1. TUTORIAL 4 POST-PROCESSING

3. Table Of Contents
Section Page
Step1. Import Nastran Deck
Step2. Read Result File
Step3. Explore functions in Results Viewing Gizmo
Step4. Display results as fringes and set fringe scale
Step5. Change results type displayed from Collection block
Step6 . Superimpose multiple load cases
Step7 . Add linear combinations of load cases
Step8 . Display results in multiple canvases
Note: As in the other tutorials, all menu items that need to be selected will be preceded
by a maroon right arrow: >User action. Mouse buttons are indicated as follows: -- 1B = First (left) button -- used for selecting items -- 2B = Second (middle) button -- used for "OK" -- 3B = Third (right) button -- used for View Manipulation & pop-up menus Normally 1B is used, unless otherwise.

4. Step1. Import Nastran Deck.
Launch MSC.SOFY according to your local configuration.
Select >NASTRAN mode from entry screen.
You'll be importing a NASTRAN deck and a corresponding results file from a NASTRAN run.
Let's first set the I/O options to insure proper importing of entities.
From Top menu bar> select >Options >I/O Options>NASTRAN Opts >Input Options.
In the dialog box, set your input options as shown below.
Now set the units to match the file being imported:
Select >Options menu >Units Mgr.
In the Units Manager dialog box:
Select >Standard Units button
which brings up another pop-up with several choices of units.
Choose >NASTRAN (with WTMASS=.001 card) >OK. h d

5. Step1. Import Nastran Deck. (Cont’d)
Now to import the NASTRAN deck:
Select >File menu >Import >NASTRAN.
In the dialog box "Select Nastran file to merge" navigate to the file .../DEMOS/Tutorials_NASTRAN/ Tut_N4_Rr_End_Post-process.nas
Click >Open.
Watch the message area at the bottom for any error messages.
When complete, you should have the following model on the canvas.
In Collection block> change >Type to >BC Sets.
Click >All Off button.
Check the box >ID's to display the BC Sets in order of Set #.
Click on/ off the loading conditions (ID's 5, 6, and 7) to become familiar with the load cases.
To further query any BC Set,
Use >Utilities >Identify
command to locate and view magnitudes of applied forces.
In View block>Right Rear.
Use >Organize command to >Keep the Rear End Panel and striker parts, as shown. m t n

6. Step2. Read Result File. e d
Read in the corresponding Results file as follows:
From top menu bar> select >Results >Read Results File.
In the dialog box, navigate to the file ..../DEMOS/Tutorials_NASTRAN/ N-5_Rr_End_Post-process.pch.bir
Click >Open.
The results file is processed and the Results Viewing
Gizmo launched automatically, along with a Clone of the Collection block, with >Type set to >Post-Process.
By default the Displacement Magnitude is displayed in fringes for the first load case found. e d
If a .bir file is not available, it can be created from a Punch file
by executing the following command from a "Run" or terminal
window: NasPun2SofBir.exe 66

7. Step3. Explore functions in Results Viewing Gizmo
Activate the animation by clicking on the >forward arrow button in the Results Viewing Gizmo.
Note that View Manipulation and FE-Graphics functions remain available while the animation is running.
For example:
1. Change graphics to >Wireframe >then >Shaded mode.
2. Zoom in on an area of interest,
3. Use >Dynamic Rotation and >Pan to improve the viewing angle.

8. Step4. Display results as fringes and set fringe scale
Now try some different options in the Viewing Gizmo:
Uncheck the box >Fringe On to see the animation without the color fringes.
Now check the box to set >Fringe On again.
Change the scale of the fringes by unchecking the >Auto Limits box.
Type in a new value in the >Max field.
To interactively change the fringes:
Set a reasonable >Increment value> use >Up/ Down arrows to change the scale.
End by re-checking the >Auto Limits box.
Check the box >Node based, to view nodal (grid) values, rather than element-based values. b f f

