Workshop

Anchor Analysis

Anchor Analysis 1 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 • Workshop Objectives
– Perform an MSC Nastran linear static analysis on the anchor model.
– Compare von Mises stress plots that use different Averaging Methods.
– Compare von mises stress plots that use different extrapolation methods
for nodal results.
• Software Version
– Patran 2018.0
– MSC Nastran 2018.0
• Files Requied
– anchor.db
• Problem Description
– This workshop is a continuation of the anchor series of workshops.
– In the previous workshops you created the model, meshed it, added loads
and boundary conditions, and created the material and element property.
Now you will run a linear static analysis on the anchor and plot the
structural deformation and von mises stresses.
– Notice how Averaging Domain affects the von Mises Stress plot.
– Notice how Extrapolation Method affects the von Mises Stress plot.

Anchor Analysis 2 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 • Suggested Exercise Steps
1. Open existing database called anchor.db.
2. Check the load case to verify that the load and boundary condition are
included.
3. Set up and perform an analysis:
• Solution Type = Linear Static
• Solution Sequence = 101
4. Attach the results file anchor.xdb.
5. Plot deformation.
6. Plot von Mises stress.
7. Show a fringe plot for a subset of the elements and zoom in to see if there
are sufficient Tet10 elements to represent the stress gradient.
8. For the von Mises stress plot, change the Averaging Domain from the
default “All Entities” to “None” and notice how the plot changed.
9. For the von Mises stress plot, change the Extrapolation Method from the
default “Shape Function” to Average and notice how the plot changed.
10.Quit Patran.

Anchor Analysis 3 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 1. Open Database

Open the existing database

anchor.db:
a. Select File > Open. a
b. Select anchor.db.
c. Click OK.

b
b

Anchor Analysis 4 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 2. Check Load Case
a

Check the load case:

a. Under the Loads/BCs tab, click Create Load Case from Load Cases group. b
b. Select Show as Action.
c. Select Default for Existing Load Cases.
d. Check that the load and boundary condition have been assigned to this load case.
e. Click OK.

Anchor Analysis 5 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 3. Set up and Run the Analysis
a

Set up the linear static analysis:

a. Under the Analysis tab, click
Entire Model in the Analyze
group.
b. Click Solution Type.
c
c. Select Linear Static for
Solution Type.
d. Click OK.

Anchor Analysis 6 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 3. Set up and Run the Analysis (Cont.)

Set up the linear static

analysis continued:
a. Click Subcases.
b. Select Default for
Available Subcases. b
Default should already
be selected for Available
Load Cases.
c. Click Apply. f
d. Click Cancel.
e. Click Subcase Select.
f. Verify that Default is
selected under
Subcases Selected.
g. Click OK.
h. Click Apply to run the
analysis.

a
e
g d h
c

Anchor Analysis 7 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 4. Access Results
a

Access results file:

a. Under the Analysis tab, click
XDB from Access Results
group.
b. Click Select Results File.
c. Select anchor.xdb. c
d. Click OK.
e. Click Apply.

Anchor Analysis 8 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 5. Plot Deformation
b

View the deformation results:

a. Click Reset Graphics.
b. Under the Results tab, click Deformation in the Results Plots
group.
c. Select Default, A1:Static Subcase for Select Result Cases.
c
d. Select Displacements, Translational for Select Deformation
Result.
e. Click Apply.

d
a

Anchor Analysis 9 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 5. Plot Deformation (Cont.)

a
Show only the deformed shape:
a. Click Display Attributes.
b. Select Wireframe for Render
Style.
b
c. Disable Show Undeformed.
d. Click Plot/Erase.
e. Click Erase for Geometry.
f. Click OK.
g. Click Apply.

d e c

Anchor Analysis 10 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 5. Plot Deformation (Cont.)

The image shows the deformed

shape, without model geometry and
undeformed finite element model.

Anchor Analysis 11 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 6. Plot von Mises Stress
a

View the von Mises stress results on

the deformed shape:
a. Under the Results tab, click
Fringe from Results Plots
group.
b. Select Default, A1:Static
Subcase under Select Result b
Cases.
c. Select Stress Tensor for Select
Fringe Result.
d. Select von Mises for Quantity. f
e. Click Display Attributes.
f. Select Element Edges for
Display.
g. Click Apply. c

Anchor Analysis 12 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 6. Plot von Mises Stress (Cont.)

Note: The fringe values

you get may be
different from what’s
shown here due to
differences in meshing.

Anchor Analysis 13 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 7. Plot a Subset of Elements
Show the fringe plot for a subset of
elements at the top of the model:
a. Click Target Entities.
d
b. Select Elements for Target
Entity.
c. Select the elements as shown.
d. Click Reset Graphics.
e. Click Apply. a

c c

Anchor Analysis 14 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 7. Plot a subset of Elements (cont.)
Zoom in to see if there are
sufficient tet10 elements to
represent the stress gradient:
b
a. Click View Corners.
b. Select the region as shown.
c. Use the Mouse Rotate XY icon
to see the stress more clearly.

a c

Fringe Plot with Averaging Definitions set to defaults

Extrapolation Method - Shape function,
Domain - All Entities (Inter-Element Averaging)

Anchor Analysis 15 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 8. Change to Intra-element Averaging
For the von Mises stress plot, change the
averaging method from the default inter-element b
averaging to intra-element averaging and then e c
compare with the plot on the previous page:
a. Click Iso 3 view.
b. Click Fit view.
f
c. Select Plot Options.
d. For Intra-element averaging (averaging takes
place within each element separately) Set
Domain to None.
e. Click Target Entities.
f. Select Current Viewport as Target Entity.
g. Click Apply.
d

a
Fringe Plot, Extrapolation Method - Shape function,
Domain - None (Intra-Element Averaging)

Anchor Analysis 16 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 9. Change Extrapolation Method to Average
Change Extrapolation Method to Average and
compare to the plot with Average Definitions
set to defaults. (Do not use previous page plot
as Domain is set to None)
a. Select Plot Options.
b. Set Domain to All Entities under a
Averaging Definition.
c. Select Extrapolation to Average.
d. Click Apply.

Using Extrapolation, see how b

Average (Patran averages results
within each element and uses that
c
average at the respective element
nodes) produces different results
from the default setting Shape Fn.
(The shape function for each element
is used to determine results at the
respective element nodes)

Fringe Plot, Extrapolation Method – Average

d
Domain - All Entities (Inter-element Averaging)
Anchor Analysis 17 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation
 Step 10. Quit Patran

End of this workshop:

a. Select File > Quit.

Anchor Analysis 18 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation