What's New in FEMAP

What’s New in FEMAP 

FEMAP 10.1 includes enhancements and new features, which are detailed below: 

“User Interface” on page 3 

“Meshing” on page 5 

“Elements” on page 5 

“Loads and Constraints” on page 6 

“Connections (Connection Properties, Regions, and Connectors)” on page 9 

“Groups and Layers” on page 10 


“Views” on page 11 

“Output and Post-Processing” on page 20 

“Geometry Interfaces” on page 23 

“Analysis Program Interfaces” on page 23 

“OLE/COM API” on page 26 

“Preferences” on page 28 

FEMAP 10.0, 10.0.1, and 10.0.2 include enhancements and new features, which are detailed below: 

(Please note, FEMAP 10.0.2 is a maintenance release only, therefore nothing is listed in this document. See 

readme.pdf for additional details about 10.0.2) 

“User Interface” on page 29 

“Meshing” on page 49 

“Mesh Associativity” on page 59 

“Properties” on page 59 

“Functions” on page 61 

“Loads and Constraints” on page 61 

“Connections (Connection Properties, Regions, and Connectors)” on page 61 

“Geometry” on page 62 


“Views” on page 68 

“Output and Post-Processing” on page 69 

“Geometry Interfaces” on page 73 

“Analysis Program Interfaces” on page 74 

“Tools” on page 76 

“OLE/COM API” on page 77 

“Preferences” on page 79

10.1-2 

Finite Element Modeling

What’s New for version 10.1 10.1-3 

What’s New for version 10.1 

User Interface 

General 

General, Menu, Toolbars, Model Info tree, Data Table/Entity Editor, Status Bar, Graphics 

• Added Tab Location option to View Windows. Now the “View Tabs” may be places on the Top, Left, Right, or 

Bottom of a View Window. 

• Changed listing of model size from Bytes to MBytes when using “List, Model Info” command 

• Updated “List, Model, Element” command to list element formulation based on solver set in the “active” Analysis 

Set in the Analysis Set Manager. 

• Added Axis of Revolution method to Vector Definition dialog box. 

• Added X Axis Log Scale option to Function Definition dialog box. 

Menu 

• Added Model, Load, Enforce Motion to Model menu. See Loads and Constraints section for more details. 

• Renamed Model, Load, Set to Model, Load, Create/Manage Set on Model menu. See Loads and Constraints 

section for more details. 

• Renamed Model, Constraint, Set to Model, Constraint, Create/Manage Set on Model menu. See Loads and 

Constraints section for more details. 

• Added Model, Output, Global Ply to Model menu. See Output and Post-Processing section for more details. 

• Renamed Model, Output, Set to Model, Output, Create/Manage Set on Model menu. See Output and Post-Processing 

section for more details. 

• Renamed Group, Set to Group, Create/Manage on Group menu. See Group and Layers section for more details. 

• Reorganized top section of Group, Operations menu on Group menu. See Group and layers section for more 

details. 

• Renamed View, Set to View, Create/Manage on View menu. See View section for more details. 

• Added View, Visibility command to View menu. See View section for more details. 

• Added View, Advanced Post, Contour Model Data command to View menu. See View section for more details. 

• Removed View, Layers command from View menu. Replaced by View, Visibility command. 

Toolbars 

• Replaced “View Layers” and “Quick Options” icons with “Visibility” icon on View Toolbar. 

• Added “Model Data Contour” icon to View Toolbar. 

• Added “Laminate Options” and “Contour Vectors” options to Post Options drop-down menu on Post Toolbar. 

Model Info tree 

• Added “Reset All Visibility Options” button.\

10.1-4 

Finite Element Modeling 

• Added Visibility check boxes (on/off) for Elements (Shape and Type), Properties, Materials, and Layers. 

• Added Visibility check boxes (Show/Hide/Clear) for Groups. 

• Added Elements object and context-sensitive menu to tree. 

Visibility check boxes 

Visibility “check boxes” exist for toggling visibility on/off of Elements (by Element Shape, Element Type), Materials 

(Elements of that material), Properties (Elements of that Property), Groups (Show, Hide, and Clear options), 

and Layers. The check boxes for each entity type perform the same functions they do in the View, Visibility dialog 

box. See Section 6.1.4, "View, Visibility...". Also, multiple entities may be highlighted in a given section and special 

context-sensitive menus exist when the cursor is then placed over the visibility check boxes. 

• Added “Copy” command to context-sensitive menus for Coordinate Systems, Connections-Properties, Connections-Regions, 

Materials, Properties, Layups, Functions, and Groups 

• Added “Color” command to context-sensitive menus for Materials and Properties.

Data Table/Entity Editor 10.1-5 

• Added “Layer” command to context-sensitive menus for Materials and Properties. 

• Added “Global Ply” command to Layups context-sensitive menu. 

• Added “Referenced Sets” command to context-sensitive menus for Loads and Constraints. 

• Added “Edit Where Applied” command to context-sensitive menus for Load Definitions and Constraint Definitions. 

• Changed “Edit” command to “Edit Load” on Load Definition context-sensitive menu. 

• Changed “Edit” command to “Edit Constraint” on Constraint Definition context-sensitive menu. 

• Added “Show Constrained Entities” command to Constraints context-sensitive menu. 

• Added “Referenced Groups” command to Groups context-sensitive menu. 

• Changed “View Active” command to “Show Active Group” and added “Show Full Model” and “Show Multiple 

Groups” to Groups context-sensitive menu. 

• Changed “Show All Layers” to “View All Layers” and “Show Visible Layers Only” to “View Visible Layers 

Only” on Layers context-sensitive menu. 

• Removed “Make Visible”, “Make Hidden”, and “Manage” commands from Layers context-sensitive menu. No 

longer needed due to Visibility check boxes. 

Data Table/Entity Editor 

Status Bar 

Graphics 

• Added “Memb-Bend Coupling” fields for plate elements. 

• Added support for “Nastran LOAD Combination Sets” and “Nastran SPCADD/MPCADD Combination Sets” 

• Changed “Set” to “Create/Manage (Set)” for Load Sets, Constraint Sets, Groups, and Output Sets 

• Changed “View Active” to “Show Active” for Groups and added “Show Full Model” and “Show Multiple” 

options 

Facets are now stored in memory instead of with the model file. When model is opened, it will be facetted. This is 

beneficial as model files containing a large amount of geometry will be smaller. 

Geometry 

Meshing 

Elements 

Layups 

• Implemented the Solid Manager which is used to activate, update, or make no solids active in the model. 

• Modified Geometry, Curve - From Surface, Pad command. Entering an Pad Size Factor of 1.0 will extend 

curves out using the radius of the chosen circular curves, while entering a value of 1.5 would offset the curves 

1.5*the radius of the chosen circular curves in all directions. 

• Added “Use Reference Point” option to Mesh, Mesh Control, Attributes Along Curve 

• Added Update Button to Define RIGID Element dialog box. Allows you to update the Interpolation Factor and 

DOFs on any number of highlighted nodes in the Nodes to Average section when using the Interpolation 

option. 

• Updated Global Ply Definition dialog box for Layups 

Global Ply ID (optional): 

This option can be used to save a particular ply of one layup for use in other layups in your model.

10.1-6 


The “Global Ply” concept can also be used for Post Processing purposes by allowing you to choose any ply of any 

layup to be the same “Global Ply” as any ply of a any other layup. For instance, a model has two layups, Layup 1 

has 7 plies and Layup 2 has 9 plies. If you wanted to post process the results of a particular output vector on the 

“middle ply” of the model, the “middle ply” for Layup 1 would be ply 4, while the “middle ply” for Layup 2 would 

be ply 5. Once these plies have been designated with the same Global Ply ID, you can use the Laminate Options 

functionality of View, Select to create a contour/criteria plot using a the results 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 may create a new global ply using the New Ply button. In the New Global Ply dialog 

box, you may enter a Title (up to 79 characters), and optionally choose a Material, and/or enter a Thickness. 

Once you have at least one global ply, you may highlight any ply from the list and then use Edit Ply to change the 

Title, Material, and/or Thickness, Renumber to renumber the selected ply, or Delete to delete the selected ply, 

Delete All will simply delete all of the global plies in the model, while Show will highlight all of the elements in the 

graphics window which are currently using the Global Ply. 

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 material axes otherwise. 

Loads and Constraints 

• Added “Torque” Load type to “Model, Load, On Surface” command. 

• Added “Total Load” option for “Force”, “Moment”, and “Torque” load types to “Model, Load, On Surface” 

command. Allows you to take a “total load” and spread it across all of the selected surfaces.

Loads and Constraints 10.1-7 

• Added “Total Load” option for “Force” and “Moment” load types to “Model, Load, On Curve” command. 

Allows you to take a “total load” and spread it across all of the selected curves. 

• Implemented the Load Set Manager for creation, management, and activation of Load Sets 

Create new load sets 

Update the title of an 

existing load set 

Renumber highlighted 

Load Set 

Delete highlighted 

Load Set 

Delete all Load Sets 

Copy highlighted 

Load Set 

Define “Nastran LOAD 

Combination Set” 

Deactivate All Load 

Sets 

• Added option to create a Load “Set Type” option which allows you to create a Nastran LOAD Combination and 

use Referenced Load Sets 

Load Set Type 

You may choose a Set Type for the new load set. A Standard load set is any combination of Load Definitions, Body 

Loads, and Other Loads used to define the loading conditions for that load set. 

A Nastran LOAD Combination is a special type of load set which is a combination of “referenced” Standard load 

sets in the model. When used, all of the selected Standard load sets referenced by a Nastran LOAD Combination 

Set are written to the Nastran input file and combined by Nastran via a LOAD entry also written to the input file. 

Note: 

Only Forces, Moments, Pressures, loads on Scalar points (SPOINTS), Rotational Velocity Body Loads, 

and Gravity Loads may be combined using the LOAD entry. Also, Nastran LOAD Combinations in 

FEMAP are only used when performing a Static Analysis.

10.1-8 


Once a Nastran LOAD Combination has been created, highlight it from the list in the Load Set Manager and press 

the Referenced Sets button. The Referenced Load Sets for Nastran LOAD dialog box will appear: 

Highlight any number of Standard load sets from the list of Available Sets. Click Add Referenced Set to have them 

placed in the Referenced Sets list. By default, each load set placed into the Referenced Sets list will be included with 

a Scale Factor of “1.0”. If desired, the For Referenced Set “Scale Factor” can be changed before pressing the Add 

Referenced Set button and all highlighted load sets will be placed in the Referenced Sets list using that Scale Factor. 

These scale factors will be written to the appropriate “Si” fields of the Nastran LOAD entry for each load set. 

Also, an Overall “Scale Factor” may be entered for the entire set, which is written to the “S” field of LOAD entry. 

Note: 

A Referenced Load Sets command may be added to any menu or toolbar using the Tools, Toolbars, Customize 

command. This command is located in the Additional Commands category on the Commands 

tab of the Customize dialog box.. 

• Implemented the Constraint Set Manager for creation, management, and activation of Constraints Sets 

Create new Constraint 

Sets 


existing Constraint Set 


Constraint Set 



Delete all Constraint 

Sets 

Copy highlighted 


Define “SPCADD/ 

MPCADD Set” 

Deactivate All 

Constraint Sets

Connections (Connection Properties, Regions, and Connectors) 10.1-9 

• Added option to create a Load Set which represents a Nastran SPCADD/MPCDD Combination and use Referenced 

Constraint Sets 

You may choose a Set Type for the new constraint set. A Standard constraint set is any combination of Constraint 

Definitions and Other Loads used to define the boundary conditions for that constraint set. 

A Nastran SPCADD/MPCADD Combination is a special type of constraint set which “references” any number of 

existing Standard constraint sets in the model. When used, all of the selected Standard constraint sets referenced by 

a particular Nastran SPCADD/MPCADD Combination are written to the Nastran input file and combined by Nastran 

via a SPCADD entry when dealing with normal constraints or a MPCADD when dealing with constraint equations. 

Once a Nastran SPCADD/MPCADD Combination Set has been created, highlight it from the list in the Constraint 

Set Manager and press the Referenced Sets button. The Referenced Constraint Sets for Nastran SPCADD/ 

MPCADD dialog box will appear: 

Highlight any number of Standard constraint sets from the list of Available Sets. Click Add Referenced Set to have 

them placed in the Referenced Sets list. 

Note: 

A Referenced Constraint Sets command may be added to any menu or toolbar using the Tools, Toolbars, 

Customize command. This command is located in the Additional Commands category on the Commands 

tab of the Customize dialog box.. 

Connections (Connection Properties, Regions, and Connectors) 

• Added “Reverse” button to Connection Regions to switch “positive” to “negative” and vice versa for surfaces 

and “Face 1” to “Face 2” and vice versa for shell elements. 

NX Linear tab 

• Added Adaptive Stiffness and Penetration Factor to the Contact Property (BCTPARM) section. Create the 

PENAPAPT and PENETFAC fields on the BCTPARM entry. 

• Added Glue Type and Glue Factor to the Common Contact (BCTPARM) and Glue (BGPARM) Parameters section. 

Create the GLUETYPE and PENGLUE fields on the BGPARM entry. 

• Added Auto Penalty Factor to the Common Contact (BCTPARM) and Glue (BGPARM) Parameters section. 

Creates the PENAUTO field on the BCTPARM entry.

10.1-10 


• Modified Penalty Factor Units in the Common Contact (BCTPARM) and Glue (BGPARM) Parameters section 

to have different options depending on what option is set for Connect Type. 

NEiNastran tab 

• Added 10..Offset Welded Contact option to Penetration Type drop-down list. 

Groups and Layers 

• Implemented the Group Manager for creation, management, and activation of Groups 

Create new Group 

Regular Group 

icon 


existing Group 




Group 

Delete all Groups 

Define “Referenced 

Group” 

Group containing 

Referenced Groups 

icon 


Groups 

• Added ability to create “Referenced Groups” 

The concept of Referenced Groups allows an existing group to “reference” other existing groups in your model 

(essentially, create a “Group of Groups”). A group which “references” other groups may also contain any number

Views 10.1-11 

of additional entities. Once a group is referencing other groups, the icon will change in the Group Manager dialog 

box. Groups which reference other groups may also be referenced by any other group. 

The Referenced Groups for Group drop-down list may be used to select any existing group. Any number of groups 

may be moved between the Available Groups list and Referenced Groups list for a particular group by highlighting 

the groups in the appropriate list and pressing the Add or Remove buttons. Remove All will move all groups from 

Referenced Groups to Available Groups. When a group which references other groups is added to the Referenced 

Groups list, the referenced groups will be listed in a “tree structure” beneath that group (Shown above). 

Note: 

If Group “A” is referenced by Group “E” and Group “F” and both groups “E” and “F” are then referenced 

by another group, Group “G”, Group “A” will only appear once in the Referenced Groups list. 

All other instances of Group “A” will be shown using a red “X” in the middle of group brackets. 

• Updated Group, Operations, Evaluate; Group, Operations, Evaluate Always; and Group, Operations, Renumber 

Rules to allow selection of multiple groups. 

• Updated Group, Operations, Condense to allow selection of multiple groups and “condense” the groups “in 

place” without creating a copy. 

• Added Condense New Group option to Group, Operations, Copy to also condense the active group when copied. 

• Implemented the Layer Manager for creation, management, and activation of Layers 

Create new Layer 

Update the Title or Color 

of existing Layer 


Layer 


Layer 

Delete all Layers 


Layers 

Views 

This dialog box works just like the other “Create/Manage” set dialog boxes. Simply press the New Layer button to 

create a new layer. Then enter a Title, choose a Color by pressing the Palette button, then press OK to return to the 

Layer Manager dialog box or More to be prompted to create another new layer. 

• View, Create/Manage 

Displays the View Manager, which allows you to create a new view using the New View button. The new view will 

become the active view when created. The Update Title, Delete View, and Copy View buttons can be used to update 

the name, delete, or copy the view currently highlighted in the Available Views - Selected View is Active list.

10.1-12 


• View, Visibility 

This command allows you to control visibility of Entity Types, Entity Labels, Groups (one or multiple), Layers, 

Load Sets, Constraint Sets, and sets of Elements based on Element Shape, Element Type, associated Material, and/ 

or associated Property. 

Each tab of the Visibility dialog box controls different aspects of what is displayed in the FEMAP graphics window. 

Combinations of settings on multiple tabs give the user a vast array of options for creating the desired display. 

The two buttons at the bottom of the dialog box, Reset All and Done are available while in any tab. Done closes the 

Visibility dialog box, while Reset All returns the model to the “default display configuration” of FEMAP, which is: 

• All Entity Types displayed 

• Labels on for Coordinate Systems, all Constraints (including Permanent and Equations), and all Loads 

• View All Layers option set on Layer tab, Show Full Model option set on Group tab. 

• View Active Load Set and View Active Constraint Set options set on Load/Constraint tab. 

• All Element Shapes, Element Types, and Elements associated with all Properties and Materials displayed 

The number of buttons on the right side of the dialog box and what the buttons actually do changes for each tab. 

Once displayed, certain entities may or may not be available for selection based on the visibility options. 

For instance, if Elements are turned off on the Entity/Label tab, no Groups are being viewed (i.e., Show Full Model 

option), all Layers are currently visible, and all Element shapes, Element types, and elements associated with all 

Materials and Properties are also displayed, then elements are still available for selection from the graphics window. 

On the other hand, only entities in displayed Groups, on visible Layers, and Elements of types, shapes, and associated 

to Properties and Materials which are currently checked “on” in the Visibility dialog box or the Model Info tree 

are available for selection from the graphics window. 

Note: 

The Visibility settings on the Entity/Label, Group, Layer, and Load/Constraint tabs apply to the Active 

View only. Settings on the Element, Material, and Property tabs apply to All Views in the model.

Views 10.1-13 

Find button 

The Find button is available for use in all tabs of the Visibility dialog box except the Load/Constraint tab. Simply 

enter text into the field, then click the Find button. Any item in the “list” of the current tab which contains the text 

you entered, will be automatically highlighted. This functionality can be very helpful in finding certain groups or 

layers in complex models. 

Quickly Choosing Visibility 

In addition to using the Visibility icon on the View Toolbar or using Ctrl+Q, you can also access the Visibility dialog 

box directly from the “Quick Access” menu. Simply press the right mouse button with the cursor anywhere inside 

any graphics window, and select Visibility. 

Entity/Label tab 

There are times that you will want to quickly toggle on/off the overall visibility of entire entity types and/or the 

labels for various entity types. The Entity/Label tab of the Visibility dialog box provides a single place to perform 

both of these actions. 

When Draw Entity is selected above the lists of entity types, visibility of each entity type is controlled by the check 

box next to the entity type name. When Labels is selected, visibility for the entity type labels is controlled by the 

check box. Visibility and/or labels for portions of the list can be turned on/off using the “special” check box next to 

any entity type “header” (Geometry, Mesh, Connections, Constraints, and Loads). 

Two additional options exist when the Labels option is selected. When Entity Color is checked, all labels will be 

displayed using the same color as the entity. When Erase Background is checked, FEMAP will erase the area 

where the label will be drawn, prior to drawing the label. If you are labelling filled areas, it is often good to choose 

this option, as they are easier to read. 

The table describes the functions performed by each of the command buttons: 

Entity/Label Button 

All On 

All Off 

Selected On 

Selected Off 

Function 

Turns Draw Entity or Labels check box on for all entities. 

Turns Draw Entity or Labels check box off for all entities. 

Turns Draw Entity or Labels check box on for selected entities. 

Turns Draw Entity or Labels check box off for selected entities.

10.1-14 



Function 

Selected Only Turns Draw Entity or Labels check box on for selected entities, while turning 

all unselected entities off. 

Entity Colors Changes Color mode to Entity Colors for all options. 

View Colors Changes Color mode to View Colors for all options. 

Note: The following buttons change the entire view (selections, alignment, magnification, etc.), not 

just the view options. 

Load View 

Updates the current view by restoring from the View library. 

Save View 

Store the current view in the View library 

Reset View 

Resets the entire view to FEMAP defaults. 

Group tab 

This tab enables you to specify visibility options for groups which allow you to display only a portion of your 

model. Groups are essentially subsets of the model based on entity IDs, rules to include entities related to other 

entities already in the group (i.e., nodes on elements currently in the group), or limited by “clipping” regions. 

Group Set to “Show” 

Groups Set to “Hide” 

Referenced Group 

Set to “Show” 

There are 4 visibility options for groups: 

• Show Full Model - Groups are not currently being used to only display a portion of your model. 

• Show Active Group - The “active” group will be used to only display a portion of your model. The active group 

can be changed by selecting a different group from the drop-down list. 

• Show Single Group - Any single group can be chosen from the drop-down menu and used to display only a portion 

of the model. 

