
Vector
Deformed and Contour Data to select data, e.g., von Mises Stress
View Select Command
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-81
Post Data can be accessed with the context-
sensitive menu (right mouse)
Key items to specify: Output Set, Deformation,
Contour, Contour Options
Deformed and Contour Data
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-82
Deformation and Contour Output Vectors can
be transformed into different directions or
coordinate systems using the Transformation
buttons.
Deformation Transformation dialog box allows
you to choose Destination to transform the
chosen nodal output vector into and which
Active Components will be displayed
Deformed and Contour Data -
Transforming Output
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-83
Contour Transformation dialog box allows you to
transform output that references global X, Y, Z
components into any chosen coordinate system or
into the nodal output coordinate system at each
node.
Deformed and Contour Data -
Transforming Output
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-84
Contour Options
The contour algorithm in Femap will use
either nodal or elemental data to perform
the contouring.
Data Conversion options
Average, Use Corner Data (default)
Average, without Corner Data
Maximum Value – with or w/o Corner Data
Minimum Value– with or w/o Corner Data
Element options
Provides the capability to “Smart Average”
results. Thus accounting for discontinuities
in material or geometry and providing a
more accurate representation of the results.
Can display Double-sided Planar Contours
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-85
Example
Four elements sharing node “N”, with corner data
Stress at node N can be calculated
Average with and without Corner Data
with: σN = (σW+ σX+ σY+ σZ)/4
without: σN = (σA+ σB+ σC+ σD)/4
Maximum Value with and without Corner Data
with: max (σW, σX, σY, σZ)
without: max (σA, σB, σC, σD)
Minimum Value with and without Corner Data
with: min (σW, σX, σY, σZ)
without: min (σA, σB, σC, σD)
Node “N”
Example – Nodal Data Conversion
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-86
Example – Nodal Data Conversion
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-87
XY Plots
Use View, Select (F5) command to
generate XY plots
XY vs ID - plots XY data as a function of ID
XY vs Set - plots XY data versus the output
set number for an Output Vector across
several Output Sets
XY vs Set Value - similar to “vs Set”, except
uses Output Set value for X
XY vs Position - plots XY data vs the position
of nodes or element in an axis direction for an
output Vector in on Output Set
XY vs Function - (not a postprocessing
option) plots XY data for a function
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-88
XY Plots of Functions
Functions can be displayed
quickly by selecting the
function to be displayed in
the Model Info window and
selecting Show from the
context-sensitive menu.
Opens a new graphics view
titled “XY Show”
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-89
Freebody Display
In the View Select dialog box,
choose Deformed and Contour
Data, Freebody Display
Plots Freebody information of
the entire body or a selected
group of elements.
Must have recovered Grid Point
Force Balance data from
analysis, if not only Applied and
reaction forces will be available.
Total Summed Loads to check
the model equilibrium
Choose the types of entities to
be viewed
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-90
Loads from a Free body Diagram
Generate a Freebody
diagram
Select the Model, Loads,
Loads from Freebody
command
Creates nodal loads from the
Free body diagram as
displayed on the screen in the
Active Load Set.
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-91
Animation Commands
Create the animation in the View Select dialog box and select
Animate as the Deformed Style
This will create an animation of the active Deformation Output
Vector in the Deformed and Contour Data Dialog Box
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-92
Animation Options
By selecting the View, Advanced Post, Animation command, you
can control the speed of the animation.
Once the plot is animating, it can be saved as an Avi file using the
File, Picture, Save command and selecting the .avi format.
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-93
Detailed Post Processing Options
Accessed via the View, Options command
(F6 and Ctrl+O hotkeys)
Located in the Category,
PostProcessing
Long list of options, key ones include
Post Titles
On/off, Location…
Deformed Style
Scale, Automatic scaling options
Contour/Criteria Style, Levels and Legend
Note: Post Processing options are saved along
with the View Style in the View Library.
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-94
Post Toolbar
Allows quick display of Deformed and Contour plots
Detailed Postprocessing settings accessible from the Post Options
pulldown icon
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-95
Exercise 12a
Post-Processing with Deformed
Contour Plots
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.Femap with NX Nastran 2-96
Exercise 12b
Post-Processing with XY Plots