Patran 2008 r1

Reference Manual
Part 5: Analysis Application

Main Index
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Main Index
 Contents
Patran Reference Manual

1 Introduction to Analysis
Application Modules 2
Application Interfaces 3

User-Added Code 4

Relation to Preferences and Functional Assignments 5

Key Features 6

2 Analysis Forms
The Analysis Form 8

Analyze - Setting Up a File for Analysis 9

Read Results 13
Select File 15

INDEX

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Main Index
 Ch. 1: Introduction to Analysis MSC.Patran Reference Manual

1 Introduction to Analysis


Application Modules 2

Application Interfaces 3
 User-Added Code 4

Relation to Preferences and Functional Assignments 5

Key Features 6

Analysis is the gateway to the various solvers that can be used to analyze a model and generate results.
MSC.Software Corporation provides several Application Modules and Application Preferences.
Preferences to third-party or in-house analysis code is also supported by the Analysis application. Check
with your system administrator to find out which modules and interfaces are licensed at your site.

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Application Modules
Application Modules are a suite of analysis simulation products developed and marketed by
MSC.Software Corporation. These products include the following:
Patran Analysis Manager provides analysis management such as basic submittal, monitoring, and
aborting capabilities, as well as automated “housekeeping” tasks for analysis codes supported by Patran,
and operates in a heterogeneous networking environment.
MSC Fatigue provides advanced fatigue life estimation capabilities for use with finite element analysis
results.
Patran Thermal provides capabilities for the solution of advanced thermal problems involving
conduction, convection, radiation, and advection.
Patran Materials can now access non-linear material properties.
MSC Laminate Modeler is a Patran module for aiding the design, analysis and manufacture of laminated
composite structures.
Contact your sales representative for information about the availability and capabilities of these products.

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Application Interfaces
Patran is an open system which allows analysis solvers not provided by MSC to be developed and
accessed. Application Preferences are MSC supplied interfaces to some of the more popular analysis
codes. These interfaces convert the data in the Patran database into the required analysis code input
decks. After the analysis code is run, the Application Preference also provides a method to convert the
analysis code results file into a Patran results database. These interfaces include:
• Patran ABAQUS Preference Guide
• Patran ANSYS Preference Guide
• Patran LS-DYNA3D Preference Guide
• MSC Marc Preference Guide
• Dytran Preference Guide
• Patran MSC Nastran Preference Guide, Volumes 1-2
• Patran PAMCRASH Preference Guide
• Patran SAMCEF Preference Guide
• PATRAN 2 Neutral File Preference Guide

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User-Added Code
Patran provides an open architecture to allow users or third-party developers to integrate analysis codes
into the Patran system. Tools are provided to define the analysis code-specific material property, element
property, MPC definition, and analysis parameter forms presented by the Patran system. Tools and
libraries are also provided to access the Patran database to extend the data required to produce an input
deck and to translate results from analysis code-specific results files. For more information, see Steps to
Adding a New Functionality to Patran (p. 3) in the PCL and Customization.

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Relation to Preferences and Functional Assignments

The various MSC supplied Application Modules and Application Preferences, as well as user-added
code, are listed in the Analysis Preferences menu. An analysis code and an analysis type are specified by
the user. For example, the analysis code might be for MSC Nastran and the analysis type
STRUCTURAL. The selection can be changed any time during model creation. However, there may be
conflicts in the data if the analysis code preference is changed after properties are assigned.

^å~äóëáë=mêÉÑÉêÉåÅÉë=
Analysis Code Selection:
MSC Nastran

Analysis Type:
Structural

Default Model File Suffix

.bdf

Default Results File Suffix

.op2

OK

If the intended analysis code is modified, as much data as possible will be converted. If the new intended
analysis code has required properties that are not defined, or if data cannot be transferred, a warning
message will be displayed.

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Key Features
The Analysis application provides the means to:
• Identify a desired analysis type.
• Define analysis code specific translation and solution parameters.
• Select a sequence of load cases.
• Select desired output parameters.
• Send data to solvers.
• Read results quantities and model data from analysis code results files.