• Show/Hide Multiple Groups - Any number of groups can be set to “Show” (Green Circle with “+”), “Hide” 

(Red Circle with “-”), or “Clear” (no marker in box) to create the desired display. 

By default, the Group option is set to Show Full Model, therefore the entire model will be displayed. Activating an 

existing group will not change the display, but will allow you to graphically select entities from your entire model 

to place into the group. If you want to display only a portion of your model, switch this option to Show Active 

Group, Show Single Group, or Show/Hide Multiple Groups. Then only the entities which are in the appropriate 

group(s) will be displayed.

Views 10.1-15 

The Show/Hide Multiple Groups option gives you the most flexibility when creating a display. Show All will 

change the “Show/Hide flag” of all groups to “show”, while Clear All will change the flag for all groups to “Clear”. 

You may also highlight any number of groups from the list, then click Show Selected (set flag for all selected 

groups to “Show”), Hide Selected (set flag to “Hide”), Clear Selected (set flag to “Clear”), or Show Selected Only 

(sets flag of selected groups to “Show”, while setting flags of unselected groups to “Clear”). 

Note: 

When Show/Hide Multiple Groups is set and ALL Groups are “Clear”, the whole model will be visible. 

For Example: 

In this model, there are 11 total groups. Individual groups exist for the elements of each color (7 groups). Also, one 

group containing both the blue and green elements, one group containing the red, yellow, and cyan elements, one 

group containing the top two rows of elements, and one “L-shaped” group. 

“Green and Blue” “Red, Yellow, and “Top 2 Rows” “L-Shaped” Group 

Group 

Cyan” Group 

Group 

Here are a few visibility scenarios involving the Groups in this example model: 

All Groups “Clear” 

(Whole Model shown) 

“Orange” and “Purple” 

set to “Show” 

“Blue and Green” and “Top 

2 Rows” set to “Show” 

“L-Shaped” set to “Show”, “L-Shaped” and “Blue and “L-Shaped” set to “Hide”, 

“Yellow” and “Blue” set to Green” set to “Show”, “Top all other groups set to 

“Hide” 2 Rows” set to “Hide” “Show”

10.1-16 


“Cyan”, “Top 2 Rows” and 

“L-Shaped” set to “Show”, 

“Red” and “Blue set to “Hide” 

“Yellow”, “Top 2 Rows”, and 

“Blue and Green” set to “Show” 

“Blue” set to “Hide” 

Layers tab 

Controls which layers will be displayed in the model. Also allows you to specify the Active Layer as well as the 

NoPick Layer. 

New Layer 

icon button 

The default setting is View All Layers. If you want to only view selected layers, change to View Multiple Layers, 

then “check” the layers you would like to see in the view. The All On and All Off buttons simply “check” or 

“uncheck” all of the layers in the model. Selected On will “check” the highlighted layers, while Selected Off will 

“uncheck” them. Selected Only will “check” the selected layers while also “unchecking” all of the non-highlighted 

layers. 

As you “check” or “uncheck” the boxes next to various layers, the display in the graphics window will update “onthe-fly”. 

In addition to controlling your display, visible layers may also be used to control entity selection. Only entities on 

visible layers and which are not on the NoPick Layer can be selected graphically. With the Active Layer option, you 

can also select the layer that will be used for entity creation. You may also use the New Layer icon button next to 

the Active Layer drop-down list to create a new layer in your model.

Views 10.1-17 

. 

Note: 

By default, entities used for solid geometry construction (such as a boundary surface for an extrusion) 

are automatically deleted after being used. On the Geometry/Model tab of the File, Preferences dialog 

box, you can change the “Construction Geometry... when used” option to “1..Move to NoPick Layer”. 

When this option is set, the construction geometry will be moved to “9999..Construction Layer”, which 

is the default for the NoPick Layer. This can be used to prevent construction geometry from being 

selected for load or constraint application. If you need to access this geometry, change the NoPick 

Layer to “0..none” and you will be able to graphically select these entities. Be careful when doing this 

however, since this geometry may occupy the identical space as a solid face or edge. 

Load/Constraint tab 

Here you can choose the load set and/or constraint set that will be displayed in the view. 

By default, View Active Load Set and View Active Constraint Set are the selected options, therefore the active load 

set and active constraint set will be displayed. You can change the “active” Load Set and/or Constraint Set using the 

appropriate drop-down list. You may eliminate loads and/or constraints from the display by choosing the View No 

Loads and/or View No Constraints options. Also, you can select a particular set for display whether or not it is 

active by using the View Selected Load Set and/or View Selected Constraint Set options and selecting an existing set 

from the appropriate drop-down list.

10.1-18 


Element, Material, and Property tabs 

These tabs allow you to control the visibility of elements based on Element Shape and/or Element Type (Element 

tab) and elements associated with specific Materials or Properties in your model. 

The number of elements of each type or shape is listed after the type name or shape name when in the Element tab. 

A special check box exists in the Material tab which allows you to toggle visibility on/off for “Elements with No 

Material” which include plot only, link, spring/damper, DOF spring, gap, laminate (reference several materials, not 

one), mass, mass matrix, rigid/interpolation, stiffness matrix, and slide line elements. A similar box exists in the 

Property tab for “Elements with No Property” which include plot only and rigid/interpolation elements. 

Note: 

Element visibility using the Element, Material, and Property tabs applies to All Views in the model, not 

just the Active View like the Entity/Label, Group, Layer, and Load/Constraint tabs. 

This table describes the functions performed by each of the command buttons when in a Element, Material, or 

Property tab: 


All On 

All Off 

Selected On 

Selected Off 

Selected Only 

Function 

“Checks” boxes for ALL element shapes/types, materials, or properties (includes 

box for Elements with No Material/Property). 

“Unchecks” boxes for all element shapes/types, materials, or properties (includes 

box for Elements with No Material/Property). 

“Checks” boxes of highlighted element shapes/types, materials, or properties. 

“Unchecks” boxes of highlighted element shapes/types, materials, or properties. 

“Checks” boxes of highlighted element shapes/types, materials, or properties, while 

“unchecking” boxes of shapes/types, materials, or properties which are not currently 

highlighted. 

Only elements of shapes/types or associated with materials or properties which are currently “checked” will be 

available for selection in the graphics window. This can make it very easy to perform “box”, “circle”, “polygon”, or 

“freehand” picking of certain element types/shapes, materials, or properties.

Views 10.1-19 

• View Options: Quick Options button - removed for 10.1 

• View Options: Labels, Entities and Color category: - Added Load - Body options for displaying Body Loads: 

This option controls the display of translational acceleration (straight solid arrow), rotational acceleration (curved 

solid arrow with 2 arrowheads), and rotational velocity (curved solid arrow with 1 arrowhead) body loads in the 

graphics window. Labels, Location for the “rotational” body loads, and Color may also be set. 

By default, when only one of the above body loads is being applied in the “Active” load set, the corresponding 

symbol for that load will appear in the “middle” of the View Axis, oriented to the XYZ of the View Axis. 

Translational Acceleration Rotational Acceleration Rotational Velocity 

(-1 in Y-direction) (100 about X-axis) (20 about X-Axis) 

When more than one body load is being applied, translational acceleration will be displayed in the YZ plane, rotational 

acceleration in the ZX plane, and rotational velocity in the XY plane of the View Axis. 

Changing the Location from 0..View Axis to 1..Model, will only affect the position of rotational body loads. They 

will be shown with the same symbol, but will also show a dotted-line representing the rotation axis of the load 

within the model itself. 

• View Options: Labels, Entities and Color category: Moment and Torque - now controls display of Moment and 

Torque loads 

• View Options: Tools and View Style category: Render Options - Changed “1..Surfaces Only” option for Surface 

Hatch to “1..Hatch Wireframe Surfaces” and added “2..Never Hatch Surfaces” option. 

• View Options: Tools and View Style category: Stereo - option removed for 10.1

10.1-20 


Output and Post-Processing 

• View, Advanced Post, Contour Model Data 

... allows you to view model data as contour/criteria plots or beam diagrams. This commands is not really a postprocessing 

capability. Some common uses would be viewing a contour plot of the thicknesses of plane elements in 

a shell model or a criteria plot of Youngs Modulus of the materials in an assembly model using solid elements. 

If you would like to display model data on elements in the graphics window, the first option to check would be 

Show Model Data Contour in the Contour Data From section. Next choose a single material/property data value 

for display by highlighting a specific value from the tree structure. Most material/property data values in FEMAP 

should be available for selection, with the major exceptions being the material values of the materials of the “Other 

Types” material type. There are 5 “special cases” which are a little more flexible with regard to the type of materials/properties 

in the model. For instance, “Plane Element Thickness” will work for any plane elements which have 

a thickness, including laminates. Others like “Bar/Beam/Rod Area” will allow you to show a criteria plot of areas 

on all the Beams/Bars/Rods in your model at once. 

Once a value is chosen, you can choose to display the values as a Contour, Criteria, or Beam Diagram in the Show 

As section. The Allow Labels will toggle the output labels on/off for all three of the Show As options. 

Finally, you can choose to plot the material/property data values on the entire model using the All option in the 

Show On section or only a portion of the model by choosing Group and then selecting an existing group from the 

drop-down list. 

For example, here is a contour plot of “Plane Element Thickness” on a Shell model containing laminates of various 

thicknesses:

Output and Post-Processing 10.1-21 

To turn off the display of material/property data values, choose the command again and UNCHECK the Show 

Model Data Contour check box in the Contour Data From section. 

Note: 

While the Show Model Data Contour box is checked, all Contour Style settings in the View Select dialog 

box (View, Select command) will be ignored until the display of model data has been turned off. 

• View, Select: Contour Vectors - 2D Tensor Plot option 

The 2D Tensor Plot (i.e.,“Crow’s Foot” plot) allows you to create a plot of three vectors on a 2D element. Vector 1 

will be plotted in the X-direction (based on the option selected in the Output Data is Stored Relative To section), 

Vector 2 in the Y-direction, and Vector 3 at a 45 degree angle between the X-direction and the Y-direction. 

Although it may be used to show any three vectors on 2D elements, this is very useful when showing three related 

vectors, with two being “directional” and one being “shear”, such as Plate X Normal Stress (Vector 1), Plate Y Normal 

Stress (Vector 2), and Plate XY Shear Stress (Vector 3). 

2D Tensor Plot showing X Normal Stress, Y Normal Stress and XY Shear Stress 

This plot differs from the other available Vector Type plots. By default, the options set in the PostProcessing category 

of View Options for Vector Style and Contour Vector Style will be ignored, and the plot will be always be 

shown with all vectors displayed using uniform vector length, centered on the element, with output values 

Note: 

If you want the 2D Tensor Plot to follow the options set in Vector Style and Contour Vector Style, simply 

select the File, Preferences command, choose the Views tab, then “uncheck” the “2D Tensor Plot View 

Options Override” option. 

• View, Select: Laminate Options 

Used to control the display of laminate results. By default, this option will be set to Selected Output Vector, which 

will simply create a contour/criteria plot using the Contour vector currently selected in the Output Vectors section 

of the Select PostProcessing Data dialog box. The other options are Top Ply of Layup, Bottom Ply of Layup, and 

Global Ply.

10.1-22 


When using any of the other options, FEMAP will use the Contour vector currently selected in the Output Vectors 

section of the Select PostProcessing Data dialog box along with the first ply entered for a each layup (Bottom Ply 

of Layup option), last play entered (Top Ply of Layup), or designated ply in the layup (Global Ply) to create the 

appropriate contour/criteria plot. 

For example, a model contains sections of laminate elements using 3 different layups, one section with 7 plies 

(Layup 1), one with 11 plies (Layup 2), and the last with 15 plies (Layup 3). 

. 

Layup 3 - 15 Plies Layup 2 - 11 Plies Layup 1 - 7 Plies 

If you want to display the “X Normal Stress” for the “Top Ply” of this model, the “X Normal Stress” results from 

Ply 7 for Layup 1, Ply 11 for Layup 2, and Ply 15 for Layup 3 will be used to create the contour/criteria plot.

Geometry Interfaces 10.1-23 

If you want to display the “X Normal Stress” for the “Bottom Ply” of this model, the “X Normal Stress” results 

from Ply 1 for Layup 1, Ply 1 for Layup 2, and Ply 1 for Layup 3 will be used to create the contour/criteria plot. 

Finally, if you want to display the “X Normal Stress” for the “Middle Ply” of this model, you would need to designate 

the “middle ply” of each layup using a “Global Ply”. To set up a “Global Ply”, you will need to first create a 

global ply in the Layup Editor, then choose a ply in each Layup and click the Update Global Ply button. See Section 

4.2.5, "Model, Layup..." for more information about a global ply. 

Once the Global Ply has been assigned to a ply in each layup, you can then choose it from the Global Ply dropdown 

list. In this case, the “X Normal Stress” results from Ply 4 for Layup 1, Ply 6 for Layup 2, and Ply 8 for 

Layup 3 will be used to create the contour/criteria plot. 

• View Options: PostProcessing category: Contour Vector Style - Added “Exponent” Color Modes, Digits, and 

Length options 

Geometry Interfaces 

The following FEMAP interfaces have been updated to support newer geometry formats: 

FEMAP Interface 

Latest Supported Version 

Parasolid Parasolid 22.0 

Solid Edge Solid Edge with Synchronous Technology 2 

NX NX 6 

Pro/Engineer Wildfire 4 

ACIS ACIS 20 

CATIA V5 V5 release 18 

SolidWorks SolidWorks 2009 

For details, see “Geometry Interfaces” in the FEMAP User Guide. 

Analysis Program Interfaces 

Several of the analysis program interfaces have been improved. These changes include:

10.1-24 


• Analysis Set Manager Enhancements 

• FEMAP Neutral File Interface 

• NX Nastran Interface 

• Nastran Interfaces (NX and MSC/MD) 

• MSC/MD Nastran Interface 

• NEi Nastran Interface 

• ANSYS Interface 

• ABAQUS Interface 

• DYNA Interface 

Analysis Set Manager Enhancements 

For details, see “Analysis Program Interfaces” in the FEMAP User Guide. 

• Added Previous (Prev...) buttons to many of the Analysis Set Manager dialog boxes when using the Nastran 

Solvers. 

• Enhanced Analyze and Analyze Multiple options to use internal solver queuing system when multiple jobs in 

one model or jobs from any number of models are sent to the solver. Queuing system now tracks which model 

the analysis job was launched from and will attempt to return to the correct model and import results before 

beginning the next analysis job. Also, added “Clear Queue” button to clear the internal queuing system. 

FEMAP Neutral File Interface 

• Updated Neutral Read and Write for v10.1 changes 

NX Nastran Interface 

A number of bugs were corrected 

Solution 601 updates 

• Turned the “Loads Change with Deformation” option in the Analysis Options section of NXSTRAT Solver 

Parameters dialog box “on” by default. 

• Turned the “Constraint Force” option in the Nodal section of Nastran Output Requests dialog box “on” by 

default. 

• Added support to SOL601 for function dependent acceleration body loads. 


• Turned the “Loads Change with Deformation” option in the Analysis Options section of NXSTRAT Solver 

Parameters dialog box “on” by default. 

• Turned the “Constraint Force” option in the Nodal section of Nastran Output Requests dialog box “on” by 

default. 


Nastran Interfaces (NX and MSC/MD) 

• Turned off PARAM,MAXRATIO by default 

• Added support to read the CVISC and PVISC entries 

• Added support to read and write PARAM,RESVINER 

• Added support to read and write LOAD, SPCADD, and MPCADD entries 

• Added support to set the All Plates as QUADR/TRIAR option when CQUADR and CTRIAR elements are 

imported

Nastran Interfaces (NX and MSC/MD) 10.1-25 

• Added ability to write GEOMCHECK, NONE and read GEOMCHECK entries and populate GEOMCHECK 

dialog box in Analysis Set Manager 

• Added Dynamic Control Options dialog box to Analysis Set Manager for analysis Types 3..Transient Dynamic/ 

Time History, 4..Frequency/Harmonic Response, 5..Response Spectrum, and 6..Random Response. 

Replaces using the “Model, Load, Dynamic Analysis” command and all fields of this dialog box should be populated 

when importing a Nastran input file for Solution Sequences (SOL) 108, 109, 111, or 112. Added 

• Added Nonlinear Control Options dialog box to Analysis Set Manager for analysis Types 10..Nonlinear Static 

and 12..Nonlinear Transient Response.

10.1-26 


Replaces using the “Model, Load, Nonlinear Analysis” command and all fields of this dialog box should be populated 

when importing a Nastran input file for Solution Sequences (SOL) 106 or 129, when an NLPARM entry 

exists. 

• Added support to read DLOAD, NONLINEAR, TSTEP, TSTEPNL, NLPARM, SDAMPING, FREQUENCY, 

RANDOM Case Control entries 

• Added support to read PARAMs LMODES, LFREQ, HFREQ, W3, W4, G, RSPECTRA, SCRSPEC, OPTION 

(ABS, SRSS, NRL, NRLO), CLOSE, LANGLE 

• Added support to read TSTEP, TSTEPNL, NLPARM, NLPCI, RANDPS, DTI Bulk Data entries 



MSC/MD Nastran Interface 

A number of bugs were corrected. 


NEi Nastran Interface 

• Added support to read PARAM,OPTION,CQC 



ANSYS Interface 



ABAQUS Interface 



DYNA Interface 

• Added support 8-noded Quad elements 

• Added support for nonstructural mass for Beam and Shell elements 

• Added support for the following element formulations: 

Fully Integrated DKT triangular, Fully Integrated linear DK quadrilateral, Fully Integrated linear assumed strain 

C0, 1 point Eulerian Navier-Stokes, 8 point Eulerian Navier-Stokes, and CVFEM Eulerian Navier-Stokes 



OLE/COM API 

New API Objects and Attributes 

• Added NasBulkDynLdAsLOADSET, NasBulkResViner, NasGCheckNone, NasBulkWriteAllLoadBCSets, 

NasDynOn, NasDynUseLoadSet, NasDynDampOverall, NasDynDampW3, NasDynDampW4, vNasDynKeep- 

Freq, NasDynTranDT, NasDynFreqTbl, NasDynDampModalTbl, NasDynKeepModes, NasDynTran- 

TimeSteps, NasDynTransOutInt, NasDynDampModalMethod, NasDynRespSpect, vNasDynNoFreq, 

vNasDynLogInterp, vNasDynFreqType, vNasDynMinFreq, vNasDynMaxFreq, and vNasDynSpreadCluster to 

AnalysisMgr object

OLE/COM API 10.1-27 

• NasCnlIncrements, NasCnlTime_Increment, NasCnlMaxIter, vNasCnlConvergenceFlags, vNasCnlConvergenceValue, 

NasCnlCtiffnessMethod, NasCnlKstep, NasCnlIntermediateOutput, NasCnlOutputInterval, 

NasCnlSolutionStrategy, NasCnlSolutionOverrides, NasCnlModnewtonLineSearch, NasCnlModnewton- 

QuasiNewton, NasCnlModnewtonBisection, NasCnlArcConstraintType, NasCnlArcMinAdjust, NasCnlArc- 

MaxAdjust, NasCnlArcLoadScale, NasCnlArcDesiredIter, NasCnlArcMaxSteps, NasCnlTimeSkipAdjust, 

NasCnlDominantPeriodSteps, NasCnlBoundsRb, NasCnlStabilityTolerance, NasCnlDivergenceLimit, NasCnlQuasiNewtonVectors, 

NasCnlMaxLineSearch, NasCnlCreep, NasCnlLineSearchTolerance, NasCnlMaxBisections, 

NasCnlMaxRotation, NasCnlFstress, and NasCnlMaxAdjust to AnalysisMgr object. 

• Added IsCombination to LoadSet object. 

• Added Gradient to LoadETemp object. 

• Added IsCombination to BCSet object 

• Added GlobalPlyLocation to View object. 

New API Methods 

• Added AddCoordinate, AddAroundPoint, AddAroundVector, AddAroundPlane, AddNodesOnGeometry, and 

SelectList methods for Set object 

• Added RemoveSet, ConvertToBoundarySurfaces, and SelectListmethods for Sort object 

• Added ClearAnalysisQueue, GetCorrelate2, and PutCorrelate2 methods forAnalysisMgr object 

• Added GetDataSurfType method for DataSurf object 

• Added PartialLengthXYZ, PartialLengthNode, and SelectList methods for Curve object 

• Added IsBoundingSolidRegion, Mesh, and ResetMeshAttr methods for Surface object 

• Added IsGeneral method for Solid object 

• Added GetClosest method for Node object 

• Added Thickness, Area, and Inertia methods for Elem object 

• Added Thickness, Area, and Inertia methods for Prop object 

• Added GetCombination and PutCombination methods for LoadSet object 

• Added GetCombination and PutCombination methods for BCSet object 

• Added ReferencedGroups method for Group object 

• Added DefineReal method for Var object 

• Added GetMultiGroupList, SetMultiGroupList, and ClearMultiGroupList methods for View object 

• Added InitScalarAtBeam and PutScalarAtBeam methods for Output object 

• Added Reverse method for Contact and ConnectionRegion objects 

New Global Variables 

• Added Pref_NastranUseILP64, Pref_ConstructionGeometry, and Pref_NastranWriteAllLdbcSets 

• Added FLT_SNTORQUE for Load Type 

• Added FVD_AXIS_OF_SURFACE for Vector Definition Method 

The following functions have been added: 

• feSurfaceRemoveHole 

• feModifySolidFacetting 

• feSolidRemoveFace 

• feMeshSurface2 

• feAppRegisterAddInPaneWithFrame 

• feVectorAxisOfSurface

10.1-28 


• feMeshSurfaceByAttributes 

Preferences 

Views 

• Added 2D Tensor Plot View Options Override option. 

