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Anisotropic materials stops import of T#.FEM file

Version: All from 2004.2-03

**Applies from version 2004.2-33 to version All

**We have seen some example where the anisotropic materials cause the import of T#.FEM files to stop.

The workaround is to define and assign these materials after import.

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Compartments and load cases for HydroD/Wadam

The load case names are sorted alphabetically in load case numbers. To obtain different different compartments in different models, dummy load cases must be used. The actual FEM load case numbers must be unique for each compartment.

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How to create .FEM file for hydrodynamic added mass analysis in Sestra

The implementation of added mass in Sestra requires the wet surface to be a single superelement consisting of three and four noded membrane elements with all nodes super (all translational dofs retained and all rotational dofs free) and coupled to structural nodes (in other superelement). Since GeniE currently can't define all nodes as super (retained), and Patran-Pre doesn't support membrane elements, the following procedure must be used to prepare the model with all membrane elements and all super nodes:

  • Export a T-FEM file of the wet surface from GeniE with membrane elements.
  • Export exactly the same model once more but with regular shell elements. Use a different name for the T-FEM file.
  • Read the model in #2 into Patran-Pre and define all nodes as restrained nodes (translational dofs = restrained, rotational dofs = free). Export T-FEM file with new name.
  • Check that element and node IDs are identical in the T-FEM files created in #2 and #3.
  • Copy the lines that contain the restrained nodes from the T-FEM file in #3 into T-FEM file #1
  • Change the value of NDOF on all BNBCD cards from 6.00000000E+00 to 3.00000000E+00 and remove the values for the rotational dofs, i.e. replace:
BNBCD 1.46100000E+03 6.00000000E+00 4.00000000E+00 4.00000000E+00
      4.00000000E+00 0.00000000E+00 0.00000000E+00 0.00000000E+00

with

BNBCD 1.46100000E+03 3.00000000E+00 4.00000000E+00 4.00000000E+00
      4.00000000E+00

using replace functionality in a text editor.

  • Use T-FEM #6 for added mass. Use T-FEM file created in #2 for structural strength.

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How to define beam properties

Version: All

See the attached document for how to define beam properties in Patran-Pre.

Please see the attached document How to define beam properties in Sesam Patran-Pre.

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How to get a license for CAD import?

Using the different CAD import and export interfaces in Patran-Pre require separate licenses. Some examples of the interfaces are IGES, ACIS, Parasolid and STEP.

The licenses have to be purchased from your local MSC.Software representative. Contact MSC.Software for information about packaging of the direct geometry access products. Your local MSC.Software office can be found on www.mscsoftware.com.

Patran-Pre uses exactly the same licenses for CAD import as Patran, thus the same CAD import license can be used by both Patran-Pre and Patran.

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License error about missing MSC.Patran license after installing Patran-Pre v2010r2 and later

When starting Patran-Pre 2010r2 or later the first time after installing it, an Error reported from application Security is displayed and no license is found. If the error message is about a missing MSC.Patran license, the last step of the installation is missing.

Without this last step, Patran-Pre tries to obtain native MSC.Patran licenses instead of Patran-Pre licenses. This can be fixed by doing either of these steps:

  • Add -iam sesam to the PatranPre 2010 shortcut. e.g. C:\MSC.Software\Patran_x64\20102\bin\patran.exe -stdout -iam sesam
  • Or, you may create the environment variable P3_IAM and give it the value *sesam *(P3_IAM=sesam).

More details can be found in the Patran-Pre release notes.

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