Femap Basic - Day 2

Femap Training
Basic Course
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
Femap with NX Nastran © UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved. 1-2
Femap Basic
Importing and Meshing Geometry
© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.

Femap with NX Nastran 2-3
Geometry Import Formats
 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
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"
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
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.
The Process of Solid Meshing
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.
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
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.
Edge and Feature Supression
Mesh, Mesh, Control Feature Suppression
Example – suppress the hole

in the block when meshed.
Exercise 6
Creating Solid Meshing
1-12
Femap with NX Nastran
Exercise 7
Tetrahedral vs. Hexahedral Meshing
1-13
Femap with NX Nastran
Femap Basic
Midsurfacing of Geometry

Mid-surfacing of Geometry
 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)
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
 Geometry, Midsurface, Extend

 Extends a surface by using one of a surface's edge curves using Extend
Shape method
 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, 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.
V10 New Mid-Surfacing Method
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
Femap with NX Nastran © UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.


 Enter Offset Distance or
 Measure Offset Distance


 Delete orginal solid and
automesh using Property
Attributes Only


 Automesh using Meshing
Attributes (Triangles)


 Automesh using Meshing
Attributes, More Options


 Automesh using Meshing Attributes and Interactive Meshing

Exercise 8
Midsurface Modeling

Exercise 9
Interactive Midsurface Meshing

Femap Basic
Loads and Constraints

Body Loads
 Body or Global Loads – applied to the entire model.

 Acceleration Translational (gravity) and Rotational
 Rotational Velocity and Center of Rotations
 Thermal – Default Temperature
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   
Thermal Loads
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  
Fluid Loads
Static Fluid Pressure    
Total Fluid Pressure    

General Scalar    
Steam Quality    
Relative Humidity    
Fluid Height Condition    
Unknown Condition    
Slip Wall Condition    
Fan Curve    
Periodic Condition    
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.
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
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
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
Bearing Loads
Model, Load on Surface,

Bearing Force with Normal To
Surface option checked

Femap Version 10.1.1
Bearing Loads
Bearing Loads definitions can

have an included angle – here
bearing load is defined with 120
degree Load Angle

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.
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
Nonlinear Analysis Load Set Options
 Model, Load, Nonlinear Analysis

 Static
 Creep
 Transient
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.
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
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
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
Exercise 10 - Bearing Load

Femap Basic
FE Assembly Connections

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
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.
Units Conversion
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
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.)
Solid Geometry Scale Factor
 Import parasolid geometry

 Stored in SI
 Desire to work in mm units in Femap

 Solid geometry scale factor = 1000
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
Finite Element Model Connections
 Coincident Node
 Shell to Solid and Beam to Solid Connections
 Welded Connections
 Mesh “Connections” and Properties
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
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
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

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?”

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.
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
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
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
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 Defaults
button when switching Contact
Type or manually creating a
new Connection Property.
Connect Menu
Fluid Region command creates individual segments

representing incompressible fluid volume regions and
is 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.
Exercise 11
Solid Assembly with Linear Contact

Analysis Set Manager

FEA Solution Setup
Direct access to solver when preinstalled in File, Preferences,

Interfaces…
FEA Solution Setup
Start analysis using Model, Analysis…New then typeTitle and choose

Analysis Program and Analysis Type, OK
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
NX Nastran Solution Setup
Direct access from Model, Analysis… choose New Analysis Set

and NX Nastran as Analysis Program
Check Analysis Options and Analyze…
Close NX Nastran Monitor after solution
NEiNastran Solution Setup
Direct access from Model, Analysis… choose New Analysis Set and
NEiNastran as Solver.
Check Anaysis Options and Analyze…
Review the input file and Run analysis
Review NEiNastran Error/Warnings box after analysis regarding errors

and warnings and Exit editor
Visualizing and Documenting Results

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.
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.
View Select Command
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
Deformed and Contour Data
 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 -
Transforming Output
 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
 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.
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
Example – Nodal Data Conversion
 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 Node “N”
with: min (σW, σX, σY, σZ)
without: min (σA, σB, σC, σD)
Example – Nodal Data Conversion
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
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”
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
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.
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
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.
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.
Post Toolbar
 Allows quick display of Deformed and Contour plots

 Detailed Postprocessing settings accessible from the Post Options
pulldown icon
Exercise 12a
Post-Processing with Deformed
Contour Plots

Exercise 12b
Post-Processing with XY Plots


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Femap Training

 Building Geometry in Femap, Import and Modifications

© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.

 Direct CAD Interfaces

 Standard CAD Interfaces

 The challenge of meshing a part will usually arise from a

 Geometry, Solid, Cleanup command

The solid meshing process of

 The error message:

 Geometry Boundary Surface From Surfaces on Solid

Mesh, Mesh, Control Feature Suppression

Example – suppress the hole

© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.

 Mid-surfacing commands allows users

 Geometry, Midsurface, Single in Solid

 Geometry, Midsurface, Extend

 Geometry, Midsurface, Automatic

 Geometry, Midsurface, Offset Tangent Surfaces

New Mid-surfacing approach

Femap with NX Nastran © UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.

New Mid-surfacing approach

Femap with NX Nastran © UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.

New Mid-surfacing approach

Femap with NX Nastran © UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.

New Mid-surfacing approach

Femap with NX Nastran © UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.

New Mid-surfacing approach

Femap with NX Nastran © UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.

New Mid-surfacing approach

Femap with NX Nastran © UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.

© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.

© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.

© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.

 Body or Global Loads – applied to the entire model.

Load Type Points Curves Surfaces Nodes Elements

Force Per Length  

Load Type Points Curves Surfaces Nodes Elements

Load Type Points Curves Surfaces Nodes Elements

Static Fluid Pressure    

Total Fluid Pressure    

 Nastran Displacement and Enforced Rotation loads require

 For NX Nastran Advanced Nonlinear (SOL601), loads should be

 Model, Load , Create/Manage Set command creates a new or

 Model, Load command creates a new load

 Model, Functions uses to create general X vs. Y tables

Model, Load on Surface,

Femap with NX Nastran © UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.

Bearing Loads definitions can

Femap with NX Nastran © UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.

 You can make load equations as a function of nodal or element

 Provides the solution type and control information for dynamics

 The Model, Load, Dynamic Analysis command

 Model, Load, Nonlinear Analysis

 Model, Load, Heat Transfer

 Model, Constraint, Create/Manage Set command creates a new

 Constraints specified on model mesh

 Geometric Constraints - applied

© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.

© UGS Corp. 2006. All rights reserved.

 Femap uses the Parasolid geometry engine to interact with CAD

Tools, Convert Units

 Scaling of geometry is done

 Import parasolid geometry

 Desire to work in mm units in Femap