This option is on by default. When viewing contour vectors using the 2D Tensor Plot option, the options set in the 

PostProcessing category of View Options for Vector Style and Contour Vector Style will be ignored, and the plot 

will be always be shown with all vectors displayed using uniform vector length, centered on the element, with output 

values 

Database 

• Added Open/Save Method option. 

This option should only be used if you are experiencing VERY slow opening/saving FEMAP model files. On certain 

hardware, switching to option “2..64K widows I/O” may make a dramatic difference in the time a model takes 

to open/save. Essentially, what option 2 does is copy to (opening) and from the scratch directory (saving) in 64K 

“blocks” instead of allowing the hardware to choose the size. Options 1 and 3 are simply other alternatives to try. 

Interfaces 

• Added Use ILP-64bit NX Nastran option. 

If you have NX Nastran installed on a 64-bit system, this option will instruct NX Nastran to solve using the “ILP” 

version of 64-bit Nastran. “ILP” is able to allocate more memory than “regular” 64-bit NX Nastran by using a 64- 

bit word size and 64-bit memory pointer, while integers are 64-bits and floating point uses one 64-bit word. 

• Added Write All Static Load/BC Sets option. 

When this option is on, FEMAP will write ALL loads and constraint sets to the Nastran input file for Linear Static 

Analysis. This essentially forces FEMAP to write out Nastran input files for SOL 101 the way it has in all versions 

before FEMAP 10.1.

What’s New for versions 10.0 and 10.0.1 10.1-29 

What’s New for versions 10.0 and 

10.0.1 


"Windows Vista", "General", "Menu", "Entity Select", "Toolbars", "Meshing Toolbox", "Model Info tree", "Data 

Table", "Entity Editor", "API Programming", "Status Bar", "Graphics", "Astroid" 

Windows Vista 

General 

FEMAP is now supported on 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows Vista. 

Many issues from previous “unsupported” versions of FEMAP with regards to Windows Vista, such as entity picking 

and proper use of the Model Info tree have been addressed. 

• Renamed Weld Property Element/Property Type to Weld/Fastener to include Fastener Elements 

• Added support to create GIF, Animated GIF, TIFF, and PNG files when using File, Picture, Save command. 

• Improved length-based spacing, distance along, and other length-based curve functions to perform better when 

highly nonlinear parametric domains exist on curves. 

Menu 

• Added Tools, Meshing Toolbox command to the Tools menu. See the Meshing section for more information on 

this dockable pane. 

• Added Geometry, Curve - From Surface, Split at Locations; Geometry, Curve - From Surface, Offset Curve/ 

Washer; Geometry, Curve - From Surface, Pad; Geometry, Curve - From Surface, Point to Point; Geometry, 

Curve - From Surface, Point to Edge; and Geometry, Curve - From Surface, Edge to Edge commands to Geometry 

menu. See the Geometry section for more information on these commands. 

• Deleted Geometry, Curve - From Surface, Split at Points. See the Geometry section for more information on 

these commands. Replaced by Geometry, Curve - From Surface, Split at Locations. 

• Added Geometry, Surface, NonManifold Add and Geometry, Surface, Recover Manifold Geometry commands 

to the Geometry menu. See the Geometry section for more information on these commands. 

• Added Geometry, Midsurface, Offset Tangent Surfaces command to the Geometry menu. See the Geometry 

section for more information on this command. 

• Added Modify, Associativity, Automatic command to the Modify menu. See the Mesh Associativity section for 

more information on this command. 

• Added Modify, Update Other, Solid Facetting command to the Modify menu. 

Entity Select 

• Added “Combined Curves” options (Default, All Points/Curves, Points/Curves Eliminated by Combined 

Curves, and Combined Curves Only) to the Pick Menu in the standard Entity Selection dialog box. Only one 

mode can be selected at any given time. 

• Added “Boundary Surfaces” options (Default, All Curves/Surfaces, Curves/Surfaces Eliminated by Boundary, 

and Boundary Surfaces Only) to the Pick Menu in the standard Entity Selection dialog box. Only one mode can 

be selected at any given time.

10.1-30 


Toolbars 

• Added “Add Connected Fillets” option to the Pick Menu in the standard Entity Selection dialog box. Allows 

you to quickly add “connected fillets” to the selection list by first choosing any number of surfaces which represent 

fillets in your geometry. This is a helpful picking tool when using Geometry, Solid, Remove Face or the 

Feature Removal Tool set to “Surfaces” in the Meshing Toolbox to try and remove fillets from geometry. Only 

visible when selecting surfaces. 

• Added “Add Tangent Surfaces” option to the Pick Menu in the standard Entity Selection dialog box. Allows 

you to add surfaces based on their relationship to surfaces which have already been selected. In this case, surfaces 

“tangent” to any number of surfaces already in your selection list will be added to the list. This is a helpful 

command when you would like to pick all of the surfaces on “one side” of a part. Only visible when selecting 

surfaces. 

• Updated direction of mouse wheel for Query Pick list to follow direction of mouse wheel. 

• Added Meshing Toolbox icon to Panes Toolbar. 

• Added Curve Washer, Curve Pad, Split Between Points, Split Point to Edge, and Split Edge to Edge icons to 

Curves on Surface Toolbar. 

• Improved Select Related mode of the Select Toolbar to include coordinate systems used as definition coordinate 

systems for other selected Coordinate Systems and include reference nodes on beams when the nodes are 

related to elements, properties, or materials. 

Meshing Toolbox 

The Meshing Toolbox is completely new for FEMAP 10 and contains several individual tools which can be very 

helpful during the meshing process. There are tools which allow you to simplify geometry; create “combined” geometric 

entities for meshing purposes using several “underlying” geometric entities; change the mesh size, biasing, 

and other options on any number of curves interactively; move any number of nodes dynamically while seeing the 

mesh update; and plot the element quality in the graphics window. 

The Meshing Toolbox also contains the Entity Locator, which can be used to locate Curves or Surfaces in your 

model which meet certain search criteria (for example, “short” curves or “sliver” surfaces which may cause problems 

during meshing). Once the “Locator” identifies entities, you can then cycle through all of the located entities 

in the model one at a time and take action using the Geometry Tools in the Meshing Toolbox, when appropriate. 

Meshing Toolbox Icons 

Mesh Quality Toggle Select Entity 

Entity Locator 

Remesh Modes Dialog Select 

Toggle Tools 

Toggle Tools menu - By default, all 7 of the “tools” 

will be visible in the Meshing Toolbox. 

Using the drop-down menu from this icon, you can 

make all of the tools visible or hidden at once using 

“Toggle All Tools”, individually toggle them on and off 

by choosing the individual “tool name” (for example, 

Feature Suppression) from the menu, or decide to 

show only one “set” of tools at a time by selecting the 

appropriate “tool set name” (for example, Geometry 

Tools). When a tool is visible, there will be a check 

mark next to it in the list. 

Here is a short description of each “set” of tools: 

Geometry Tools 

• Feature Suppression - Basically, this tool allows you to use the same options available in the Mesh, Mesh Control, 

Feature Suppression command interactively. You may suppress loops (curves of internal holes on surfaces 

and solids, “base curves” of bosses and extrusions on solids), curves (usually relatively small in size), and surfaces 

(usually sliver surfaces, not fillets or chamfers). Suppressed geometry still exists in the model and can be 

“restored” at any time. See "Feature Suppression Tool"

Meshing Toolbox 10.1-31 

• Feature Removal - Most of the functionality in this tool, which is used to permanently remove geometric entities 

to simplify geometry, is offered in other FEMAP commands. This tool brings them together in one place 

where they can be used interactively. Removing “Loops” basically mimics the functionality of the Geometry, 

Surface, Remove Hole command, while removing “Surfaces” essentially uses the same process as Geometry, 

Solid, Remove Face. Finally, removing “Curves” uses portions of the Geometry, Solid, Cleanup command 

along some other methodology to try and remove redundant curves. In the case of “Aggressive Removal”, 

localized geometry around the selected curve may be slightly altered to accommodate the curve no longer being 

part of the geometry. See "Feature Removal Tool" 

• Combined/Composite Curves - In some cases, combining several smaller curves along the edge of a surface 

will allow you to create a higher quality mesh on the surface. This tool allows you to combine curves by choosing 

the curves themselves or a point that two curves share. A “Composite Curve” will be created in FEMAP, 

which will be used for mesh sizing purposes instead of the underlying curves. There are also options for splitting 

a “composite curve” at a selected point or removing any of the underlying curves. See "Combined/Composite 

Curve Tool" 

• Combined/Boundary Surfaces - Much like creating “composite curves” to improve mesh quality, it may be a 

good idea to combine several surfaces into a “Boundary Surface”. This tool uses the same concept as the Geometry, 

Boundary Surface, From Surfaces on Solid command. This can be especially helpful when there are “sliver 

surfaces” next to a much larger surface. By combining the selected surfaces into one “boundary surface”, all of 

the internal curves can be ignored during the meshing process. “Boundary surfaces” can be created by selecting 

a curve shared by multiple surfaces or choosing the surfaces themselves. Also, any underlying surface can be 

removed from a boundary surface or “split” along a chosen curve. See "Combined/Boundary Surface Tool" 

Meshing Tools 

• Mesh Sizing - Combines the options used to set mesh sizing and node spacing on curves (Mesh, Mesh Control, 

Size on Curve) with the “Add, Subtract, and Set To” functionality of the Mesh, Mesh Control, Interactive command. 

When using the Auto Remesh option in the Meshing Toolbox you will be able to see the mesh update “on 

the fly” after each change to sizing or node spacing, while you also monitor the element quality update (Mesh 

Quality Toggle “On”). There are also options for matching any number of selected curves to a “Master Curve”, 

as well as setting biasing and length based sizing without changing the number of elements on the curve. See 

"Mesh Sizing Tool" 

Mesh Editing Tools 

• Mesh Locate - There may be times when you would like to make small changes to an existing mesh simply by 

moving one or several nodes without changing the number of elements. This tool will allow you to do this while 

making sure that as you move the node or nodes dynamically, they remain attached to specified solid(s), surface(s), 

and curve(s), or if you have no geometry, follow the overall topology of the selected standalone mesh. 

There are also options to move the selected nodes by a defined amount, continually smooth the mesh as the 

nodes are moved, and allow the moved nodes to no longer be attached to surfaces or curves. Much like the 

Mesh Sizing tool, you can also turn on the Mesh Quality Toggle and monitor the element quality “real time” as 

the nodes are moved. See "Mesh Locate Tool" 

• Mesh Quality - Creating a mesh with high quality elements is essential to the accuracy of a Finite Element 

model. When the Mesh Quality Toggle in the Meshing Toolbox is set to “on”, this tool allows you to graphically 

see an element quality value plotted on each element similar to a contour/criteria plot. There are several different 

element quality types which can be selected and each type has default automatic values, but user-defined 

values can also be specified. Also, the minimum and maximum distortion values for the specified “quality type” 

are listed in the bottom fields of the tool. See "Mesh Quality" 

Entity Locator menu - The Entity Locator is very helpful in finding “Short Edges” and “Sliver/Small Surfaces” 

which may be causing meshing issues. It may also make it easier to locate “free edges” in troublesome geometry. 

This menu contains commands for toggling the Entity Locator on and off, cycling through the entities currently in 

the Entity Locator, removing the current entity from the Entity Locator or clearing it entirely, as well as creating a 

group from the entities currently in the Entity Locator or sending them to the Data Table. 

• Toggle Entity Locator - When this icon is toggled “on”, the Entity Locator is ready to be filled with entities 

and the Locator fields will be available in the Meshing Toolbox. Depending on which entity type is selected in 

the Search For drop-down list, Curves or Surfaces, the Locator fields change. The Locate Options and Show

10.1-32 


Options can be used to modify how the Entity Locator searches for entities and then displays them. Also, the 

entities loaded in the Entity Locator update after each change made in the Locator fields, unless Auto Locate is 

turned “off” in the Locate Options section. 

Once entities are loaded into the Entity Locator, use the following commands to move from entity to entity. By 

default, the “current entity” in the Entity Locator will be “highlighted” in the graphics window using the display 

options currently set in the Style portion of the Windows, Show Entities command (See Section 6.3.2.3, "Window, 

Show Entities..."). There are other options for automatically rotating the model and zooming in to get a better view 

of the entity. See the Locate Options and Show Options sections in the Locator section for more information. 

• Next - Makes the next entity in the Entity Locator the “current entity”. 

• Previous- Makes the previous entity in the Entity Locator the “current entity”. 

Note: 

Once either Next or Previous has been selected, the icon will “persist” at the top of the Entity Locator 

menu in the Meshing Toolbox. This enables you to easily go to the “next” or “previous” entity simply by 

clicking the icon. When you reach the “last” entity in the Entity Locator, the Next icon will automatically 

become the Previous icon and vice versa. 

• Current - “Re-highlights” the “current entity” in the Entity Locator. This can be helpful if you have regenerated 

or rotated the model. 

• First - Makes the “first” entity in the Entity Locator the “current entity”. When using Search Methods based on 

physical size, the smallest “located” entity will be the “first” entity. 

• Last - Makes the last entity in the Entity Locator the “current entity”. When using Search Methods based on 

physical size, the largest “located” entity will be the “last” entity. 

• Do Not Locate - Places the current entity into a group which is then automatically specified in the Not In Group 

field of the Locate Options. 

• Remove - Removes the current entity from the Entity Locator until cleared or new search criteria are entered. 

• Clear Locator - Simply clears the Entity Locator of all entities. 

• Create Group - Creates a new group with all of the entities currently in the Entity Locator or adds/removes/ 

excludes those entities from an existing group. 

• Add to Data Table - Adds all entities currently loaded in the Entity Locator to the Data Table. The Data Table 

needs to be “open” in the User Interface and “unlocked” for the command to be available. 

Search For - Indicates the entity type, Curves or Surfaces, the Entity Locator will currently be able to “locate” in 

the model. Depending on the entity type, different Locator fields become available. 

Locator fields and buttons when Search For is set to Curves: 

Search Method - Specifies the method the Entity Locator uses to “find, then load” itself with specific Curves in 

the model. Depending on the Search Method, other options may become available. 

Here are descriptions of the different Search Methods:


•Short Edges - “Short edges” will be loaded into the Entity Locator 

using criteria specified in the current Based On option. 

When Based On is set to: 

Global Mesh Size - Curves whose length is shorter than the specified 

% of Mesh Size (default) will be loaded into the Entity Locator. 

Curve Length - Curves will only loaded into the Entity Locator 

which are Shorter Than a user-specified value. You may type the 

value in directly or specify the value by clicking the “Select Curve 

to Set Length” icon button, then choosing any curve on the screen. 

Shortest Curves - Finds the shortest “specified % of All Curves” in 

the model (For example, if set to 5, it will find the bottom 5% of 

curves, based on length) and loads them into the Entity Locator. 

This value can be set from 0 to 25 using the “slider bar” or a value 

can be entered directly (if value is higher than 25, loads all curves 

satisfying that criteria into the Entity Locator, then returns to 25). 

•Free Edges - Locates all edges in a Solid which are not stitched to 

another surface. “Free Edges” in a Solid usually indicate “gaps” or 

“holes” in the geometry, meaning the Solid does not fully enclose a 

volume and is probably not viable for solid meshing (tet or hex). If 

multiple surfaces are “stitched” together but do not enclose a volume 

(Sheet Solid) or “joined” using the Geometry, Surface, Non- 

Manifold Add command (General Bodies), then “free edges” may 

also indicate “gaps” or “holes” between surfaces. Of course, “free edges” in this type of geometry may be internal 

holes/loops or the outside edge of the stitched/joined “part”, which are normal. 

“Free Edges” of set of surfaces 

“Stitched” together 

“Free Edges” of surfaces joined using “NonManifold Add” 

• NonManifold Edges - Locates all “NonManifold” edges in the geometry. Only geometry that has been joined 

using the Geometry, Surface, NonManifold Add command (General Bodies) will have any of these edges. Typical 

“NonManifold Edges” are found where surfaces come together at “T-junctions” or a surface has been “Non- 

Manifold added” to a Solid. 

Two Examples of 

“NonManifold Edges” 

Surfaces joined using “NonManifold Add” 

Surface and Solid joined using “NonManifold Add” 

• From Group - Loads all Curves in a specified Group into the Entity Locator.

10.1-34 


Show ‘#’ Curves button - By default, when you initially place Curves in the Entity Locator, ALL of the “found” 

Curves will be highlighted in the graphics window using the display options currently set in the Style portion of the 

Windows, Show Entities command (See Section 6.3.2.3, "Window, Show Entities..."). Like Windows, Show Entities 

and the “Show When Selected” capabilities of the Data Table and Model Info tree, once the view has been redrawn 

or regenerated the “highlighting” is removed and the view is restored to how it appeared before the “show” command. 

If you want to “highlight” the curves again, simply click the Show ‘#’ Curves button. 

Locator fields and buttons when Search For is set to Surfaces: 

Search Method - Specifies the method the Entity Locator will use to “search and locate” specific Surfaces in the 

model. Depending on the Search Method, other options may become available. 

Here are descriptions of the different Search Methods: 

• Surface Geometry - This method is used in conjunction with any combination of the Small Surfaces, Slivers, 

Spikes, and By Area options. If none of these options are turned on (checked), no surface geometry will be 

loaded into to the Entity Locator. 

Small Surfaces (Fit In Radius value) - Surfaces which completely fit inside a sphere with a specified radius 

(defined by Fit In Radius value) will be loaded into the Entity Locator. Enter the Fit In Radius value directly or 

click the “Measure Distance” icon button to specify the sphere radius by picking two locations graphically. Default 

value is equal to the default Merge Tolerance in the model. 

Slivers (Sliver Tolerance value) - Surfaces which have high aspect ratios and small areas are known as “Slivers”. 

Examining a surface’s “maximum width” is often a good indication of whether a surface is a “sliver” or not. Surfaces 

with a “maximum width” smaller than the Sliver Tolerance will be loaded into the Entity Locator. Enter the 

Sliver Tolerance value directly or click the “Measure Distance” icon button and choose two locations graphically to 

specify a distance. Default value is equal to the default Merge Tolerance in the model. 

Spikes (Spike Width value) - Much like “slivers”, Surfaces with “spikes” also have high aspect ratio and small area. 

The main difference is that only a portion of the surface fits this criteria, not the entire surface. When this option is 

on and a “spike” on a surface is detected (smaller than Spike Width), FEMAP will try and remove the “spike”, 

while keeping the rest of the surface intact. Enter the Sliver Tolerance value directly or click the “Measure Distance” 

icon button and choose two locations graphically to specify a distance. Default value is equal to the default 

Merge Tolerance in the model. 

By Area (Area Less Than value) - Surfaces which have an Area Less Than the specified size will be loaded into the 

Entity Locator. Enter the Area Less Than value directly or click the “Measure Area of Surface” icon button to specify 

an area by choosing a surface graphically. Default value is equal to 1/1000 of the “model box diagonal”. 

• From Group - Loads all Surfaces in a specified Group into the Entity Locator. 

Show ‘#’ Surfaces button - By default, when you initially place Surfaces in the Entity Locator, ALL of the 

“found” Surfaces will be highlighted in the graphics window using the display options currently set in the Style portion 

of the Windows, Show Entities command (See Section 6.3.2.3, "Window, Show Entities..."). Like Windows, 

Show Entities and the “Show When Selected” capabilities of the Data Table and Model Info tree, once the view has 

been redrawn or regenerated the “highlighting” is removed and the view is restored to how it appeared before the 

“show” command. If you want to “highlight” the curves again, simply click the Show ‘#’ Surfaces button. 

Locate Options: 

• Only In Group - The Locator will only attempt to “locate” entities which meet the specified criteria in the 

selected group. 

• Not In Group - The Locator will only attempt to “locate” entities which meet the specified criteria and are 

NOT in the selected group. 

