Element Properties Forms

Functional Assignments > Element Properties Application > 1.3 Element Properties Forms

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1.3 Element Properties Forms

The functions of the Element Properties menu are listed and described below in the order in which they appear on the menu.


Menu Pick	Action
Create ...	Input analysis code specific finite element property data and associate that data with selected FEM or geometric entities.
Modify ...	Make any modification desired to Existing Property Sets.
Delete ...	Remove element property sets from the database.
Show ...	Display tables listing FEM or geometric entities and their associated properties. Create scalar, vector, and marker plots of selected properties.

Create Element Property Sets

This form is used to both define element property data and associate that data with selected entities. Property data is intrinsically code specific, so be sure that the desired analysis code has been selected (see the Preferences/Analysis menu). Property sets have both an associated name and number.


Dimension	The element types are 2‑Dimensional. The options are: • 0D (e.g., mass) • 1D (e.g., beam) • 2D (e.g., shell) • 3D (solid)
Type	The options for the types of elements are analysis code specific. Refer to the Preference Guide or the analysis code User’s Guide for help.
Existing Property Sets	The names of previously defined property sets are listed in this databox. Select one if you want to use it as the template for the new set.
Property Set Name	Select this databox and give the set a new unique name (31 characters maximum). This databox will also allow existing property sets to be selected from the existing properties listbox or by selecting entities from the screen. If more than one unique property name results from a screen-pick, a Selection Listbox will appear, allowing the selection of a single property set name.
Options	The options selection databoxes that appear in this portion of the form are analysis code specific. Refer to the code users manual for help in making the desired selections.
Input Properties...	Select this databox to bring up the form used to input properties relevant to the type and option selected.
Select Members	Select this databox and enter the entity IDs which you want to add or remove from the Application Region. Type in directly or use the selection tools. These can either be FEM, ASM, or SGM entities.
Add Remove	These buttons are used to either Add or Remove the contents of the Select Members databox to/from the Application Region.
Application Region	These are the entities to which the property set will apply. You can add or remove members either by editing the contents directly, or by selecting members in the select box and pushing the Add or Remove buttons.


More Help:	Preference Guides	Application Modules
	• Patran ABAQUS • Patran ANSYS • Patran Marc • Patran MSC Nastran • Patran SAMCEF	• Patran FEA • Patran Thermal

Typical Element Properties Input Menu

There are different Input Properties menus for virtually all element types used in all analysis codes and their different analysis types. The menu below is the one for the homogeneous shell element in ABAQUS. It is typical of many of the different menus.


Material Name	Specific input items are listed in this column. Items in brackets are optional.
Value	Input the desired values in these databoxes. When names are selected for the listbox below, they will include a type prefix: “m”: for material name and “f”: for a field name.
Value Type	Each property has a value type. These are listed in this column for reference and indicating what the analysis code is expecting. Some properties may be one of several value types. In this case an option‑menu containing the valid value types will appear. Properties enclosed in [ ] are optional.
Field Definitions	This listbox will appear when Material Property Sets or Field Definitions may be used in the selected Value databox. Selecting a field or material will cause the name to appear in the Value databox. Read Section 3.2 Rules for Creating/Modifying/Applying Element Properties for use of Discrete FEM Fields.


More Help:	Preference Guides	Application Modules
	• Patran ABAQUS • Patran ANSYS • Patran MSC.Marc • Patran MSC Nastran • Patran SAMCEF	• Patran FEA • Patran Thermal • Patran Advanced FEA

Defining Vectors

When the “Value Type” for any data box in the Input Properties form is “Vector” a vector definition is expected. The general syntax for vectors is defined in The List Processor (p. 43) in the Patran Reference Manual. Element Properties extends this to allow an alternate coordinate system to be specified for interpreting the vector. This syntax is:

“vector_specification coordinate_frame”

A simple example is “<0 1 0> Coord 3”. The vector <0 1 0> is interpreted as being in coordinate system 3. If the vector needs to be in any other system, the appropriate transformation is done by Patran.

Any valid vector specification that can be generated by using the Select Menus or entered by hand may be followed by a coordinate frame. The coordinate frame is stored with the vector and is used whenever the vector is referenced for any purpose (eg. Display or analysis code translators).

When the Value Type for any data box is Vector and the data box is selected the following select box appears on the screen.

After a vector has been defined it may be verified by selecting the Show Action, the Property Name, and Display Method Vector Plot. The vectors defining the property will be shown on the model.

Users should be aware of possible difference between the Patran and analysis code definitions for vector properties. For example, in Patran the beam orientation is completely independent of the analysis coordinate system at the beam nodes. In MSC Nastran, the orientation vector is assumed to be defined in the same system as the analysis system at the first node of the beam. In PatranNastran it is perfectly permissible to define the orientation in a different coordinate system from that analysis system. When the MSC Nastran input file is generated, the necessary transformation of this vector to the analysis system at node 1 will be performed.

Modify Element Property Sets

Modifying an Element Property Set is functionally equivalent to creating new set using an old set as a template and then deleting the old set. This enables a complete generality in the type and scope of modifications that can be made.


Dimension	The dimensionality of the set can be changed. The options are:0D (e.g., mass) • 0D (e.g., mass) • 1D (e.g., beam) • 2D (e.g., shell) • 3D (solid)
Type	The options for the types of elements can be changed. These are analysis code specific. Refer to the Preference Guide or the analysis code user manual for help.
Select Prop. Set to Modify	The names of previously defined property sets are listed in this databox. Select one you want to modify.
New Property Set Name	Give the set a new name (31 characters maximum). This databox allows existing Property Sets to be selected from the existing properties listbox or by selecting entities from the screen. Existing property set names can also be manually entered.
Options	The options selection databoxes that appear in this portion of the form are analysis code specific. Refer to the code users manual for help in making desired modifications.
Select Members	Select this databox and input the entity IDs which you want to add or remove from the Application Region. Type in directly or use the selection tools.
Add Remove	These buttons are used to either Add or Remove the contents of the Select Members databox to/from the Application Region.
Application Region	These are the entities to which the property set will apply. You can add or remove members either by editing the contents directly, or by selecting members in the select box and pushing the Add or Remove buttons. Note: The set is not modified until Apply is selected. Wait for the green heartbeat before proceeding.

Delete Element Property Sets

Deleted Element Property Sets are removed from the database. They can only be restored if the “undo” icon is selected as the next subsequent action.


Prop. Sets By Name	The names of existing property sets appear in this listbox. As each one is selected, its name is echoed in the delete listbox below. This toggle enables Property Set Name databox. If this toggle is off, the databox will not be displayed.
Filter	Use the filter button to filter the Property set list.
Screen Picked Property Set	This databox allows existing Property Sets to be selected by selecting entities from the screen. All unique property sets associated with the screen-picked entities will be highlighted in the existing properties listbox above and echoed in the delete listbox below. Existing property set names can also be manually entered.
Auto Add/Remove	If On, properties selected in the top listbox are immediately removed and added to the bottom listbox, and properties selected in the bottom listbox are immediately removed and added to the top listbox. If Off, the Add and Remove buttons perform the same function manually.
Selected Property Sets	This databox lists the names of sets that will be deleted when Apply is selected. If you decide you do not want to delete a listed set, remove it from the list by selecting it.
Clear	Removes all properties from the listbox above and adds them to the top listbox. Note: The sets are not deleted until Apply is selected. Wait for the green heartbeat before proceeding.

Show Element Property Sets

“Show” in this form does not apply to showing the contents of an Element Property Set. Use the Create or Modify actions for that purpose. This form permits display of selected properties assigned to entities in the current viewport or in all groups. Property display can be either by table, by placing annotated markers or vectors on viewport displayed entities, or by creating a contour plot of the selected property on the model.


