A local coordinate system associated to a node and used for defining constraints and calculating results at that node.

ID, topology, parent geometry, number of nodes, applied loads and bcs, material, results.

The order of nodes in which the element is connected. Improper connectivity can cause improperly aligned normals and negative volume solid elements.

A constraint in the solution domain of the model.

A model that has identical features repeated about an axis. Some analysis codes such as MSC Nastran explicitly allow the identification of such features so that only one is modeled.

DOF, the variable being solved for in an analysis, usually a displacement or rotation for structural and temperature for thermal at a point.

In an MPC, the degree-of-freedom that is condensed out of the analysis before solving the system of equations.

Combining nodes which are coincident (within a distance of tolerance) with one another.

An MPC that is not interpreted by the analysis code but used directly as an equation in the solution.

1. A general technique for constructing approximate solutions to boundary value problems and which is particularly suited to the digital computer.

2. The Patran database entities point element, bar, tria, quad, tet, wedge and hex.

A geometry model that has been descritized into finite elements, material properties, loads and boundary conditions, and environment definitions which represent the problem to be solved.

Element edges shared by only one element.

Element faces shared by only one element.

An MPC that is first interpreted into one or more explicit MPCs prior to solution.

In an MPC, the degree-of-freedom that remains during the
solution phase.

Mapped meshing capability on curves, three- and four-sided biparametric surfaces and triparametric solids available from the Create, Mesh panel form.

The ratio of the maximum determinant of the Jacobian to the minimum determinant of the Jacobian is calculated for each element in the current group in the active viewport. This element shape test can be used to identify elements with interior corner angles far from 90 degrees or high order elements with misplaced midside nodes. A ratio close or equal to 1.0 is desired.

The determinant of the Jacobian (J) is calculated at all integration points for each element in the current group in the active viewport. The minimum value for each element is determined. This element shape test can be used to identify incorrectly shaped elements.
A well-formed element will have J positive at each Gauss point
and not greatly different from the value of J at other Gauss points. J approaches zero as an element vertex angle approaches 180 degrees.

Definition of all element topologies.

Multi-Point Constraint. Used to apply more sophisticated constraints on the FEM model such as sliding boundary conditions.

Uneven placement of node locations along a curve used to control node creation during meshing.

Direction perpendicular to the surface of an element. Positive direction determined by the cross-product of the local parametric directions in the surface. The normal is used to determine proper orientation of directional loads.

Renumbering nodes or elements to reduce the time of the analysis. Applies only to wavefront or bandwidth solvers.

Controls for mesh smoothing algorithm. Determines how fast and how smooth the resulting mesh is produced.

The path created by the interconnection of regular shaped geometry by keeping one or two constant parametric values.

General meshing of n-sided surfaces with any number of holes accessed from the Create/Mesh/Surface panel form.

A local coordinate frame associated to a node and used to output the location of the node in the Show, Node, Attribute panel. Also used in node editing to define the location of a node.

Change the IDs without changing attributes or associations.

Controlling the mesh density by defining the number of element edges along a geometry curve prior to meshing.

The basic shape of a finite element (i.e., tria or hex).

Two surfaces which are in contact and are allowed to move tangentially to one another.

A convenient way to group related implicit MPCs under one MPC description.

A term in an MPC equation which references a node ID, a degree-of-freedom and a coefficient (real value).

General meshing of n‑faced solids accessed from the Create/Mesh/Solid panel form.

The shape, node, edge, and face numbering which is invariant for a finite element.

The result of meshing geometry with two opposing edges which have different mesh seeds. Produces an irregular mesh.

For an implicit MPC, the method used to interpret for analysis.

Even placement of nodes along a curve.

Check the model for validity and correctness.