Note: 

A group based on any number of solids can be “generated” directly from the Locator by clicking the 

“Select Solids for Group with Related Entities” icon button next to the Only In Group or Not In Group 

drop-down list. 

• Ignore If - Instructs the Locator to “ignore” entities which meet the specified criteria which are either Suppressed 

or Combined. If you want to change the options, simply expand the Ignore If portion of the Locate 

Options and check or uncheck Suppressed or Combined accordingly.


• Auto Locate - When this option is on, the Locator will automatically be loaded with the entities that meet the 

criteria currently specified. If it is turned “off”, you will need to click the Locate button which is now visible. 

• Update Selector - If this option is checked, the “Selection List” (usually created using the Select Toolbar) will 

be cleared, then updated with the entities currently placed in the Locator. 

Note: 

If you have entities currently in the “Selection List” before the Locator is filled with entities, they will 

be cleared and replaced once the Locator is filled with entities. 

Show Options: 

• Show All On Locate - When “on”, entities loaded into the Locator will be highlighted on the screen immediately. 

The “highlighting” is controlled by the options currently set in the Style portion of the Windows, Show 

Entities command (See Section 6.3.2.3, "Window, Show Entities..."). If this is set to “off”, you will have to 

click the appropriate Show button to highlight the entities in the graphics window. 

• Auto Rotate - When this option is “on”, the view will be automatically rotated to align the current entity in the 

Locator on the screen. For surfaces, the view will align so the “normal” of the surface is pointing “out of the 

screen” and centered about the CG of the surface. For curves, the vector tangent to the curve, at the curve’s midpoint, 

will be used to align the view to the horizontal screen axis. The midpoint of the curve will be centered in 

the view and the “normal” vectors of all the surfaces to which the current curve is attached will be averaged 

together and that “averaged normal” will point “out of the screen”. 

• Auto Zoom- If this option is checked, FEMAP will zoom in to the current entity in the Locator a specified 

amount. The size of the current entity is used in conjunction with the Zoom Factor, which is a percentage of 

graphics window size, to determine how far FEMAP zooms in to the entity. The Zoom Factor can be set from 

“1” to “100” (using the “slider bar” or entering a value directly), with “1” essentially zooming in as far as possible, 

while still being able to see the entire entity in the graphics window, and “100” making the length of the 

entity 1/100 the width of the graphics window. 

Note: 

If the Entity Locator is filled with very small entities, FEMAP may only be able to zoom in so far 

before it reaches the “magnification limit”, which is 1/10000 of model box size. 

Mesh Quality Toggle - Toggles a plot of mesh quality on and off for all of the currently visible elements. Please 

see the section regarding the Mesh Quality tool below for more information on the different quality “types” and 

plotting options. 

Jacobian check shown with 2 distortion levels 

Jacobian check shown with 4 distortion levels 

Elements shown in red are above the specified Max Allowable Value for the Jacobian distortion check 

set to 0.4 

Remesh Modes menu - This menu contains several “modes” for remeshing the model when using all tools except 

the Mesh Locate tool. There are three separate “modes”: Auto Remesh, Disable Remesh, and Track Meshing 

Changes. The fourth option on the menu, Remesh Entities, is only used when using the Track Meshing Changes 

mode. Essentially, only one mode can be active at any given time. 

When Auto Remesh is on, the mesh will be updated every time a change is made using one of the tools in the Meshing 

Toolbox. 

Note: 

Once Disable Remesh or Auto Remesh has been chosen, the icon will persist at the top of the Remesh 

Modes menu. You can now toggle back and forth between these two modes by simply clicking the icon.

10.1-36 


Disable Remesh does not track any of the changes made using the tools in the Meshing Toolbox. Any changes made 

with the tools are applied to the model, but you will need to delete and remesh the model using the commands on 

the Mesh, Geometry... menu or switch to Auto Remesh mode and make a change with any tool. 

Note: 

Having the model Auto Remesh after every single change may not be the efficient way to use the tools 

in the Meshing Toolbox, especially for larger models. You may want to use the Disable Remesh mode, 

make changes to your model using the Meshing Toolbox, then remesh the model. 

Track Meshing Changes will “track” all of the changes made using the different tools in the Meshing Toolbox, but 

the model will only be remeshed by clicking the icon for the Remesh Entities command, which will be at the top of 

the Remesh Modes menu whenever you are in Track Meshing Changes mode. 

Note: 

Sometimes in larger models, tracking the meshing changes can be quite computationally intensive. You 

may want to turn Track Meshing Changes off, which is accomplished by going to Disable Remesh. 

Select Entity - Many of the tools in the Meshing Toolbox require you to select entities. Depending on which tool is 

currently “active” and how the options for that tool are currently set, will determine the type of entity you will be 

able to select when Select Entity is toggled “on”. When “on”, you can graphically choose entities from the graphics 

window one at a time or use box/circle picking to select multiple entities (hold down the Shift key to make a pick 

“box” or the Ctrl key to make a circular picking area). Depending on which tool you are using and the current 

Remesh Mode set, you will be able to see the mesh update “real time” as you choose entities. 

For example, if you are using the Add “Operation” in the Mesh Sizing tool, and have Auto Remesh “on”, every time 

you select a curve or curves (box/circle pick) in the graphics window, the mesh will be updated “real time”. 

Dialog Select - Very similar to Select Entity, except it allows you to use the typical Entity Selection dialog box to 

choose entities. See Section 4.3.1, "Entity Selection" of the FEMAP User Guide for more information on the different 

selection methods available. 

Feature Suppression Tool 

This tool allows you to use the “manual” options available in the 

Mesh, Mesh Control, Feature Suppression command interactively. 

You may suppress loops, curves (usually relatively small in size), 

and surfaces (usually sliver surfaces, not fillets or chamfers). Suppressed 

geometry still exists in the model and can be “restored” at 

any time. 

Feature Type - Choose which entity type you would like to suppress/restore. 

When using Select Entity or Dialog Select in the 

Meshing Toolbox, only the selected entity type will be available 

for selection. 

•Loops - Usually curves of internal holes on surfaces and solids or 

“base curves” of bosses and extrusions on solids. 

•Curves - In this case, “curves” usually refers to curves which are 

relatively small in size compared to the rest of the geometry. 

•Surfaces - Like “curves”, “surfaces” to be suppressed are usually 

small in size compared to the rest of the geometry, thus creating 

the possibility of meshing issues. 

Action - This option specifies what action will take place when 

entities are selected using Select Entity or Dialog Select. When 

either Suppress or Restore is set, all entities selected will either be 

“suppressed” or “restored”. When Toggle Suppression is set, 

selecting an existing entity the first time will “suppress” the entity, 

while selecting it again will restore the entity. 

Limit Size - When used, this option limits the entities which can be chosen based on size. Only “loops” that are 

Smaller Than the specified size, curves that are Shorter Than the specified length, and surfaces with Area Less 

Than the specified area will be available to suppress/restore. This can be helpful to “filter” what is included when 

choosing multiple entities with Select Entity or Dialog Select.


Update Colors - When a loop, curve, or surface is suppressed, the color of the entity will be changed to the color 

specified here. This allows you to easily see which entities have been suppressed. Click the “Color Wheel” icon 

button to bring up the Color Palette dialog box to choose different colors for suppressed entities. 

Show Suppressed (Curves and Surfaces buttons) - Highlights either suppressed curves or suppressed surfaces in 

the graphics window using the display options currently set in the Style portion of the Windows, Show Entities command 

(See Section 6.3.2.3, "Window, Show Entities..."). Like Windows, Show Entities and the “Show When 

Selected” capabilities of the Data Table and Model Info tree, once the view has been redrawn or regenerated the 

“highlighting” is removed and the view is restored to how it appeared before the “show” command. 

Restore All (In Solids and In Model buttons) - Restores all features on either selected solids by clicking the In 

Solids button or all the features in the model by click in the In Model button. 

For example 

Original Solid Part with “stepped hole” Curve chosen for “loop” to “Suppressed” Resulting Solid Mesh 

See Section 5.1.1.16, "Mesh, Mesh Control, Feature Suppression..." for additional examples 

Feature Removal Tool 

This tool is used to permanently remove geometric entities interactively to simplify geometry. Most of this tool’s 

functionality is offered in other FEMAP commands. Removing “Loops” basically mimics the functionality of the 

Geometry, Surface, Remove Hole command, while removing “Surfaces” essentially uses the same process as 

Geometry, Solid, Remove Face. Finally, removing “Curves” uses portions of the Geometry, Solid, Cleanup command 

along some other methodology to try and remove redundant curves. 

Feature Type - Choose which entity type you would like to remove. 

When using Select Entity or Dialog Select in the Meshing Toolbox, 

only the selected entity type will be available for selection. 

•Loops - Usually curves of internal holes on surfaces and solids or 

“base curves” of bosses and extrusions on solids. 

•Curves - In this case, “curves” usually refers to curves which are relatively 

small in size compared to the rest of the geometry. 

•Surfaces - Surfaces to remove can be all the surfaces of a hole, fillets, 

chamfers, and “cutouts”. In some cases, you may have to remove 

more then one surface at a time for this command to be successful. 

Limit Size - When used, this option limits the entities which can be 

chosen based on size. Only “loops” that are Smaller Than the specified 

size, curves that are Shorter Than the specified length, and surfaces 

with Area Less Than the specified area will be available to 

remove. This can be helpful to “filter” what is included when choosing 

multiple entities with Select Entity or Dialog Select. 

Aggressive Removal - If you have attempted to remove a curve or surface and FEAMP was not successful, then 

you may want to try using this option. 

For curves, Aggressive Removal uses functionality from the “Parasolid Bodyshop” to try and remove curves and 

then “heal” the geometry, which may change the topology of the geometry.

10.1-38 


For surfaces, instead of using the process used by Geometry, Solid, Remove Face, the Aggressive Removal option 

instructs FEMAP to take a completely different approach. The chosen surface is deleted from the model and the 

remaining surfaces are stitched together using a stitch tolerance which is slightly larger the chosen surface. 

Note: 

Selecting relatively large surfaces while the Aggressive Removal option is on can have very adverse 

effects on the geometry. Because the stitch tolerance is set so high, other surfaces may be removed during 

the stitching process and the resulting solid may not really be very similar to the original solid. 

There may also be times when this process creates an invalid solid. 

Examples 

Here is an example of removing “Loops” from a surface. 

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” 

In this example, the hole feature is removed differently from this solid geometry by choosing different “Loops”. 

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


In this example, the features can be removed from this solid geometry by either removing “Loops” or “Surfaces”. 

Original solid geometry 

The holes in the solid along with the boss and the post can 

be removed from the geometry by removing “loops” and 

choosing one curve on each “feature”. 

Alternatively, the features can be removed by selecting all of 

the surfaces of each individual feature. 

Geometry shown with holes and boss removed 

Here is an example of removing a curve with the Aggressive Removal option turned “on”. 


Small curve to Remove 

Modified geometry without curve

10.1-40 


Here is an example of removing a surface with the Aggressive Removal option turned “on”. 


Modified geometry without surface 

Small surface to Remove 

Combined/Composite Curve Tool 

In some cases, combining several smaller curves along the edge of a surface 

will allow you to create a higher quality mesh on the surface. This tool 

allows you to combine curves by choosing the curves themselves or a point 

that two curves share. A “Composite Curve” will be created in FEMAP, 

which will be used for mesh sizing purposes instead of the underlying 

curves. 

Action - This option specifies how individual curves may be combined to 

form Composite Curves (Add by Point or Add Curves) and how Composite 

Curves can be partitioned (Split At and Remove). You can also delete Composite 

Curves completely using Delete, which may be more convenient than 

using Delete, Geometry, Curve. 

•Add by Point - Combines two curves connected to a selected point into a 

Composite Curve. If you are creating a Composite Curve along the edge of a 

surface with many small curves, you can watch the Composite Curve “grow” 

simply by starting at one end and choosing the points in sequence. 

Combine Surfaces - When this option is checked, a Boundary Surface will 

automatically be created from the surfaces connected to the “underlying 

curves”. As additional curves are added to the Composite Curve by choosing 

points, more surfaces will be combined into Boundary Surfaces. 

• Add Curves - Creates a Composite Curve by allowing you to choose individual curves. There are also several 

options which can be used to make the process of creating Composite Curves more automatic. 

Merge to Existing - When checked, each curve selected will be added to an existing Composite Curve, unless the 

selected curve is not within Max Tangent Angle to the existing Composite Curve. 

Add Short Curves - Automatically includes any Curve Shorter Than the specified length that is adjacent to a 

selected curve in the Composite Curve. You may type the value in directly or specify the value by clicking the 

“Select Curve to Set Length” icon button, then choosing any curve on the screen. 

Add to Branch - Allows you to choose one curve and have a Composite Curve created by simply “branching out” 

from that curve until it reaches the “corner” of a surface. 

Combine Surfaces - When this option is checked, a Boundary Surface will automatically be created from the surfaces 

connected to the “underlying curves”. As additional curves are added to the Composite Curve, more surfaces 

will be combined into Boundary Surfaces 

• Split At - Allows you to choose points to “partition/break” a single Composite Curve into two.


• Remove - Allows you to remove any of the “underlying curves” from a Composite Curve. It you remove a 

curve from the end, the Composite Curve will get shorter, but otherwise remain intact. If you a curve is removed 

from the middle, the Composite Curve will be split into two with a gap in between. 

Note: 

The appearance of Composite Curves can be controlled via the Combined Curve option in the Labels, 

Entities and Color category of the View, Options command (See Section 6.1.5.3, "View, Options..."). 

Original Surface (9 individual curves on front edge of surface) 

Small curves on edge of surface create a skewed mesh 

The 9 curves of the “front edge” have been combined to 

create one Composite Curve. 

The quality of the mesh has been improved by using a 

Composite Curve. 

• Delete - Allows you to delete a Composite Curve completely from FEMAP. The “underlaying curves” of the 

Composite Curve will be available for picking again once it has been deleted. 

Combined/Boundary Surface Tool 

Much like creating “composite curves” to improve mesh quality, it may be a 

good idea to combine several surfaces into a Boundary Surface. This tool 

uses the same concept as the Geometry, Boundary Surface, From Surfaces 

on Solid command. This can be especially helpful when there are “sliver surfaces” 

next to a much larger surface. By combining the selected surfaces into 

one “boundary surface”, all of the internal curves can be ignored during the 

meshing process. 

Action - This option specifies how individual curves may be combined to 

form Boundary Surface (Add by Curve or Add Surfaces) and how Boundary 

Surface can be partitioned (Split Along and Remove). You can also delete 

Boundary Surface completely using Delete, which may be more convenient 

than using Delete, Geometry, Surface. 

•Add by Curve - Combines two surfaces sharing a single curve into a 

Boundary Surface. If you select a curve that a regular surface shares with a 

Boundary Surface, the regular surface will simply be added as another 

underlying surface for the existing Boundary Surface. 

•Add Surfaces - Creates a Boundary Surface by allowing you to choose 

individual surfaces. Using the Merge to Existing 

• Split Along - Allows you to choose curves to “partition/break” a single Boundary Surface into two. 

• Remove - Allows you to remove any of the “underlying surfaces” from a Boundary Surface.

10.1-42 


• Delete - Allows you to delete a Boundary Surface completely from FEMAP. The “underlaying surfaces” of the 

Boundary Surface will be available for picking again once it has been deleted. 

Note: 

The appearance of Boundary Surfaces can be controlled via the Boundary option in the Labels, Entities 

and Color category of the View, Options command (See Section 6.1.5.3, "View, Options..."). 

Original Geometry (11 individual surfaces make up the “bump”) 

Quad mesh on the individual surfaces of the “bump” 

Boundary Surface created using all 11 individual surfaces of the “bump” 

Quad mesh on boundary surface 

Mesh Sizing Tool 

Combines the options used to set mesh sizing and node spacing on curves (Mesh, Mesh Control, Size on Curve) 

with the “Add, Subtract, and Set To” functionality of the Mesh, Mesh Control, Interactive command. When using 

the Auto Remesh option in the Meshing Toolbox you will be able to see the mesh update “on the fly” after each 

change to sizing or node spacing, while you also monitor the element quality update (Mesh Quality Toggle “On”). 

There are also options for matching any number of selected curves to a “Master Curve”, as well as setting biasing 

and length based sizing without changing the number of elements on the curve.


Sizing Option - This switch is used to specify which method, 

Size Curve(s) or Match Curve(s), is currently set for updating 

the mesh size on curves. 

•Size Curves - When selected, this method uses the option 

currently set in Operation along with the specified Spacing 

options to dynamically change the mesh sizing on curves. 

With Select Entity on in the Meshing Toolbox, every time you 

click on a curve the “Mesh Size” will be updated. You can 

also change the size on multiple curves all at once using a 

“box pick” or Dialog Select. 

•Match Curves - With this method, a Master Curve ID may 

be entered directly or selected graphically after clicking the 

“Select Master Curve” icon button. Once the “Master Curve” 

is specified, turn on Select Entity in the Meshing Toolbox to 

match curves to the “Master Curve” one at a time by selecting 

them or change multiple curves all at once with a “box pick” 

or using Dialog Select. 

Operation - Allows you to select the current operation for 

the Mesh Sizing tool. You can choose to Add or Subtract the 

specified Number of Nodes from the selected curve(s), update 

the sizing on any curve(s) to the Number of Nodes using Set 

To, or simply change the Spacing options (“Bias” and if 

Length Based Sizing should be used) without changing the 

number of nodes along the curve(s) with Set Spacing Options. 

Manual Update - When this option is on, the specified 

“Operation” and other options will not be used to update the 

mesh size and spacing until the Apply Operation button is pressed. Using a “box pick” while Select Entity is active 

or using Dialog Select in the Meshing Toolbox, is a very efficient method to update multiple curves at one time. 

Pressing the “‘#’ Curve(s) Selected” button will “highlight” the selected curves in the graphics window. Pressing 

Clear Selection sets the number of selected curves currently ready to be updated to “0”. 

Spacing - This drop-down allows you to specify biasing options. By default, this option is set to Equal, which will 

place a uniform distance between each node along a curve. The other options allow you to “bias” the mesh size and 

the level of “biasing” will be controlled by the Bias Factor. here is a breakdown of the biasing options: 

• Biased using Pick Location - The node spacing on the curve is biased using the location of the cursor when the 

curve is selected. The “smaller distances between nodes” will be positioned by the selection location. When 

working in a model that is not “planar”, which is quite common, it is a good idea to have the “snap mode” set to 

either Snap to Node or Snap to Point. This will allow FEMAP to use the point or node related to the curve closest 

to “pick location” to determine where the biasing should occur. 

Note: 

When the “snap mode” is set to Snap to Point, you will only be able to “bias” towards one end of the 

curve or the other. When it is set to Snap to Node, you will be able to bias towards either end of the 

curve or towards the center, much like you can using Biased Small at Center in the Spacing options. 

• Biased Small at Ends - The “smaller distances between nodes” will be positioned at each end of the curve with 

the “larger distances between nodes” being at the center. 

• Biased Small at Center - The “smaller distances between nodes” will be positioned at the center of the curve 

with the “larger distances between nodes” being at the at each end of the curve. 

Bias Factor - This factor is a ratio of the “largest distance between nodes” to the “smallest distance between nodes” 

along a given curve. For example, when it is set to “2”, the “largest distance” equals the “smallest distance” multi-

10.1-44 


plied by “2”. All of the “distances between the other nodes” along the curve are defined using a linear interpolation 

of the large and small distances. 

Mesh Elements = 10 

Bias Small towards this end 

Bias Factor = 3 





Bias Small at Ends 



Bias Small at Ends 



Bias Small at Center 



Bias Small at Center 








Length Based Sizing - Allows you to choose whether mesh locations will be located in parametric or length coordinates 

along the curve. For lines, arcs and circles, these options make no difference since the parametric and 

length coordinates are equivalent. For spline curves however, parametric coordinates are typically much different. 

In most cases, choosing parametric spacing is the preferred method. It results in a finer mesh in areas of high curvature, 

which is often desirable. However, if you have two spline curves side by side, which happen to have different 

parametric coordinates, checking Length Based Sizing will allow you to match the meshes on those two curves (this 

can also be accomplished using a matched custom mesh size on one of the curves - see Section 5.1.1.7, "Mesh, 

Mesh Control, Custom Size Along Curve...". 

Propagate Mapped Approach - This option, which is on by default, will update the mesh sizing accordingly on 

all appropriate curves of a surface which has a “mapped” approach set using Mesh, Mesh Control, Approach on 

Surface, in order for the approach to remain valid. Also, any other surfaces with a mapped approach which would 

be effected by changing the size will also have their sizing updated as well. For more information on setting mesh 

approaches, see Section 5.1.1.15, "Mesh, Mesh Control, Approach On Surface". 

Note: 

If this option is turned “off”, there is a good chance that changing the mesh sizing on only one curve 

of the surface will create inappropriate sizing for FEMAP to create a mapped mesh on the surface. 

For Example, this geometry is three surfaces stitched together. Each surface has a “Mapped-Four Corner” meshing 

approach specified and has been sized with the default mesh size. 

3 Surfaces with 

Mapped - Four Corner 

Approaches Set 

Mesh using default 

Mesh Size 

2 Nodes “Added” to sizing 

on either of these Curves 

Two “Subtracted” 

from this Curve 

Three Nodes “Added” 

from this Curve 

Change is “Propagated” through entire Model 

as all surfaces effected by new mesh size. 

Changes only “Propagated” locally to individual 

surface where meshing sizing was changed. 

Show Free Edges - Simply highlights the nodes of any free edges in your model. This can be helpful for confirming 

the mesh is still fully connected after sizing has been updated.


Mesh Locate Tool 

There may be times when you would like to make small changes to an existing mesh simply by moving one or several 

nodes without changing the number of elements. This tool will allow you to do this while making sure that as 

you move the node(s) dynamically, they remain attached to specified solid(s), surface(s), and curve(s). If you have 

no geometry, there is an option to have the nodes follow the “overall topology” of the selected standalone mesh as 

they are moved. There are additional options to move the selected nodes by a defined amount, continually smooth 

the mesh as the nodes are moved, and allow the moved nodes to no longer be projected to a surface or remain along 

a curve. Much like the Mesh Sizing tool, you can also turn on the Mesh Quality Toggle and monitor the element 

quality “real time” as the nodes are moved. Finally, once the mesh locations have been updated, you have the 

choice to Save the new mesh or Discard the updated mesh and revert to the original mesh. 

Select Mesh to Edit - Limits the elements whose nodes will be 

allowed to move in this command. Simply choose an option, then 

click the “...” icon button to choose the entities. Only elements and 

nodes connected to the selected entities will be visible and available 

for update of nodal locations. 

Note: 

You must use the Select Mesh to Edit first in order for the 

other options in this tool to become available. 

•Attached to Surface - Allows you to choose surfaces in the model 

to limit the nodes and elements for possible update. 

•Attached to Solid - Allows you to choose solids in the model in the 

model to limit the nodes and elements for possible update. 

•Standalone Mesh - When no geometry is available, this option 

allows you to choose any number of elements from the model and use 

the “overall topology” of the selected mesh to limit where the nodes 

can be moved, when the Project option is on. 

Note: 

To create the “overall topology”, the existing mesh is 

“facetted”, much like a surface. This allows the node(s) 

to be projected back onto “pseudo geometry” in order to 

maintain the general shape of the model. 

Locate Multiple - When this option is checked, it enables you to move more than one node at a time. To select 

multiple nodes to move, turn on Select Entity in the Meshing Toolbox and then choose the nodes one at a time, with 

a “box pick” (hold down Shift key), or “circle pick” (hold down Ctrl key). Once the nodes are selected, they will 

move in unison based on the chosen Locate Method. Press the “X” icon button to choose different nodes to move. 

Locate Method - You may choose to move the node(s) “dynamically”, based on screen position, or “manually”, 

using a vector. If you have the Mesh Quality Toggle on, you will likely want to use the Dynamic option and move 

the node(s) around until the attached elements reach the desired quality. On the other hand, if you would like to 

move the nodes a precise distance, it is probably better to use the Manual, Vector option. 

Original Mesh 

Dynamically 

modified Mesh 

with improved 

Jacobian element 

quality values 

When using the Dynamic method, simply 

choose the node(s) using Entity Select in the 

Meshing Toolbox and then “drag” the node(s) to 

the desired location. 

Note: 

It is best to have the “Snap Mode” 

set to Snap to Screen when using the 

Dynamic method to allow for 

“smooth” movement of the selected 

node(s). This allows the most flexibility 

when positioning the node(s).

10.1-46 


When using the Manual, Vector method, the Move Along Vector 

fields will appear. You may use the “Select Vector” icon button 

to choose a vector graphically using any method available in 

the Select Vector dialog box. Another option is to enter a “Base 

Point” for the vector or use the “Select Coordinates” icon button 

to pick it graphically, then enter the distances in each direction 

(dX, dY, and dZ) manually. Once the vector has been 

specified, click the Apply Vector button to complete the move to 

the new location. 

Smooth - When this option is checked, the selected mesh will 

constantly be “smoothed” as nodal locations are updated. If you 

want to only have the elements directly connected to the 

selected node(s), turn this option off. 

Project - When this option is enabled, the selected nodes are 

constantly projected back to the surface to which they are attached. When the Standalone Mesh option for Select 

Mesh to Edit is used, the nodes are projected back to “pseudo geometry” created using the “overall topology” of the 

selected elements. 

Constrain to Curve - Nodes which are attached to curves will only be allowed to move along the attached curve, 

when this option is on. This is the default configuration and is usually the desired behavior, as it attempts to prevent 

undesired “holes” from accidentally being introduced into the mesh. 

Save and Discard buttons - Once the mesh locations have been updated, you have the choice to Save the new 

mesh or Discard the updated mesh and revert to the original mesh. 

Note: 

If you choose to use the “Undo” command (Tools, Undo or Ctrl+Z) after pressing the Save button, ALL 

changes to the mesh since the Save button was last used will be “undone”, not the movement of individual 

nodes. Also, if you use “Undo” before choosing Save or Discard, the “original mesh” will be 

restored. 

Mesh Quality 

When the Mesh Quality Toggle in the Meshing Toolbox is set to “on”, this tool allows you to graphically see element 

quality values plotted on each element similar to a contour/criteria plot. There are several different element 

quality types which can be selected and each type has default automatic values. User-defined values can also be 

specified. Also, the minimum and maximum distortion values for the specified “quality type” are listed in the bottom 

fields of the tool. 

Quality Type - There are 8 different “types” of element quality checking 

available through the Meshing Toolbox. They correspond to the element 

distortion checks of the Tools, Check, Distortion command. 

The element checks are: 

•Aspect Ratio 

•Taper 

•Alternate Taper 

•Internal Angles 

•Warping 

•Nastran Warping 

•Jacobian 

•Combined Quality 

See Section 7.4.5.6, "Tools, Check, Distortion..." for more details on the 

individual element checks.


Depending on which element check is currently set, the name of the element check will appear along with a Max 

Allowable Value field in the Mesh Quality tool. 

When Quality Type is set to Combined, all of the other individual Quality Types will also be displayed in the Mesh 

Quality tool. The Max Allowable Value for each element quality type can be modified or individual types can be 

turned on or off to modify which will be included when calculating the Combined element quality. 

To specify customized default values for all of the element distortion checks, use the Element Distortion button in 

the Geometry/Model tab of File, Preferences. See Section 2.6.2.6, "Geometry/Model" for more information. 

Note: 

When the Mesh Quality tool is used on models containing solid elements, the distortion plotted on the 

visible element face(s) is the quality of the quadrilateral or triangular element face, NOT the solid 

element. This is important to remember, especially for element distortion checks which can be used 

for solid elements, such as Jacobian and Aspect Ratio. 

Number of Distortion Levels - Simply indicates the number of levels to use in the plot of the current element 

quality set in Quality Type. Choose between 2 levels or 4 levels. 

When the Number of Distortion Levels is set to 2, all elements with element distortion values above the Max Allowable 

Value for the specified Quality Type will be plotted “Red”, while all other elements will be “Green”. 

When the Number of Distortion Levels is set to 4, all elements with element distortion values above the Max Allowable 

Value for the specified Quality Type will be also be plotted “Red”. The remaining elements will be plotted 

from 0 to the Max Allowable Value in the following manner: 

Distortion value = 0.0 to (1/3 * Max Allowable Value) are plotted “Green” 

Distortion value = (1/3 * Max Allowable Value) to (2/3 * Max Allowable Value) are plotted “Yellow” 

Distortion value = (2/3 * Max Allowable Value) to Max Allowable Value are plotted “Orange” 

Smooth Contours - When on, the colors on the contour legend “blend” from low to high, similar to a Contour plot. 

When off, the plot resembles a Criteria plot. 

Internal Angle check shown with 2 distortion levels 

Internal Angle check shown with 4 distortion levels 

Elements shown in red are above the specified Max Allowable Value for the Internal Angle distortion check 

Same values as above, Smooth Contours “On” 

Same values as above, Smooth Contours “On” 

This plot allows you to see which elements may be close to passing the distortion check. 

Min Distortion and Max Distortion - Simply lists the best and worst element quality in the selected mesh.

10.1-48 


Model Info tree 

Data Table 

• Updated Show When Selected functionality. Entities already chosen will now highlight when Show When 

Selected is turned on and un-highlight when turned off. 

• Added “Transformed To” capability for listing nodal and elemental output. 

• Updated Show When Selected functionality. Entities already chosen will now highlight when Show When 

Selected is turned on and un-highlight when turned off. 

• Added “Save to a File” command (FEMAP 10.0.1). 

Entity Editor 

• Added “Transformed To” capability for displaying nodal output and elemental output. 

• Added support for Load Definition and Constraint Definition information. 

• Added support for Rotor Region information. 

• Added support for Layup ID information. 

• Added "is suppressed" fields for curves and surfaces 

• Enhanced Loads and Coordinate Systems so they are displayed in definition CSys, transformed on the fly, then 

saved in global or definition system.

API Programming 10.1-49 

API Programming 

• Changed the default lines of code when a new API is created from scratch to: 

Status Bar 

Graphics 

Astroid 

Meshing 

This change allows the API Programming dockable pane in that particular instance of FEMAP to connect directly 

to FEMAP to run APIs in that instance. Previously, APIs could only be used from the API Programming window in 

the first instance of FEMAP which was currently open on the machine. Any *.bas files in the Custom Tools directory 

or added to the menus or toolbars using this mechanism for attachment will also run in the current instance of 

FEMAP. 

• Added the ability to customize what entity types appear on the Status Bar. 

Right clicking anywhere on the status bar will bring up the Customize Status Bar menu, which allows you to turn 

any entity type in the “Tray” on or off with a left mouse click. When an entity type is on, it will be designated with 

a “check mark” next to the entity type name. 

Improved Curve and Surface facetting to more accurately display geometry. 

Implemented support of the Astroid 3D controller from Spatial Freedom. 

The focus of version10 was to improve the overall mesh capabilities in FEMAP. 

"General Meshing", "Surface Meshing", "Solid Tetrahedral Meshing" 

Updates and improvements were made in the areas of surface meshing, solid tetrahedral meshing, mesh sizing, and 

specifying mesh attributes. A substantial change for version 10 is that once a surface has been meshed, the “mesh 

attributes” are automatically set on that surface. See Using Mesh Attributes in the Surface Meshing section below 

for more details. Also, the Meshing Toolbox was introduced to offer an interactive “toolbox” which consolidated 

functionality used during the meshing process. Tools for feature suppression and removal, creating combined 

curves and boundary surfaces, specifying mesh sizing on curves, dynamically updating nodal positions, and plotting 

mesh quality can all be accessed in one place with the ability to remesh “on the fly” as changes are made. See 

Meshing Toolbox in the User Interface section of this document. 

General Meshing 

• Added 3 new patterns to Mesh, Editing, Interactive 

• Added “Offset from Reference Point” option to Modify, Update Elements, Line Element Offsets. 

• Added “Spring Elements” option to the Connection Type section of the Mesh, Connect, Unzip and Mesh, Connect, 

Coincident Link commands. 

• Removed “Quad Mesh Layer Options” option from Mesh, Mesh Control, Size on Solid.

10.1-50 


• Updated Mesh, Remesh, Convert Facets command to included capability to associate facets/nodes with the 

original geometry. 

• Updated Mesh, Extrude, Element Face command to automatically delete plot-only elements that it creates on 

the selected element faces 

Surface Meshing 

• Added “Suppress Short Edges” option to Mesh, Mesh Control, Size on Surface. 

• Removed “Quad Mesh Layer Options” option from Mesh, Mesh Control, Size on Surface. This capability was 

improved and is now the Quad Edge Layers “mesh attribute” which can be specified before meshing using 

Mesh, Mesh Control, Attribute on Surface or during the meshing process using Mesh, Geometry, Surface. 

• Added and updated many options found in the Mesh, Geometry, Surface command. All of the options set when 

the surface is initially meshed are now automatically specified as “mesh attributes”. Additions include the new 

“3-D Tri” triangle mesher, new mapped meshing options, the ability to specify mesh offsets on the surface, 

automatic node merging when meshing surfaces connected to surfaces which have already been meshed, and a 

“Post-Meshing Cleanup” option which improves the mesh by eliminating certain patterns and collapsed holes. 

Automesh Surfaces dialog box 

When you select the Mesh, Geometry, Surface command, you must select the surfaces to mesh. After they are 

selected, the Automesh Surfaces dialog box appears. 

After choosing the appropriate property, you can decide to press OK to accept default options or click the More 

Options button to set up additional meshing controls. See More Options section below. 

The Mesher section allows you to choose between meshing the surfaces with quadrilateral surface elements, where 

possible (Quad option), or all triangular surface elements (Tri option). When using the Tri option, you may choose 

to use Auto, which will examine each surface one at a time and attempt to choose the Tri mesher which will create 

the best overall triangular mesh on each individual surface. If you want FEMAP to use a particular Tri mesher, 

uncheck Auto and choose one of the three triangle meshers. See the "Element Shape" section below for details. 

Checking the Midside Nodes option will create parabolic surface elements instead of linear surface elements, while 

turning the Mapped Meshing Options will attempt to create a mapped mesh on the surface, if possible using the 

options currently set. 

Node and Element Options 

These options control parameters that are assigned to the nodes and elements that you will create. The CSys option 

does not control the mesh in any way. It is just assigned as the definition coordinate system of each node. The property 

is most important. You must choose a property which corresponds to a planar element. 

Using Meshing Attributes 

If the surfaces that you are meshing have mesh attributes defined, you will see an additional property (0..Use Meshing 

Attributes) in the list. If you choose that “property”, FEMAP will use the attributes to define the property, type 

of elements that will be created, and which meshing options will be used during the meshing process. If you wish to 

ignore the attributes, simply pick a different property from the drop-down list or create a new property. 

If you wish to use the property specified in the attribute, but set different meshing options, check the Use Property 

Attribute Only option, which is only available when Property is set to “0..Use Meshing Attributes”.

Surface Meshing 10.1-51 

More Options 

When the More Options... button has been pressed, the Automesh Surfaces dialog box will expand to offer many 

more meshing options. Depending on which options are selected in the Mesher section, certain portions of the dialog 

will “gray” and “un-gray” to only allow you to choose appropriate options for the selected Mesher. 

Mesher 

The Mesher section allows you to choose between meshing the surfaces with quadrilateral surface elements, where 

possible (Quad option), or all triangular surface elements (Tri option). When using the Tri option, you may choose 

to use Auto, which will examine each surface one at a time and attempt to choose the Tri mesher which will create 

the best overall triangular mesh on each individual surface. If you want FEMAP to use a particular Tri mesher, 

uncheck Auto and choose one of the three triangle meshers. See the "Element Shape" section below for details. 

Pre-v10 Meshing 

The surface meshing in FEMAP has dramatically changed for version 10. This switch allows you to use the “prev10” 

surface meshing if you feel more comfortable with pre-version 10 meshers. This box will be checked by 

default if you have “Pre-v10 Surface Meshing” checked on the “Geometry/Model” tab in the “Preferences” dialog 

box (See Section 2.6.2.6, "Geometry/Model"). 

Note: 

Only options available is versions of FEMAP before version 10 will be available when Pre-v10 Meshing 

is checked. Notice, Quad Edge Layers is now set in the Automesh Surfaces dialog box when using 

the Mesh, Geometry, Surfaces command instead of in the Automatic Mesh Sizing dialog box, which 

appears when using the Mesh, Mesh Control, Size on Surface command. 

Node Options 

Midside Nodes 

Checking the Midside Nodes option will create parabolic surface elements instead of linear surface elements. By 

default, “midside nodes” are created along the element edge between the corner nodes of an element. You project 

the midside nodes onto the geometry by using the Move to Geometry option. In some cases, you may want to limit 

the distortion of elements created by projecting the midside nodes. If this is the case, check Max Distortion Angle 

and enter the max allowable distortion angle.

10.1-52 


Connect Edge Nodes 

When this option is turned on, FEMAP will use existing nodes on edges of adjacent surfaces instead of creating 

new nodes when at least one of the adjacent surfaces has already been meshed. This option is only applicable when 

the adjacent surfaces are stitched together to form a solid (or sheet solid) or joined together into a “general body” 

using Geometry, Surface, Non-Manifold Add 

. 

Three Surfaces stitched together using 

Geometry, Solid, Stitch command 

Surfaces 1 and 3 meshed at the same time 

Free Edge Plot of existing mesh on 

Surfaces 1 and 3 

Edges surface 2 shares with previously 

meshed adjacent surfaces 1 and 3 

Free Edge Plot after meshing surface 2 with 

“Connect Edge Nodes” turned ON 

Free Edge Plot after meshing surface 2 with 

“Connect Edge Nodes” turned OFF 

Smoothing 

These options are the same as those described in the Mesh, Smooth command. After an initial mesh is generated, it 

is automatically smoothed to reduce element distortions. You will usually just want to accept the default values for 

these options. For more information, see Section 5.3.4, "Mesh, Smooth...". 

Offset 

Allows you to automatically offset the surface mesh so the Top Face (Face 1) or Bottom Face (Face 2) of shell elements 

will be aligned with the surface(s) currently being meshed. There is also an option to simply offset the mesh 

away from the Centerline of the elements (default) a specified amount. Entering a positive number will offset the 

mesh towards the Top Face (Face 1) of the elements, while entering a negative value will offset towards the Bottom 

Face (Face 2). 

Note: 

The best way to determine which face is the Top Face and which face is the Bottom Face is to view the 

normal direction of the elements. This can be accomplished by setting options for the Element - Direction 

option in the Labels, Entities and Color category of the View, Options command (See Section 

6.1.5.3, "View, Options..."). To see the “normal vector” on each element, choose “1..Normal Vectors” 

from the Normal Style list, check the box next Show Direction and then click Apply or OK. The arrow 

representing the normal vector points towards the Top Face of the element. 

For Example, the “thicker” Black lines represent a Surface. Elements are shown with Normal Vectors “on”. 

Mesh with no offsets 

(Centerline of Elements 

Aligned with Surface) 

Mesh Offset so “Top 

Face” of elements Aligned 

with Surface 

Mesh Offset so “Bottom 

Face” of elements Aligned 

with Surface 

Mesh Offset from element 

Centerline a specified 

“positive” distance from 

surface 

Mapped Meshing Options 

When Mapped Meshing is set to Off, FEMAP will simply mesh the selected surface(s) with a “free mesh”, unless a 

“Mapped Meshing Approach” is set. If Mapped Meshing is On, FEMAP will attempt to create a “Mapped Mesh”.


FEMAP uses the values set for Max Angle Deviation and Min Corner Angle to determine “corners” it can use to 

attempt a mapped mesh on surfaces. 

There are several other options available: 

• Equal Sides Only - FEMAP will only attempt a mapped mesh on surface(s) with equal mesh sizing on opposing 

“sides” of the surface(s). The “sides” are the curve(s) between the “corners” the mesher locates. 

• Map Subdivisions - As the “subdivision” meshers “subdivide” the geometry during the meshing process, the 

mesher will determine if each “subdivision” can by mapped meshed. If possible, that portion of the surface will 

be mapped meshed and then “smoothed” using the current Smoothing settings to create the overall surface 

mesh. 

• Split Quad Map - Only available when using the Tri option in the Mesher section. FEMAP will actually create a 

quad mesh first and then split the quads into the best possible triangles using the same approach as the Modify, 

Update Elements, Split Quads command. 

Triangle Mesh using Split 

Curved Geometry 

Default Triangle Mesh Quad Map Option 

• Alternate - Only available when using one of the Tri options in the Mesher section. The mesher will attempt to 

alternate the direction of triangles which are side by side instead of having them all go in one direction. 

• Right Bias - Only available when using one of the Tri options in the Mesher section. The mesher uses the opposite 

direction to start when choosing the direction of the triangles. 

Triangle Mesher Mapped Off Mapped On 

Mapped On 

Alternate On 

Mapped On 

Right Bias On 

Mapped On 

Alternate and 

Right Bias On 

Subdivision 

Fast Tri 

3-D Tri 

Subdivision Options (Tri Mesher set to Subdivision, Quad Mesher only) 

These options control the size and shape of the mesh inside the boundary. The elements along the boundary edges 

are defined by the mesh sizes that you choose and are unaffected by these settings. Those mesh sizes also have substantial 

impact on the interior of the mesh, but these options give you additional control. 

