Description
Patran, a leading software for pre- and post-processing in Finite Element Analysis (FEA), has unveiled new features in its 2024.1 version. This update enhances Patran’s rotor dynamics functionalities, incorporates support for HDF5 and MSC Nastran Cards, integrates with the advanced high-performance solver in SOL400, and improves the graphical interface.
Patran 2024.1 Release Highlights
- Rotordynamics
The new Rotor dynamics capabilities offer faster, more user-friendly solutions. The updated graphical interface eases the flow of analysis and adds additional functionality.
A completely new user interface facilitates job setup for rotordynamics. The interface guides the user through multiple steps, allowing them to specify all relevant parameters, including rotation speed and rotor ID, which makes identifying the rotor in the post-processing phase easier.
Multiple rotors can now be included in the same analysis. Different rotors can also be modelled using different techniques, mixing 1D, 2D, and 3D models. The reference rotor can be easily identified, and different rotational speeds can be assigned to the rotors in the model. The correct critical frequency can also be assigned to each rotor.
Patran also completely supports nonlinear harmonic response for MSC Nastran SOL 128. In Patran 2024.1, harmonic elements (CQUADX/TRIAX/PAXSYMN) and rigid connections via RBAX3D connectors are now supported. Users can now specify loads and boundary conditions in a variety of formats (tabular, product, power, radial gap, squeeze film damper, and 3D bush loadings).
- Model Import via HDF5:
Patran 2023.4
Patran 2024.1 (with Contact Definition via HDF5 import)
- Composites enveloping:
Patran is now able to visually identify which elements (in each ply) have the maximum or minimum values of stress, strain, or any other available result.
- New Nastran Card Support: NLMOPTS,NLSSEL options for NLPERF:
- New Nastran Card Support: ACCEL and ACCEL1 Support:
- ACCEL1: This load type is applied at specified nodes, offering localized control over the analysis.
- ACCEL: ACCEL is uniformly applied across the entire model without specifying any application region.
- New Nastran Card Support: MDLPRM OFFDEF:
- Standard Nastran offsets (ELMOFF)
- Large Rotation offsets (LROFF)
- Graphical enhancements: Supports property and material-based rendering:
- Graphical enhancements- The streamlined ribbon menu corresponds with legacy Patran:
- Removal of legacy support for importing BDF and attaching OP2: