New Feat New Feat

What’s New in FEMAP
FEMAP 9.3 includes enhancements and new features in:

• “User Interface” on page 3
• “Meshing” on page 13
• “Materials and Properties” on page 14
• “Layups” on page 15
• “Loads and Constraints” on page 18
• “Using Data Surfaces with Loads” on page 21
• “Connections (Connection Properties, Regions, and Connectors)” on page 38
• “Geometry” on page 43
• “Groups and Layers” on page 45
• “Output and Post-Processing” on page 48
• “Geometry Interfaces” on page 49
• “Analysis Program Interfaces” on page 49
• “Tools” on page 53
• “OLE/COM API” on page 54
• “Preferences” on page 55
FEMAP 9.2 includes enhancements and new features in:

• “User Interface” on page 57
• “Meshing” on page 60
• “Loads and Constraints” on page 61
• “Connections” on page 62
• “Geometry” on page 64
• “Groups and Layers” on page 64
• “Graphics” on page 64
• “Geometry Interfaces” on page 65
• “Analysis Program Interfaces” on page 65
• “OLE/COM API” on page 67
• “Preferences” on page 68
• “64-bit Support” on page 69
9.3-2 Finite Element Modeling
What’s New for version 9.3 9.3-3
What’s New for version 9.3
User Interface
"General", "Menu", "Entity Select, Locate (Coordinate, Vector, and Plane), and Color Palette", "Toolbars", "Select
Toolbar","View Toolbar", "Customize dialog box", "Icon Buttons", "Vista", "Spaceball", "Data Table", "Entity Edi-
tor", "Model Info Tree", "Data Surface Editor", and "Program File".
General
• Added longer titles and automatic titling. Updated title length to 79 characters.
• Added adjustable drop-downs on combo boxes
• Added Help to Customize dialog box
• All set activate (Load, BC, Solid, Output Set, Layer, Output Vector) dialog boxes resizable
• Renamed Spring Elements to Spring/Damper
• Position of undocked Analysis Monitor is saved
• Support of dialog placement for multiple monitors
Menu
• Reorganized “Dockable Panes and Toolbars” portion of the Tools menu for more efficient use and to group sim-
ilar panes into submenus.
• Added Geometry, Surface, Remove Hole and Geometry, Solid, Thicken commands to the Geometry menu. See
the Geometry section for more information on these commands.
• Added Fluid Region, Bolt Region, and Rotor Region to the Connect Menu. See Connections section for more
information on these new commands
• Added Layup command to Model Menu. See Layup section for more information on this command.
• Added commands to the Modify, Project menu to project points and nodes on to a specified vector or plane.
• Added commands to the Modify, Edit menu to edit Layups, Load Definitions, and Constraint Definitions.
• Added commands to the Modify, Renumber menu to renumber Connection Properties, Connection Region,
Connections, Functions, Layers, and Analysis Sets.
• Reorganized commands on the Modify, Update Elements menu to group similar commands into menu sections.
Changed names of some commands to be more descriptive and more intuitive. Added new commands to set or
update the CTE on rigid elements and reverse direction of line elements (formally, reversing of all elements was
done via the Reverse command).
• Added command to the Modify, Update Other menu to specify Superelement ID on selected nodes.
• Added commands to the List, Model menu to list Layups, Load - Definitions, Load - Individual, Constraint -
Definitions, and Constraint - Individual
• Added commands to the List, Output menu to list Results to Data Table and Nodal Changes to Data Table.
• Added commands to the Delete, Model menu to delete Load - Definitions and Constraint - Definitions
• Added commands to the Delete, Library menu to delete from the Layup Library.
• Added additional commands to the Group menu for Regions, Nodes, Elements, Properties, and Loads. Added
Group, Layup commands again.
• Added commands to the Group, Operations menu to perform New Boolean Operations, Add Related Entities to
an existing group, Generate groups based on Superelement ID, and Generate groups from Entities on Layer.
• Added commands to the View, Rotate menu to use a Single Axis and/or the Model Axis, set FEMAP to Rotate
About the View Center or a Rotation Axis.
Entity Select, Locate (Coordinate, Vector, and Plane), and Color Palette
• Added context help to all of the standard dialog boxes (Entity Select; Color Palette; Locate - Coordinate, Vec-
tor, and Plane)
Question Mark Icon brings up help
• Added Coordinate Picking, Around Point, Around Vector and Around Plane to the Pick Menu in the standard
Entity Selection dialog box and the Select Toolbar.
Coordinate Picking
The Coordinate option allows you to select entities using a combination of X,Y, and/or Z values referencing a
selected coordinate system along with various limiting criteria (Above or Below a single value; Between or Out-
side two values; or At Location, within a specified Tolerance.
You can choose any coordinate system in your model and then select X, Y, and/or Z and a “limiting criteria” for
each coordinate. You can click the “Graphical Pick” Icon button next to any active field and this allows you to get
a value for that field by graphically picking in the model.
When using the At Location criteria, a “Tolerance” is used and can be manually entered. By default, this value is set
to the “Merge Tolerance” of your model and “expands” the selection area +/- that value (See Section 7.4.1, "Tools,
Parameters..." for how “Merge Tolerance” can be defined). You can also enter a larger value to “expand” the selec-
tion area further in both directions.
Any value entered in a field as selection criteria WILL be included in the selection.
Around Point
The Around Point option allows you to select entities using each entity’s position in 3-D space in relation to a
“Specified Point” along with various limiting criteria (Farther Than or Closer Than a single value; Between or Out-
side two values; or At Location, within a specified Tolerance). Essentially, a “sphere” will be created around the
“Specified Point” and selection will be based on the defined limiting criteria.
Entity Select, Locate (Coordinate, Vector, and Plane), and Color Palette 9.3-5
FEMAP will first prompt you for a point using the standard Locate dialog box and any “coordinate definition
method” can be used. Once the “Point” has been specified, the Select by Distance From Point dialog box will
appear.
You can click the “Graphical Pick” Icon button next to any active field and this allows you to get a value for that
field by graphically picking in the model.
Parameters..." for how “Merge Tolerance” can be defined).
Around Vector
The Around Vector option allows you to select entities using each entity’s position in 3-D space in relation to a
“Specified Vector” along with various limiting criteria (Farther Than or Closer Than a single value; Between or
Outside two values; or At Location, within a specified Tolerance). Essentially, a “cylinder” will be created around
the “Specified Vector” and selection will be based on the defined limiting criteria.
FEMAP will first prompt you for a vector using the standard Vector Locate dialog box and any “vector definition
method” can be used. Once the “Vector” has been specified, the Select by Distance From Vector dialog box will
appear.
Around Plane
The Around Plane option allows you to select entities using each entity’s position in 3-D space in relation to a
“Specified Plane” along with various limiting criteria (Positive Side or Negative Side of Plane with offset value;
Between or Outside two offset values; or At Location, within a specified Tolerance).
FEMAP will first prompt you for a plane using the standard Plane Locate dialog box and any “plane definition
method” can be used. Once the “Plane” has been specified, the Select by Distance From Plane dialog box will
appear.
The “Positive Side” is the side of the “Specified Plane” with the “positive normal direction” (based on the right
hand rule) and the other side is the “Negative Side”. You can enter an Offset Distance from the plane in either the
Positive or negative direction.
• Updated List push button on standard Entity Selection dialog to bring up a multi-select list instead of a single
selection.
• Enhanced Copy and Copy as List to both export the net selection, not the ranges in the box.
• Made Previous and Pick->Paste honor the Add, Remove, and Exclude settings
• Added method to node picking to select nodes referenced by constraint equations
• Added Methods to standard selection dialog box for Connections, Connection Properties, and Regions, and sev-
eral for Elements, Props,...
• Moved color palette to be model dependent and it is now saved with the model
• Moved User Contour Palette to be view dependent, now saved with model.
Spaceball
Improved support of Spaceball graphics interface devices. Also, fixed many issues when using a Spaceball from
earlier versions of FEMAP
Toolbars 9.3-7
Toolbars
• Added Dockable Panes toolbar (Panes)
This Toolbar gives you quick access to toggle the various Dockable Panes on and off in the User Interface. When a
Pane is open in the User Interface, the icon will turn orange. When a Pane is toggled “on” it will appear in the same
location it was in before being toggled “off” with this toolbar or any other method for closing the Pane.
It is separated into three sections:
The first section contains icons for the Model Info Tree, Entity Editor, Data Surface Editor, Entity Info, and Data
Table dockable panes.
The second section contains icons for the “Programming and customization” dockable panes in FEMAP, the API
Programming and Program File panes.
The third section contains an icon for the Messages Dockable Pane.
• Added Custom Tools functionality
The Custom Tools Toolbar makes accessing custom commands and tools (i.e., API programs, Macros created using
the Program File dockable pane, outside executables, etc.) very easy by allowing the user to choose a “Tools Direc-
tory” on the computer to store all of these tools.
The “Tools Directory” can be set a number of ways. Through this toolbar,
choosing the Tools Directory... command will bring up a dialog box which
will allow you to choose a directory. This directory you choose can be on
your computer or out on a network.
Note: By default, the Tools Directory... path points to the API folder
in the FEMAP directory.
You can also set the Tools Directory... using File, Preferences,
then choosing the Library/Startup tab, and then entering a
directory path in the “Custom Tools Path”.
Once the Tools Directory... is set, FEMAP will automatically create a menu
item for each file it recognizes as a “tool”. FEMAP recognizes the follow-
ing file types as potential “tools”:
*.exe; *.com; *.pif; *.bat; *.cmd; *.pro; *.prg; *.bas
If the Tools Directory... contains sub-folders, each sub-folder will become a
menu item and the “tools” inside each of those sub-folders will appear a
level lower in the Custom Tools Toolbar menu hierarchy.
The Add Tools... command allows you to choose a custom “tool” (file must
be one of the expected file types above) and copies that “tool” file to the
specified Tools Directory.... The next time you use the Custom Tools Menu,
that tool will be on the menu available for you to use.
.
Note: If an API or other executable has any “support files”, such as a “header file” or something else, you
can prevent these from appearing in the Custom Tools menu by placing a *.skip file in the same direc-
tory as the “support file”. For example, if you had something called “header.bas”, you could create a
file called “header.skip” in the same directory and then “header” would not show up in the menu.
• Added Bolt Preload to the Loads Toolbar

Select Toolbar
•Added Export Neutral to Selector Actions
•Added Coordinate Picking, Around Point, Around Vector, and Around Plane to Selector
Actions
Coordinate - allows you to select entities using a combination of X,Y, and/or Z values
referencing a selected coordinate system along with various limiting criteria (Above or
Below a single value; Between or Outside two values; or At Location, within a specified
Tolerance).
Around Point - allows you to select entities using each entity’s position in 3-D space in
relation to a specified “Specified Point in 3-D space” along with various limiting criteria
(Farther Than or Closer Than a single value; Between or Outside two values; or At Loca-
tion, within a specified Tolerance).
Around Vector - allows you to select entities using each entity’s position in 3-D space in
relation to a specified “Specified Vector” along with various limiting criteria (Farther
Than or Closer Than a single value; Between or Outside two values; or At Location,
within a specified Tolerance).
Around Plane allows you to select entities using each entity’s position in 3-D space in
relation to a Specified Plane along with various limiting criteria (Positive Side or Negative
Side of Plane with offset value; Between or Outside two offset values; or At Location,
within a specified Tolerance)
•Added automatically turning on "Select Multiple" when you choose "Select Related" in
Selector Mode
View Toolbar
• Added commands for quick use of Element Colors, Property Colors or Material Colors
• Added quick-drop-down command to turn on/off thickness and cross section
• Added view center/rotation center commands and menus
• Added View Rotation Single Axis and Model Axes commands
View,Center
Customize dialog box 9.3-9
Customize dialog box

• Added capability to save and load keyboard shortcut definitions. Saves a *.KEY file (Keyboard Shortcut File)
and works between versions of FEMAP.
• Added 110 new custom icons for Customize command

• Added option to turn off menu icons
Icon Buttons
In many dialog boxes of FEMAP 9.3, you will see “Icon buttons”. These buttons take you from the dialog box for
the current entity to the creation dialog box of the entity whose icon is on the button.
Icon buttons exist for:
Model, Coordinate System; Model, Material; Model, Property; Model, Layup;
Model, Function; Tools, Layer; Tools, Data Surface (Menu in Load dialog box)\
Vista
• Updated File, Open to work properly on Vista
• Changed Default Message Font and Program font to Segue for Vista
Special note about customers using Windows Vista:
FEMAP 9.3 is being released close to the same time as the initial release of Windows Vista. Although we have
tested FEMAP on Windows Vista with much success, there are issues with many graphics cards and drivers not
being available for Vista at this time, which may cause issues in FEMAP. Currently, Windows Vista is an “unsup-
ported” platform.
Data Table
• Added "List, Output, Nodal Changes to Data Table" command (Relative Deformations)
• Added capability to add mass properties when you have properties or materials in the data table
• Added Copy Rows and Copy Columns to Data Table
• Added Set Value and Set Title fields to “List, Output, Summary to Data Table”
• Added wrapping for titles in output reports from “List, Output, Results to Data Table”, also added lookup for
vector titles when the vector is not available in the first set selected
• Added multiline header to report.
• Added display of nodal data in Active Coordinate System, as well as, definition coordinate system.
Entity Editor
• Added editing of nodal point coordinates in the definition system and a separate display of the coordinates in
the active system.
• Added ability to edit the definition csys and edit the coordinates in that system, changing systems will trans-
form the edited values dynamically.
Model Info Tree

•Added Loads and BC to tree
•Added Combine Load/BC Definitions to tree
•Added Icons for some Load/Constraint tree commands
•Added Load Tree Context Menus
•Added Nodal on Face for Loads and Constraints in Tree
•Added Bolt Preload to Load Definition context menu in tree
•Added Data Surfaces to Tree
•Added Show Expanded on Connection Regions
•Added when highlighting properties, if no elements are
assigned to the property it will show geometry using the
property as a meshing attribute
•Properly highlight loads and constraints when in the Selec-
tion list in the tree
•Added "Add Related" to Group Context menu in tree.
•Updated to keep track of pages that were deleted so the tree
can be properly updated on a Redo.
•Added Load Set Copy and Constraint Set Copy to the right
mouse menus. Also corrected problem with Constraint Set
Copy that caused Node counters to not be updated to reflect
the new set
•Added Regenerate command when changing groups from
tree so that contours are updated
Data Surface Editor

The Data Surface Editor is completely new for FEMAP version 9.3. This dockable pane allows you to create “Data
Surfaces” in FEMAP. These “Data Surfaces” allow you to apply variable loading conditions using a number of pre-
Data Surface Editor 9.3-11
defined methods. Each method has a unique dialog box with all of the required inputs. FEMAP uses the informa-
tion from a specific dialog box and creates a table of values which is saved with the model and can then be applied
to any number of loading conditions. Data Surfaces themselves are explained in the “Data Surface” section of this
document.
Create/Load Edit Data Operate on

Data Surface Menu Surface Options Data Surface Menu
Save Data Clear Data Copy Data Surface Paste Data Surface
Surface Menu Surface (Entire Data Surface) (Entire Data Surface)
Once the data surface has been created using one of the methods, the corresponding table of values will appear in
the Data Surface Editor dockable pane. Now the values can be modified in the table itself. You can also copy and
paste individual cells or use the “Fill Down” command to change a number of values in the same column at once.
Each Data Surface has an ID and a Title which can be entered (up to 79 characters). If no title is specified, FEMAP
will automatically create a title based on the “definition method” used to create the Data Surface.
Data Surface Editor Icons
Create/Load Data Surface menu- The menu on this icon contains the various “definition methods” for creating
data surfaces, as well as the Edit Data Surface and Delete Data Surface commands.
The methods are:
• Along Coordinates Data Surface - allows you to choose coordinates in space and apply a Scalar value (single
value) or Vector values (X, Y, and Z values) at each coordinate. The variation will “follow the path” of the coor-
dinates in the order they are entered.
• Between Coordinates Data Surface - allows you to choose the number of corners to use (2, 4, or 8), whether
the variation is in linear or parametric space, and enter a Scalar value (single value) or Vector values (X, Y, and
Z values) at each “corner”. The values will be interpolated between the specified corners.
•Output Map Data Surface - allows you to “map” output
from one mesh to create load values for another mesh. Out-
put which can be “mapped” includes:
Nodal (Forces, Moments, Displacements, Velocities, Rota-
tional Velocities, Accelerations, Rotational Accelerations,
Temperatures, and Heat Flux)
Elemental (Pressures, Temperatures, Heat Flux, Heat Gen-
eration, Convection, and Radiation)
•Mesh Data Surface - allows you to choose node or ele-
ment IDs and enter a Scalar value (or “expression”) or Vec-
tor (X, Y, and Z) values (or 3 “expressions”). This type of
data surface is much more useful when using an “expression”, which uses a particular coordinate of a node or
element centroid. (such as XND(!i), bases value on X coordinate of a node)
Note: To create an “expression” referencing the Node, Element, or Element Face Coordinates use
XND(), YND(), ZND(), XEL(), YEL(), ZEL(), XEF(;), YEF(;), or ZEF(;). These are explained in
greater detail in Appendix C of the FEMAP User Guide (see Section C, "Function Reference")
• Tabular Data Surface - allows you to create a data surface by defining the size of the table and then entering
the values one at a time or pasting them in from another program, such as Excel. This is the most general type
of data surface.
• Arbitrary 3-D Data Surface - allows you to create a data surface using points in space and then distributes the
values using an “Inverse Weighted Interpolation” method. This is a great way to enter “test data” at a number of
points in space and then the values are extrapolated from those points to the nodes or elements in your model.
• Equation Data Surface - allows you to simply enter a FEMAP equation and stores the equation for use in any
loading condition.
Note: In order for the equation to work properly in FEMAP, the proper syntax must be used, which is
explained in greater detail in Appendix C of the FEMAP User Guide (see Section C, "Function
Reference").)
Each method is described in greater detail in

• Edit Data Surface - a single-select dialog box appears which allows you to choose which data surfaces to edit.
You can also use this command to open an existing data surface for viewing, even if you do not plan to edit the
surface.
Note: When this command is used, FEMAP will ask you if it is “OK to Clear Grid?” if there is a data
surface currently in the Data Surface Editor. By saying Yes, the “grid” will be cleared and any
unsaved changes will be lost.
• Delete Data Surface - a multi-select dialog box appears which allows you to choose which data surfaces to
delete.
Save Data Surface menu - The menu on this icon contains the various options for saving a data surface.
• Save - simply saves the data surface with the current name to the FEMAP model
• Save As - allows you to change the name of the current data surface when saving using the Create or Update
dialog box.
• To File - allows you to save the current data surface values to a comma-separated file (*.CSV file).
Edit Data Surface Options - Opens the “definition method” dialog box corresponding to the type of data surface
currently in the Data Surface Editor. This allows you to modify options such as the coordinate system or other vari-
ation data. For instance, if an “Along Coordinates” data surface is currently in the Data Surface Editor, FEMAP
will bring up the Define Variation Along Coordinates Data Surface dialog box.
Clear Data Surface Editor - Completely clears any table and values currently in the Data Surface Editor.
Operate on Data Surface menu - The menu on this icon contains commands specifically for use with the “Output
Map Data Surface” (Align Output Map and Plot Output Map) and the “Tabular Data Surface” (Interpolate).
•Align Output Map - Used to align an “Output Map Data Surface” to the
“target model” where the output is to be mapped.
•Plot Output Map - Used to toggle a “plot” of the “source mesh” and out-
put that will be mapped on and off when the “Output Map Data Surface” is
applied in the “target model”. Very useful when aligning the “source model”
to the “target model” for visual verification.
Program File 9.3-13
• Interpolate - This command will perform the initial interpolation on a “Tabular Data Surface” which is cur-
rently active in the Data Surface Editor. This allows you to enter only certain portions of data into the Data Sur-
face, then have FEMAP interpolate between those points for you. This also allows you to see the “populated”
values which FEMAP has calculated in the table of values.
Note: This interpolation is identical to the first step which is performed when a tabular data surface is
evaluated to find variation locations.
Copy - Copies the data surface to the clipboard using the FEMAP neutral file format. This makes it easy to copy a
data surface from one model to another.
Paste - Pastes the copied data surface into the active model. The Next available data surface ID will be used for the
“pasted” data surface.
Note: The Copy and Paste icons are designed for copying a data surface from one model to another.
To copy individual cells to the clipboard (for pasting into other cells in the Data Surface Editor or
a program such as Excel), highlight the cells you wish to copy, then click the right mouse button
and choose the “Copy” command from the menu.
A similar procedure can be used to paste cells into the Data Surface Editor using the “Paste” com-
mand on the context sensitive menu.
Context Sensitive Menu (All Data Surfaces)

There is a context sensitive menu which will appear when cell(s) are high-
lighted in the Data Surface Editor pane and the right mouse button is clicked.
This menu allows you to:
Copy and Paste individual cells (either a single cell or multiple cells)
Fill Down is only available when multiple cells have been highlighted. It will
copy the value at the “top” of the highlighted group of cells and “fill” all of
the highlighted cells in the same column with that value. If multiple columns
are highlighted, the value at the “top” of the cells in each column will be the
value that is used.
Clear All completely clears any table and values currently in the Data Sur-
face Editor, while Clear Selected will only clear the highlighted cells.
Update Entity ID allows you to graphically choose an appropriate new Entity ID in the screen (i.e., Nodes or Ele-
ments) for the highlighted row. Update Coordinates allows you to graphically choose a new coordinate for the
selected row using the Locate dialog box and any snap mode. Update Vector Values allows you to graphically spec-
ify new vector values for a row using the Vector Locate dialog box and any snap mode(s).
Program File
• After IF statement program files now wait for timer - it allows other things to happen, like an API to run and set
some condition
• Added program file support for Layup dialog controls
• Allow <USER> or <PAUSE> program file commands to work with File, Open dialogs
• Supported Multi-select list boxes in program files, and corrected problem replaying
• Program files that used dialog boxes with no underline in OK
Meshing
Enhancements to meshing include:
• Added option to Modify, Move By, Radial Nodes and Modify, Move By, Radial Elements to move cylindrically
around a vector, not just spherically
• Added extra pass at end of tet meshing to cleanup interior midside nodes
• Changed setting size of small features to an option in Solid and Surface mesh size dialogs - automatically uses
mesh size if turned off.
• Changed Edge Members of line elements to require both nodes be selected. Previously only one node was
required so you got extra elements if you selected a "corner" node - which was different than the solid-face
mode for the same command.
• Allow “loop” feature suppression to work on sheet bodies
Choose one curve on each
“interior hole” and all of the
curves making up the “loop”
will be found and “Suppressed”
from the surface for meshing
All internal holes have been
“suppressed” from the surface
for meshing purposes only
Surface with several “interior holes”
Materials and Properties

Materials
• Added support for MATHE for both NX and MSC Nastran using the “Other Types” material type.
• Added support for MATG gasket material using the “Other Types” material type
• Added MAT10 (fluid material) using the “Other Types” material type
Properties 9.3-15
• Added function drop-downs to materials and capability to create functions

• Handled putting materials that reference functions of functions into the material library.
Properties
• Added new option to specify a “Layup” instead of entering the plies directly into a Laminate property.
• Added new options for Membrane Only, Bending Only, SMEAR, and SMEAR Core.
Layups
...creates a new layup. Layups are used to define the make-up of a laminate property, ply by ply. You can choose a
material ID, physical thickness, and orientation angle for each “ply” in the laminate. There is also an optional “Glo-
bal Ply” which can be defined.
ID and Title:
These options set the ID and Title for the layup to be created. Every time you create a layup, the default ID will be
automatically incremented. Title allows you to provide a title of up to 79 characters for each layup.
Global Ply ID (optional):
This option is currently only used to save a particular ply of one layup for use in other layups in your model. Future
versions of FEMAP will expand the capabilities of the “Global Ply”.
You can create a new Global Ply by clicking the “Global Ply” Icon Button next to the drop down list. In the Global
Ply Definition dialog box, you can choose an ID, Title (up to 79 characters), Material, and Thickness. Once the Glo-
bal Ply has been defined, you can use it in any layup of your model by simply choosing it from the Global Ply ID
drop-down list and the Material and Thickness values will be entered.
Note: A Global Ply can only be referenced in a Layup one time. If you use a Global Ply more than once in a
Layup, the most recently entered instance of the Global Ply will have the Global Ply designation.
Material, Thickness and Angle:

The Material drop-down list allows you to choose the material to be referenced for each ply. If you want to create a
new material, simply click the “Material” Icon Button next to the Material drop-down list.
Thickness allows you to enter the physical thickness of each ply.
Angle is used to enter the orientation angle of each ply. The angles are specified relative to the material axes which
were defined for the element. If you did not specify a material orientation angle, these angles are measured from
the first side of the element (the edge from the first to the second node). They are measured from the rotated mate-
rial axes otherwise.
Layup Editor Buttons
There are several buttons in the Layup Editor that allow you to perform different functions. Some buttons are avail-
able all the time, while other require that certain fields be filled, one row highlighted, or multiple rows highlighted.
Each button or group of button is explained in greater detail below.
New Ply
Once you have a Material, Thickness, and Angle specified, click this button to add the ply to the layup. By default,
it will add this ply to the Top of the List (Designated in the dialog box above the list of plies with “Top of Layup”).
If you have a ply highlighted in the list, the new ply will be added UNDER the highlighted ply (i.e., closer to the
“Bottom of Layup”). If you have multiple plies highlighted, this button is not available
Update buttons
Once a ply has been added the list, the definition of that ply can be updated using the Update Global Ply, Update
Material, Update Thickness, or Update Angle buttons. These commands are available when one or more plies are
highlighted in the list of plies (except Global Ply, which can only be used for one ply at a time). Once the desired
plies are highlighted, enter the new value for Material, Thickness, and/or Angle, then click the appropriate button to
update all highlighted plies with the new value.
Layups 9.3-17
Duplicate
Available when one ply or multiple plies are highlighted. Simply highlight the plies you would like duplicated in
the list of plies, click the Duplicate button, and the duplicated plies will be added to the top of the list of plies.
Delete
Available when one ply or multiple plies are highlighted. Simply highlight the plies you would like delete in the list
of plies, click the Delete button, and the plies will be deleted from the list of plies
Symmetry
Available only when multiple plies are highlighted. Simply highlight the plies you would like to “mirror” in the list
of plies, click the Symmetry button, and the “mirrored” plies will be added to the top of the list of plies in reverse
order as the were originally in the list.
Reverse
Available only when multiple plies are highlighted. Simply highlight the plies you would like to “reverse” in the
list of plies, click the Reverse button, and the order of the selected plies will be reversed in the list based on the
original position (i.e., the selected ply which was closest to the “Bottom of Layup” will now be closest to the “Top
of Layup” in the list).
Move Up and Move Down
Available when one ply or multiple plies are highlighted. Simply highlight the plies you would like moved up or
down in the list of plies, click the Move Up or Move Down button, and the selected plies will be moved closer to the
“Top of Layup” (Move Up) or “Bottom of Layup” (Move Down) one ply at a time.
Rotate
Available when one ply or multiple plies are highlighted. Simply highlight the plies you would like to rotate (alter
angle) in the list of plies, click the Rotate button, and the “Angle” of the selected plies will updated by adding or
subtracting the number entered in the Rotate Ply By dialog box. Enter a negative number to subtract from the cur-
rent angle.
Compute
Always available once a single ply has been added to the layup. This command will calculate the equivalent
mechanical properties for the layup. These values will be sent to the Messages dockable pane.
Note: If you have the Entity Info window open while creating or modifying a Layup, the equivalent properties
will be calculated “live” every time a ply is added or modified. This is a great way to create a layup
which will behave as expected in your model.
The calculated “equivalent laminate property”

values include:
•Total Thickness
•In-Plane Properties (2-D orthotropic)
Modulus of elasticity (X and Y directions)
Shear Modulus (XY)
Poisson’s Ratio
Coefficient of thermal expansion (X,Y, and XY)
•Bending/Flexural Properties (2-D orthotropic)
Modulus of elasticity (X and Y bending)
Shear Modulus (XY bending)
Poisson’s Ratio
Coefficient of thermal expansion (X,Y, and XY
bending)
• Compliance Matrices - These are provided for advanced users working with composites. The inverse are also
provided for your convenience.
A Matrix (extensional stiffness), B Matrix (coupling stiffness), D Matrix (bending stiffness)
A-Inv Matrix, B-Inv Matrix, D-Inv Matrix
Copy and Paste
Available when one ply or multiple plies are highlighted. Simply highlight the plies you would like copied in the
list of plies, click the Copy button, and the selected plies will be place on the clipboard.
Clicking Paste will Paste the plies into the current layup at the top of the list of plies. You can now reposition the
plies using the Move Up and Move Down buttons.
Note: The “copied” plies will remain on the clipboard until over-written by another copy operation from a
windows program. If you desire, you can “copy” from a layup, then open another layup (new or exist-
ing) and “paste” those plies into that layup.
Working with Layup Libraries (Save and Load buttons)

The layup library allows you to create standard layups that you can use over and over again in many different mod-
els. When you press Save, the current layup is added to the Layup library file. Pressing Load will display a list of
the layups in the library and let you choose one to be loaded into the layup editor dialog box. You can then modify
the values before pressing OK to create the layup. The layup ID is not saved in the library, nor updated when a
layup is loaded from the library. For more information on libraries, see Section 2.6.2.8, "Library/Startup".
Loads and Constraints

Load Definitions
Every time a load is created on finite element entities (i.e., Model, Load, Nodal; Model, Load, Nodal on Face; and
Model, Load, Elemental) or geometry (Model, Load, On Point; Model, Load, On Curve; Model, Load, on Surface)
a “Load Definition” will also be created in FEMAP. A Bolt Preload will also create a Load Definition. These Load
Definitions will appear in the Loads branch of the Model Info tree and can be given a title.
Each Load Definition will contain all of the individual loads which were created at the same time using a Model,
Load... command. Load Definitions can then be edited, listed, and deleted and all individual loads contained in that
Load Definition will be edited, listed, or deleted.
Note: All of the commands for listing, deleting, and modifying individual loads are still available in FEMAP.
For example, if you chose to put a Force load of 1 unit on 5 selected nodes, a single “Load Definition” would
appear in the Model Info tree. In this case, if the Load Definition were to be edited, 5 individual loads would be
modified using one command.
Load Definitions can be removed at any time using the Remove Definition command on the context sensitive menu
in the Model Info tree and the individual loads from that Load Definition will be moved under the appropriate head-
ing in the Other Loads branch. The Other Loads branch contains headings for On Geometry, On Mesh, Bolt Pre-
Load, Nodal Temperatures, and Elemental Temperatures.
Also, a Load Definition can be created from any number of loads of the same type (i.e., any number of Nodal
Forces, Elemental Pressures, or Displacements on Curves, etc.) by highlighting them in the Model Info tree and
using the Create Definition command from the context sensitive menu.
If you choose loads of various types and then use the Create Definition command, FEMAP will create a Load Def-
inition for each separate type of load that was highlighted. For more information about the Remove Definition and
Create Definition commands, along with the process of combining Load Definitions, please see Section 7.2.1,
"Tools, Model Info" under “Loads and Constraints in the Model Info Tree”
Constraint Definitions
Every time a constraint is created on finite element entities (i.e., Model, Constraint, Nodal; Model, Constraint,
Nodal on Face; and Model, Constraint, Equation) or geometry (Model, Constraint, On Point; Model, Constraint,
Additional Load and Constraint Enhancements 9.3-19
On Curve; Model, Constraint, on Surface) a “Constraint Definition” will also be created in FEMAP. These Con-
straint Definitions will appear in the Constraints branch of the Model Info tree and can be given a title.
Each Constraint Definition will contain all of the individual constraints which were created at the same time using
a Model, Constraint... command. Constraint Definitions can then be edited, listed, and deleted and all individual
constraints contained in that Constraint Definition will be edited, listed, or deleted.
Note: Each Constraint Equation created will also create a new Constraint Definition. These Constraint Defini-
tions can then be combined.
Note: All of the commands for listing, deleting, and modifying individual constraints are still available in
FEMAP.
For example, if you chose to put a constraint for Degrees of Freedom TX, TY, and TZ on 5 selected nodes, a single
“Constraint Definition” would appear in the Model Info tree. In this case, if the Constraint Definition were to be
edited, 5 individual constraints would be modified using one command.
Constraint Definitions can be removed at any time using the Remove Definition command on the context sensitive
menu in the Model Info tree and the individual constraints from that Constraint Definition will be moved under the
appropriate heading in the Other Constraints branch. The Other Constraints branch contains headings for On
Geometry, On Mesh, and Equations.
Also, a Constraint Definition can be created from any number of constraints of the same type (i.e., any number of
Nodal Constraints, Constraints on Curves, or Constraint Equations, etc.) by highlighting them in the Model Info
tree and using the Create Definition command from the context sensitive menu.
Note: If you combine multiple constraint equations into one constraint definition, you will be prompted to edit
each constraint equation one at a time.
If you choose constraints of various types and then use the Create Definition command, FEMAP will create a Con-
straint Definition for each separate type of constraint that was highlighted. For more information about the Remove
Definition and Create Definition commands, along with the process of combining Constraint Definitions, please
see Section 7.2.1, "Tools, Model Info" under “Loads and Constraints in the Model Info Tree”
Additional Load and Constraint Enhancements

• Added Edit Load Definition/Edit Constraint Definition and Delete Load Definition/Delete Constraint Defini-
tion to menu
• Added new dialog boxes for Load and BC Combine
• Added functional dependence for body accelerations and rotations. Removed requirement for coincident vector
for RFORCE rotation and accelerations. Also added "Rotating About Vector" to body loads to automatically set
rotational velocity and acceleration components around a vector and made center of rotation on body loads
pick-able from screen
• Added face selection by free face for loads on mesh
• Clear the current face ID when you switch between Front and Back Face - to truly indicate that you have to re-
pick the face after the radio button change.
• Initial implementation of Bolt Preloads for NX Nastran
Using Data Surfaces with Loads 9.3-21
Using Data Surfaces with Loads
A new method exists for varying a load on the Create Loads dialog box. In FEMAP 9.3, you can use a Data Surface
as a load variation method. You can quickly create 6 of the 7 types of Data Surfaces from inside the dialog box by
choosing a Data Surface type from the menu that appears when the Data Surface Icon button is clicked.
Here is a description of what you can do with the different types of Data Surfaces - "Along Coordinates Data Sur-
face", "Between Coordinates Data Surface", "Output Map Data Surface", "Mesh Data Surface", "Tabular Data Sur-
face (Must to be defined before load is created)", "Arbitrary 3-D Data Surface", "Equation Data Surface"
Along Coordinates Data Surface

This type of Data Surface allows you to choose coordinates in space and apply a Scalar value (single value) or Vec-
tor values (X, Y, and Z values) at each coordinate. The variation will “follow the path” of the coordinates (“points”)
in the order they are entered. This type of Data Surface can have as few as 3 “points” and as many as 110 “points”.
Variation Options
• Define Multiple - allows you to use the Variation Locations section of this Dialog Box. By clicking the Paste
button, values on the clipboard will be entered into the Variation Locations list in the appropriate format.
• Number of Points - allows you to enter a number to represent the number of rows which will be created in the
“Table” of the Data Surface Editor. The table can then be filled manually one cell at a time, using the Update
Coordinates or Update Vector Values commands (available on the Context-Sensitive menu for this type of Data
Surface), or “Pasting” (also on context sensitive menu) cells from a spreadsheet or comma-separated values.
Data Options
• Scalar - allows you to enter one value for each coordinate
• Vector - allows you to enter 3 component values (X, Y, and Z) for each coordinate.
• Options button - One option is available for this data surface definition method. “Project Curve onto Surface”
allows you to pick a surface to project the spline onto before it is interpolated.
Variation Locations
The X, Y, and Z Location fields represent the X, Y, and Z coordinates of the “points of the spline”. These coordi-
nates can be entered manually or picked graphically from the screen (use of “snap options” can aid in precise selec-
tion of coordinates).
Once the Location fields are entered, a single value (Data Options set to “Scalar”) or XYZ values (Data Options
set to “Vector”) can be entered into the appropriate Value fields.
To add a coordinate and value(s) to the list of “Points”, click the Add button.
Values for any of the fields in a single row can be updated by clicking a row in the list (the values will be filled in
for Location and Value), altering the desired values, and then clicking the Update button.
Delete will delete only the highlighted row, while Reset will completely clear the list of “Points”.
Note: When a row is selected in the Variation Locations list, it will be highlighted on the screen using
the current settings for the Window, Show Entities command.
Example
The value of a pressure load on the top of the wing needs to vary based on the coordinate values of each node at one
edge of the “upper wing skin”. “Scalar” was set in Data Options so only one value needs to be entered for each
location
Nodes on this edge used to specify
coordinates (snap mode set to “Snap
to Node”)
Once the Data Surface has been created, you will use Model, Load, Elemental to create the pressure loading. The
elements on the “top” of the wing are selected and the Method in the Create Loads on Element dialog box has been
changed to “Data Surface”. “Pressure” has been chosen from the list of loads and the “Along Coordinates Data Sur-
face” has been selected from the Data Surface drop-down list. A value of “1.0” has been enter in the Pressure field
in order to use the entered values in the Data Surface directly. Finally element faces are chosen (using the adjacent
faces method) on which to apply the variable Pressure load.
Between Coordinates Data Surface 9.3-23
Pressure Loads Vectors

shown on “top” of wing.
Pressure Loads converted

to output and shown as
Criteria Plot for clarity.
Between Coordinates Data Surface

This type of Data Surface allows you to choose the number of corners to use (2, 4, or 8), whether the variation is in
linear or parametric space, and enter a Scalar value (single value) or Vector values (X, Y, and Z values) at each
“corner”. The values will be interpolated between the specified corners.
Variation Type
•2 Point Linear - Define two corner
locations and two associated values.
FEMAP will linearly interpolate
between the entered values at the two
locations.
•2 Point Parametric- Define two
corner locations, two associated val-
ues, and optionally a Curve (Chosen
using the Options button). The Data
Surface values are then linearly inter-
polated between the two locations in
parametric space using the chosen
curve.
•4 Point Bilinear - Define four cor-
ner locations representing a “rectan-
gular section” and associated values
at each corner. FEMAP will linearly
interpolate in two directions to obtain
the values inside the “rectangular sec-
tion”.
• 4 Point Parametric - Define four corner locations representing a “rectangular section”, associated values at
each corner, and optionally a Surface (Chosen using the Options button). FEMAP will project the 4 corner loca-
tions to the surface, then linearly interpolate in two directions in the parametric space of the chosen surface to
obtain the values inside the “rectangular section”.
Note: When a “Parametric” Variation Type (2 Point or 4 Point) is used for a “mesh-based” loading con-
dition, a geometry ID MUST be chosen to supply the parametric space.
When a “Parametric” Variation Type is used for a “geometry-based” loading condition, the
optional chosen geometry ID will override the geometry selected for the load.
• 8 Point Trilinear - Define eight corner locations representing a “prismatic volume” and associated values at
each corner. FEMAP will linearly interpolate in three directions to obtain the values inside the “prismatic vol-
ume”.
Data Options
• Scalar - allows you to enter one value for each corner.
• Vector - allows you to enter 3 component values (X, Y, and Z) for each corner.
• Options button - three options are available for this data surface definition method overall, but some options
are only available when certain Variation Type have been selected.
“CSys” is available for all Variation Types and defines the coordinate system in which the Data Surface will be
evaluated.
“Parametric Curve ID” is only available when the “2 Point Parametric” Variation Type have been selected. This
allows you to choose a curve ID. The linear interpolation will then occur in the curve’s parametric space.
“Parametric Surface ID” is only available when the “4 Point Parametric” Variation Type have been selected. This
allows you to choose a surface ID on which the corner locations will be projected. The linear interpolation will then
occur in the surface’s parametric space.
Variation Locations
The X, Y, and Z Corner Location fields represent the X, Y, and Z coordinates of the “Corner Points” for each Vari-
ation Type. These coordinates can be entered manually or picked graphically from the screen (use of “snap options”
can aid in precise selection of coordinates).
Once the Corner Location fields for a “row” are entered, a single value (Data Options set to “Scalar”) or XYZ val-
ues (Data Options set to “Vector”) can be entered into the appropriate Value fields.
Note: The required number of Corner Locations and Values “rows” will become active depending on the
chosen Variation Type. All active “rows” must have values in order for this type of Data Surface to
work properly. (i.e., you can NOT enter only three points for a “4 Point Linear” data surface)
Common Uses
This type of data surface is commonly used to define variations in 1, 2, or 3 dimensions, when “corner values” are
known.
Example
The value of a pressure load on the “top” of the wing needs to vary based on the four known “corner values” of
then “upper wing skin”. “Scalar” was set in Data Options so only one value needs to be entered for each location
Known Values at 4 corner
locations
Output Map Data Surface 9.3-25
Once the Data Surface has been created, you will use Model, Load, Elemental to create the pressure loading. The
elements on the “top” of the wing are selected and the Method in the Create Loads on Element dialog box has been
changed to “Data Surface”. “Pressure” has been chosen from the list of loads and the “Between Coordinates Data
Surface” has been selected from the Data Surface drop-down list. A value of “1.0” has been enter in the Pressure
field in order to use the entered values in the Data Surface directly. Finally element faces are chosen (using the
adjacent faces method) on which to apply the variable Pressure load.

shown on “top” of wing.

