WORKSHOP 3

Meshing and
Property Assignment

Objectives:
■ Apply a Refined Mesh near a critical location of the model.
■ Use a coarse Global Mesh for the rest of the model.
■ Define Material and Element properties, and apply them to
the model.

MSC.Nastran 120 Exercise Workbook 3-1

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WORKSHOP 3 Meshing and Property Assignment

Model Description:
Define a Finite Element Mesh for the Clevis Model developed
earlier. Use Mesh Seed to create a Refined Mesh with a higher Mesh
density near a critical area.

After the Mesh is created, define Material and Element properties

for the model.

Figure 3.1

L1
Mesh Parameters
6 elements per edge L2
L2/L1 = 0.5
Global Edge Length = 0.5

MSC.Nastran 120 Exercise Workbook 3-3

Suggested Exercise Steps:
■ Start MSC.Patran and open the database clevis.db.

■ Starting with an isometric view of the model, zoom in on the

lower half of the clevis hole. Save this view as a named
view. Use the name zoom_in.

■ To further simplify the rendering of the clevis model, turn

off the display lines so only the model boundaries are
shown.

■ Apply the mesh seeds to increase the mesh density in a

critical area.

■ Create a finite element mesh.

■ Define material properties.

■ Define element properties.

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WORKSHOP 3 Meshing and Property Assignment

Exercise Procedure:
1. Start MSC.Patran and open the database clevis.db.

File/Open...
Existing Database Name: clevis.db
OK

NOTE: Whenever possible, toggle off the ❑ Auto Execute option by

left clicking the check box.

1a. Use the Viewing/Select Corners option to zoom in on the clevis

model. Figure 3.2 shows which part of the model to focus on.

Viewing/ Select Corners

Or, use the View Corners icon:

View Corners

Figure 3.2

Save this view by creating a named view of the current model view.

Viewing/ Named View Options...

MSC.Nastran 120 Exercise Workbook 3-5

 Create View...
Create New View: zoom_in
Apply
Close

2. To simplify the model view, turn off the display lines.

Display/Geometry...

Number of Display Lines: 0

Apply
Cancel

Or, use the Display lines icon:

Display lines

3. Create mesh seeds to increase the mesh density in the critical area.

◆ Finite Elements
Action: Create
Object: Mesh Seed
Type: One Way Bias
◆ Num and Elems and L2/L1
Number: 6
L2/L1: 2

In the Curve List box, choose the Curves as shown in Figure 3.3.

3-6 MSC.Nastran 120 Exercise Workbook

WORKSHOP 3 Meshing and Property Assignment

Figure 3.3.

T
Curves for
1 mesh seeding.
R
Z

X
Z

Apply

Number: 6
L2/L1: 0.5

In the Curve List box, choose the curves as shown in Figure 3.4.

Figure 3.4

T Curves for
1
additional
Z R
mesh seeds.

X
Z

Apply

MSC.Nastran 120 Exercise Workbook 3-7

 Zoom out to see the entire model.

Viewing/Fit view

Or, use the Fit View icon:

Fit view

4. Create a finite element mesh.

◆ Finite Elements
Action: Create
Object: Mesh
Type: Solid
Global Edge Length: 0.5
Solid List: Solid 1:22
Apply

The complete mesh should resemble Figure 3.5.

Figure 3.5

1
Z R

Z X

5. Check the model for Free Edges using the verify action in the Finite
Elements menu.

◆ Finite Elements
Action: Verify
Object: Element

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WORKSHOP 3 Meshing and Property Assignment

Type: Boundaries
◆ Free Edges
Apply

6. The Free Edge plot is shown in Figure 3.6. Since the model has
“cracks” or free edges, use the Equivalence tool to connect the
mesh.

Figure 3.6

◆ Finite Elements
Action: Equivalence
Object: All
Type: Tolerance Cube
Apply

7. Re-check for free edges in the model,

◆ Finite Elements
Action: Verify
Object: Element
Type: Boundaries
◆ Free Edges
Apply

MSC.Nastran 120 Exercise Workbook 3-9

 Figure 3.7 shows a free edge plot of the complete mesh without
disconnected regions, or “cracks”.

Figure 3.7

8. Define material properties.

◆ Materials
Action: Create
Object: Isotropic
Method: Manual Input
Material Name: steel
Input Properties...
Constitutive Model: Linear Elastic
Elastic Modulus = 30E6
Poisson Ratio = 0.3
OK
Apply

9. Define element properties.

◆ Properties
Action: Create
Object: 3D
Type: Solid

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WORKSHOP 3 Meshing and Property Assignment

Property Set Name: solid_elements_steel

Input Properties...
Material Name: m:steel
OK
Select Members: Solid 1:22
Add
Apply

Quit MSC.Patran after finishing this exercise.

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