FEA Software

Physical Problem

Finite Elements Model

Pre-processing
• CATIA-FEM FE Calculation
• PATRAN
• ELFINI
Results • NASTRAN

Post-processing
Typical Result • CATIA-SPM
• PATRAN
 FEA Software

FEA for designer:

 product is intended for the casual user

 intuitive interface offers the possibility to obtain
mechanical behavior information with very few
interactions
 dialog boxes are self explanatory
 require practically no methodology, all defining steps
being commutative.
 FEA Software

FEA for analyst:

 product is extensions of previous mentioned products

 wide variety of engineering problems
 Require basic understanding of FEA and methodology
of model development,
 CATIA Software

CATIA - Generative Part Structural Analysis (GPS) integrates

advanced pre-processing, solving and post-processing
capabilities.

It allows designers to perform associative part stress and

vibration analysis including contact analysis for the
assessment of part mechanical behavior. Structural analysis
can be performed on volume parts, surface parts and
wireframe geometries.

Promotes designer assessment of parts

mechanical behavior and sizing.
 CATIA Software

CATIA - Elfini Structural Analysis 2 (EST) extends the

capabilities of the CATIA - Generative Part Structural
Analysis (GPS) product to include multiple analysis
cases for static, frequency, and buckling analysis.

Tailored to the needs of specialists while

maintaining a consistent user interface
between specialists and design engineers.
 CATIA Software

The Generative Assembly Structural Analysis (GAS)

product has been designed as an integrated extension to
Generative Part Structural Analysis enabling the study of
the mechanical behavior of a whole assembly. The product
has been conceived with the same "easy to learn" and "fun
to use" ergonomics principles.

The Generative Dynamic Analysis (GDY) product will

let you work in a dynamic response context.
CATIA Software
 WHAT IS MSC.NASTRAN?
 MSC.Nastran is a general-purpose finite
element analysis program capable of solving
a wide variety of engineering problems
including:

• Linear static analysis

• Static analysis with geometric and material nonlinearity
• Transient analysis with geometric and material nonlinearity
• Normal modes analysis
• Buckling analysis
• Direct and modal complex eigen value analysis
• Direct and modal frequency analysis (including random
analysis)
• Direct and modal transient analysis (including response
spectrum analysis)
 WHAT IS MSC.NASTRAN?
 MSC.Nastran Capabilities

• Linear cyclic symmetry analysis (including static, normal

modes, buckling and direct frequency response)
• Linear and nonlinear steady-state heat transfer
• Linear and nonlinear transient heat transfer
• Aeroelasticity
• Substructure analysis (superelements)
• Design sensitivity and optimization
• Acoustics
• Composite material analysis
• P-element analysis
 WHAT IS MSC.NASTRAN?
 MSC.Nastran is
• Extensively documented (including online encyclopedia)
• Extensively tested
• Continually enhanced with new capabilities
• High efficient using modern numerical analysis techniques
• Used extensively by aerospace, automotive, energy,
biomedical, civil and other industries
 WHAT IS MSC.PATRAN?
 MSC.Patran is a CAE pre and post processing
software package. It consists of the following
major components:
• User-Friendly Graphical User Interface
• Powerful Geometry Import, Export and Creation
• Robust Meshing Algorithms
• Fast Results Visualization and Reporting
• Extensive Analysis Code Preferences
SUMMARY OF PATRAN-NASTRAN WORKFLOW
MSC.Patran

Pre-Processing
Import/create geometry
Create finite element mesh
Apply boundary condition MSC.Nastran
Apply loads
Create material properties Solver
Create element properties
Submit model to solver Solve for displacements
Compute strains
Post-Processing Compute stresses
Deformation plots
Stress fringe plots
Reports
PATRAN-NASTRAN WORKFLOW AND FILES
MSC.Patran
Pre-Processing MSC.Nastran
.bdf
- Import/create geometry Solver
- Create finite element mesh
- Apply boundary condition
- Apply loads [ K ] {u} = {F}
- Create material properties
- Create element properties
- Submit model to solver - Solve for u
- Compute strain
Post-Processing .xdb - Compute stress
- Deformation plots .op2
- Stress fringe plots
- Reports
.f04
.db .f06
.ses .log
.db.jou
 BASIC MSC.PATRAN FILES

File Extension File Type Comments

.db Database One per model.

.ses Session File A Session File is opened at

Patran start-up and it is closed
when you quit MSC.Patran.

.db.jou Journal File One per model. Record of all PCL

commands from database
creation to present. Link together
with the session files. EXTREMLY
useful for rebuilding a database.
 BASIC MSC.NASTRAN FILES
File File Type Comments
Extension
.bdf Input File Contains model defination. Popular
extensions are .bdf and .dat.
.f06 Result File This is the main Nastran output file. It
contains the results of your analysis such as
displacements and stresses. It is in ASCII
format so it can be viewed in any text editor.
It also contains warning messages, error
messages and diagnostic messages to help
the user evaluate the quality of the analysis
results.
.f04 Execution Contains a time history of job execution.
Summary File
.log Operating
System Log File
.op2 Results File Used by Patran for post processing.

.xdb Results File Used by Patran for post processing.

 Consistent Systems of Units

Table contains some of the most commonly used

consistent systems of units:
Input Output
System
of
Elastic Mass
Units Length Force Mass 1G Disp Force Stress
Modulus Density

9.807
1 m N Pa kg kg/m3 m N Pa
m/sec2

t/mm3 or 9.807
2 mm N Mpa t or Mg mm N Mpa
Mg/mm3 m/sec2

32.17
3 ft lbf psf slug slug/ft3 ft lbf psf
ft/sec2

386.1
4 Input lbf psi lbf.s2/in lbf.s2/in4 in lbf psi
in/sec2