The Analysis application provides the link between the Patran preprocessing and postprocessing
environments and the analysis solvers. The level of integration is identical for application modules,
application interfaces, or user developed interfaces.

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 Ch. 2: Analysis Forms MSC.Patran Reference Manual

2 Analysis Forms


The Analysis Form 8

Analyze - Setting Up a File for Analysis 9
 Read Results 13

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The Analysis Form

When the Analysis option is selected from the Patran window, the Analysis form is displayed. The
available selections in the Action menu typically are (depending on the selected analysis code) Analyze,
Read Results, and Read Input. The remainder of the form depends upon the selected option in the Action
menu.
The current analysis code and type Preferences are displayed on the form for informational purposes. To
change the selection, pull down the Preferences menu from the menu bar in the Patran window, select
Analysis, and make a new selection in the Analysis Preferences form that is displayed.
The following pages describe the various configurations of the Analysis form. The available options
depend on the current analysis code selection. The forms that are subordinate to the Analysis form are
dependent on the current analysis code selection as well.
A detailed description of each form is provided in the individual preference guide or user manual.

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Analyze - Setting Up a File for Analysis

For applications, the Analyze option will cause the model to be submitted for analysis. For preferences,
the Analyze option will cause the forward translator to run and the resulting input deck may be submitted
for analysis. To abort the analysis prior to submitting, deselect the Analysis option from the Patran
window or change the Action selection on the Analysis form.

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The following options appear on the Analysis form when Analyze is the selected Action.

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Object Defines what part of the model will be included in the translation and/or
analysis. Choices may be Entire Model or Current Group.
Method Defines how far the analysis will go. The available settings may be Full
Run, Check Run, Analysis Deck, and Model Only. If Full Run is selected,
any required forward translation is done, then the analysis solver is invoked
to run the problem. If Check Run is selected, the solver is asked to only do
a check run. The type of feedback received from a check run depends on
the current analysis code selected.
Available Jobs Lists all jobnames currently defined for the selected analysis code.
Job Name Defines the name to be attached to all files associated with this particular
run. Every analysis jobname must be unique for a particular analysis code.
The same jobname must be used for both the Analyze and the Read Results
File selections if the results are to be loaded into the originating load cases.
These analysis jobnames are stored in the database and are used to correlate
the load cases selected in Analyze with the load cases it finds in Read
Results File.
TITLE Specifies the title, subtitle and label to be used in the analysis run for the
SUBTITLE currently selected job. This information will be displayed on the Results
LABEL Form.

More Help
Preference Guides
Please see, Overview (Ch. 1) in Please see, Overview (Ch. 1) in
the Patran Interface to the MD Patran MD Nastran
ABAQUS Preference Guide. Preference Guide, Volume 1:
Structural Analysis
Please see, Overview (Ch. 1) in Please see, Overview (Ch. 1) in
the Patran Interface to ANSYS the MSC Patran Interface to
Preference Guide. SAMCEF Preference Guide
Please see, Overview (Ch. 1) in Please see, Overview (Ch. 1) in
the Patran Interface to LS- the Patran Interface to Dytran
DYNA Preference Guide. Preference Guide
Please see, Overview (Ch. 1) in Please see, Quickstart (Ch. 1) in
the Patran Interface to the MSC SINDA for Patran
PAMCRASH Preference Guide. User’s Guide.
Preference Guides
Please see, Introduction (Ch. 1)
in the Patran Thermal User’s
Guide Volume 1:
Thermal/Hydraulic Analysis.
Please see, Overview (Ch. 1) in
the Marc Preference Guide.
Please see, Overview (Ch. 1) in
the PATRAN 2 Neutral File
Preference Guide

The buttons on the lower section of the Analysis form provide access to subordinate forms where
additional input about the analysis may be input by the user. The functions of these buttons are highly

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dependent on the particular analysis code section. An example of the buttons on the Analysis form for a
"generic" analysis code are shown below.

