Processors Tab

The Processors tab is where you specify which processors (or solvers) you want to use by default for running simulations. You also specify error handling options for Nastran solutions within this tab.

Default Processor

An Analysis Type is listed, and a Default Processor choice given, only if an Autodesk Nastran solver is available for the analysis type. For unlisted analysis types, native Simulation Mechanical processors are always used.

As an alternative to the native Simulation Mechanical solvers, a Nastran processor is available for the following analysis types:

• Static Stress with Linear Material Models
• Natural Frequency (Modal)
• Natural Frequency (Modal) with Load Stiffening
• Critical Buckling Load
• Static Stress with Nonlinear Material Models
• Steady-State Heat Transfer

Note: The preceding list refers to analyses that can be solved within Simulation Mechanical using a Nastran solver. These types of analysis models can also be exported to the Autodesk Nastran Editor and solved there. There is one additional analysis type that you can solve using a Nastran processor—Dynamic Design Analysis Method (DDAM). However, you must export this analysis type to the Nastran Editor to solve it with the Nastran processor. You can solve DDAM analyses within Simulation Mechanical using the native processor only.

Processor Choices

For the six Nastran-supported analysis types listed above, the processor choices are:

• Automatic: Uses the Simulation Mechanical solver.
• SimMech: Uses the Simulation Mechanical solver.
• Nastran: Uses the Autodesk Nastran solver.

Tip: The options selected here control the action of the Analysis Analysis Run Simulation command. However, the default choice can be overridden. Click the down-arrow to expand the Run Simulation command. Then, choose either the Run with SimMech or the Run with Nastran sub-command to override the default processor setting.

Note: The Default Processor setting controls which solver is initially displayed within the Processor column of the Solver Manager.

Nastran Error Handling Options

Specify what the program will do when a Nastran solver returns an error message due to an incompatibility in the model. Examples of incompatibility errors are unsupported loads, material models, or element types.

There are two options listed in the Error Handling section of the Processors tab. The choices (selected by radio button) are:

• Cancel analysis: Stop after logging the error.
• Solve using SimMech processor: Automatically retry the solution using the native Simulation Mechanical solver.

Note: For errors other than those due to incompatibilities, the analysis will be canceled. In this case, if you want to try rerunning the analysis using the Simulation Mechanical solver, you must do so manually.