OptiStruct Interface 2020 Release Notes

Altair HyperMesh

New Features

OptiStruct solver feature enhancements
This release includes critical enhancements from OptiStruct solver features released in 2019.1, 2019.2, 2020
Explicit Dynamics Solution
OptiStruct now supports Explicit Dynamics Solution. HyperMesh interface support includes OptiStruct Explicit Dynamics Solution. New HyperMesh entity Hourglass added to support HOURGLS card. This entity can be referenced in PSOLID/PLSOLID properties. Explicit time step TSTEPE add as load collector and this is referred in subcase selection TSTEPE in analysis type Explicit.
Arbitrary beam section HYPERBEAM
User can create arbitrary beam sections(Shell/Solid sections) from HYPERBEAM and assign to PBEAML/PBARL. Once assigned these beam sections will be exported as OptiStruct arbitrary beam section format.
VABS Input generation
HyperMesh can now generate input for VABS (Altair partner product). This is supported in OptiStruct Aero profile, Under Beams from lines tool.
Cohesive modeling
Cohesive elements can be modeled with penta first/second order (CIFPEN, CIFPEN12) or hexa first/second order (CIFHEX, CIFHEX16) solid elements. Corresponding cohesive material and property are supported as well. Cohesive modeling with damage is supported as new entity called ‘DAMAGE’ which supports damage initiation and damage evolution.
Edge to Edge contact for solids
Keyword “PSURF” is added as continuation line in CONTACT bulk data. PSURF continuation line will reference PSURF bulk data ids.

Enhancements

Compute inertia and mass properties using OptiStruct
Added new option in Tools pull down under Mass details to calculate mass properties from OptiStruct solver. You need to have solver executables installed to access this feature. The required information will be available from .hmcheck ascii file which is parsed by HyperMesh and showed in Mass details summary.
Migration of TABLEx cards to Curve entity
All the TABLEx cards are now mapped to curve entity. You can visualize multiple curves through curve editor. Additionally, you can import curve data from external files and export to .csv format as well.
Symbolic Substitution
Symbolic substitution provides flexibility to modify the input file to use parameterized input to define various data fields across the model. Currently, only real-valued data fields of entries in the bulk data section are supported for parameterization using symbolic substitution. Parameter entity is used to parameterize real value fields in Property and Material cards. Refer to the OptiStruct documentation for more details.
Fatigue Analysis
Fatigue process manager template enhanced with the following features:
  • Allow to update SN, spot & seam weld material properties into the same material
  • Plot SN Curve function should be updated for spot & seam weld types
  • Revamp UI for defining fatigue mat & prop data
  • Add support for all weld types when creating FATSEAM card
  • Support XGSET & XGRID attributes for FATDEF card
Modal Results Output
New entity ‘Modal results output’ added to support MODOUT solver card
Imperfection
The IMPERF Bulk Data and Subcase Entries can be used to apply an imperfection. An imperfection can be introduced into the model in the following ways:
  • TYPE=H3DRES on IMPERF Bulk Data: An h3d file is referenced which contains previously completed analysis results.
  • TYPE=GRID on IMPERF Bulk Data: The perturbation of grids can be directly applied.
Node to node contact
New Contact discretization type, Node to Node (N2N), is now supported. Slave/master of CONTACT Bulk Entry should be grid set.
Results output during job runtime for Nonlinear Analysis
With the presence of NLOUT Bulk/Subcase Entry, PARAM,IMPLOUT,YES/NO will allow you to turn on or off the output of results output during the job run time for nonlinear analysis.
OSSMOOTH Enhancements
OSSMOOTH enhanced to export geometries in JT format.
New Load Entities
OptiStruct loads (SPC, FORCE, PLOAD, etc.) are migrated to new HyperMesh entities. Along with this implementation, you can now create loads from solver browser and edit loads from entity editor. Some of the advantages with new load management are below:
  • Consolidation of loads by common attributes. For example, SID, Magnitude, etc.
  • Interrogation of loads are much powerful. For example, Review, Vector plot, Contour.
  • Advanced load option support
    • Apply pressure on Nodes
    • Apply Traction on axisymmetric elements
    • Apply pressure on 1D elements based on element orientation
  • Honoring solver recommendation. For example, Load on set.
  • Solver Browser performance enhancements to handle large number of loads.
New Set Segment Entity
Contact Surfaces entity is now migrated to the Set Segment entity. With this migration, the SURF/ELIST cards is now directly listed in the set segment entity.
Updated Keywords – PARAM card
PARAM,IMPLOUT allows an _impl.h3d to be available while the job is running.
This parameter limits the applicability of PARAM,PBUSHTF to PBUSH properties which:
  • Do not have corresponding PBUSHT entries, and
  • With PBUSH nominal values falling between the TRACAP/ROTCAP and TRACUT/ROTCUT values
PARAM, DISPFIC, YES/NO/ALLONLY, is added to control the output of fictitious grids for displacement output.
Remove include file reference based on export status
HyperMesh only. When exporting a solver deck, references to any includes are always written to the master model even if the include itself is set to "Do Not Export."

Resolved Issues

  • HyperMesh freezes while importing a bdf with more than one Super Element.
  • When you add a barrier mesh component in the free shape variable, the BMESH flag isn't exported
  • Segmentation error while using Ossmooth feature in FEA reanalysis with remesh option.
  • Fails to import input file with long user comments written from competitor preprocessor.
  • Neuber correction was missing in region identifier options in Entity Editor for static stress response.
  • Segmentation error while running OSSMOOTH to get STEP geometry.