Translation Displays the Translation Parameters form to specify parameters not

Parameters... directly related to the solution. These are primarily used by the Application
Preferences during the forward translation.
Solution Type... Displays the Solution Type form to select the desired type of analysis to
run.
Direct Text Input... Specify the parameters used during the solution using the Solution
Parameters form. These parameters are also usually dependent on the
selected Solution Type.
Subcases... Displays a form to select a list of load cases to be included in this analysis
run. The list of selected load cases is order dependent.
Subcase Select... Displays the Subcase Select form to control what output is generated by the
analysis run.
Analysis Manager... If invoked, the Patran Analysis Manager allows for more advanced analysis
management features not available from the Analysis form. For more
details, see the MSC Patran Analysis Manager User’s Guide.

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Read Results
The following options appear on the Analysis form when Read Results is the selected Action. Read
Results indicates that data is to be read in from an analysis code results file. This can be results and/or

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model data. To abort the results reading, deselect the Analysis button from the main menu bar or change
the Action selection.

Analysis

Action: Read Results

Object: Result Entities

Method: Translate

Pref: MSC Nastran

Type: Structural

Available Jobs

Job name
temp

Job Description

Translation Parameters...

Select Results File...

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Object Defines what data is to be read from the analysis code results file. This can
be set to Result Entities, Model Data, or Both. Before Model Data or Both
is selected, the user must be sure there will not be a conflict with existing
model data. There is no allowance for offsetting IDs when reading model
data from a results file.
Method Defines how the Results Translator will execute. This can be set to
Translate or Control File. If Translate is used, the user-supplied
information is written to a Control File, which in turn is read by the Results
Translator Program. If the Results Translator cannot be found on the
network, the Control File asks that the process stop after the Control File
is written. The user can then move the Control File to where the Results
Translator resides, and use it to execute the results translation.
Job Name Defines the name to be attached to all files associated with this particular
run. This jobname for the results translation should be the same as the
jobname used in Analyze. This jobname allows the translator to determine
load case results.
Translation Displays the Translation Parameters. These are primarily used for filtering
Parameters... results or specifying which results are to be imported.
Select Results File... Displays the Select File form to modify the current selection of the analysis
code results file to be read.

More Help
Preference Guides Preference Guides
Patran ABAQUS Patran MSC Nastran Patran Thermal
Patran ANSYS Patran SAMCEF
Patran MSC.Marc

Select File
This form is displayed when the Select Results File button is clicked on the Analysis form and Read
Results is the selected Action, or when the Select Input File button is clicked and the Action is set to Read

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Input. Use this form to select a file to be read. The default file filters will change depending on the code
preference selected in the Preferences menu.

Select File

Filter
/dallas/users/gamel/pf/forms/*.0P2

Directories Available Files

/dallas/users/gamel/pf/forms/.
/dallas/users/sip/pf/forms/. []
/dallas/users/sip/pf/forms/.

Selected Results File

OK Filter Cancel

Filter Defines a filter to be used in displaying files in the Available Files listbox.
Directory or default file extensions may be changed by modifying the
filter.
Directories Lists all current directories. Double click on an entry in this box or click an
entry, then click the Filter button at the bottom of the form to update the
Available Files listbox.
Avvailable files Displays a list of the files that fit the current filter. Select a file by double
clicking on a file name in this listbox.
Selected Results File Displays the name of the results file currently selected.
Filter Updates the Directories and Available Files listbox when the Filter field
has been modified.

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 jp`Kjîáëáçå=_ìáäÇÉê=~åÇ=bî~äì~íçê=OMMO=fåëí~ää~íáçå=dìáÇÉ

Index
Patran Reference Manual

A
analysis, iv
I n d e x setup, xi
I n d e x application interfaces, v
I N D E X application modules, iv, x
Index
F
functional assignments, vii

P
preferences, vii

R
results
reading, xv
select file, xvii

U
user-added code, vi

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