Existing Properties	This is a list of all of the types of properties that have been defined, regardless of set association, that are available to be shown. Select one. Note that names are displayed as their associated integer value in the graphical display. For example, property sets are given an integer ID in the order of their creation.
Type	The type of the selected property appears here (e.g., integer, real scalar).
Display Method	Select the desired method of display. The available options are Table, Plot Marker, and Plot Scalar. Table: Displays a table listing each element that has the selected property, the set name, data type, and data value. Marker Plot: Marker symbols are plotted at the center of each element or geometric entity along with the data value (e.g., set ID number). Vector Plot: Vectors are plotted at the center of each element or geometric entity. Scalar Plot: Makes a color contour plot of the data values on the model and displays a value spectrum bar. The default plot type is “Fringe‑Flat.” This can be changed in the Display/Entity Types menu. Note: To display properties assigned to geometric entities on their associated elements, select the “Display on FEM only” toggle in the Display/functional assignments menu pick. See Display>LBC/Element Property Attributes (p. 393) in the Patran Reference Manual for more information.

Show Element Properties in Tabular Format


Entitiy Column	The first column is a list of the entities that have the selected property (e.g., have a specified thickness).
Property Set Name Column	The second column lists the names of the Element Property Sets associated with the column 1 entity.
Data Type Column	The third column lists the type of data (e.g., integer, real scalar, field at nodes, etc.).
Value Column	The fourth column lists the data value. Fields are not evaluated. Use the Scalar Plot option to show field defined values.

Show Element Properties as a Scalar, Vector, or Marker Plot


Existing Properties	Select the type of property to be displayed. The type of the property appears immediately below as shown.
Display Method	Select the Marker Plot, Vector Plot, or Scalar Plot option. Marker Plot: Marker symbols are plotted at the center of each element along with the data value (e.g., set ID number). Scalar Plot: Makes a color contour plot of the data values on the model and displays a value spectrum bar. The default plot type is “Fringe‑Flat.” This can be changed in the Display/Entity Types menu. Vector Plot: Vectors are plotted at the center of each element or geometric entity.
Select Groups	Property display can be restricted to just those elements in selected groups in the current viewport, or can include all elements in all groups that have the selected property. Note: At least one group must be selected.
Fringe Attributes	See Display Attributes (p. 6) in the Results Postprocessing.


Note:	After completing the show action, the display will remain on the model. Scalar plots can be erased by changing their type to “Wireframe” in the Display/Entity Types menu. Markers are removed by turning off the “General Marker” display in the Display/Functional Assignments menu. The display can also be reset by pressing the “clear display” icon (broom).

Expand Element Properties

The Expand form will expand one element property assigned to many elements into many element properties assigned to one element each.


Prop. Sets By Name	List the properties by Name, ID, or Suffix. Then select the properties to expand.
Filter	Use the filter button to filter the Property set list.
Property Name Options	Prop Name.Elem ID is the original name of the property to be expanded. Elem ID is the ID of the element which the new property will be associated with. Use the Prefix or Suffix options to add a specific (maximum of 8 characters) Prefix or Suffix to the name of the new property.
Delete Original Property Sets	If checked, Patran will automatically delete the original (now empty) property set.

Compress Element Properties

You can use the Compress Element Properties form to select Property Sets to be compared against each other. Any duplicate sets are merged to the one with the first alphanumeric name..


Action	Choose the object dimension or any object dimension.
Object	Select the type or any to be compressed.
Type	Choose the method by which the property sets will be sorted.
Prop. Sets By Name	The names of existing property sets appear in this listbox. As each one is selected, its name is echoed in the Selected Property Sets listbox below.
Filter	Use the filter button to filter the Property set list.
Screen Picked Property Set	Allows picking a property by picking an entity that references that property.
Auto Add/Remove	If On, properties selected in the top listbox are immediately removed and added to the bottom listbox, and properties selected in the bottom listbox are immediately removed and added to the top listbox. If Off, the Add and Remove buttons perform the same function manually.
Selected Property Sets	This databox lists the names of sets that will be compressed when Apply is selected. If you decide you do not want to compress a listed set, remove it from the list by selecting it.
Apply	This button causes all of the sets in the Selected Property Sets listbox to be compared against each other. Any duplicate sets are merged to the one with the first alphanumeric name. The Significant Digits value can be changed based on the precision desired (Default = 3). The sets that are merged are deleted. Compression information is written to the file "compress.prop.rpt" in your current directory unless a preference is set false with the following command: pref_env_set_logical( "property_compress_file_write", FALSE )