FEMAP Tutorial Guide

Getting Started with Femap

Welcome to the Getting Started with Femap tutorial series

In this tutorial, we'll use Femap to go through the steps of creating and setting up a finite element model, analyzing it with NX Nastran, and reviewing the results.

Why did we create this guide?

We created this guide for anyone that is trying to learn the basics of Femap. This guide covers fundamental processes in Femap such as CAD import, cleaning geometry, creating the finite element mesh, running an analysis, and making use of the analysis data.

Who are we?

We are a team of structural engineers that use Femap and NX Nastran to work on projects such as the NASA Orion Crew Module and WFIRST Telescope.
We use our expertise in Femap with NX Nastran to provide applied support and training to our software customers.

Part 1: User Interface

In this section we will take a tour of Femap's user interface. We’ll look at the main components of the user interface, including the maps command interface, graphics windows, and tabbed and dockable panes.
      Femap Graphical User Interface (GUI) appears when you launch Femap

Part 2: Geometry Import and Cleanup

In this section we’ll start on the simulation process and see how to import CAD-generated geometry and clean it up so that it's ready for further pre-processing.
      Femap geometry cleanup

Part 3: Preprocessing

In this section will continue the simulation process and define materials, element properties, and boundary conditions to the model.
      Femap define materials, element properties, and boundary conditions

Part 4: Meshing

In this section we'll continue the simulation process and mesh the geometry to create the finite element model. Then we'll set up the analysis parameters using Femap’s analysis sets manager.
      Femap create mesh

Part 5: Postprocessing

In this section we'll review the results calculated by an NX Nastran and post-process the data in Femap.
      femap postprocessing results

Part 6: Automation

In this section we'll look at using program files and APIs to accelerate repetitive tasks or handle custom requirements in your particular workflow.
      femap automation using APIs

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