Quick Start Tutorials

Introduction

Quick start tutorials have been specifically designed with the new user in mind. Each procedure page begins with a video demonstrating how to perform the described steps, which are listed immediately below the video. Additional images and guidance have been provided relative to the main set of tutorials. However, the quick start tutorials are also applicable to the more experienced user.

Note: An Autodesk Nastran In-CAD add-in is available for Autodesk Inventor and for SolidWorks®. The images, animations, viewpoint navigation, and Ribbon Panel Command Name references within a quick start tutorial are based on the Nastran In-CAD add-in for Inventor. Analogous commands exist in the SolidWorks add-in, but the appearance, command location, navigation tools, or exact naming of the commands might be different. Additionally, the appearance of the model itself might be somewhat different between the two programs.

Attention: The results you obtain when running a tutorial may differ slightly from those shown in the images and animations within these Help pages. Please disregard insignificant differences in the results. However, if you see significant discrepancies (for example, in excess of 10 percent), double-check your work to ensure that you have exactly followed the outlined procedure.

Why do the results vary among different software versions?: As part of the ongoing development of the simulation software, adjustments are made to the meshing routine, element formulations, contact algorithms, default parameters, and so on. These refinements can lead to small differences in the results when comparing the output of different software versions. The images and animations within the tutorials are not necessarily revised to reflect insignificant changes in the results.

Model Datasets

You must download a dataset archive in order to complete a quick start tutorial. The download link is provided within the tutorial instructions. Open or locally save the target zip file and extract the model files to the folder of your choice on your hard drive.

There are two subfolders within the extracted content, one containing Autodesk Inventor CAD files and one containing SolidWorks® CAD files. Choose the appropriate folder and file set, depending upon which Autodesk Nastran In-CAD add-in you are using. The folder containing the model dataset will be your working folder for the quick start tutorial.

Command Reference Convention

When ribbon commands are referenced within a quick start tutorial, the following convention is used:

Ribbon_Tab_Name Panel_Name Command_Name

(Example: Autodesk Nastran Mesh Update All)

Either an icon or a partial image of the ribbon accompanies each command reference.

Default Settings

Several program settings are global and influence the behavior of every model. The following default settings were in effect when the tutorials were created. To ensure that the tutorial steps remain valid, maintain the settings as shown below. To access these settings, first enter the Autodesk Nastran In-CAD environment (Environments Autodesk Nastran In-CAD). Then, click System Default Settings from the Autodesk Nastran ribbon tab.

Note: The following default settings list is not comprehensive. Items omitted from the list have no important effect on the quick start tutorial setup or results. You can keep default or user-customized settings for items not included in the bullet list.

General: Nastran Wide Field Format Grid Points – Activated Nastran File Settings Auto Update Nastran File – Deactivated Solution Settings Prompt for Solution with Warnings – Deactivated Database Settings Save FE Modeling Data – Activated Max. Shear Generating Option – Max. Shear Mesher Setting Continuous Meshing – Activated Generated Nastran File Name – Model
Display Options: Display – All options activated except Free Edges Undeformed Edge Display Undeformed Edges – Activated Undeformed Edge Display Color – Red
Display Options Nodes: Nodes Node Display Options – Both options deactivated
Display Options Elements: Elements Element Display Options Display Labels – Deactivated
Post-Processing: General Automatic plot updating – Activated General Automatically Load Results – Activated
Tree Options: All Buckets and Mesh Model options activated