Define Nastran 3D element material orientation

This topic describes how to use Mesh Associated Data to define material orientation for all 3D elements in a mesh.

When you define the material orientation vector for solid elements, you must orient the primary and secondary axes. The software derives the third axis automatically.

1. Display the FEM.

2. In the Simulation Navigator, expand the mesh collector that contains your 3D mesh.

3. Right-click the mesh and choose Edit Mesh Associated Data.

4. In the Mesh Associated Data dialog box, from the Material Orientation Method list, select a method for defining the primary direction of the material orientation. Tangent Curve — Select a curve or edge on your geometry. For each element, the software finds the closest point on the selected curve or edge to the element centroid and sets the primary direction as tangent to that geometry.In the following example, the material orientation represented by the arrows was defined by selecting the curved edge . *Primary direction is tangent to curve indicated by (1)*Note: The arrows are displayed using the Element Material Orientation command (only the primary direction is shown). Surface Normal — Select a surface on your geometry. For each element, the software finds the closest point on the face to the element centroid and then sets the primary direction as normal to the face at that point.*Primary direction normal to selected face (1)Vector — Use the vector definition tools to specify the primary direction.Primary direction set in X of the global coordinate systemPhysical Property Table* — Inherits the material orientation defined in the physical property table to which this mesh belongs. In the Physical Property Table Manager, edit the physical property table. In the PSOLID dialog box, from the CORDM list, you can select a coordinate system type and then define the coordinate system using the coordinate system definition tools. For more information about CORDM, see the PSOLID property in the Simcenter Nastran Quick Reference Guide.Spatial Field — Used only when importing simulations. When you import a simulation that contains material orientation definitions for solid elements, and the Import 3D MOVs as field data option is selected on the Import Simulation dialog box, the software imports the material orientation as Field data. These imported material orientations appear with the Material Orientation Method of Spatial Field.Element Free Face Proximity — Select the free face of one or more of the elements.If you select a face in a single element, the software uses the normal of the selected face for all elements in the mesh. If you select a face in multiple elements, the software uses the normal of the selected face that is closest to a given element in the mesh. Element faces (1), (2), and (3) are selected*For each element in the mesh, the resulting material orientation depends on the element's proximity to the selected element faces*

5. From the Second Direction Method list, select a method for defining the secondary direction of the material orientation.Tangency Point to Centroid — The software infers the secondary direction by defining the shortest vector from the curve (that you selected in step 4 for the primary direction) to the element centroid. In the following picture, the primary direction is tangent to the vertical curve indicated by the blue arrow. Note: Only the primary direction arrows are shown. The following picture is a top view of the same model. For illustration purposes, the small red square represents the curve selected for the primary direction. The blue dashed lines represent the vector from the curve to the element centroids. Note: The white arrows show the secondary direction. Vector — See previous description for the primary direction.Tangent Curve — See previous description for the primary direction.

6. (Optional) Adjust the orientation of the defined material coordinate system by rotating it about either or all of its three axes. In the Rotation 1 box, select the axis about which to rotate (first, second, or third axis).Enter the amount of rotation in the Rotation Angle 1 box.Define additional rotations in the Rotation 2 and Rotation 3 boxes as needed.In the following example, the material coordinate system's first axis is parallel to the X direction of the global coordinate system (pointing up) and the second axis is in the Y direction. The second picture shows the material coordinate system rotated 30 degrees about the third axis (Z). Note: Only the primary direction arrows are shown.

7. In the Preview group, select the Preview check box to view the material coordinate system for each element in the graphics window.

8. Click OK to finish defining the material orientation.

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