9. Step4. Display results as fringes and set fringe scale (Cont’d)
Add the undeformed model to the display by checking the >Show Undeformed box (2nd row, on left).
Change the color of the undeformed model by clicking on the down arrow and select a color from the pop-up, perhaps >white.
Change the scale of the deformation by clicking on >Deformed Scale up/ down arrows.
Change increment of scale, as desired.
Click >Show Info button to add labels to the canvas with job name, subcase id, results type, etc.
Stop the animation by clicking on >Pause or >Stop button.
Go to the maximum displacement fringes by clicking on the >Go to Last Frame button (bottom row of playback buttons, second button from left).
Step through the animation, frame-by-frame by clicking the >Advance 1 Frame button.
Click >Play button to resume animation.
Select the >Increase animation speed button (double up arrows) and repeat until the maximum speed is reached.
Increase / Decrease the number of frames in the animation by clicking Up/ Down > #Frames.
Un-check the >Auto-Rev box and you see the animation progresses from the last frame immediately back to the first, without playing in reverse order.
Check the box again and note the animation progresses from first to last frame, then reverses and goes from last to first, and so on.
If the >Dynamic box is checked, the displacements are assumed to be fully reversed, with frame zero as the undeformed, and frame numbers going from negative to positive (e.g. -5 to +5).
With >Dynamic box un-checked frame numbers are all positive. (e.g. from 0 to 11) and displacements are shown in one direction only. h i

10. Step5. Change results type displayed from Collection block.
Return to Collection Block (Type >Post-process), and change the results type being displayed in the fringes by clicking with (3B-right mouse) over >X displacements, for instance.
Expand the list by clicking on the + sign, next to the results type: Stress: Top, and select with (3B) >VonMises.
The results type showing in the fringes is now VonMises stress on top surface.
Un-check the box >Node-based to see element centroid values.
Now to get a bit more information about these results,:
Select >Results menu >Query Results.
In Pick menu >select >All (elements)
Click >D (Done).
An Information Panel pops up with a summary of the results for the selection.
From the Max Stress value given, you can then pick an appropriate Max scale value for fringes. (say >200 for this example)
In Collection block> click >Next button, and the next subcase is displayed, with the same results type (VonMises stress).
Click >All Off button to clear the results. b h

11. Step6. Superimpose multiple load cases.
Now let's superimpose two results together.
In the Gizmo> check the box >Superpose On. Now under Case 1> select with (3B) >Displacement- X value.
Select with (3B) the same result type >Displacements- X value for Case 2. a b c

12. Step7. Add linear combinations of load cases.
You can display linear combinations of subcases, similar to the SUBCOM card.
First click >All Off in Collection block to clear the results.
In Gizmo> uncheck >Show Info button to clear labels.
Click >Modify in Collection block.
You are prompted to "Select block/ data to modify.“
Select >X Value (displacements) for Case 1.
In the pop-up>type in >2.5 for Multiplier> then >Change.
Now superimpose Case 1 and Case 2, selecting with (3B) >X value displacements for both Cases.
Check the box >Show Info again, and note the change in the labels. g i

13. Step8. Display results in multiple canvases.
You can open multiple canvases and have different results types and/or subcases displayed:
From top menu bar >Display >New Canvas.
To choose results displayed in any canvas, click anywhere in that >canvas to make it active.
Then choose results type from Collection block with (3B), for example, Displacement >Magnitude .
Click the other >canvas to make it active> select a results type for that canvas, perhaps Stress: Top >VonMises.
Click >Play button to activate the animation.
Note that only the active canvas is affected.
Note that graphics and views can be set independently in each canvas.
For example select >Wire frame for one canvas, and >Shaded for the other.
To Use playback buttons to control both canvases> click >All Canvases button in lower right corner of Gizmo.
Stop the animation and click >Go to First Frame button.
Now >Play to synchronize the two canvases.
Try different combinations of sub cases, views, and graphics in the two canvases to get a feel for the Results Viewing Gizmo.
Exit MSC.SOFY: >File, >Quit. (Don't save.) f i

14. Congratulations!!!
You have just completed MSC.SOFY Nastran Tutorial 4.