Contour Plot for clarity.
Output Map Data Surface

This type of Data Surface allows you to “map” output from one mesh to create load values for another mesh. The
“Other Mesh” can be a refined mesh in the same model or a completely different mesh in another model. Transfer-
ring an “Output Map Data Surface” to another model requires use of the Copy and Paste icons in the Data Surface
Editor.
Output which can be “mapped” includes:
• Nodal - Forces, Moments, Displacements, Velocities, Rotational Velocities, Accelerations, Rotational Acceler-
ations, Temperatures, and Heat Flux)
• Elemental - Pressures, Temperatures, Heat Flux, Heat Generation, Convection, and Radiation
The “Output Map Data Surface” works very similar to the Model, Load, Map Output From Model command,
although it can map more types of output to loads and can be used with only one model open in FEMAP. For more
information, see Section 4.3.6.4, "Model, Load, Map Output From Model..."
Note: FEMAP does not restrict the type of data which can be mapped in any way from one mesh to
another.
For instance, you could create an “Output Map Data Surface” using nodal temperatures from the
“source mesh”, then “map” those temperatures to the “target mesh” as an elemental pressure load.
In this case, that may not make sense, but is simply to represent the unrestricted nature of the com-
mand.
Map Output Data

• Output Set - Allows you to choose an Output Set currently in your model.
• Output Vector - Allows you to choose a specific Output Vector in the selected Output Set.
• Output By Group check box - When Checked, allows you to choose a predefined FEMAP Group. This Group
is used to limit the amount of output sent to the Data Surface as only output values from entities in the group
will be used.
Data Options button

Two options are available for this data surface definition
method. Both can be used with any data surface of this type.
“CSys” - defines the coordinate system in which the Data Sur-
face will be evaluated.
This drop-down menu in the “Output Map Options” section
allows you to choose a “mapping” option for entities which do
not have a “one-to-one mapping” from the “Source” to the “Tar-
get”. When a node is not “mapped” it is because a “Target”
node’s normal projection does not fall within any “Source” Ele-
ment. The options for nodes that are not mapped:
•0..Set to Zero - Sets all entities without a direct “map” to the
value of zero (0.0)
•1..Set to Value - Sets all entities without a direct “map” to a
specified value. The value can be specified as a constant or in X, Y, and Z components.
• 2..Extend Closest - Extends the value to the closest “Target Entity”.
• 3..Interpolate - Does a linear interpolation using the source values. (Default)
• 4..No Output - Applies no output values to any entities which do not have a direct “map”. FEMAP will also
automatically create a group of “Target” nodes which have not been “mapped”.
Using Align Output Map and Plot Output Map commands
Both the Align Output Map and Plot Output Map commands in the Data Surface Editor are exclusively used on
conjunction with the “Map Output Data Surface”. These commands are available to aid application of the Data Sur-
face from a “source mesh” to a different “target mesh”.
After the Data Surface has been created (or copied into a different model), Align Output Map can be used to prop-
erly align the Data Surface to the “target mesh”. The “source mesh” is saved with each “Output Map Data Surface”
and can then be plotted in relation to the “target mesh” using Plot Output Map.
The recommended workflow of these commands is to first toggle on the “plot” of the “source mesh”, “align” it to
the “target mesh”, then toggle off the “plot” once everything is properly aligned.
Example
After a steady-state fluid flow analysis of fluid through a pipe, the “Total Pressure” at each element in the fluid is
calculated. The “Total Pressure” output can be displayed in FEMAP using a contour plot. Now we want to transfer
the pressure values on the “outside” of the fluid (solid elements in Model “A”) to the “inside” of the pipe walls
(plate elements in Model “B”). Since nodes and element locations are completely different (element shapes as
well), we will “map” the “Total pressure” output to create a pressure load for structural analysis.
“Total Pressure at Nodes”

from a fluid-flow analysis
Mesh Data Surface 9.3-27
Once the Data Surface has been created, you will need to “copy” the Data Surface to the clipboard from Model “A”
using the Copy command in the Data Surface Editor. Now Model “B” needs to be opened (or created) and once it
is ready for loading, the Data Surface on the clipboard will be “pasted” in using the Paste command in the Data
Surface Editor.
Now, you will use Model, Load, Elemental to create the pressure loading. The elements on the “inside” of the pipe
are selected and the Method in the Create Loads on Element dialog box has been changed to “Data Surface”. “Pres-
sure” has been chosen from the list of loads and the “Output Map Data Surface” has been selected from the Data
Surface drop-down list. A value of “1.0” has been enter in the Pressure field in order to use the entered values in
the Data Surface directly. Finally element faces are chosen (Face “1”) on which to apply the variable Pressure load
Pressure Loads Vectors to output and shown as
shown on “inside” of pipe Contour Plot for clarity.
shell model.
Mesh Data Surface

This type of Data Surface allows you to choose node or element IDs and enter a Scalar value (or “expression”) or
Vector (X, Y, and Z) values (or 3 “expressions”). This type of data surface is much more useful when using an
“expression”, which uses a particular coordinate of a node, element centroid, or centroid of an element face to vary
the value (such as XND(!i), bases value on X coordinate of a node). The values shown in the Data Surface Editor
are “evaluated” values for each selected entity.
Note: To create an “expression” referencing the Node, Element, or Element Face Coordinates use
XND(), YND(), ZND(), XEL(), YEL(), ZEL(), XEF(;), YEF(;), or ZEF(;). These are explained in
greater detail in Appendix C of the FEMAP User Guide (see Section C, "Function Reference")
Variation Type
You must choose the entity type used to vary the data
surface
•Node ID - When Select Entities button is clicked,
FEMAP will prompt you to choose Node IDs for the
Data Surface
•Element ID - When Select Entities button is clicked,
FEMAP will prompt you to choose Element IDs for the
Data Surface
Data Options
•Scalar - allows you to enter one value or “expression”
•Vector - allows you to enter 3 component values (X, Y,
and Z) or 3 individual “expressions”.
•Options button - One option is available for this data
surface definition method. “CSys” is available for all
Variation Types and defines the coordinate system in
which the Data Surface will be evaluated.
Define/Fill Data Surface Data

Depending on the Data Option selected, you will be asked for 1 or 3 Value/Equation(s) (Expressions). After the
required Value/Equation(s) have been entered, click the Select Entities button to choose the appropriate entities
with the standard Entity Selection dialog box.
Common Uses
This type of data surface is commonly used to define load variations where the variation is known relative to the
element or node ID.
Example
The temperature of the exterior walls of a “tank” varies with height (Y direc-
tion in global coordinate system) from a point at the origin. The tank has a
mapped mesh which will allow accurate distribution of either nodal or ele-
mental temperatures. The “Scalar” Data Option will be used and an “expres-
sion” (YEL(!i)) will be used to vary the “X” value (In this case, simply
magnitude) based on the height of the element centroid.
Once the “expression” has been entered, click the Select Entities button and
choose all of the elements in the model. When OK is clicked, the “evaluated”
values will be sent to the table in the Data Surface Editor.
Now, you will use Model, Load, Elemental to create the temperature loading.
All of the elements are selected and “Temperature” has been chosen from the
list of loads. The Method in the Create Loads on Element dialog box has been
changed to “Data Surface” and the “Mesh Data Surface” has been selected from the Data Surface drop-down list.
A value of “100” has been enter in the Temperature field in order to use the entered values in the Data Surface mul-
tiplied by 100.
Elemental Temperature Loads Elemental Temperature Loads

shown on “Tank” converted to output and shown
with Criteria plot for clarity
Tabular Data Surface (Must to be defined before load is created) 9.3-29
Repeating the same procedure but using nodal Y-coordinates (YND(!i) “expression”) of all nodes instead of ele-
ments for the “Mesh Data Surface”, then applying nodal temperature loads yields these loads:
Nodal Temperature Loads Nodal Temperature Loads
shown on “Tank” converted to output and shown
with Contour plot for clarity
Tabular Data Surface (Must to be defined before load is created)

This type of Data Surface allows you to create a data surface by defining the size of the table in the Data Surface
Editor and then manually entering the values one at a time or pasting them in from another program, such as Excel.
This is the most general type of data surface and in some ways, the most powerful. That said, it also requires the
most interaction with the user, so keep that in mind.
Variation Type
You must choose the type of table to create, then specify the size of the selected table using the Define Data button.
This will create an empty table which you will then “fill with values” to vary the loading condition.
• Parametric Table - This type of table is designed to be based on the “Parametric Space” associated with a geo-
metric surface chosen during the creation of the Data Surface or created as a “generic” Data Surface which can
only be applied with a Surface-based load.
Note: When a “Parametric Table” is used for a “mesh-based” loading condition, a surface ID (not a
boundary surface) MUST be chosen to supply the parametric space.
When a “Parametric Table” is used for a “surface-based” loading condition, the chosen surface ID
will override the geometry selected for the load.
When Define Data button is clicked, the Define Table Size dialog box with
appears with fields for U Divisions, V Divisions, and Surface ID.
u Divisions - refers to how many intermediate points will be between “0”
and “1” in the “U” direction of the surface’s Parametric Space.
v Divisions - refers to how many intermediate points will be between “0”
and “1” in the “V” direction of the surface’s Parametric Space.
Surface ID - allows you to choose a 4-sided surface ID on which each
“corner value” in the table, will be correspond to a corner on the surface.
The linear interpolation will then occur in the surface’s parametric space.
For example, Corner 1 would be at (U=0, V=0) in Parametric space, Cor-
ner 2 (U=1, V=0), Corner 3 (U=1, V=1), and Corner 4 (U=0, V=1).
Example
The table will look like this for a “Parametric Table” with 5 “U” Divisions, 5 “V” Divisions, and a chosen Surface:
Values can now be entered at the four “corners” of the table:
When the Data Surface is saved, FEMAP will save the corner values and when the Data Surface is used, FEMAP
will interpolate the saved points to create the load distribution.
Note: It is VERY important to remember to save this type of Data Surface before trying to use it to cre-
ate a loading condition. Unlike most of the other Data Surface types, most or all of the data must
be entered into the table. FEMAP does not know this data has been entered or modified until you
use the Save or Save As command.
Instead of just the corner values, values for all of the cells can be filled in manually to create a very specific distri-
bution of values in the table. You can also fill the empty cells of the table automatically with interpolated values
using the Interpolate command in the Data Surface Editor.
Here is the Data Surface Editor showing the “Interpolated” values:
Once the Data Surface has been created, you could use Model, Load, Elemental to create a distributed pressure
load. The elements on a surface are selected and the Method in the Create Loads on Element dialog box has been
changed to “Data Surface”. “Pressure” has been chosen from the list of loads and the “Parametric Table Data Sur-
face” has been selected from the Data Surface drop-down list. A value of “1.0” has been enter in the Pressure field
in order to use the entered values in the Data Surface directly. Finally element faces are chosen (using the adjacent
faces method) on which to apply the variable Pressure load.
Pressure Loads shown
Underlying Surface used as output in contour plot
for parametric space for clarity

shown on mesh
• XYZ Table - This type of table is the most general type of Data Surface.
When Define Data button is clicked, the CSys type selected for the Data Surface using the Options button will
determine which Define Table Size dialog box is shown.
Rectangular Coordinate System Cylindrical Coordinate System Spherical Coordinate System
The number of “Divisions” boxes checked dictates the size of the corresponding table.
For instance, if a cylindrical coordinate system is chosen, only “R Divisions” is checked, and a value of “5” is
entered, the following table will appear
This type of data surface could be used to vary a loading condition using
the radial distance from a user-defined cylindrical coordinate system.
For example, you have an annular plate which has an inner radius of “5”
and an outer radius of “10”. You need to vary the temperature evenly from
the inner radius to the outer radius with specific temperature values being
at precise radial distances from the center. This method, would allow you
to do this rather easily.
To model this in FEMAP, you could define a cylindrical coordinate system
at the center of the inner radius and then create a data surface which had
the desired number of “R” values with corresponding temperatures.
Now, you could create an elemental or nodal temperature loading condi-
tion referencing this XYZ Table Data Surface.
Here is what elemental temperature distributions would look like on one half of the annular plate:
Varying Elemental Temperatures Varying Elemental Temperatures
shown on “half plate” model on “finer” meshed model shown
as output in Criteria plot for clarity
If the plate elements of the annular plate were extruded in the positive Z-direction 5 units to create solid elements,
a tabular Data Surface could be used to vary a temperature load in both the Radial Direction and the Z-direction in
the same load.
Again, a cylindrical coordinate system is chosen, but this time “R Divisions” and “Z Divisions” are checked, and a
value of “5” is entered for “R Divisions” and “3” for “Z Divisions”.
The table below represents this data surface, with some values manually entered to create the variation criteria.
Notice that the row of “R” values varies from “5” to “10” and the column of “Z” values varies from “0” to “5”.
Now, you could create an elemental or nodal temperature loading condition referencing this XYZ Table Data Sur-
face.
Here is what this elemental temperature distribution would look like on one half of the solid mesh created from the
original annular plate:
Elements of “fine-meshed” annular Varying Elemental Temperatures
plate model extruded into solid on solid meshed model shown
elements in positive Z-direction as output in contour plot for clarity
Finally, if we want to vary the temperature using the radius, Z-distance, and theta angle, we could use this type of
Data Surface.
Again, a cylindrical coordinate system is chosen, but this time “R Divisions”, “T Divisions”, and “Z Divisions” are
all checked, and a value of “5” is entered for “R Divisions”, “7” for “T Divisions” and “3” for “Z Divisions”.
You can see that the table now has three “tabbed sheets”. Each sheet contains a table to define the Radial and Theta
values for one particular “Z” value. By default, all of the “Z” values are “0”.
To change the “Z value” for a particular “tabbed sheet”, click on the tab, then click the right mouse button and
choose Properties from the context sensitive menu. This dialog box will open:
Notice you may enter a Title and assign a Value for “Z” for each sheet. Click OK to return to the table in the Data
Surface Editor.
Note: If you have do not have enough sheets to define a particular Data Surface, you can add them one
at a time by clicking on the tab, then clicking the right mouse button and choosing Insert Page
from the context sensitive menu. On the other hand, you can delete excess sheets one at a time
using the Delete Page from the context sensitive menu.
The table below represents this data surface, with some values manually entered to create the variation criteria.
Notice that the row of “R” values varies from “5” to “10”, the column of “Theta” values vary from “0 degrees” to
“180 degrees”, and the “Z” values on the tabs, vary from “0” to “5”.
Here is what this elemental temperature distribution would look like on one half of the solid mesh using “3-D XYZ
Tabular Data Surface”:
Varying Elemental Temperatures

on solid mesh model shown as
output in contour plot for clarity
Arbitrary 3-D Data Surface 9.3-35
Data Options
• Scalar - allows you to enter one value for each “X” value or “XY Data Pair”
• Vector - allows you to enter 3 component values (X, Y, and Z) for each “X” value or “XY Data Pair”.
• Options button - two options are available for this data surface definition method.
“CSys” - defines the coordinate system in which the Data Surface will be evaluated. The selected Coordinate Sys-
tem will bring up the appropriate Define Table Size dialog box.
“Tabular Options” - instructs FEMAP what to do with “undefined cells” in the Data Surface Editor. The default
is to use “Interpolate from Closest”, which will interpolate to the appropriate entity type from the closest defined
value. The other option is to use Value, which will simply place the entered value into any “undefined cells”.
Data Variation Data
When Define Data button is clicked and Parametric Table is selected, the Define Table Size dialog box with
appears with fields for “u Divisions”, “v Divisions”, and Surface ID.
When Define Data button is clicked and XYZ Table is selected, the CSys type selected for the Data Surface using
the Options button will determine which Define Table Size dialog box is shown. For instance, if a rectangular coor-
dinate system is selected, the Define Table Size dialog box allows you to enter values for “X Divisions”, “Y Divi-
sions”, and “Z Divisions”.
Arbitrary 3-D Data Surface

The dialog box for this type of Data Surface is very similar to the Along Coordinates Data Surface. The difference
is that this Data Surface does not use the order in which the variation locations and values were entered into the
table for anything. Instead, it uses the entered variation locations to perform an interpolation of values using a
“Modified Inverse Weighted Interpolation” method. Any number of independent 3D locations may be entered.
Note: One powerful way to use this type of Data Surface is to take data from physical/environmental
testing which was retrieved at arbitrary locations and then apply them to a meshed model. This
way, you do not have to create “hard points” in your model to apply specific loading conditions.
Variation Options
• Define Multiple - allows you to use the Variation Locations section of this Dialog Box. By clicking the Paste
button, values on the clipboard will be entered into the Variation Locations list in the appropriate format.
• Number of Points - allows you to enter a number to represent the number of rows which will be created in the
“Table” of the Data Surface Editor. The table can then be filled manually one cell at a time, using the Update
Coordinates or Update Vector Values commands (available on the Context-Sensitive menu for this type of Data
Surface), or “Pasting” (also on context sensitive menu) cells from a spreadsheet or comma-separated values.
Data Options
• Scalar - allows you to enter one value for each arbitrary 3-D location.
• Vector - allows you to enter 3 component values (X, Y, and Z) for each arbitrary 3-D location.
• Options button - two options are available for this data surface definition method.
“CSys” - defines the coordinate system in which the Data Surface will be evaluated.
“Arbitrary 3-D Interpolation Options” - when this option is set to % Locations to Include, the value can vary
from “0” to “100”. If it is set to “100”, FEMAP will use the “weighted contribution” from all of the Data Surface 3-
D Variation Locations, while if it is set to “0” FEMAP will use the number set in Min Locations to Include.
The value for Min Locations to Include must be higher than one and simply tells FEMAP the minimum number of
variation locations that will be used at each interpolation point.
Variation Locations
The X, Y, and Z Location fields represent the X, Y, and Z coordinates of the “arbitrary points in 3-D space”. These
coordinates can be entered manually or picked graphically from the screen (use of “snap options” can aid in precise
selection of coordinates).
Once the Location fields are entered, a single value (Data Options set to “Scalar”) or XYZ values (Data Options
set to “Vector”) can be entered into the appropriate Value fields.
To add a coordinate and value(s) to the list of “points in 3-D space”, click the Add button.
Values for any of the fields in a single row can be updated by clicking a row in the list (the values will be filled in
for Location and Value), altering the desired values, and then clicking the Update button.
Delete will delete only the highlighted row, while Reset will completely clear the list of “Points”.
Note: When a row is selected in the Variation Locations list, it will be highlighted on the screen using
the current settings for the Window, Show Entities command.
Example
A triangular surface has a variable pressure assigned to it. A single value for
pressure is know for a position near each corner.
When these three arbitrary locations and corresponding values are entered
into the Define Arbitrary 3-D Coordinate Data Surface dialog box, the table
in the Data Surface Editor will appear like this:
.
.
.
Now that the Data Surface has been created, it can now be used to create a pressure loading condition.
Equation Data Surface 9.3-37
You will use Model, Load, Elemental to create the pressure loading. All of the elements on the triangular surface
are selected and the Method in the Create Loads on Element dialog box has been changed to “Data Surface”. “Pres-
sure” has been chosen from the list of loads and the “Arbitrary 3-D location Data Surface” has been selected from
the Data Surface drop-down list. A value of “1.0” has been enter in the Pressure field in order to use the entered
values in the Data Surface directly. Finally element faces are chosen (using the adjacent faces method) on which to
apply the variable Pressure load.

Contour Plot for clarity.

shown on triangular surface.
Another example would be to paste a number of location/value pairs in from a spread sheet (or comma-separated
list of values) and apply them as a Pressure load on “top” surface of a wing to create a distributed load.
Equation Data Surface

The simplest type of Data Surface is the Equation Data Surface. The only inputs are which Coordinate System the
equation should be evaluated (CSys in Data Surface) and the Equation itself. The Calculator button can be clicked
to bring up the FEMAP Equation Editor dialog box. This allows you to see all of the options FEMAP has for creat-
ing equations and also shows the proper syntax which must be used to be recognized by FEMAP. This is a great
way to store a FEMAP equation for use in multiple loading conditions.
These functions which can be used FEAMP equation are explained in greater detail in Appendix C of the FEMAP
User Guide (see Section C, "Function Reference").
Example
An equation can be used to create a bearing load on the inside of hole. We will use half an annular plate for this
example, with the center of the hole at the origin (this enables us to use the Global Cylindrical Coordinate System).
In this case, our equation is calculating the Sine

(SIN) of the “Theta Value” in the Global Cylindrical
Coordinate System of each selected node (YND(!i))
and multiplying that value by 10.
Here is what a nodal load in the X-direction (radial
for our chosen coordinate system) referencing this
Equation Data Surface would look like:
Connections (Connection Properties, Regions, and Connectors)

There were several enhancements to the NX Nastran Connection Properties:
• Added support for BGPARM parameters (NX Linear)
• Added INTORD and REFINE for BCTPARM and BGPARM (NX Linear)
• Added Specify with Gap Distance option for initial penetration and field to enter Gap Distance (NX Adv Non-
lin)
• Added Displacement Formulation for Small and Large Displacement Formulations ((NX Adv Nonlin)
• Added "Show Expanded" for Connection Regions - shows regions that are defined by nodes/elements if
selected in a multi-pick with other real expandable segment.
The bottom portion of the Connect menu is used to create three specialized types of regions useful for Nastran
users, Fluid Regions, Bolt Regions (used to apply a Bolt Pre-load in NX Nastran only), and Rotor Regions (used to
define “rotors” for Rotor Dynamics in NX Nastran only)
A Fluid Region allows you to create a region of elements to simulate either a finite volume “internal” fluid (i.e. a
fluid in a contained area) or an infinite volume “external” fluid (i.e., ship floating in a body of water). The regions
can be created in a similar manner to Connection Regions by using element IDs and face numbers OR elements
associated to the positive or negative side of a surface. Along with defining the physical regions that can be
affected by the fluid, there are additional options which can be set up for creating the MFUILD entry for the Nas-
tran solver. (See "Fluid Regions")
A Bolt Region is used to create a region of elements where you would like to apply a bolt “preload”. The “preload”
is a specified torque which has been translated into an axial load, arising from components in an assembly being
bolted together. Each Bolt Region represents a “bolt” and there can be multiple “bolts” in a single model, all with
unique “preloads”. When analyzing “preloaded bolts”, you may be interested in obtaining the stresses due to the
preload condition alone or due to a combination of the bolt preload and additional loading conditions. (See "Bolt
Regions")
Fluid Regions 9.3-39
A Rotor Region is used to create a region of nodes which you would like to specify as a “rotor” for Rotor Dynamics
in NX Nastran. There are also options to set the rotation axis, damping values, and individual rotor load sets. (See
"Rotor Regions")
FEMAP gives you the ability to “enable “and “disable” Fluid, Bolt, and Rotor Regions which can be very useful
when trying different numbers of MFLUIDs, Bolt Preloads, and Rotors in different analysis runs.
Fluid Regions
The Connect, Fluid Region command is very similar to the Connect, Connection Region command. The difference
is that instead of creating regions for Contact purposes, this command creates individual segments representing
incompressible fluid volume regions used for the purpose of generating a virtual mass matrix (MFLUID entry in
Nastran input files). This capability is available in FEMAP supported Nastran Solution Sequences 103 (Modal
Analysis), 107 through 112 (Complex Modal Analysis and Dynamic Analyses), 129 (Nonlinear Transient Analy-
sis), and 200 (Optimization).
Although the methods used for selecting elements and surfaces are identical to Connect, Connection Region, there
are additional parameters which may be entered in the Fluid Options portion of the Fluid Region dialog box. These
options are very important to creating the MFLUID properly.
Plate elements which have 1 face “wetted” by the fluid will be placed into and ELIST with a unique ID in Nastran
and this ID is used in the ELIST1 field on the MFLUID. If Both faces of the element are “wetted” then these ele-
ments will be placed into an ELIST with a different ID in Nastran and this ID is used in the ELIST2 field.
Entity Information
This section includes the typical entity information contained in FEMAP: ID, color, layer and title. It is important
to give each Fluid Region a descriptive title so you may easily select them from the Model Info tree if they need to
be edited.
Fluid Options
These options fill out particular fields on the MFLUID entry in Nastran.
CSys
Coordinate System to be used to specify the orientation of the free surface of the fluid and any planes of symmetry.
This coordinate system MUST be a rectangular Coordinate System, as any other type will cause a Nastran fatal
error. Represents the CID field on the MFLUID entry in Nastran.
Choosing the coordinate system properly is very important. It can be useful to create a Local Rectangular coordi-
nate system for each Fluid Region. Make sure the Z axis of the user-defined coordinate system is facing in the nor-
mal direction of the plane you would like to represent the “Free Fluid Surface”, as any elements or surfaces that are
in the Fluid Region AND in the below the XY plane of the user-defined coordinate system will be “filled” with
fluid.
For example, in the figure below there are two fluid regions, the “Shallow Section” and the “Deeper Section”. The
Free Fluid Surface for the “Shallow Section” is defined by coordinate system 3, while the Free Fluid Surface for
the “Deeper Section” is defined by coordinate system 4. In this case, these Fluid Regions would be “filled” because
all of the entities that make up the Fluid Region lie below the XY plane of the coordinate systems used to set the
Free Fluid Surface.
“Deeper Section”
“Shallow Section”
“Coordinate System 4”
“Coordinate System 3”
Z Free Surface
Intercept of the free surface on the Z-axis of the Coordinate System specified in CSys. If the Z Free Surface is set to
Zero, then the free surface will be in-plane with the XY Plane of Fluid Region Coordinate System. Represents the
ZFS field on the MFLUID entry in Nastran.
For Example:
If the Fluid Region Coordinate System is at the “Bottom” of a the Fluid Region and Z Free Surface is set to “0.0”,
then there is effectively no “fluid” acting on the structure.
If the Coordinate System is again at the “Bottom” of the Fluid Region, but the Z Free Surface is set to “2.0”, then
the “fluid” will reach a height of 2.0 Units from the “Bottom” of the Fluid Region.
On the other hand, if the Fluid Region Coordinate System is at the “Top” of a the Fluid Region and Z Free Surface
is set to “0.0”, then the “fluid” will reach the “Top” of the Fluid Region.
Shaded Elements represent Fluid Regions, while Thick, Dark Lines represents “Fluid Level”
CSys at “Top” of Region CSys at “Bottom” of Region CSys at “Top” of Region

Z Free Surface is “0.0” Z Free Surface is “2.0” Z Free Surface is “0.0”
“Fluid” does not act on “Fluid” reaches Height of 2.0 “Fluid” reaches “Top”
Fluid Region Units from “Bottom” of Region of Fluid Region
There is a Check box which enables you to turn the Z Free Surface OFF completely, so no value is written out to
Nastran for the ZFS field. When the Z Free Surface is completely OFF and the XY Plane and YZ Plane fields are
NOT set to Antisymmetry, Nastran will treat the MFLUID card as a special form of “external fluid”. In this special
case, the user should define a coordinate system with the origin located as close to the center of the enclosed vol-
ume as possible in order for this type of MFLUID to behave properly. This special case is only available for Nas-
tran Solution Sequence 103 (Modal Analysis), as well as, SOLs 107 through 112 (Complex Modal Analysis and
Dynamic Analyses).
Bolt Regions 9.3-41
Fluid Density
Density of the fluid. Value is written to the RHO field on MFLUID entry in Nastran.
XZ Plane and YZ Plane
Allows you to choose symmetry conditions for the fluid region using the XZ Plane and/or YZ Plane of the Fluid
Region Coordinate system. The three options are 0..None, 1..Symmetry, or 2..Antisymmetry. Based on what is
selected in the drop down list, FEMAP will place a “N”, “S”, or “A” in the PLANE1 (XZ Plane) and PLANE2 (YZ
Plane) fields in the MFLUID entry in Nastran.
If you are using these symmetry options, make sure to define the coordinate system to the appropriate plane of
symmetry with regard to the structure.
For example, the figure below shows the appropriate position for the Fluid Region Coordinate Systems for a model
which is using a YZ Plane Fluid Symmetry condition.
Region Options
Characteristic Length - Interactions between elements with separation
that is greater than this number are neglected. Value is written out to the
RMAX field of the MFLUID entry.
Exact Integration Factor - Exact integration is used if the distance
between two elements is less than this number multiplied by the square
root of the area of the larger element. Otherwise, center point integration
is used by default. Value is written out to the FMEXACT field on the
MFLUID entry.
Fluid-Structure Pressure Output
When a Fluid Region is present in your model, FEMAP provides an Output Request (Nastran only) called “Fluid
Pressure” which will return an elemental “fluid-structure pressure” along with any other requested results. This
“fluid-structure pressure” will only be retrieved from Nastran when using the 1..Print Only (.f06 file), 2..PostPro-
cess Only (.op2 file), 3..Print and PostProcess (.op2 and .f06 files), or 5..Punch and PostProcess (.op2 file) options
for Results Destination in the Nastran Output Requests dialog box.
Bolt Regions
The Connect, Bolt Region command creates individual regions of a single element or multiple elements where you
would like to apply a bolt “preload”. Bolt preload is only supported in FEMAP supported Nastran Solution
Sequences 101 (Linear Static Analysis), 103 (Modal Analysis), 105 (Buckling Analysis), 107 through 112 (Com-
plex Modal Analysis and Dynamic Analysis) and 601 (Advanced Nonlinear Analysis).
Each region represents a “bolt” and there can be multiple “bolts” in a single model, all with unique “preloads”. The
“preload” is a specified torque which has been translated into an axial load, arising from components in an assem-
bly being bolted together. In FEMAP, the “preload” is created using the Model, Load, Bolt Preload command.
When analyzing a model with “preloaded bolts”, you may be interested in obtaining the stresses due to the preload
condition alone or due to a combination of the bolt preload and additional loading conditions.
Entity Information
to give each Bolt Region a descriptive title so you may easily select them from the Model Info tree if they need to
be edited.
Defined By
Currently, only Beam and Bar elements can be used to define a Bolt Region. Bolt Regions can be defined using
either Curves (selects Beam and Bar elements associated with the selected curves) or Elements (element IDs). Both
curves and elements can be used at once to define a single Bolt Region. The IDs of the elements in the Bolt Region
will be written out to the EIDi field(s) of the Nastran BOLT entry.
Curves and Elements can be selected from the graphics window one at a time in the main Bolt Region dialog box.
In addition, their IDs can be typed into the appropriate field and added to the list using the <<Add button. If you
would like to choose multiple curves or elements at one time, clicking the Multiple... button will bring up the
appropriate Entity Selection dialog box for the selected entity type.
Note: FEMAP will allow you to choose ANY type of element when selecting elements for a Bolt Region. If
any of those elements are not the right type of element, they will not be added to the list and an error
message stating “Skipped ‘#’ of Elements which have invalid types for this command” will be sent to
the Messages window.
Curves and Elements can be deleted one at a time from the list in the Bolt Region dialog box by highlighting an
entity in the list and clicking the Delete button. If you would like to delete all of the Bolt Region entities at once,
you can simply click the Reset button.
Rotor Regions
The Connect, Rotor Region command creates individual regions of nodes to be used as individual “rotors” in rotor
dynamic analysis in NX Nastran. Rotor Dynamics is only supported in FEMAP supported Nastran Solution
Sequences 110 (Complex Modal Analysis) and 111 (Modal Frequency Response Analysis).
Entity Information
to give each Rotor Region a descriptive title so you may easily select them from the Model Info tree if they need to
be edited. Also, if any “Rotational Force” has been applied to the rotor, you may want to include that information in
the title. The ID of each Rotor Region is written out as the RIDi field on the ROTORD entry.
Defined By
Only nodes can be used to define a Rotor Region. The IDs of the nodes in each Rotor Region will be written out to
the GRIDi field(s) of the Nastran ROTORG entry.
Rotor Options
These options fill out particular fields on the ROTORD entry in Nastran.
Rotation Axis (Z Axis)
Coordinate System to be used to specify the rotation axis for the current “rotor”. The Axis of rotation coincides
with the Z-Axis of the selected coordinate system. Writes out to the RCORDi field on the ROTORD entry for each
Rotor Region.
Geometry 9.3-43
Freq for Overall Damping (W3)

Reference frequency for structural damping set by PARAM,G in NX Nastran for the current Rotor Region. Writes
out to the W3_i field on the ROTORD entry for each Rotor Region.
Note: For Complex Modal Analysis, the “PARAM, G” value can be set in the NASTRAN Modal Analysis dia-
log box of the Analysis Set Manager. For Modal Frequency Response Analysis, this value can be set
using the Model, Load, Dynamic Analysis command. Simply change the Solution Method to “Modal
Frequency” in the Load Set Options for Dynamic Analysis dialog box and enter a value for “Overall
Structural Damping Coefficient (G)”.
Freq for Material Damping (W4)

Reference frequency for structural damping set for each unique material in NX Nastran for the current Rotor
Region. Writes out to the W4_i field on the ROTORD entry for each Rotor Region.
Note: Material Damping can be set in the Define Material dialog box for each material in the model.
Rotation Force Applied

Allows you to choose a Load Set with a prescribed Rotational Velocity only, which is then applied to the current
rotor. Different Load Sets can be used to apply different Rotational Velocities for each rotor in your model. Writes
the ID of the Load Set to the RFORCEi field of the ROTORD entry for each Rotor Region.
Geometry
• Solid Titles/Names now persist across Geometry, Solid, Cleanup and across writing a Parasolid transmit file
• Added Geometry, Surface, Remove Hole
Choose one curve on each
“interior hole” and all of the
curves making up the “loop”
will be found and removed
from the surface
All internal holes have been
removed from the surface
Surface with several “interior holes”
Original Solid Part with “stepped hole” Curve chosen for “loop” in Remove Face Resulting Solid Geometry
Original Solid Part with “stepped hole” Curve chosen for “loop” in Remove Face Resulting Solid Geometry
• Added Geometry, Solid, Thicken
Surfaces showing Normals
Solids created using “Out” and

a value of “3 units”
Two Surfaces with opposite Normals
Choose a single surface

and use the “Out” Offset and
Add Boolean to “thicken”
a portion of your solid
Reduce Radius using a
combination of “Out”
Offset and Add Boolean
Choose a single surface and

use the “In” Offset and
Subtract Boolean to “thin
out” a portion of your
solid
Increase Radius using
a combination of “In”
Offset and Subtract
Boolean
Groups and Layers 9.3-45
Choose all of the “outside”

surfaces, the “In” Offset,
and the Embed Boolean
Create Mesh Region to partition the solid
using combination of for “two elements
“In” Offset and Embed through the
Boolean thickness” mesh
Groups and Layers

• Added Group, Operations, "Booleans" command
This command creates a new group from a selected set of existing groups based on a chosen “boolean” operation.
When this command is chosen, the Group Booleans dialog box will appear:
The Group to Create portion of the dialog box allows you to choose the ID for the new group and give it a Title. If
you do not specify a Title, FEMAP will create one based on the IDs of the Groups AND the Operation used to cre-
ate the new group. For example, if you are using the Add/Combine operation and have selected groups 1, 3, and 5,
the default Title would be “Add 1, 3, 5”.
Multiple groups can be chosen from the “Select One or More Groups from the List to Process” list in the Groups to
Process portion of the dialog box using windows standard selection methods. Holding down the Ctrl key and click-
ing in the “list” allows you to choose multiple groups one at a time. Holding down the Shift key while clicking in
the “list” allows you to choose a “range” of groups.
There are six choices in the Operation section of the dialog box. Here is a brief description of each operation:
Note: The “Base Model” for all of the “Examples” in this section is a simple 9 element “high” by 7 element
“wide” rectangle. Only elements are in the groups being processed with the various boolean operations.
Add/Combine – Creates a new group by adding multiple groups together.

For example (Group 12..L Shaped + Group 6..Blue)::
+ =
Subtract – Creates a new group by subtracting any number of groups from a Single selected group.
Note: When the Subtract operation is chosen, the Subtract From drop-down list in the Groups to Process por-
tion of the dialog box will become available. The group chosen in the Subtract From drop-down list is
the “base group” and all of the groups chosen in the “list” will be subtracted from the “base group”.
For Example (Group 12..L Shaped - Group 6..Blue):
- =
In All – Creates a new group that contains entities which are in ALL of the selected groups (i.e., if element 1 is in
group A AND Group B, element 1 WILL BE in group C). Another way to think of it is that only entities which are
“common” to ALL the selected groups will be in the new group.
For Example: (common between Group 12..L Shaped and Group 6..Blue)
Elements “Common” to
Both Groups in New Group
IN ALL
=
Only in One – Creates a new group that contains entities which are ONLY in one of the selected groups (i.e., if ele-
ment 1 is in both group A AND Group B, element 1 will NOT be in group C). Another way to think of it is that
only “unique” entities will be placed into the new group.
Groups and Layers 9.3-47
For Example: (Only in Group 12..L Shaped or Group 6..Blue, not both)
Elements “Unique” to
Each Group in New Group
Only in One
=
Not in Any – Creates a new group that contains entities which are NOT in ANY of the selected groups, but are in
the rest of the model (i.e., If elements 1-10 are NOT in Group A and NOT in Group B, they WILL BE IN Group C).
Note: When using the Not in Any operation, only entity types that are in at least one of the “Base Groups”
will be in the new group that is created from entities NOT in the “Base Groups”.
For example, start with a model containing 100 nodes, 81 elements:
If Group A contains “n” elements and zero nodes, then Group B will only contain the “81-n” ele-
ments that are NOT in Group A.
If Group A contains “n” elements and “n” nodes, then Group B will contain the “81-n” elements and
the “100-n” nodes that are NOT in Group A.
For Example: (Not in Group 12..L Shaped or Group 6..Blue)
Not in Any
=
Elements NOT in either
Group in New Group
Not in All - Creates a new group that contains entities which are NOT in ALL of the selected groups (i.e., If ele-
ments 1-10 are in Group A, but not in Group B and Group C, they WILL BE IN Group D). This command is only
useful when three or more groups are being processed. Only entities “Common” to ALL selected groups will NOT
be in the new group. If you use this command with only two groups, it will create the same group as Only in One.
• Updated Group, Elements, Material; Group, Properties, Material; Group Materials, On Property; and Group,
Materials, on Elements commands to handle the extra material IDs and the material IDs on layups of laminates
• Added function for multi-select titled entities, updated Group Evaluate to allow evaluation of multiple groups
• Added Group Commands for Regions - using Node, Element, Curve, Surface, Property
• Allow output vectors to be reloaded to those in selected set on set changes in Group, Operations, Generate with
Output
• Added ability to create groups from entities on layer. Command will ask if you want to condense or not.
• Added capability to Group, Operations, Add Related and Select Related in the Selector to start with selecting
just a layup
• Added new group definition for Elements by All Nodes.
• Added Group from Superelements. Uses Elements by All Nodes for all but the residual structure
Output and Post-Processing

• Added Support of Fluid Pressure in output requests and automatically added DMAP ALTER to get MPRES
output into the OP2 (used by Nastran MFLUID)
• Upgraded Delete Output Entry to ask for range of output sets and vectors and delete individual results from all
selected
• Added computation of frequency and damping coefficient in title for complex modes output and "Complex
Mode Shape" vector.
• Added Contour Group to Contour Options dialog box
Entire Model displayed while only showing a contour on one group:

Geometry Interfaces 9.3-49
Geometry Interfaces
The following FEMAP interfaces have been updated to support newer geometry formats:
FEMAP Interface Latest Supported Version

Parasolid Parasolid 18.1
Solid Edge V 19
NX V4
Pro/Engineer Wildfire 3
ACIS ACIS 16.0
CATIA V5 V5 release 17
For details, see “Geometry Interfaces” in the FEMAP User Guide.