Post-Meshing Cleanup 

This option, which is on by default, attempts to eliminate specific “patterns” in a mesh in an effort to create an 

overall higher quality mesh. It also does additional element checking in an attempt to eliminate meshing situations 

which may cause problems with surface and/or solid meshing.

10.1-54 


Additional clean-up includes inserting extra mesh points on long cylindrical surfaces with course mesh sizing. This 

eliminates the possibility of elements “bridging the gap” resulting in a “collapsed” hole. 

Note: 

In almost all cases, this option should be turned “on”, as it will usually create a better overall mesh. The 

only potential drawback to using this option is the possibility that the “clean-up” will replace “patterns” 

with less elements and therefore create a slightly courser mesh than expected. 

Here are a few examples of mesh patterns which will be recognized and the resulting mesh after the “clean-up”. 

Patterns 

“Diamond” elements eliminated 

Original After Clean-up 

Quad Edge Layers 

This option specifies the number of layers of quadrilateral elements that FEMAP will attempt to place around every 

boundary curve on a surface. You can choose to have either 1, 2, or 3 layers of quads around each boundary curve 

of a surface, including internal curves from the drop-down list. Additionally, you may enter a number higher than 3 

directly into the field and the mesher will attempt to create the specified number of quad element layers. If there is 

not enough room for the requested number of layers based on the mesh size, FEMAP will try to put as many layers 

of quads in as possible. The process goes one layer at a time, meaning that one layer of quads will be placed around 

all boundary curves (external curves first, internal curves second) before a second layer of quads will be attempted. 

In many cases, more layers will produce a higher quality mesh, but on some pieces of geometry using only 1 or 2 

layers may produce better overall mesh quality than using 3 or more layers. 

0 Layers 1 Layers 

2 Layers 

3 Layers 5 Layers 

Min Elements Between Boundaries 

As a boundary is being meshed, groups of elements are often generated between two opposite edges of a boundary. 

Sometimes, the mesh sizes that you have defined are large enough that a single element will span the distance 

between surfaces. Since this may not be enough refinement for the model that you are creating, you can control this 

behavior by setting a minimum number of elements that must be created between any boundary edges. 

Setting this parameter does not guarantee that you will get that number of elements between every edge. But wherever 

possible (based on compatibility with your surface mesh sizes) that number of elements or greater will be created. 

It is usually best to leave this parameter set to 1 initially, then if the results are undesirable, undo the mesh and try it 

again with the number increased. Setting this number greater than 1 can greatly increase the number of elements 

that are generated.


You will usually only have to set this option if you are meshing a 

Min Elements = 1 

surface that is long and thin relative to the mesh size, or one that has 

long, thin “appendages”, as this example demonstrates. 

Max Element Aspect Ratio 

Min Elements = 3 (or 2) 

Like the Min Elements setting described above, this option controls 

the elements inside the mesh. In this case however, control over the 

number of elements is only a secondary effect of this option. Primarily, 

this number is used as a guideline for how “long” elements can 

be relative to their “width”. You must always specify a value that is greater than or equal to 1.0. Smaller numbers 

usually create slightly more uniform meshes with elements that are better shaped. Large numbers can lead to 

severely distorted elements. If you make a mesh that contains long, thin or distorted elements, try again with a 

smaller aspect ratio. 

Quick-Cut boundaries with More Than “n” Nodes (n = 300 by default) 

Meshing large non-uniform surfaces can often take some time. Turning this option on shortens the time required 

while usually having minimal impact on the overall mesh quality. If you want the best possible mesh, and are willing 

to wait, turn this option off. You can also control the threshold by setting the number of nodes to a smaller or 

larger number. Do not reduce the number of nodes too much, or mesh quality will substantially decrease. 

Cut Quads with Angle Deviation Above “n” deg (n = 60 degress by default) 

Typically, quadrilateral elements with an angle deviation above 60 degrees will have poor element quality. Triangles 

are created wherever a quadrilateral would be severely distorted. You can override the default 60 degree allowable 

distortion with any value that you want. Lower distortion values will result in more triangles in your mesh. 

Element Shape 

Quad Mesher 

Although the mesher is called Quad, it is physically impossible on some surfaces with certain mesh sizing to create 

a mesh using “all quads” without some being highly distorted. The Quad option will generate quadrilateral elements 

whenever possible using a “subdivision” approach in the “parametric space” of each surface being meshed. 

Note: 

You must always get at least one triangle if you specify an odd number of nodes on the surface.) Triangles 

are created wherever quadrilaterals cannot meet the specified boundary mesh sizes and wherever a 

quadrilateral would be severely distorted. 

Tri Meshers 

These options control the creation of triangular elements in your mesh. If you want to create all triangles (Tri 

option), you may choose from the Subdivision, Fast Tri, or 3-D Tri options. Use the Auto option to have FEMAP 

choose which Tri meshing option should be used on each surface. 

• Subdivision - FEMAP’s original triangle mesher. It creates triangle elements by making subdivisions of a surface 

based on “parametric space”. It works very similar to the Quad mesher, but instead of making 90 degree 

“splits” to create quadrilateral elements, it makes 60 degree “splits” to make triangles. In a few cases, it may 

produce better quality mesh than the Fast Tri or 3-D Tri meshers. 

• Fast Tri - creates large triangles in “2-D parametric space” of a surface (U and V directions) then creates the 

final mesh through a process of splitting and improving the shape of the triangles based on where they are positioned 

in each surface’s “parametric space”. The Fast Tri mesher generally produces fewer triangles with better 

aspect ratios than the Subdivision mesher. This technique works particularly well if you have a long thin surface 

with holes. 

• 3-D Tri - uses the “facets” of each surface as a “triangular seed mesh”, then uses a similar “splitting and 

improving triangle shape” technique as the Fast Tri mesher, except it evaluates the shape of the triangles in true 

“3-D space” instead of the surface’s “parametric space”. Also, the nodes are constantly projected back to each

10.1-56 


surface to match the actual shape of the surface as closely as possible. In many cases, this will produce the best 

quality mesh and is the recommended option for meshing “boundary surfaces” created from surfaces which are 

part of a solid or stitched sheet solid. 

Note: 

One of the only drawbacks to using the 3-D Tri mesher, is when trying to mesh surfaces which “wrap 

around” with a large amount of curvature over a short distance. When using a relatively course mesh 

size on this type of surface, the mesher may create elements which do not follow the curvature of the 

surface properly, as a better shaped element can be created without following the curvature based on the 

positions of the nodes in 3-D space. 

Meshing a surface which has already been meshed 

If you choose a surface to mesh which has already been 

meshed, FEMAP will give you three options: 

•Delete Existing Mesh and Remesh - Simply deletes the 

mesh and remeshes the surface. 

•Skip Meshed Surfaces - If you have chosen a number of surfaces 

to mesh, some of which have already been meshed, 

only the surfaces which currently are not meshed will be 

meshed. 

•Create Duplicate Meshes on Meshed Surfaces - Usually 

used when you want to “skin” a solid mesh with a shell mesh. 

Surface Mesh Attributes dialog box 

... is used to assign meshing attributes to one or more surfaces. Simply choose a surface element property to be 

assigned to the surface(s) and specify the desired mesh options. The mesh options are identical to the ones which 

can be specified when using the Mesh, Geometry, Surface command (See "Automesh Surfaces dialog box" section 

for descriptions of the meshing options). Press the New Property “icon button” if you have not already created the 

property that you need. 

Once attributes have been defined, surfaces can be easily meshed with elements, as properties (thicknesses, materials...) 

will be automatically assigned. Attributes are automatically assigned once a surface has been meshed.

Solid Tetrahedral Meshing 10.1-57 

If you want to assign offsets to the planar elements (typically plates only), specify an option in the Offset portion of 

this dialog box. You can offset the mesh to align the “Top Face” (Face 1) of the elements to the surface, align the 

“Bottom Face” (Face 2) to the surface, or enter an offset from the “Centerline” directly (Positive values offset the 

mesh towards Face 1, negative values offset towards Face 2). 

By default, both the property and mesh options will be set for all of the selected surfaces. If you only want to 

change the property of a number of surfaces but leave each surface’s meshing options intact, make sure that Update 

Property is “checked” and Update Other Attributes is “unchecked”. Vice versa, if you only want to change the 

mesh options, but leave the properties assigned to each surface intact, uncheck Update Property and check Update 

Other Attributes. 

If you would like to clear all of the attributes from the selected surface(s), click the Remove Attributes button. 

Solid Tetrahedral Meshing 

FEMAP’s tetrahedral mesher uses a triangular surface mesh as the basis for creating the solid mesh. Improved surface 

meshing, discussed in the previous section, has a lot to do with improved solid tetrahedral meshing in version 

10. Other options for initial sizing, using a “recovery mesher”, sending element quality to the Data Table, and locating 

problem areas which have caused the tet mesher to fail have also been added. 

Also new for 10, if the tet mesher fails, FEMAP will ask “OK to Update Selector and Data Table with # nodes 

causing errors?”. If you answer Yes, the “problem” nodes will be sent to the selection list and Data Table for easy 

identification using the Show When Selected tool in the Model Info tree and Data Table. 

• Added Initial Size Ratio option to the Automesh Solids dialog box. The Initial Size Ratio is another meshing 

control you can use to change the number of elements the tetrahedral mesher creates. The default value of 

“0.5001” should give you the best “mesh quality” with the least number of elements possible. 

• Updated Adjust Nodal Precision option is to be on by default.

10.1-58 


• Added Recovery Mesher (Use only if Standard Mesher fails) option to the Solid Automeshing Options. This 

option should ONLY be checked if the standard mesher has already failed. The tet-mesher contains a special 

“boundary recovering” mesher which will attempt to create a volume mesh starting from extremely poor quality 

surface mesh (almost flat triangles on the surface, high density propagation, extreme aspect ratios, etc.) which 

fail with the standard mesher. The resulting volume mesh will likely have a very poor quality and this mesher 

should only be used when a volume mesh is absolutely required, regardless of element quality, 

Note: 

If the surface mesh is invalid or not watertight (it contains holes, overlaps, gaps, self intersections, etc.) 

this “boundary recovering” mesher will not repair the surface mesh and not create a volume mesh. 

• Added Update Data Table with Mesh Quality option to the Solid Automeshing Options. The Data Table needs 

to be open in FEMAP for this option to be available. If the Data Table is locked, FEMAP will ask if you want to 

unlock it when leaving the Solid Automeshing Options dialog box. When this option is checked, every element 

created in the current meshing operation will be added to the Data Table along with corresponding values for 

“Tet Collapse” and “Jacobian” element quality checks. 

• Updated the feedback sent to the Messages window during tet-meshing. FEMAP will produce status messages 

while the tetrahedral meshing is occurring and provide feedback on element numbers and quality. The table in 

the Surface Mesh Quality section of the listing displays the number of elements which fall into each range of 

values using FEMAP’s “Minimum Angle” element quality check, while the table in the Tetrahedral Mesh 

Quality section contains similar listings of values for “Tet Collapse” and “Jacobian”. For more information on 

how FEMAP calculates element quality, please see Section 7.4.5.6, "Tools, Check, Distortion...". 

The following is a sample of a typical status message list sent to the Messages window during the tetrahedral meshing 

process:

Mesh Associativity 10.1-59 

Mesh Associativity 

Modify, Associativity, Automatic 

There is a new command under the Modify, Associativity menu. It contains the Automatic command which is 

designed to automatically associate a solid mesh with solids or shell mesh with surfaces (sheet solids). 

This command will attempt to associate the nodes of 

selected elements with selected solids (Tet or Hex Elements) 

or surfaces/sheet solids (Shell Elements). In addition 

to the nodes and elements being associated to the main 

entity (solids or surfaces/sheet solids), they will then also be 

associated to the surfaces of solids, curves on those surfaces, 

and points on those curves allowing you to use geometry 

based commands in FEMAP (i.e., Loads and 

Constraints on geometry, any selection method using a geometric 

entity, etc.). 

There are a few options in the Automatic Geometry Associativity 

dialog box. The Search Tolerance is used as a tolerance 

for attachment. If a node from a selected element is not 

within this distance to any of the selected geometry, it will 

not be attached. By default, the Search Tolerance is the 

Merge Tolerance set in Tools, Parameters. 

The Remove All Previous Associativity is on by default and should be on if you are taking an entire finite element 

model and trying to attach it to selected geometric entities. 

Check Solid Element Containment in Multiple Solids is only available when tet or hex elements have been selected. 

This first runs a check of all the element centroids to determine which elements are “inside” which solid. FEMAP 

then goes about attaching the nodes of those elements to each solid one at a time. On by default and should probably 

remain on when you have chosen multiple solids, although command will run faster when this option is off. 

Attach Midside Nodes Even if not in Tolerance option will attach any 

midside nodes on elements that have been attached, even if these midside 

nodes are not within the distance specified in Search Tolerance. 

Group Nodes/Elements not Associated will create a group with all of the 

selected nodes and elements which were NOT attached to any geometry 

during the command and turning on Detailed Associativity Summary 

will create a summery of the attached entities to the Messages window. 

This command is very useful if you have an analysis model and the 

original geometry from which the model was created. Also, if you try to 

attach nodes and elements to geometry which is completely different, 

chances are the command will not be very successful. 

Properties 

• Added Section Evaluation option to Cross Section Definition dialog box for Beam, Bar, and Curved Beam 

Properties (FEMAP 10.0.1). 

• Added PBEAML/PBARL to Section Evaluation for use with Nastran PBEAML/PBARLs. The PBEAML/ 

PBARL evaluation method is always used when importing a Nastran input file that contains PBEAMLs and/or 

PBARLs (FEMAP 10.0.1). 

• Modified the Weld property to be the Weld/Fastener property. 

• Added switch to specify if the property will used with CWELD (Weld) or CFAST (Fastener) elements. All Weld 

property inputs are the same as before. 

• Added property inputs for CFAST (Fastener) elements.

10.1-60 


CFAST 

Options in the Define Property - WELD/FASTENER Element Type dialog box when CFAST is chosen. 

Diameter - This value represents the diameter of the virtual fastener, which is used to locate the virtual grids 

(nodes) on the shell element patch. 

Mass - Mass of the fastener. 

Struc Damping - Structural damping of fastener 

Material CSys - Material Coordinate System in which translational (KTX, KTY, and KTZ) and rotational stiffness 

(KRX, KRY, and KRZ) are applied. This option is unchecked by default and Nastran uses a predefined method to 

determine the x, y, and z-axis of the fastener element. Please see Note below 

Note: 

When unchecked, the x-axis of the fastener element will be colinear to a vector from the location the 

fastener intersects “Patch 1” (Element ID or Property ID) to the location the fastener intersects “Patch 

2”, which is defined when creating the element. The y-axis will then be perpendicular to the element x- 

axis and oriented to the closest basic coordinate axis (in case of identical proximity, basic x-axis first, 

then y, then z will be chosen for orientation). Finally, the z-axis is the cross product of the element x- 

axis and z-axis. 

Absolute - When checked, specifies the Material Coordinate System is an “Absolute” Coordinate System. 

Unchecked specifies the Material Coordinate System is a “Relative” Coordinate System. 

KTX, KTY, and KTZ - These values represent the translational stiffness of the fastener in the x, y, and z-axis 

specified for the element. 

KRX, KRY, and KRZ - These values represent the rotational stiffness of the fastener in the x, y, and z-axis specified 

for the element.

Functions 10.1-61 

Functions 

• Added dynamic XY plotting of functions to the Function Definition dialog box. 

Loads and Constraints 

• Modified Directional Pressure loads to no longer be affected by choosing a particular element face. Older models 

with these types of loads will be converted to the new standard, but will be modified in the version 10 in 

such a way to create the same analysis input file as FEMAP 9.3.1 and earlier. 

• Added option to apply nodal constraints using the “-1..Use Nodal Output System” option when choosing a 

coordinate system. Allows you to NOT force the nodal output CSys to be updated to the constraint CSys. 

Connections (Connection Properties, Regions, and Connectors) 

• Updated Connection Regions to support 2-D contact in NX Nastran Solution 601. 

Connection Regions for 2-D contact in Solution 601 of NX Nastran (usually in conjunction with axisymmetric elements) 

must be defined using nodes only and are written out to the Nastran file as BLSEG entries. The nodes must 

be selected in proper order with contact occurring to the “left side” of the region. The BCTSET entry is used to 

specify which BLSEG entries are in contact with one another. If a BLSEG is specified as “Rigid”, it must be the 

“target” in the Connector (Contact Pair). BLSEG entries in Nastran input files for solution sequences other than 

Solution 601 represent “slideline” elements. 

There were several enhancements to the NX Nastran Connection Properties: 

NX Linear tab 

• Moved Normal Penalty Factor and Tangential Penalty Factor from the Contact Property (BCTPARM) section 

to the Common Contact (BCTPARM) and Glue Parameters (BGPARM) section. 

• Moved Shell Z-Offset from Glued Contact Property (BGSET and BGPARM) section to Contact Property (BCT- 

PARM) section. 

• Removed Penalty Factor from Glued Contact Property (BGSET and BGPARM) section. 

• Replaced Num Allow Contact Changes with Convergence Criteria and Num For Convergence in the Contact 

Property (BCTPARM) section. Together, these two values create the NCHG field on the BCTPARM entry.

10.1-62 


• Added Contact Inactive to the Contact Property (BCTPARM) section. Creates the CSTRAT field on the BCT- 

PARM entry. 

• Added Penalty Factor Units to Common Contact (BCTPARM) and Glue Parameters (BGPARM) section. Creates 

the PENTYP field on the BCTPARM or PGPARM entry. 

NX Adv Nonlin tab 

• Added Glued Contact Property (BGSET) section with Extension Factor option. Extension Factor enters a value 

in the EXTi field specified on the BGSET entry for the contact pair “i”. Specifies an “extension factor” for the 

target region. 

• Removed the Time Activation section and moved Birth Time and Death Time options to the General section. 

• Added Friction Delay option to Standard Contact Algorithm section. 

• Moved all options found in the Rigid Target Contact Algorithm section except Normal Modulus to a the Old 

Algorithm (RTALG=1 on NXSTRAT) section of the NX Adv Nonlin Rigid Target Algorithm dialog box, which is 

accessed by clicking the Rigid Target Options button. Normal Modulus is found in Common Options. 

• Added Penetration Cutback and Max Penetration options to the Old Algorithm (RTALG=1 on NXSTRAT) section 

of the NX Adv Nonlin Rigid Target Algorithm dialog box. 

• Added Max Tensile Contact Force (TFORCE), Max Sliding Velocity (SLIDVEL), Oscillation Check 

(OCHECK), Contact Gap (GAPBIAS), and Offset Method (OFFDET) options to the Current Algorithm 

(RTALG=0 on NXSTRAT) section of the NX Adv Nonlin Rigid Target Algorithm dialog box. 

NX Explicit tab 

• Renamed Rigid Contact Algorithm section to Old Rigid Contact Algorithm section. 

• Added Current Rigid Target Algorithm section with Max Sliding Velocity (SLIDVEL), Contact Gap (GAP- 

BIAS), and Offset Method (OFFDET) options. 

Geometry 

• Updated Geometry, Curve - From Surface, Update Surfaces flag to be on by default. 

• Added Geometry, Curve - From Surface, Offset Curve/Washer command.

Geometry 10.1-63 

Washer mode should only be used for circular holes on planar surfaces, while Offset Curves is a more “general” 

mode that can be used for oblong holes, slots, and other “general shapes” on many different types of geometric surfaces. 

In either mode, once you click OK in the Define Washer or Offset Curves dialog box, FEMAP will ask you to select 

the appropriate curves to offset. For Washer mode, only curves that make up circular holes will be eligible for 

selection and only one curve per hole is required. In Offset Curves mode, all types of curves are eligible for selection 

and you will want to select all curves to be offset. 

Clicking Cancel in the Entity Selection - Select Edges dialog box FEMAP will return you to the Define Washer or 

Offset Curves dialog box. You can now change the mode and size options, then click OK and choose different 

curves. Click Cancel in the Define Washer or Offset Curves dialog box to exit the command. 

Washer Mode 

In Washer mode you will first want to enter an Offset, then choose whether or not to Save Split Lines. By saving the 

“split lines”, a line will be created from the end points of each curve in the circular hole to the end points of the new 

offset curves, which will create an individual surface set-up for mapped meshing. 

With “Save Split 

Lines” Checked 

Without “Save Split 


Offset Curves Mode 

In Offset Curves mode you also enter an Offset, but in this mode you have more choices. Again, you can choose 

whether or not to Save Split Lines, but this time every selected curve will get an individual surface set-up for 

mapped meshing. 

Without “Save Split 


With “Save Split 

Lines” Checked

10.1-64 


AutoSelect Surfaces will automatically offset the selected curves to ALL of the surfaces connected to those curves. 

