S4-1 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 SECTION 4 OVERVIEW OF PATRAN

S4-2 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005

S4-3 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 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

S4-4 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 WORKFLOW IN MSC.PATRAN The Main Form 2 - Import Geometry 1 - Select Analysis Code 2 - Build Geometry 3 - Create Analysis Model 5 - Evaluate Analysis Results 4 - Perform the Analysis

S4-5 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 STEP 1 - ANALYSIS PREFERENCES Appears when creating a new database Used for specifying global model tolerance. An entity within the tolerance of another is considered to be a duplicate. Also, two entities within the tolerance of each other are considered to be coincident. Alternative method for specifying global model tolerance is Preferences/Global New Model Preferences

S4-6 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 STEP 1 - ANALYSIS PREFERENCES (CONTINUED) Select/Revise Analysis Code Preference before defining Materials, Element Properties, or Load/Boundary Conditions Analysis Preferences eliminates the confusion

S4-7 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 STEP 2 – IMPORT/BUILD GEOMETRY Geometric Modeling: Import a CAD Model from CATIA Pro/ENGINEER CADDS 5 EUCLID-3 Unigraphics Import a CAD model via an IGES, ACIS, Parasolid-XMT, or STEP file Build the geometry model entirely in MSC.Patran Imported CAD model

S4-8 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 STEP 3 – CREATING AN ANALYSIS MODEL Nodes and Elements (connectivity) can be created by Mapping Mesher (IsoMesher) 3 or 4 sided surfaces (displayed as Green) 5 or 6 faced solids (displayed as Blue) Paver Mesher N-sided (edged) trimmed surfaces (displayed as Magenta) 3 or 4 sided surfaces (displayed as Green) Auto TetMesher N-faced solids, B-rep Solids (displayed as White) 6 faced solids (displayed as Blue) Sweeping Base Elements Mesher Mesh Seeds are used to define the node density and spacing Finite Element Mesh Quads swept to Hex Elements X Y Z Mapped Mesher Quad Elements X Y Z

S4-9 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 STEP 3 – CREATING AN ANALYSIS MODEL (CONTINUED) Check the quality of the finite element model Element Boundary Checks (crack detection) Element Nodal Connectivity (Normals, Negative Volume) Element Distortion Checks (Aspect Ratio, Face Taper, etc.) Elements are color-coded based on user-defined criteria Verification

S4-10 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 STEP 3 – CREATING AN ANALYSIS MODEL (CONTINUED) The material properties can be manually input, accessed from the MSC.Patran Materials Selector, input externally Material Properties Manual Input Materials Selector

S4-11 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 STEP 3 – CREATING AN ANALYSIS MODEL (CONTINUED) Element type and physical properties defined with the Properties application Once the analysis code preference is chosen only permitted physical properties are available If detailed information is needed, the interface manuals are on-line Element Properties

S4-12 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 STEP 3 – CREATING AN ANALYSIS MODEL (CONTINUED) Applied directly to the geometry or FE model Variations defined by fields XY Plots used to verify the field LEGEND Force Variation X Y Z

S4-13 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 STEP 4 – PERFORM THE ANALYSIS Select code-specific solution procedures and parameters Submit directly from MSC.Patran

S4-14 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 STEP 5 – EVALUATE RESULTS Displayed with Results or Insight applications Filtered based on model attributes, numerical values or user-defined criteria Different results displayed concurrently using multiple viewports Time: 10:58:26 Date: 11/30/94 Isosurface Val= E+03 Node Scalar1 Color Index B A Min = E-01 Max = E+03 Min ID = 1730 Max ID = 950 Isos_1: STRESS COMPONENTS Von Mises (NON-LAYERED) Default Max DEFLECTION = 1.82E E E E E E E E E E E E E+03

S4-15 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 WHERE TO GO FOR HELP MSC.Patran Product Coordinator at your company Technical Support for all MSC.Patran products support at Fax ( ) MSC.Patran SUPPORT Hot Line ( ) Monday through Friday 7 am to 3 pm Pacific Standard Time MSC.Software Website ( MSC.Software Institute ( ) Training Classes offered for all MSC.Patran products support at Classes held regularly at domestic and international MSC.Software offices

S4-16 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 Site Specific Form Cancel Site Specific Application Site Specific Geometry Access... Acoustic Analysis... Experimental modal Import... CUSTOMIZATION PCL – MSC.Patran Command Language PCL can be used to create custom-made menus and forms Use PCL to automate repetitive tasks and apply complicated Load/BCs MSC Institutes PAT304 course shows how to do all of the above

S4-17 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 STARTING MSC.PATRAN In the terminal window click the desk top icon to invoke MSC.Patran or type Patran MSC Patran Welcome to MSC.Patran Version :36:58 PM Setting up Windows Environment

S4-18 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 MSC.PATRAN FILE OPTION New DatabaseCreate a new empty database Open DatabaseOpen a previously created database Revert to Original DatabaseAllows the deletion of all the changes made in the current modeling session (Revert must be enabled for this to be available) Session...Execute PATRAN commands from a file CloseClose the current database but keep PATRAN active QuitClose the current database and stop PATRAN SaveSaves the database up to and including the last command Save a CopySave a copy of the database under a different name

S4-19 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 MSC.PATRAN FILES NameFile TypeComments Model_name.dbDatabaseOne per model, relatively large. Model_name.db.bkupDatabaseBackup database is created if revert is enabled. patran.ses.numberSession FileA Session File is opened at P3 start-up and it is closed when you quit MSC.Patran. model_name.db.jouJournal FileOne per model, record of all PCL commands from database creation to present, concatenated session files. EXTREMELY useful for rebuilding a database. model_name.outNeutral FileCreated using Export. Can be used as a backup for analysis model.

