Nastran Solver Interface

This section describes the Engineering Solutions Nastran input translator, output template, results translator, and summary templates. Nastran is treated as a card image code.

Follow these guidelines when creating a model for use with the Nastran interface:

•	Two user profiles are available for the Nastran interface: MSC Nastran and NX Nastran.

•

During input, the Nastran interface assumes that the continuation line always follows the line before, therefore no continuation cards are needed in the input file. During export, Engineering Solutions writes "+" or "*" as a continuation card to ensure that the continuation line follows the reference card.

•	Warnings and error messages are written to an open text file for your review. You can save this file. All the lines in the input file that are unrecognized by the translator are written to unsupported cards, which can be edited.

•	The Nastran input translator supports single, double, free, and fixed formats.

•

Two templates are available for export and viewing (editing) Nastran cards. The nastran/general template outputs all cards in a single precision, fixed format. The nastran/generallf template outputs System, Grid, Element, Load, Subcase, Property, and Material cards in a fixed, double precision (Long) format.

•	By selecting the Nastran user profile, you can work with pre-defined panels that are more specific to Nastran usage.

•	Symbolic substitution is supported as parameters in the MSC Nastran user profile for properties and materials. All the attributes in materials and properties can be parameterized.

Note:

Before exporting or editing Nastran cards, a Nastran template must be loaded. Setting the user profile to Nastran automatically loads the Nastran template.

Engineering Solutions reads and writes certain HyperMesh commands in the Nastran bulk data file as comments. These comment cards enable HyperMesh to preserve pre-defined preferences across sessions. It is strongly suggested that you do not hand edit these cards.

See Also: