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 postprocessing programs, tightly coupled solvers, and interfaces to third party solvers. This document describes one of these interfaces.

The Patran MD Nastran interface provides a communication link between Patran and MD Nastran. It also provides for the customization of certain features in Patran. The interface is a fully integrated part of the Patran system.

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

More information on these topics is contained in Preference Configuration and Implementation (App. A).

The amount of information that needs to be conveyed in the MD Nastran Input file for a SOL 700 analysis is extensive for even a modest size model. The amount of information and the complexity of most models makes it virtually impossible to generate the MD Nastran Input file with a text editor alone. Patran provides a graphical user interface, an extensive line of model building tools that you can use to construct and view your SOL 700 model, and generate a MD Nastran Input file for SOL 700.

When using Patran as a preprocessor for SOL 700, you are required to specify an analysis code. Selecting MD Nastran Explicit Nonlinear (SOL 700) as the analysis code under the Analysis Preference menu, customizes Patran in five main areas:

The analysis preference also specifies that the model information be output in the MD Nastran Input File format.