Patran is an analysis software system developed and maintained by MSC.Software Corporation. The core of the system is a finite element analysis pre and postprocessor. Several optional products are available including; advanced post processing programs, tightly coupled solvers, and interfaces to third party solvers. This document describes one of these interfaces.

The Patran Dytran interface provides a communication link between Patran and Dytran. It also provides for the customization of certain features in Patran.

Selecting Dytran as the analysis code preference in Patran activates the customization process. These customizations ensure that sufficient and appropriate data is generated for the Patran Dytran interface. Specifically, the Patran forms in five main areas are modified:

The interface is a fully integrated part of the Patran system. The casual user will never need to be aware that separate programs are being used. For the expert user, there are four main components of the preference: a PCL function, load_mscdytran(), which will load all Dytran specific definitions, like element types and material models, into a Patran database, mscdytran_template.db which contains all Dytran and MSC Nastran specific definitions, p3dytran to convert model data from a database into the analysis code input file and vice-versa, and dytranp3 to translate results and/or model data from the analysis code results file into a database.

The PCL function load_mscdytran() can be invoked by simply typing its name into the Patran command line. This will load Dytran specific definitions into the database currently opened. These specific definitions can be added to any database (which does not already contain Dytran specific definitions) at any time. Obviously, a database must be open for load_mscdytran() to operate correctly. See Dytran Preference Integration with Patran for complete information and a description of how to create a new template database.

p3dytran translates model data between the Patran database and the analysis code-specific input file format. This translation must have direct access to the originating database when an Dytran input file is being created. p3dytran also translates basic topology information from the code specific input files and imports that data into Patran.

dytranp3 translates results and/or model data from the analysis, code-specific results file into the Patran database. This program can be run so the data is loaded directly into the database, or if incompatible computer platforms are being used, an intermediate file can be created.

This release of the Patran Dytran interface provides support for reading Dytran input files. Nodes, elements, coordinate systems, materials, properties and lbcs are read from an input file.

Data read from an Dytran input file can also be read from LS-DYNA3D and PAMCRASH input files in the keyword format. In all cases the data should be imported into an empty database.