• Added option to skip updating material data when geometry is updated from Solid Edge
Analysis Program Interfaces

Several of the analysis program interfaces have been improved. These changes include:
• “Analysis Set Manager Enhancements” on page 49
• “FEMAP Neutral File Interface” on page 49
• “NX Nastran Interface” on page 49
• “Nastran Interfaces (NX and MSC/MD)” on page 50
• “MSC.Nastran Interface” on page 52
• “NEi Nastran Interface” on page 52
• “ANSYS Interface” on page 52
• “ABAQUS Interface” on page 52
• “MSC.Marc Interface” on page 53
• “DYNA Interface” on page 53
• “PATRAN Interface” on page 53
• “I-DEAS Interface” on page 53
Analysis Set Manager Enhancements

For details, see “Analysis Program Interfaces” in the FEMAP User Guide.
• Enhanced the Preview Input functionality so switches in the executive control will be honored when writing via
the preview file for Memory, Output Directory, Save database for restart do restart
FEMAP Neutral File Interface

• Added Color Palette to the neutral file (Block 942)
• Added control over groups and views when writing neutral files
• Updated Neutral Read and Write for v9.3 changes
NX Nastran Interface
• Support checksums for NX Nastran files with INCLUDE files.
• Added ELRESCS option to NX Nastran 601/701 NXSTRAT to request solid results in elemental/material csys
• Initial support for BOLTLD, BOLTFOR, BOLT in Nastran, limited Bolt Regions to include only Beam and Bar
elements
• Improved reading of various contact issues in Nastran Read - none that failed with our files, but would fail if
contact came at beginning of file
• Added INTORD and REFINE for NX Nastran BCTPARM and BGPARM

• Initial implementation of Rotor Dynamics support
• Added generation of 1P and 2P functions for Rotor Dynamics

• Added SORT1 for 601_TRANSIENT because ADINA changed default to SORT2
• Updated Random OP2 postprocessing to support changes in NX5 - added PARAM,RPOSTS1,1 and new
changes to OP2 results
• Supported new "3D iterative solver" for Sol 601
• Modified ADINA restart so that the restart control in the Nastran executive control is in sync with the
NXSTRAT dialog box.
• Added copying the ADINA restart file to the .dat directory and renaming it to the current jobname.res then set
the dbs keyword on the command line.
• Added PARAM,NOFISR - to suppress output of Failure Indices and Strength Ratios to the F06
A number of bugs were corrected
Nastran Interfaces (NX and MSC/MD)

• Added ability to define 2 scratch directories and sizes for Nastran
Nastran Interfaces (NX and MSC/MD) 9.3-51
• Added support of Coefficients of Thermal Expansion on Rigid Elements

• Added direct access to NASTRAN command for setting system cells in the NASTRAN Executive and Solu-
tions Options dialog box
• Added support for Complex Modes in Nastran
• Added DDAM Analysis Support in Nastran (NX and MSC/MD options)
• Added support for Initial Conditions (temperatures) and TEMP(INIT) in Nastran Static Analysis
• Added support for MATT8 - temperature dependence for 2D Orthotropic materials
• Added support for MFLUID, added MPRES support to F06
• Added complex eigenvalue support to reading F06

• Added support for Stiffened modes in Nonlinear analysis as NASTRAN Stiffened Modal dialog box in the Anal-
ysis Set Manager when analysis type set to Nonlinear Static (supports large deflection, follower forces...).
• Added support for writing and reading NASTRAN SUBCOMs
• Added writing property titles for PBUSH, PVISC, BFRIC, PLPLANE, PWELD
• Initial implementation of Superelement support - added SEID to node record, node options to set it, Update
SEID command, added to Groups and Selection method, Added group Operations superelement command,
added Nastran write support on GRID card, added NASTRAN read support of SEID on GRID/GRDSET, and
read of SESET
• Supported include files in case/exec
• Supported MATHE for both NX and MSC Nastran
• Supported Multi-case buckling analysis in Nastran
• Added overall damping (Param,G) support for complex modes
• Do not write DLOAD case control for transient heat to NASTRAN if you do not have any transient loads
• Added option to Nastran Bulk End Text to put it before or after ENDDATA
• Added the ability to recognize between Solid Von Mises and Octahedral output and store data in their respective
vectors.
• Added ability to read Superelement output from XDB
• Enhanced the XDB interface to enable turning off reading of individual cases as well as individual time steps
within those cases.
• Added the ability to define initial conditions for Advanced Nonlinear Static. This will allow a user to define a
initial temperature load and specify it as a initial condition which will then write the TEMP(INIT) case control.
• Added support for NASTRAN Composite Strength Ratios.
• Added reading of Max Failure Index from OP2, and support for PARAM,SRCOMPS
A number of bugs were corrected
MSC.Nastran Interface
• Changed a few items specifying MSC.Nastran to MSC/MD Nastran
A number of bugs were corrected.
NEi Nastran Interface

• Added support for NEi/Nastran’s version of DDAM
• Added BSCONP RBE3 contact option to Connection Property
ANSYS Interface
ABAQUS Interface
MSC.Marc Interface 9.3-53
MSC.Marc Interface
• Corrected a problem saving the marc parameters dialog box the processor switch and the Parallel BETA were
broken.
• Corrected issue where contact property field from the Marc model Definition was still referencing regular prop-
erties. Updated to load Connection Property
DYNA Interface
• Added Material Angle for plates/composites for Dyna
PATRAN Interface
• Added support for reading Points, Lines/Curves, Patch/Surface and Named Components/Groups (PATRAN
Neutral file)
I-DEAS Interface
• Added writing of Groups to I-DEAS universal
• Supported reading Nastran files generated by I-DEAS where groups are defined as Sets with PARAM,G##
commands to specify nodes and elements in each group
Tools
Parameters
• Updated Tools Parameters dialog layout,
• Added option to Merge Tolerance for specified or automatic, and never update the values automatically.
• Added graying to Tools Parameters based on automatic/specified merge tolerance
Variables
• Updated delete variables to select multiple variables (update underlying multi-select to support variables)
Check, Coincident Nodes
• Updated Check Coincident Nodes to add preview (off by default) and options for which to keep
• Added dialog to Coincident Node/Point Merge for Showing Merge List, Keep List or both
Check, Distortion
• Added “Jacobian” Element Check
OLE/COM API
API commands that start a command now go through the main command loop, so such actions as Undo and Previ-
ous Command will work when using APIs. Also, an echo of more descriptive error messages are sent to the Mes-
sages window.
New API Objects and Attributes
• Added new entity types for Select Toolbar, Load Definitions, Constraint Definitions, Data Surfaces, and Map
Output.
• Added User Graphics to API
• Added numerous attributes to the Analysis Set Manager object
• Added numerous global attributes for the new Preferences.
New API Methods
• Added GetTitleIDList( ) and ParseTitleID( ). Can be used to fill combo and list boxes in API and parse the
results back into an ID
• Added Clear() to delete all contents
• Added NextEmptyAction()
• Added SelectMultiID() to Set object
• Added SelectAllOnLayer to the Group object
• Added ResetNextLoad, NextLoad, ResetNextLoadDef, NextLoadDef to the Load Set object.
• Added ResetNextBC, NextBC, ResetNextBCDef, NextBCDef to the BC Set object.
• Added GetEntities to the Connection Region object
• Added a number of methods the new Select Toolbar, Data Surface, Map Output, Load Definitions, and Con-
straint Definitions objects
Corrected API Methods
• Fixed numerous problems with the Group Object that corrupted groups if you used the same object to retrieve
and store multiple groups.
• Fixed problem with the Element Object that caused problems if you used the same object to retrieve a "list-
based" element (rigid or slide-line), then later created other non-"list-based" elements with that object.
The following functions have been added:
• feWindowTitle
• feWindowSetRect
• feProjectOntoVector
• feProjectOntoPlane
• feAppEventCallback
• feConnectionRegion (equivalent name to feContact)
• feModifySuperelementID
Preferences 9.3-55
• feVectorPerpendicular
• feGetElementFaces
• feGroupCombine
The following functions have been fixed, changed or removed:
• Removed vu.WindowLeft, WindowRight, WindowTop, WindowBottom.
Preferences
The Tabs in the Preference dialog box are now “stacked” to allow user access to all of the Preference Categories.
Most of the Preferences are the same between version 9.2 and 9.3, but a few have been moved to different Prefer-
ences or removed entirely because they were no longer valid or required.
Views
• Added browser for default View from View Library
User Interface
• Added preference for tooltip delay and duration
• Added preferences for controlling Show Entities defaults in new models
Database
• Added ability to recover from scratch directory (if it is up to date).
• Added preference to keep NextID increasing during rebuild
Geometry/Model
• Added Units drop down for File Preferences Geometry Scale Factor
• Added preference for length-based mesh sizing.
Interfaces
• Added preference to always read nonlinear stress/strain from Nastran
• Enabled 32-bit/64-bit Nastran switch in preferences

Library/Startup
• Added Custom Tools Path
• Added a library for Layups
• Fixed bug if you had a startup basic script and had the "every new model" option checked it would not work at
startup
• Removed User Contour Palette Library - moved to “Color”
Colors
• Moved User Contour Palette Library to "Color" with Palette (and added browse buttons for all palettes).
What’s New for version 9.2 9.3-57
What’s New for version 9.2
User Interface
• Simplified the toolbar layout that is initially displayed. Only the Model, View and Selector toolbars are now
displayed. All toolbars are still available, just not displayed initially.
• Updated a number of dialog boxes to use a tabbed style. This includes File Preferences, Materials, and Connec-
tion Properties.
• Added several buttons to the standard selection dialog that let you choose entities from a list or preview your
selection
Enter Entity IDs here. Preview selected entities
Bring up list of entities Select picking method
Choose entire groups here.

Use More to
select multiple
List of selected
entities.
entities: Use Method Use OK
+ Add, - Remove, to select an when you
x Exclude alternate are done.
approach.
• To more closely follow Windows conventions, "Browse" buttons that searched for files or directories have been
changed to "…"
• Added a check box to the Delete confirmation dialog box to never ask for confirmation. Also added to File
Preferences (to turn this option back on)
• Added alternate keyboard accelerator tables for API and Program file development. These allow the user to use
the “commonly used keys” for program development in the API Programming and Program File panes.
• Improved selection in "Pick Front" mode on Rigid and Slide Lines - it now considers all nodes, not just the
master node.
• The Tools, Distance command has been enhanced to return the measured components in both global and the
active coordinate system.
Toolbars
• Added a Entity Display Toolbar for turning on/off entity display - similar to View Quick Options dialog box.
Coordinate
Labels Surfaces Connection Systems All Constraints
Curves Regions Connectors Elements All Loads
Analysis Model
Points Text Nodes
Geometry
• Added Clear Active Entity command to the Select Toolbar which will only clear the entities of the type which is
currently active in the Select Toolbar. Located in Selector Clear Menu.
Selector Actions Menu
• Added Transparency to the View Style command on the View Toolbar.
Menu
• Added Connect Menu to Top-level menu. See the Connections section of this document for more information
on the commands on the Connect Menu.
• Added Extend command to the Geometry, Midsurface menu. See the Geometry section for more information on
this command.
• Added Map Output from Model command to the Model, Load menu. See the Loads and Constraints section for
more information on this command.
• Added commands to the Modify, Project menu to project points and nodes along a vector onto selected sur-
faces.
Model Info
The Model Info “tree” dockable pane allows you to view and navigate around a graphical “inventory” of many
“top-level” entities in your model.
Entity Editor 9.3-59
• Added ability to Transparent Highlight and Show Normals (Element and Surface normals) from the Show
When Selected menu in the Model Info tree.
• Fixed problem deleting Analysis Sets from the Model Info tree that caused fields in a newly created set to be
improperly initialized
Entity Editor
The Entity Editor dockable pane allows users to view, modify, choose, and create attributes, colors, connections,
numerical values, settings, etc. of a single finite element, geometric, or “other” entity in FEMAP.
• Fixed a problem in the Entity Editor that corrupted groups if the group title was modified.
• Fixed problem in the Entity Editor that caused a crash when the entity Title field was too long
• Fixed a problem in the Entity Editor / Data Table that caused output displayed for corner 1 to be corrupt if the
element had a load applied and the contour type was elemental.
• Corrected a mislabeled field in Entity Editor for Materials.
Data Table
The Data Table dockable pane allows you send data to an interactive, dynamically changing “table” using various
methods to fill the table.
• Added ability to Transparent Highlight and Show Normals (Element and Surface normals) from the Show
When Selected menu in the Data Table.
• Added "Update Selection" to the context menu of the Data Table. Highlight any number of rows in the Data
Table and these will update the Selection List (located at the bottom of the Model Info Tree) for the selected
Entity Type with the selected entities only.
• Fixed a problem in Data Table that caused Femap to crash when viewing a LS-DYNA one-way contact prop-
erty.
• Fixed a problem in the Entity Editor / Data Table that caused output displayed for corner 1 to be corrupt if the
element had a load applied and the contour type was elemental.
Meshing
Enhancements to meshing include:
• To improve the workflow for tet meshing, the initial dialog for mesh sizing has been removed. Unsized curves
are now automatically sized with default sizes, and an "Update Mesh Size" button has been added to the mesh-
ing dialog. This reduces the number of dialogs if you use default sizing, and if you need custom sizing, it allows
you to update the size multiple times until you are satisfied.
Loads and Constraints 9.3-61
Loads and Constraints

• Added ability to create loads in a model by mapping results from a different model. The meshes in the two
models can be dissimilar. Mapping is done by location. Currently temperature and displacement results on 2-D
surface meshes can be mapped onto other nodes.
Course Thermal model with

Temperature output Fine Structural model receives “mapped”
Temperatures as a Load from Course
Thermal model (temperature loads not
displayed in figure for clarity)
Fine Structural Model with

Nodal Temperatures displayed Temperature Loads converted to Output
as output for viewing of “Mapping” to closest node.
Nodal Temperature Loads could also be
used to perform Thermal Stress analysis
• Added the ability to quickly apply the same changes to many loads or constraints in the Edit commands. After
editing the first Load/Constraint, you now have an option to apply the same conditions to all selected entities,
rather than needing to manually edit each one.
Connections
• Changed contact segments, contact properties, and contact pair elements to “Connections” (Connection
Regions, Connection Properties, and Connectors), and moved them to the top level of the menu. This makes
Connections more accessible and properly separates them from other element types and properties.
• Added automatic detection of Connections between solids of an assembly.
• Added automatic creation of Connections between two or more surfaces.

Connections 9.3-63
• Changed the Connection Property dialog box to a “tabbed” dialog box for easier movement between contact
properties between different NX Nastran solution sequences and other solvers.
• Added Connections (Connection properties, Connection Regions, and Connectors) to the Model Info tree along
with capability to enable/disable connections. The Master and Slave Connection segments can also be reversed
using a command on the tree.
Geometry
• Added ability to extend a surface by using one of a surface’s edge curves and “extending” the surface using a
specified “Extend Shape” method (Linear, Continuous Curvature, or Reflective) to a “target” Solid (or Sheet
Solid), location in space, or simply by a distance.
Before Extend command, gap exists

between sets of surfaces
After Extend command, gap between

surfaces has been closed.
Curve imprinting is determined
by Update Surfaces flag.
Groups and Layers

• Added ability to create layers from Groups. Added Group Operations Move to Layer command and updated the
Group Operations Generate Solids command.
Graphics
The following are graphics enhancements:
• Added a View transparency option that allows you to make your model transparent without changing entity col-
ors. This is often good for selection when you are trying to pick entities either inside or on the back of a model.
• Also added a new transparent highlighting mode where the model becomes transparent and only the highlighted
entities are solid.
• The undeformed model is no longer displayed in default deformed views.
• All floating point numbers drawn in the graphics window (except workplane axes) are now controlled by the
exponent and number of digit settings on the View Options, PostProcessing, Contour/Criteria Legend dialog.
• Contour vectors can now be labeled with their value. This is controlled by the labeling options on the View
Options, PostProcessing, Vector Style dialog.
• Animate-MultiSet and Trace with scaled actual deformation now output individual frame maximum deforma-
tion and overall maximum deformation
The following are graphics corrections:
• Contact regions on shell top and bottom faces are now drawn correctly when shells are drawn with thickness.
Geometry Interfaces 9.3-65
• Prevented accelerator keys that accessed View commands from acting in View command Dialog boxes - these
could potentially cause a crash.
• Centered Solid Contour Vector arrows are now drawn correctly centered.
• Fixed Spaceball issue when orienting and hitting Ctrl-G at the same time - incorrect graphics images were
drawn.
• Constraint equations now drawn in groups.
• Corrected length of freebody resultant force. In previous releases, these arrows could be drawn extremely large.
• Criteria with Line Contour now correctly just contours the edges of the elements and does not fill the elements.
Geometry Interfaces
The following FEMAP interfaces have been updated to support newer geometry formats:
FEMAP Interface Latest Supported Version

Parasolid Parasolid 17.0
ACIS ACIS 15.0
CATIA V5 V5 release 15
For details, see “Geometry Interfaces” in the FEMAP User Guide.

Enhancements to geometry interfaces include:
• New NX Direct Interface - Added a new direct interface to NX that supports Parts, Assemblies, and Sheet
Metal files. This interface also provides access to part colors and material information. The ability to associa-
tively update the models has also been added.
• Updated Solid Edge Direct Interface - Updated the Direct Interface between Solid Edge in FEMAP.
• Automatically support Pro/E Wildfire file naming convention which appends version number extensions (for
example, fn.prt.4)
• On Geometry import of Parasolid data, erased any previously existing density attributes which were causing
inconsistent inertia calculations.
• The VDA interface has been removed and is no longer supported. (contractual changes with Spatial Technolo-
gies, and the extremely low customer demand)
Analysis Program Interfaces

Several of the analysis program interfaces have been improved. These changes include:
• “Analysis Set Manager Enhancements” on page 66
• “FEMAP Neutral File Interface” on page 66
• “NX Nastran Interface” on page 66
• “Nastran Interfaces (NX and MSC)” on page 66
• “MSC.Nastran Interface” on page 66
• “NEi Nastran Interface” on page 66
• “ANSYS Interface” on page 66
• “ABAQUS Interface” on page 66
• “MSC.Marc Interface” on page 67
• “DYNA” on page 67
• “Other Interfaces” on page 67
Analysis Set Manager Enhancements

• Added Support for LS-DYNA3D in the Analysis Set Manager.
• Added ability to preview ANSYS, ABAQUS, MSC.MARC, LS-DYNA input files from the Analysis Set.
• Fixed problem deleting cases from an Analysis Set that is not active. This corrupted the start/end text and con-
tact table.
FEMAP Neutral File Interface

• Added an option to Neutral Read to always create new output sets (not overwrite)
NX Nastran Interface
• Added support for NX Nastran 4.1
- BSGSET card for creating Glued Contact. Allows a “glued” connection to be created between dissimilar meshes
and multiple parts of an assembly.
- LSEARCH, CSTYPE parameters on NXSTRAT card.
- AUTOSPC Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) option.
Nastran Interfaces (NX and MSC)

• Added the ability to read CQUADR/CTRIAR Z-offsets.
• Added ability to run NL Heat transfer with only an Initial Condition.
• An enhancement was made when Femap is writing radiation boundary conditions. A warning message will be
issued by Femap if it is unable to create the necessary plot only plate elements to define the radiation condition.
• Added the ability to request extended error messages from the Executive/Solution options section of the Analy-
sis Set Manager.
• Added the ability to set the amount memory to be used in the solution from the Executive/Solution options sec-
tion of the Analysis Set Manager.
MSC.Nastran Interface
NEi Nastran Interface

• Added support for MAXAD, TMAX, TMIN, MAR, and WO contact options on the BSCONP card.
ANSYS Interface
ABAQUS Interface
• Added Surface to Surface contact parameter to ABAQUS Connection Property to include plate thickness in
contact.
• Improved reading of contact output, where FEMAP will attempt to match the output vector label to the actual
contact pair label in Femap.
MSC.Marc Interface 9.3-67
• Fixed problem reading analytical rigid surfaces.

• Fixed a problem writing Quad and Tria elements when formulation was set to 3..Thin Shell(5-DOF/Node,
Small Strain) and Warping flag. Previously wrote S4R when it should have been S4RS and W) and S3R when it
should have been S3RS
• Fixed problem reading analytical rigid surfaces.
MSC.Marc Interface
• Fixed a problem reading results files from version 2003. FEMAP has been enhanced to read output from ver-
sions 2003 and 2005.
DYNA
• Added Support for LS-DYNA3D in the Analysis Set Manager.
Other Interfaces
• Interfaces to many analysis programs that have not been actively supported have been hidden in this release.
They can re-enabled through File Preferences, however these interfaces are no longer supported and may be
removed in the future.
OLE/COM API
New API Objects and Attributes
• Added new entity types for Connections, Connection Regions and Connection Properties
• Added new Sort object. This is much like a Set, but allows additional data to be stored with each ID and allows
the IDs to be sorted based on the attached data.
• Added numerous attributes to the Analysis Set Manager object to support the new Dyna Interface.
• Added numerous global attributes for the new Preferences.
New API Methods
• Added AddContact, SetOutputType, SetOffset, GetOffset, SetRigidType and IsRigidType methods to the Con-
nection Region object.
• Added Match and SelectOutputVectorID methods to the Set object.
• Added ClearNodeList method to the Element object
• Added IsPlane, IsCylinder, IsSphere, IsCone, IsTorus, Conical, Toroidal and Spherical methods to the Surface
object. Modified the calling syntax of the Planar method to match the syntax of the new methods.
Corrected API Methods
• Fixed numerous problems with the Group Object that corrupted groups if you used the same object to retrieve
and store multiple groups.
• Fixed problem with the Element Object that caused problems if you used the same object to retrieve a "list-
based" element (rigid or slide-line), then later created other non-"list-based" elements with that object.
The following functions have been added:
• feAddToolbarSubmenu
• feAddToolbarSubmenuCommand
• feAddToolbarSubmenuUserCommand
The following functions have been fixed, changed or removed:

• feFileMessageSelect - Replaced global constant Message_LineNumber with feFileMessageLineNumber func-
tion
• feFileReadVda - Removed the method since the VDA geometry interface has been removed from Femap.
Preferences
Overall, the File, Preferences dialog box has been completely upgraded and is now a “tabbed” dialog box granting
easier access to the various FEMAP preferences. The user simply clicks the tab for the particular set of preferences.
Most of the Preferences are the same between version 9.1 and 9.2, but a few have been moved to different Prefer-
ences or removed entirely because they were no longer valid or required.
Views
• The Workplane is no longer displayed by default.
• Removed Clipboard Formats.
• Moved View Library to Library/Startup Preference
User Interface
The Menus and Toolbars preference is now named User Interface because it now has options for other aspects of
the FEMAP User Interface, not just Menus and Toolbars.
• Added Ask for Confirmation Before Delete preference to be able to re-instate the Confirm Delete dialog box if
it has been turned off.
Database
• Removed Undo Files from Scratch Disks
Interfaces
• Added Preferences for Nastran solver including control of memory, output directory and scratch directory
Library/Startup
The Library preference is now named Library/Startup because it now has options for both aspects of FEMAP.
64-bit Support 9.3-69
• Added a preference for running a Startup Program File/ Basic Script/ Executable either just at startup or for
every new model
• Added a library for Connection Property
• Moved View Library to Library Preference
Colors
• Added Preferences to set default color of Connection Property, Connection Region, and Connector.
64-bit Support
• FEMAP v9.2 is still a 32-bit application, however this release can be run on 64-bit Windows. The dongle-based
licensing has been updated to support the 64-bit platform.
• This release also includes both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of NX Nastran. If you are using NX Nastran for
FEMAP on a 64-bit platform, the 32-bit FEMAP can still use the 64-bit NX Nastran. There will be an option
when installing.

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What’s New in FEMAP

FEMAP 9.3 includes enhancements and new features in:

FEMAP 9.2 includes enhancements and new features in:

What’s New for version 9.3

• Added Bolt Preload to the Loads Toolbar

Customize dialog box

• Added 110 new custom icons for Customize command

Model, Coordinate System; Model, Material; Model, Property; Model, Layup;

Model Info Tree

Data Surface Editor

Create/Load Edit Data Operate on

Each method is described in greater detail in

Context Sensitive Menu (All Data Surfaces)

Surface with several “interior holes”

Materials and Properties

• Added function drop-downs to materials and capability to create functions

Material, Thickness and Angle:

The calculated “equivalent laminate property”

Working with Layup Libraries (Save and Load buttons)

Loads and Constraints

Additional Load and Constraint Enhancements

• Added face selection by free face for loads on mesh

Using Data Surfaces with Loads

Along Coordinates Data Surface

Pressure Loads Vectors

Pressure Loads converted

Between Coordinates Data Surface

Pressure Loads Vectors

Pressure Loads converted

Output Map Data Surface

Map Output Data

Data Options button

“Total Pressure at Nodes”

Mesh Data Surface

Define/Fill Data Surface Data

Elemental Temperature Loads Elemental Temperature Loads

Tabular Data Surface (Must to be defined before load is created)

Values can now be entered at the four “corners” of the table:

Here is the Data Surface Editor showing the “Interpolated” values:

Pressure Loads Vectors

Varying Elemental Temperatures

Arbitrary 3-D Data Surface

Pressure Loads converted

Pressure Loads Vectors

Equation Data Surface

In this case, our equation is calculating the Sine

Connections (Connection Properties, Regions, and Connectors)

CSys at “Top” of Region CSys at “Bottom” of Region CSys at “Top” of Region

Freq for Overall Damping (W3)

Freq for Material Damping (W4)

Rotation Force Applied

Surface with several “interior holes”

• Added Geometry, Solid, Thicken

Surfaces showing Normals

Solids created using “Out” and

Two Surfaces with opposite Normals

Choose a single surface

Choose a single surface and

Choose all of the “outside”

Groups and Layers

Add/Combine – Creates a new group by adding multiple groups together.

For example (Group 12..L Shaped + Group 6..Blue)::

For Example (Group 12..L Shaped - Group 6..Blue):