If you would like to choose which surfaces get the new offset curves, uncheck AutoSelect Surfaces. You will be 

prompted for the surfaces after you have selected the curves and clicked OK. 

With “AutoSelect 

Surfaces” checked 

With “AutoSelect 

Surfaces” unchecked 

and only top surface 

selected. 

When Extend Splits is on, FEMAP will try to extend all offset curves that do not meet up with another offset curve 

to the closest edge of the surface onto which the curve was offset. In most cases, this should be checked if Save 

Split Lines has not been checked. 

With “Extend Splits” unchecked 

Curve does not extend 

Enough to break surface fully. 

With “Extend Splits” checked 

Curve extends to 

fully break surface


If Update Surfaces is on, the affected surface will also be partitioned by this command. 

Note: 

Due to the process used in the Offset Curves mode, the specified Offset can not be larger than the radius 

of any of the chosen curves. If you receive the message “Error sweeping along edge curves, offset not 

possible”, try again using an Offset value reduced the by 25 %. 

Also, many times a larger offset can be used in conjugation with the Save Split Lines option turned on. 

• Added Geometry, Curve - From Surface, Pad command. 

Requires you to choose a circular edge on a surface to create a “pad” pattern around the hole. The “pad” pattern 

essentially creates a square a specified distance away from the center of the circular edge and then connects the 

midpoints of each line of the square to four points on the circle (usually located at 0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees). 

The distance the curves of the pad are positioned from the selected hole 

is determined by the Pad Size Factor. 

The Pad Size Factor uses the diameter of the hole to calculate the size of 

the pad. If it is set to “1”, the pad will extend out half the length of the 

diameter (the radius) in all directions. If it is set to “1.25”, it will create 

the lines 0.625 times the radius in all directions, while setting it to “0.75” 

will create the lines 0.375 times the radius. 

When Setup Mapped Meshing is on, the four newly created surfaces will 

automatically have a “Four Corner” mesh approach set on them. For more information on mesh approaches, see 

Section 5.1.1.15, "Mesh, Mesh Control, Approach On Surface". 

Pad Size Factor = 0.75 Pad Size Factor = 1.0 Pad Size Factor = 1.25 

If only a portion of a hole has been selected (a curve which is not 180 degrees or a full 360 degree curve), you will 

also be prompted for a Pad/Width Length, select a point as the Pad Center, then specify an Pad Alignment Vector. 


• Added Geometry, Curve - From Surface, Point to Point command. 

Creates a parametric curve along a surface by choosing a start point and an end point. 


• Added Geometry, Curve - From Surface, Point to Edge command.

10.1-66 


Creates a parametric curve along a surface by choosing a point and then a curve on the same surface. The location 

of the newly created point on the chosen curve is created by projecting the chosen point onto the selected curve 

using the shortest possible distance. 

Selected Curve 


• Added Geometry, Curve - From Surface, Edge to Edge command. 

Creates parametric curves along a surface by choosing a single curve (To Curve) on a surface and then a choosing 

any number of curves also on that surface (From Curves). The locations of the newly created points on the “From 

Curve” are created by projecting the end points of all the “To Curves” onto the “From Curve” using the shortest 

possible distance and then joining the two sets of points with parametric curves. 

“From Curves” 

“To Curve” 


• Added “Measure Distance” icon button to Geometry, Midsurface, Automatic command. 

• Added Geometry, Midsurface, Offset Tangent Surfaces command. 

This command is for use on solids of constant thickness only. You will be prompted for a “seed surface”, then a 

“tangency tolerance”. All of the surfaces tangent to the “seed surface” within the “tangency tolerance” will be chosen 

and highlighted. Next a “Mid-Surface Tangent Offset” value needs to be entered. This value is the distance 

used to offset the selected surfaces towards the middle of the solid part. FEMAP will attempt to calculate this value 

automatically and will fill the value in if successful. The offset surfaces will be automatically stitched together and 

finally you will be asked if you want to delete the original solid.


Original geometry 

Surface selected as “Seed Surface” 

Tangent Surfaces Selected 

Resulting midsurface geometry 

(original Geometry deleted) 

• Added “Ok to Consolidate Properties by Thickness?” question to Geometry, Midsurface, Assign Mesh 

Attributes command after the material has been chosen. 

If you answer No, each selected surface will have an individual property created representing the thickness of that 

portion of the model and assigned to that surface only. If you answer Yes, you will also be prompted for a “thickness 

percentage tolerance” and any surfaces which have the same thickness, within the specified tolerance, will 

have a single property created for all of them, then assigned. Along with the property information, the mesh options 

on each surface will set to use the Quad surface mesher 

• Added Geometry, Surface, NonManifold Add command. 

Allows you to create “Non-Manifold Solid Geometry”, an option in the Parasolid modeling kernel which creates 

“General Bodies” as opposed to regular solids (FEMAP solids) and sheet solids (FEMAP surfaces). The command 

allows you to Boolean Add sheet solids to one another, as well as add “sheet solids” to Parasolid “solids”. 

The use of Non-Manifold Geometry can be very useful in creation of mid-surface models with “T-Junctions”, models 

where shell elements (2-D) and solid elements (3-D) need to be connected and portions of the shell mesh are 

embedded into the solid mesh, and “solids” with internal “surfaces” used in certain types of analysis. 

Note: 

When bodies have been added together using “NonManifold Add”, many of the other commands on the 

Geometry, Solid... menu will not function as they did before the geometry was changed from regular 

geometry to “general body” geometry. A good idea is to have both the surfaces and solids “ready to go” 

before using the “NonManifold Add” command. 

If you need to stitch or add more bodies into those that have been put together with this command, you 

will want to use the Geometry, Surface, Recover Manifold Geometry command to recover component 

solids and sheet solids, which will allow you to use the commands on the Geometry, Solid... menu. 

• Added Geometry, Surface, Recover NonManifold Geometry command.

10.1-68 


Essentially the opposite of the Geometry, Solid, NonManifold Add command. The command will take all selected 

“general bodies” in your model and separate them into component “Manifold” parasolid solids (FEMAP solids) 

and sheet solids (FEMAP Surfaces). Once the “Manifold” solids and sheet solids have been recovered, the commands 

on the Geometry, Solid... menu will be available to modify and operate on the geometry again. 

Note: 

To break a “general body” into individual sheet solids for each and every surface, use the Geometry, 

Solid, Explode command. 

• Added “Cleanup Mergeable Curves” option to Geometry, Solid Stitch command\ 

When Cleanup Mergeable Curves is “on”, which is the default, FEMAP will remove all internal curves which are 

redundant. The “stitched” geometry will contain as few surfaces as possible by removing curves which are not 

needed to define the overall topology of the geometry. When “off”, all of the surfaces being stitched together will 

remain in the geometry. 

Original Geometry 

Stitched Geometry 

Cleanup Mergeable 

Curves “On” 

Stitched Geometry 

Cleanup Mergeable 

Curves “Off” 

• Added Modify, Update Other, Solid Facetting command. 

• Added option to Modify, Project, Point along Vector and Modify, Project, Node along Vector commands to 

project in both directions along the vector. 

Groups and Layers 

Views 

• Improved Group, Operations, Add Related Entities to include coordinate systems used as definition coordinate 

systems for Coordinate Systems in the selected group and include reference nodes on beams when the nodes are 

related to elements, properties, or materials in the selected group. 

• Added options for Combined Curve, Element - Coordinate System, Combined - Eliminated Points, Combined - 

Eliminated Curves, Combined - Eliminated Surfaces to the View, Options command. 

• Added Rotate Around option to the View, Rotate, Model command (F8 key).


Using Rotate Around option 

You may choose any defined coordinate system in FEMAP to Rotate Around (default is 0..Basic Rectangular). 

This includes local coordinate systems and the chosen coordinate system will be used by both the scroll arrows and 

the standard orientation buttons. 

You may also choose -1..Screen Axes to have rotation via the scroll arrows occur using the screen axes where the 

“screen” X axis is always horizontal to the right, Y is always upward, and Z is always a vector perpendicular to 

your monitor (i.e., “out of the screen”). When -1..Screen Axes has been selected, the standard orientation buttons 

default to using 0..Basic Rectangular. 

• Updated Default Direction of the Mouse Wheel for Zoom to match direction of mouse movement. 

Output and Post-Processing 

Transforming Output (on the fly) 

Added Transformation buttons for the Deformation output vector and the Contour output vector to the Select Post- 

Processing Data dialog box. The Select PostProcessing Data dialog box is accessed by pressing the Deformed and 

Contour Data button in the View Select dialog box, clicking the Post Data icon on the Post Toolbar, right-mouse 

clicking in the graphics window and choosing Post Data from the menu, or choosing Post Data from the contextsensitive 

menu when a results set is highlighted in the Model Info tree. 

The Deformation and Contour Output Vectors can be transformed into different directions or coordinate systems 

using the Transformation buttons. The transformed output can then be viewed using any of the options in Deformed 

Style and/or Contour Style (except Beam Diagram and Contour Vector). This option is for display purposes only as 

additional output vectors are not created, as they are when using the Model, Output, Transform command. Also, the 

Post Titles will include information regarding the transformed output currently being displayed. 

Displacement Output Vector Transformation 

The Deformation Transformation dialog box 

allows you to choose a Destination to transform the 

chosen nodal output vector into and also which 

Active Components should be displayed in the plot 

of the deformation. 

The Destination options are: 

•None - no transformation (default) 

•Into CSys - transforms the output vector into an 

existing coordinate system 

•Into Output CSys - transforms the nodal output 

vector into each node’s specified output coordinate 

system. 

In Active Components, choose which component(s) of the transformed output vector should be displayed. For 

instance, if you are showing “1..Total Translation” in the “2..Basic Spherical” coordinate system, you can choose to 

deform the model in only the “Theta” component of the translated vector (no “R” or Phi” components).

10.1-70 


Contour Output Vector Transformation 

The Contour Transformation dialog box allows you 

to transform output that references global X, Y, Z 

components (like Total Translation, Reaction 

Forces, etc.) into any chosen coordinate system or 

into the nodal output coordinate system at each 

node. 

You may also transform plate element forces, 

stresses, and strains into predefined “material directions”, 

a selected coordinate system, or along a 

specified vector from the standard output orientation 

direction. 

Finally, solid element stresses and strains can be 

transformed into a single chosen coordinate system 

or the current material direction (Material Axes) 

specified on the solid properties of the solid elements 

currently being displayed. 

Nodal Vector Output 

In the Nodal Vector Output section, you will find 

these options: 

•None - no transformation (default) 

•Into CSys - transforms the nodal output vector into 

an existing coordinate system. 

• Into Node Output CSys - transforms the nodal output vector into each node’s output coordinate system. 

Plate Forces, Stresses and Strains 

The options for Plate Forces, Stresses and Strains are: 

• None - no transformation (default) 

• Into Matl Direction - transforms output using the predefined “material angle” specified for each element. You 

can set the “material angle” when creating plane properties (in Define Property dialog box, choose Elem/Property 

Type, then click Element Material Orientation) or at anytime using the Modify, Update Elements, Material 

Angle command (for more information, see Section 4.7.3.13, "Modify, Update Elements, Material Angle..."), 

which has several options. 

• Into CSys - transforms the output vector to align the X-direction of output vector to the chosen X, Y, or Z component 

of an existing coordinate system. 

• Along Vector - transforms the output vector to align the X-direction of output vector to a vector specified by 

clicking the Vector button, then using the standard vector definition dialog box. 

Note: 

Before using the “Into Matl Direction” method, be sure to refer to your analysis program documentation 

to see how material orientation angles are used and to find any limitations. 

The other input required for the proper transformation of plate element output is the definition of the original component 

data, which can be selected using the Output Orientation button. Please see the Output Orientation section 

below. 

Solid Stresses and Strains 

Stresses and Strains for solid elements are returned to FEMAP from the solver in a direction specified using the 

Material Axes for each solid property prior to running the analysis (for more information, see the Solid Element 

Properties heading in Section 4.2.2.3, "Volume Elements"). 

For Solid Stresses and Strains, you may pick from these options: 

• None - no transformation (default)


• Into CSys - transforms the standard component solid stresses and strains into an existing coordinate system. 

• Into Matl Direction - transforms standard component solid stresses and strains from the analysis into the current 

setting for Material Axes for each solid property. 

As with plate elements, the other important input needed to properly transform the output is the definition of the 

original component data orientation, which can be selected using the Output Orientation button. Please see the 

Output Orientation section below for more information. 

For Example, model run using three different options for solid element material axis.. 

Solid Element Output recovered in 

Global Rectangular Coordinate System 


Global Spherical Coordinate System 

Solid Element Output aligned to 

Individual Elements 

Each material axis option transformed into a specified coordinate system. 


Global Rectangular Coordinate System 

transformed into Global Spherical 

Coordinate System. 



transformed into Global Rectangular 

Coordinate System 

Solid Element Output aligned to 

Individual Elements transformed into 


Output Orientation 

The Current Output Orientation dialog box contains the “default” output orientation for both Plane and Solid elements. 

For Plane elements, there is an option for each type of output data to transform (Stress, Strain, and Force), 

for each Plane element shape that may appear in the model (Tria3, Tria6, Quad4, and Quad8). 

There are two options for triangular elements (“0..First Edge” or “1..Midside Locations”) with the default being 

“0..First Edge”, while there are three options for quadrilateral elements (“0..First Edge”, “1..Midside Locations”, or 

“2..Diagonal Bisector”) with “2..Diagonal Bisector” being the default. 

For Solid elements, there are three orientation options (“0..Material Direction”, “1..Global Rectangular”, or 

“2..Element”) for different material types associated with Solid properties (Isotropic, Anisotropic, or Hyperelastic).

10.1-72 


Pressing the Reset button when the Current Output Orientation dialog box is accessed through either the Deformation 

Transformation or Contour Transformation dialog box will reset all of the output orientation options to the values 

currently set in the Preferences. 

For more information about these various orientation options, please see the Output Orientation portion of Section 

2.6.2.6, "Geometry/Model". 

Consult your analysis program’s documentation concerning the original coordinate system definition. 

Transforming Output (new output vectors) 

You may also transform plate element forces, 

stresses, and strains into the material direction, a 

selected coordinate system, or along a specified 

vector from the standard output direction. 

Solid element stresses and strains can also be 

transformed into a ca single chosen coordinate 

system or the current material direction specified 

for the solid properties of the selected elements. 

When you choose this command, you will see the 

Transform Output Data dialog box. There are 

seven transform options available: 

•Vector Output (into CSys) 

•Vector Output (into Node Output CSys) 

•Plate Forces, Stresses and Strains (into Matl 

Direction) 

•Plate Forces, Stresses and Strains (into CSys) 

•Plate Forces, Stresses and Strains (along Vector) 

•Solid Stresses and Strains (into CSys) 

•Solid Stresses and Strains (into Matl Direction) 

Vector Output 

When you choose the Vector Output (into CSys) option: 

1. Use the Into CSys field to choose the coordinate system that you want to transform into. 

2. Select the output set and output vector that you want to transform. Typically you will want to pick the “Total” 

vector, (like Total Translation), not a component vector (like X or T1 Translation). If you want to transform just 

the vector that you select, make certain that All Sets is not checked. If you want to transform that vector in every 

output set, turn on All Sets. 

When using the Vector Output (into Node Output CSys) option, you will only have to do step 2 above. FEMAP will 

transform the selected output vectors into each selected node’s specified output coordinate system. 

What You Get - Vector Output 

This command creates 12 new output vectors from the single vector that you select. These vectors are the three 

transformed components of the original global data, and nine additional vectors that are the global X, Y, Z components 

of the transformed components. FEMAP needs these additional nine vectors so that you can use the transformed 

component vectors for deformed plots, arrow plots, or other post-processing options that work with global 

components. 

Plate Forces, Stresses, and Strains 

These options allow you to transform standard component plate forces, stresses, and strains to a specified “material 

angle”, a chosen axis of an existing coordinate system, or by simply specifying a vector. 

If you want to see component stresses output using the “into Matl Direction” option, you will first want to set the 

“material angle” for the elements using the Modify, Update Elements, Material Angle command (for more information, 

see Section 4.7.3.13, "Modify, Update Elements, Material Angle..."), which has several options. FEMAP then

Geometry Interfaces 10.1-73 

uses the material angle for each output and the standard output vectors in the selected output set (unless you select 

All Sets) to transform the components into the material angle coordinate system for each element. 

Note: 

Before using the “into Matl Direction” method, be sure to refer to your analysis program documentation 

to see how material orientation angles are used and to find any limitations. 

When using the “into Csys” option, the vector and resulting angle are simply defined along a selected coordinate 

direction (X, Y, or Z) of an existing coordinate system selected from the Into CSys drop-down list. This method is 

especially useful if you want to align the material axes to the radial or tangential direction in a cylindrical or spherical 

coordinate system. 

If you choose the “along Vector” option, you will want to click the Vector button to also specify a vector. The standard 

vector definition dialog box will appear to allow you to assign a vector direction. FEMAP will transform the 

output for each element and align the X-direction of the output vector with the specified vector. 

The other input required for the transformation of plate element output is the definition of the original component 

data, which can be selected using the Output Orientation button. Please see the Output Orientation section below 

for more information. The new component plate forces, stresses, and strains will be placed in the user defined output 

vector numbers (9,000,000+). 

Solid Stresses and Strains 

These options allow you to transform standard component solid stresses and strains from the Material Axes specified 

for each solid property prior to running the analysis (for more information, see the Solid Element Properties 

heading in Section 4.2.2.3, "Volume Elements") to a specified existing coordinate system or the current setting for 

Material Axes for each solid property. 

As with plate elements, the other important input needed to properly transform the output is the definition of the 

original component data orientation, which can be selected using the Output Orientation button. Please see the 

Output Orientation section below for more information. The new component solid stresses and strains will be 

placed in the user defined output vector numbers (9,000,000+). 

Output Orientation 

The Current Output Orientation dialog box contains the “default” output orientation for both Plate and Solid elements. 

For plane elements, there is an option for each type of output data to transform (Stress, Strain, and Force), 

for each plane element shape that may appear in the model (Tria3, Tria6, Quad4, and Quad8). 

There are two options for triangular elements (“0..First Edge” or “1..Midside Locations”) with the default being 

“0..First Edge”, while there are three options for quadrilateral elements (“0..First Edge”, “1..Midside Locations”, or 

“2..Diagonal Bisector”) with “2..Diagonal Bisector” being the default. 

For solids, there are three orientation options (“0..Material Direction”, “1..Global Rectangular”, or “2..Element”) 

for different material types associated with solid properties (Isotropic, Anisotropic, and Hyperelastic). 

Pressing the Reset button when the Current Output Orientation dialog box is accessed through either the Transform 

Output Data dialog box will reset all of the output orientation options to the values currently set in the Preferences. 

For more information about these various orientation options, please see the Output Orientation portion of Section 

2.6.2.6, "Geometry/Model". 

Geometry Interfaces 

• Added support for direct geometry import of SolidWorks parts and assemblies. 

• Changed CATIA V5 direct geometry translator. CATIA V5 versions R7 to R18 are supported. Reading of CAT- 

Parts and CATProducts created using versions prior to R7 is not supported 

The following FEMAP interfaces have been updated to support newer geometry formats: 



Parasolid Parasolid 20.0 

Solid Edge Solid Edge with Synchronous Technology (V 21) 

NX NX 6 

Pro/Engineer Wildfire 4

10.1-74 


For details, see “Geometry Interfaces” in the FEMAP User Guide. 

Analysis Program Interfaces 

Several of the analysis program interfaces have been improved. These changes include: 

• “Analysis Set Manager Enhancements” on page 74 

• “FEMAP Neutral File Interface” on page 74 

• “NX Nastran Interface” on page 74 

• “Nastran Interfaces (NX and MSC/MD)” on page 75 

• “MSC/MD Nastran Interface” on page 75 

• “NEi Nastran Interface” on page 75 

• “ANSYS Interface” on page 75 

• “ABAQUS Interface” on page 76 

• “DYNA Interface” on page 76 

Analysis Set Manager Enhancements 


• Added Analyze Multiple option. This accesses a multi-select dialog box which allows you to pick any number 

of Analysis Sets and run them one after another. 

FEMAP Neutral File Interface 

• Removed option for choosing Binary and Formatted in File Format Section. All Neutral files are Formatted. 

• Updated Neutral Read and Write for v10.0 changes 

NX Nastran Interface 


ACIS ACIS 19 Service Pack 1 

CATIA V5 V5 release 18 

SolidWorks SolidWorks 2009 



• Added support for triangle and quadrilateral axisymmetric elements (CTRAX3, CTRAX6, CQUADX4, and 

CQUADX8), which were new for NX Nastran version 6. 