S4-20 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 THE MAIN FORM Menu Bar selection affects global environment (e.g. Viewing, Imaging, and Preferences) Application selections only apply to a certain portion of the model (i.e. Geometry, Loads/BCs, etc.) Application selections are mutually exclusive -- only one can be selected at a time Unavailable selections are shown in a lighter typeface (Ghosted) Menu Bar Applications History Box Command Line Tool Bar

S4-21 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 THE MAIN FORM (CONCLUDED) Tool bar provides quick access to frequently used procedures Actions taken within MSC.Patran session can be traced in the history box Command line allows the input of PCL commands and MSC.Patran2 NOODL Rule commands

S4-22 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 TYPICAL WIDGETS USED IN MSC.PATRAN Toggle button is an on/off switch Select databox is used to enter data Data insertion can be made by placing the mouse at the desired location, clicking the left mouse button, and typing in the desired data Existing text can be edited Data selection is done by highlighting item Radio buttons allow exclusive selection among options... Suffix denotes that a subordinate form will open up upon clicking the button Apply causes action to execute Hyphens indicate action can be undone only immediately after its execution Slide bar assigns a value to associated variable; i.e. threshold for aspect ratio test Control icon allows the switching between different actions; i.e. icon can be set to highlight or split in this example Causes the content of a form to reset back to default values; the default values may be constant or can change

S4-23 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 SYSTEM ICONS Refresh Button - refresh screen Undo Button - Display Cleanup Button - resets graphics to defaults will undo just last command. When an action is performed, the created data is saved in the computers memory. When the next action is performed the data previously written to memory will be saved in the Patran data base.

S4-24 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 SYSTEM ICONS (CONCLUDED) Interrupt Button - stops operation in progress Heartbeat -Green indicates MSC.Patran is waiting for user input -Blue indicates MSC.Patran is performing an operation that can be stopped with the interrupt button - Red indicates that MSC.Patran is performing a process that cannot be interrupted

S4-25 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 ENTITY PICKING Picking is performed in two ways: Keyboard entry into a databox, e.g. Curve List Graphical picking with the mouse List processor is the program responsible for the interpretation of the user input, e.g. Curve 1:3

S4-26 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 ENTITY GRAPHICAL PICKING Individual and collective entity picking is controlled by the Picking option under Preferences For Single Entity Picking, a portion of the selected entity must be within the physical limits of the cursor For Centroid Single Picking, the closest entity to the location of the cursor will be picked Additional tools are available to aid the process of picking, such as Cycle picking The Preselection Settings highlight the Entity and Label (ID #) of the entity before you select it

S4-27 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 CURSOR PICKING Entity Move the cursor to the entity label/centroid and press the left mouse button Multiple Picking Hold the shift key down and select the entities with the left mouse button` Shift

S4-28 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 CURSOR PICKING (CONTINUED) Ctrl Select Rectangle (Click & Drag) Select Polygon You may also select this icon from the toolbar Note: To complete your selection double click the left mouse button

S4-29 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 CURSOR PICKING (CONCLUDED) Deselect Cycle Picking If you hit the space bar while an entity is selected it will temporarily erase the entity so you can select the one underneath Shift Move the cursor to the entitys label/centroid and click on the right mouse button Picking an entity underneath another, or that is close to other entities. Selection Surface 3 Surface 7 PreviousNext

S4-30 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 VIEWING/MODEL MANIPULATION

S4-31 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 LIST PROCESSOR The list processor verifies the syntax, checks for existence and performs rudimentary geometry operations such as calculating the intersection of two curves The list processor parses the contents for the select databox The application only recognizes specific types of data The list processor is generic and is used by all applications for consistency

S4-32 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 ENTITY ID SYNTAX SyntaxDescription Point 1 2 3Refers to points 1, 2 and 3 Point 1:9:2Points 1 through 9 by 2 Curve 1 2, 3/ 4Different forms for delimiters: space,, and / Surface 3.1References an entity associated with a higher order one (i.e. edge 1 of surface 3, that is similar to a curve) Solid 1:10.2Combinations of entity ID syntax is possible (face 2 of solids 1 through 10) [x y z]Square brackets signifies coordinate specification [xn28, 1, 2]Individual coordinates can reference existing entities, such as x = the x coordinate of node 28 [1, zp5, 3] [1, z5, 3] y = the z coordinate of point 5 When a point is referenced the letter p can be dropped [1, 2, -64.0/20.0]Mathematical operations like division are possible to determine the individual components signifies a vector definition {[ ][ ]}Signifies an axis with first point representing the base and the second determining the direction

S4-33 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 MSC.PATRAN STANDARDS If your cursor becomes a pointing hand: This means there is an error window somewhere on your screen that must be acknowledged before you can continue Sample Error Window

S4-34 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 ON-LINE HELP Activation To start, click on Help by system icons

S4-35 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 ON-LINE HELP (CONTINUED) There are two ways to use the help system: Topical help allows the user to access the complete MSC.Patran Help System General MSC.Patran Philosophy Tutorials on the use of MSC.Patran Features and Functions Context sensitive help is used to describe the contents of a form in question - F1 System

S4-36 PAT318, Section 4, March 2005 ON-LINE HELP (CONTINUED) Top Menu The following navigation menu appears at the top of each help page Part 3: Geometry Modeling Accessing/Importing/Exporting Page Select an Option- Library Contents Index Getting Started Examples Sales & Support Help on Help Page LocatorBrief title of the current help page OptionsAllows the user to access other documents in the system Trace back to previously displayed pages Page backward & forward DoneExit help document