• Added option for “Extended Solution Status Monitoring”. Writes SYSTEM(442)=-1 to the *.dat file. This 

option is on by default and the feedback it produces is used by the NX Nastran Analysis Monitor 

• Added BOLTFACT to the PARAM section of the NASTRAN Bulk Data Options dialog box. 

• Added “Gaps as Contact” to the “Plate, Beam, and Rigid” section of the NASTRAN Bulk Data Options dialog 

box. Writes out a BCSET entry in Case Control. 

• Added Support for CQUADR and CTRIAR Composite Stress and Strain output from the op2. 


• Added “Large Strain Form” (ULFORM), “Incompatible Mode for 4 Node Shells” (ICMODE), “Max Disp/Iteration” 

(MAXDISP), and “Drilling DOF Factor” (DRILLKF) options to the Analysis Options section of 

NXSTRAT Solver Parameters dialog box. 

• Added “Bolt Force Increments” (BOLTSTP), “Convert Dependency to True Stress” (CVSSVAL), and “Allow 

Element Rupture” (XTCURVE) options to the Other Parameters section of NXSTRAT Solver Parameters dialog 

box.

Nastran Interfaces (NX and MSC/MD) 10.1-75 

• Added “Line Search Lower Bound” (LSLOWER) and “Line Search Lower Bound” (LSUPPER) options to the 

Line Search Setting section of NXSTRAT Iterations and Convergence Parameters dialog box. 

• Added “Do not allow Consistent Contact Forces” (TNSLCF) and “Use Old Rigid Target Algorithm” 

(RTALG=1) options to the Contact Control section of NXSTRAT Iterations and Convergence Parameters dialog 

box. 

• Changed “Segment Type” (CSTYPE) options from “0..Old” and “1..New” to “0..Linear Contact” and “1..Element 

based” in the Contact Control section of NXSTRAT Iterations and Convergence Parameters dialog box. 

• Added support for 2-D Contact, usually used in analysis with axisymmetric elements. 

• Added support for Glued Contact. 


• Added Contact Control section to NXSTRAT Solver Parameters dialog box. Added “Segment Type” 

(CSTYPE) and “Use Old Rigid Target Algorithm” (RTALG=1) to this section. 

• Added Other Parameters section to NXSTRAT Solver Parameters dialog box. Added “Convert Dependency to 

True Stress” (CVSSVAL) and “Allow Element Rupture” (XTCURVE) options to this section. 


Nastran Interfaces (NX and MSC/MD) 

• Added support for “-2..Automatic(Statics)” for INREL to the PARAM section of the NASTRAN Bulk Data 

Options dialog box. 

• Added support for SUPORT1 to the Boundary Conditions dialog box. 

• Added support for Fastener elements (CFAST) and properties (PFAST). 

• Added support for spring/damper elements (CELAS1 and CDAMP1) which use a property (PELAS and 

PDAMP). How the spring/damper elements are exported to the Nastran input file is controlled via the element 

formulation. 

• Added Beam/Bar Cross-Section Dimensions as comments when Nastran input file is written. When a Nastran 

file with these comments is imported into FEMAP, the Beam/Bar Cross-Section Dimensions will be filled-in. 

• Added support for reading Nastran Free-Field Auto Continuation (long entries with or without embedded continuation 

fields and large-field free field). 

• Changed SESTATICS to SESTATIC, which is correct for Nastran 

• Supported reading results from multiple subcases (and not overwriting) from modal frequency and nonlinear 

(static and transient) 



MSC/MD Nastran Interface 



NEi Nastran Interface 



ANSYS Interface 

• Added support for MPC184 rigid beam/link elements. Specified using element Formulation. 

• Added support for output from rigid elements (Rigid Axial Force, Rigid Y Moment, Rigid Z Moment, Rigid Y 

Shear Force, Rigid Z Shear Force, and Rigid Torsional Moment)

10.1-76 




ABAQUS Interface 



DYNA Interface 

Tools 

• Added support for 10-noded tetrahedral elements. Also, added “16..10 Node Tetrahedron - EQ 16” and “17..10 

Node Composite Tetrahedron” formulations. 

• Added support for Rigid and Interpolation elements. Writes *CONSTRAINED_NODAL_RIGID_BODY 

(Rigid) and *CONSTRAINED_INTERPOLATION (Interpolation) entries. 



Check, Coincident Elem... 

• Added choice between Quick Check (Just Corners) and Full Check and added Check Rigid Element option. 

Quick Check (Just Corners) 

FEMAP will only compare elements with the same number of “end” or “corner” nodes to one another to determine 

if they are coincident. This option will find a linear element and parabolic element coincident if the two elements 

share all corner nodes. You can only use the Check Elements with Different Types and/or Check Mass Elements 

options with this procedure. 

Full Check 

This method checks all nodes of all elements to determine coincidence based on the options selected. Also, two 

additional options, Check Elements with Different Shape and Check Rigid Elements are only available when using 

this method. 

Check Rigid Elements 

This option includes Rigid elements in the check. Of course, if a rigid element shares all of the same nodes with 

another rigid element, those elements are considered coincident. Also, if a single “leg” of a rigid spider element 

(independent node to dependent node) is shared with a “leg” of another rigid spider element, those elements will be 

considered coincident. Finally, when the Check Elements of Different Types and Check Elements of Different Shape 

are both on, a “line element” (bar, beam, tube, etc.) which shares both nodes with a “leg” of a rigid spider element 

will be considered coincident. 

Check, Distortion 

• Added Permanent and Reset buttons to the Check Element Distortions dialog box. Pressing the Reset button 

will set the values to the default values currently specified for each distortion check in the Element Distortion 

Preferences dialog box, which is accessed from the Geometry/Model tab of File, Preferences command. Pressing 

the Permanent button will take the values currently specified in this dialog box and make them the default 

values for Element Distortion Preferences. 

• Added “Nastran Warping” and “Combined” Element Checks 

Nastran Warping Checking... 

... evaluates the planarity of element faces, using the same equations Nastran uses when using the GEOMCHECK 

option “Q4_WARP”. This check only looks at quadrilateral faces. Internally, the Nastran Warping factor is defined 

by determining the distance of the corner points of the element to the “mean plane” of the nodes divided by the 

average of the element’s diagonal lengths. For “flat” elements, all of the corner nodes lie on a plane, therefore the 

Nastran Warping factor is zero.

OLE/COM API 10.1-77 

Combined (Quality) Checking... 

The combined element quality ranges from 0.0 (good) to 1.0 (bad). Any values outside this range will return a 

value of 1.0 and therefore indicate the element quality is not adequate. Combined Quality is useful as it provides a 

single value that attempts to indicate “overall” quality while dynamically modifying nodal locations or changing 

mesh sizes. It is not a guarantee that a model will solve. 

The value for Combined Quality is determined using the maximum value of these seven values: Aspect Ratio, 

Taper, Alternate Taper, Internal Angle, Warping, Nastran Warping, and Jacobian. Only element checks which are 

currently “on” and applicable to the element shape will be used when calculating the Combined Quality. Also, the 

values currently specified in the Check Element Distortions dialog box for each quality check are used by the Combined 

Quality calculation. 

Note: 

Customized default values for each of the element distortion checks can be set in File, Preferences on 

the Geometry/Model tab by pressing the Element Distortion button. See Section 2.6.2.6, "Geometry/ 

Model" for more information. 

If the “distortion check” calculated for Combined Quality is less than 0.75 times the value specified for a particular 

“distortion check”, the corresponding value is set to 0.0. If the calculated “distortion check” value is more than the 

value specified for a particular “distortion check”, the corresponding value is 1.0. The Combined Quality values are 

linearly interpolated between 75% and 100% of the specified value for each distortion check. 

Here is a plot of “% of distortion” value vs. “Combined Quality” value: 

OLE/COM API 

New API Objects and Attributes 

• Added NasExecSolutionMonitor, NasBulkInrelVal, NasBulkGapsAsContact, NasBulkBoltFact, and NasBulk- 

BoltFactVal to AnalysisMgr object 

• Added NasNXStratMaxDisp, NasNXStratBoltstp, NasNXStratCvssval, NasNXStratXtcurve, NasNXStratRtalg, 

NasNXStratTnslcf, NasNXStratDrillkf, NasNXStratLslower, and NasNXStratLsupper to AnalysisMgr 

object. 

• Added InternalToBoundary and InCombinedCurve to Curve object. 

• Added InternalToBoundary, attrTopology, attrMesher, attrMappedLevel, attrMapSubdivisions, attrMapEqualOnly, 

attrMapAltTri, attrMapRightBias, attrMapSplitQuads, attrMapAngleDeviation, attrMapMinCornerAngle, 

attrMidsideGeom, attrMidsideAngle, attrMinBetween, attrMaxAspect, attrQuickCutNodes, 

attrQuickCutAngle, attrSmoothLaplacian, attrSmoothIter, attrSmoothTolerance, attrConnectEdgeNodes, attr- 

ConnectEdgeNodeTol, attrOffsetFrom, attrInitialized, and attrPostMeshCleanup to Surface object

10.1-78 


• Added RotateCSys, TransformDeformMode, TransformDeformCSys, TransformDeformX, TransformDeformY, 

TransformDeformZ, TransformNodalMode, TransformNodalCSys, TransformPlateMode, Transform- 

PlateCSys, TransformPlateDOF, vTransformPlateVector, TransformPlateVector, TransformSolidMode, and 

TransformSolidCSys to View object. 

• Added Info_OrientSolidIsoOutput, Info_OrientSolidAnisoOutput, Info_OrientSolidHyperOutput, 

Info_OrientTria3StressOuput, Info_OrientTria3StrainOuput, Info_OrientTria3ForceOuput, 

Info_OrientTria6StressOuput, Info_OrientTria6StrainOuput, Info_OrientTria6ForceOuput, 

Info_OrientQuad4StressOuput, Info_OrientQuad4StrainOuput, Info_OrientQuad4ForceOuput, 

Info_OrientQuad8StressOuput, Info_OrientQuad8StrainOuput, Info_OrientQuad8ForceOuput to the Global 

Properties of the main FEMAP application object. 

• Added Pref_ReadTabSize, PickBoundaryInternalMode, and PickCombinedCurveInternalMode to the Global 

Properties of the main FEMAP application object. 

New API Methods 

• Added SelectID, NextInSet, FirstInSet, and Count methods to the Common Entity Properties object 

• Added OutputVectors method to the OutputSet object 

• Added AnalyzeMultiple method to AnalysisMgr object 

• Added GetMeshLoc, GetMeshLocXYZ, IsSmoothEdge, Surfaces, SurfacesAsSet, ElementsAsSet, NodesAs- 

Set, Normal, IsCombinedCurve, GetCombinedCurves, CombineCurves, CombineCurvesAsSet, and Facets 

methods to Curve object 

• Added AddOutput method to DataTable object 

• Added GetCentroid, GetEdgeNodes, GetFaceNodes, and IsParabolic methods to Elem object 

• Added Add method to Group object 

• Added GetPly, SetPly, GetAllPly, and SetAllPly methods to Layup object 

• Added InCombinedCurve, NodesAsSet, Curves, CurvesAsSet, and SurfacesAsSet methods to Point object 

• Added SharedDelete, JumpToEnd, Size, Time Created, TimeWritten, and TimeAccessed methods to Read 

object 

• Added RemoveNotCommon, RemoveNotCommonToGroup, RemoveGroup, Debug, IsSetAdded, Convert- 

ToAllSurfaces, ConvertToBoundarySurfaces, ConvertToBoundarySurfacesOnly, ConvertToInternalSurfaces, 

ConvertToAllCurves, ConvertToCombinedCurves, ConvertToCombinedCurvesOnly, ConvertToInternal- 

Curves, IsArrayAdded, HasCommon, and RemoveArray methods to Set object 

• Added CurvesAsSet, SurfacesAsSet, ElementsAsSet, and NodesAsSet methods to Solid object 

• Added Current method to Sort object 

• Added NormalAtXYZ, NormalBox, BoundarySurfaces, AdjacentSurfaces, BoundarySurfacesAsSet, Adjacent- 

SurfacesAsSet, CurvesAsSet, PointsAsSet, EndPointsAsSet, ElementsAsSet, NodesAsSet, and Solid methods 

to Surface object 

Updated and Corrected API Methods 

• Updated Curves and Surfaces methods of Solid Object. 

• Updated Curves and Points methods of Surface Object. 

The following functions have been added: 

• feAppModelDefragment 

• feGetElementEdges 

• feElementFreeEdge 

• feElementFreeFace 

• feSurfaceNormalDeviation 

• feAddToolbarSubmenuSubmenu

Preferences 10.1-79 

• feBoundaryAddSurfaces 

• feCoordVectorPlaneIntersect 

• feSurfaceConvert 

• feGroupMoveToLayer 

• feBoundaryFromPoints 

• feAutoMeshAssociativity 

• feSolidStitchNoCleanup 

• feAppVersion 

The following functions have been fixed, changed or removed: 

• feFilePictureSave has been modified to support new file types available in File, Picture, Save. 

• feOutputTransform has been modified to support new options available in Model, Output, Transform. 

• feRenumber has been modified to allow renumbering of Layups, Connectors, Regions, Connection Properties, 

Functions, Analysis Sets, and Layers. 

• feDelete has been modified to allow deleting of Layups, Analysis Sets in the Analysis Manager, Connection 

Properties, and Connectors. 

Preferences 

Views 

• Removed preference for Autoplot Created/Modified Geometry. FEMAP needs to do this in order to function 

properly. 

Render 

• Added preference for XOR Picking Graphics. 

XOR picking effects how entities are highlighted when graphically picking in FEMAP. This was the only picking 

graphics method in FEMAP before version 10. With the advent of Windows Vista, picking was not able to draw to 

the screen image directly which made XOR picking much less efficient (slower) on some graphics cards. If XOR 

picking is “off”, FEMAP basically draws a bitmap of the screen image and then determines the color that is the 

“XOR” of the entity color and draws the entity twice, once with the “XOR” of the entity color but larger or thicker 

and once with the entity color. Un-highlighting is done by redrawing the bitmap of the screen. In non Vista hardware, 

turning XOR picking “on” will likely give better clarity but for Vista, performance is better with it “off”. 

• Added preference for Dialog Refresh. 

With certain graphics cards, the view will not be redrawn behind open dialog boxes, thus if the dialog box is moved 

after the model has been dynamically rotated the display may not be correct. When this option is “on”, FEMAP 

will force a redraw of the graphics window. 

• Added preference for Block Size. 

The block size determines the size of “blocked data” in “collectors” used by FEMAP internally. If you have a few 

large “collectors”, a larger block size should provide better performance. On the other hand, if you have a large 

number of small collectors (i.e., often happens with laminates), you might use a great deal of memory with too 

large a block size, so selecting a smaller block size should be beneficial. 


• Updated how Load Layout works when loading a layout from an older version of the software into a newer version. 

If a *.LAYOUT file is loaded into a newer version of the software, only “Shortcut Keys” and “User Commands” 

will be updated, while “Menus and Toolbars” and “Panes” will not. 

Geometry/Model 

• Added “Construction Geometry - when used” preference. 

Allows you to choose how “construction geometry” will be handled in FEMAP after the construction geometry has 

been used by another geometry command. In simplest terms, “construction geometry” is a curve used to create a

10.1-80 


surface using certain methods on the “Geometry, Surface...” menu (Edge Curves, Aligned Curves, Ruled, Extrude, 

Revolve, and Sweep) or a surface or boundary surface used to create a solid via extruding or revolving. Construction 

geometry also includes any curves used by a “construction surface” and all points on “construction curves”. 

FEMAP has three options for handling “construction geometry”: 

0..Delete (default) - All “construction geometry” will be automatically deleted from the model after use by one of 

the geometry commands specified above. 

1..Move to NoPick Layer - Moves all “construction geometry” to layer “9999..Construction Layer”. Layer “9999” 

is always the default “NoPick Layer”. When an entity is on the “NoPick Layer” and that layer is visible entities can 

be seen but not graphically selected from the graphics window. You will need to change the “NoPick Layer” to 

“0..None” in order to select these entities graphically if you would like to use them again for any reason. 

2..Do Nothing - “Construction geometry” will not be moved to Layer “9999..Construction Layer” and will also not 

be deleted from the model. All “construction geometry” will remain in the model on the original layer and be available 

for graphical selection when the layer containing the geometry is visible. 

Note: 

The only option available for “construction geometry” in FEMAP prior to version 10, was “1..Move to 

NoPick Layer”, so set this option to have FEMAP handle construction geometry as it has in the past. 

• Added Output Orientation button which accesses the Current Output Orientation dialog box. 

This dialog box allows you to choose the default orientation of the “X” 

direction for different types of output for different element types. The 

options set in this dialog box will be the default values set for all new 

models. These options can be changed “on the fly” for a particular 

model when using the Model, Output, Transform command (see Section 

8.5.8, "Model, Output, Transform...") or when using the “Transformation” 

functionality of the View, Select command (see Section 

8.2.2.2, "Selecting Data for a Deformed or Contour Style"). 

The Current Output Orientation dialog box contains the “default” output 

orientation for both Plate and Solid elements. For plane elements, 

there is an option for each type of output data to transform (Stress, 

Strain, and Force), for each plane element shape that may appear in 

the model (Tria3, Tria6, Quad4, and Quad8). 

Defaults are for Nastran. Consult your analysis program’s documentation 

concerning the original coordinate system definition. 

There are two options for triangular elements (“0..First Edge” or 

“1..Midside Locations”) with the default being “0..First Edge” 

First Edge 

Midside Locations 

Node 1 Node 2 Node 1 Node 2 

“0..First Edge” orients the element X-direction to a vector between “Node 1” and “Node 2” of the element, while 

“1..Midside Locations” orients the element X-direction to a vector from the “midpoint” between “Node 1” and 

“Node 3” to the midpoint between “Node 2” and “Node 3”. 

There are three options for quadrilateral elements (“0..First Edge”, “1..Midside Locations”, or “2..Diagonal Bisector”) 

with “2..Diagonal Bisector” being the default.

Preferences 10.1-81 

First Edge Midside Locations Diagonal Bisector 

Node 3 Node 3 Node 3 

Node 4 Node 4 Node 4 

Node 1 Node 2 Node 1 Node 2 Node 1 Node 2 

“0..First Edge” orients the element X-direction to a vector between “Node 1” and “Node 2” of the element, while 

“1..Midside Locations” orients the element X-direction to a vector from the “midpoint” between “Node 1” and 

“Node 4” to the midpoint between “Node 2” and “Node 3”. “2..Diagonal Bisector” orients the X-direction of the 

elements to a vector originating from the point where a line from “Node 2” to “Node 4” intersects a line from 

“Node 1” to “Node 3” and extends out following a vector which bisects the angle from “Node 2” to the “Intersection 

point” to “Node 3”. 

For solids, there are three orientation options (“0..Material Direction”, “1..Global Rectangular”, or “2..Element”) 

for different material types associated with solid properties (Isotropic, Anisotropic, and Hyperelastic). 

Pressing the Reset button when the Current Output Orientation dialog box is accessed through the Preferences will 

reset all of the output orientation options to the default values set when FEMAP is first installed. 

• Added Element Distortion button which accesses the Element Distortion Preferences dialog box. 

This dialog box allows you to set default values used when checking 

element distortions. Also, you may choose which element 

checks will be “on” by default when using the Tools, Check, Distortion 

command. 

The Element Distortion checks are: 

•Aspect Ratio 

•Taper 

•Alternate Taper 

•Internal Angles 

•Warping 

•Nastran Warping 

•Tet Collapse 

•Jacobian 

•Combined 

See Section 7.4.5.6, "Tools, Check, Distortion..." for descriptions 

of the individual element distortion checks. 

The values set in this dialog box will be used for element distortion every time FEMAP is opened. If you change 

the values while FEMAP is open, those values will persist until that session of FEMAP has been closed. Pressing 

the Permanent button when using the Tools, Check, Distortion command will update these default values. 

• Added Pre-v10 Tet Meshing and Pre-v10 Surface Meshing preferences. The tetrahedral and surface meshing in 

FEMAP has dramatically changed for version 10. You will find in the “options” of several of the Mesh, Geometry... 

commands, there are check boxes to use the “pre-v10” meshers. These two switches in the preferences 

allow you to always use the “pre-v10” tetrahedral and/or surface meshing if you feel more comfortable with 

these meshers and the associated default values they use.

10.1-82 


Interfaces 

• Added Improve Single Field Precision option. When this option is on, FEMAP will write all values specified 

using “scientific notation” or longer than 8 characters to the Nastran input file without the “E” designation. For 

instance, a value such as “4.86111E-4” in FEMAP would appear in the Nastran input file as “4.8611-4” when 

this option is on instead of “4.861E-4”. Small field only. 

Colors 

• Added preference for setting the default color of Combined Curves. 

Spaceball 

• Added preference for Print Debug Messages.

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