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| Use the best Nastran for Windows to complete your FEA software
projects. We offer MSC Nastran software. Use our
collaborative mechanical simulation product, computer aided
engineering, including software, maintenance and professional services. MSC.Nastran for Windows products address a wide variety of engineering applications, from the design of surgical equipment and circuit breakers to the more unusual needs of the entertainment industry. MSC.Nastran 4D (vN4D), is a Windows®-based engineering tool ideal for the mechanical engineer who designs products with moving components. This unique application merges motion and stress analysis into a single functional modeling system. Engineers can now test the dynamics of their assemblies before manufacturing and find out if it will break, without building physical prototypes, thereby driving down development costs and producing more reliable products. Verify your designs by applying real, physics-based motion, then use those results to run a preliminary stress analysis to identify failure points. You can even test your controls system with MATLAB®, Simulink® and MSC.visualNastran 4D.
"Anything that
moves can be simulated in MSC.visualNastran 4D." Simulation with vN4D saves 4 months in Rotary Engine Development . Without MSC.visualNastran 4D’s (vN4D) ability to test design concepts quickly and accurately with dynamic motion simulation, an innovative rotary engine development program might have been shelved. This advanced engine is being developed by ColTech Inc. for use by the military as a small, rugged (gun-launchable), internal combustion engine with applications in aircraft propulsion and power generation. According to Derreck Keith, a Technical Specialist at ColTech Inc., "MSC.visualNastran 4D saved several fundamental mistakes, which could have caused four months delay. Had we not run the simulation, we would have scrapped two or three engine sets before discovering the problems." The specifications for this novel engine are aggressive. It is required to fit in a 5-inch diameter cylinder, be less than 18 inches in length, output 4 horsepower, weigh less than 5 pounds and consume less than 1 gallon of fuel per hour at 70% power. The first application for this engine was in an unmanned aerial vehicle, called the Forward Air Support Munitions, a gun-launched surveillance, targeting and precision delivery air vehicle. Many engineering development issues faced by this project were particularly well suited for analysis using MSC.visualNastran 4D. The rotary engine’s timing and control is through a four-bar linkage running inside a peanut-shaped internal cam. In order to improve efficiency of the engine, the cam profile was changed from a single plane cam profile to a dual plane cam profile, which created problems. Simulations run using vN4D indicated that the compression ratio and volumetric displacement numbers were lower than they should have been and helped identify the problem - that the roller position on the cams was critical. Because it is a permanent assembly, any engine re-work would have required new castings, and additional machining and assembly. Building a complete set of parts and assembly time for this type of rotary engine requires four to six months. Mr. Keith said, "Basically, we caught the assembly issues early enough to have the rollers assembled correctly because of vN4D." The productivity enhancements at ColTech due to vN4D were even greater because of vN4D’s ability to integrate with all major CAD packages. ColTech Inc. uses Solid Edge™ (SE) as their solid modeling tool. From within SE a single menu selection communicates all geometry and constraint information to vN4D, eliminating tedious translation of data. Mr. Keith said, "Once the initial constraints have been optimized any future changes go quickly and require almost no cleanup, usually just a check." One of the most complex areas of the engine was the housing containing the ports, sparkplugs and prechamber. Simulation with MSC.visualNastran 4D was extremely valuable in the development of the combustion process, specifically including port timing. The volumetric change of the chamber was not easily predicted by a spreadsheet. Mr. Keith explained, "vN4D allowed us to overlay different port geometry and port locations. Before we started cutting metal, we ran numerous simulations that allowed us to converge on the best port location and a design for that area. The only other way to optimize that part of the model would have been by cutting holes in the prototype with a drill and that would have taken months." Another issue resolved by vN4D was demonstrating to the military how the engine would work. Mr. Keith explained, "We created videos to show the military. You can try and explain the workings of the engines to people and you get a lot of blank stares. We used the video that explained how the engine worked and people’s eyes would light up." MSC.Software, the established information technology provider, successfully combines knowledge resources and experience to help over 9000 companies worldwide develop better products faster. Number one in the product simulation market, our software, systems and services enhance and automate the product design and manufacturing process. Simulating product performance reduces development costs, time to market and warranty costs. __________________________________________________________ Complete physical testing in a virtual environment "By coupling
dynamic motion analysis with the power of FEA, MSC.visualNastran 4D has created
a powerful mechanical tool."
If you've ever used a Windows® application, than you can use MSC.visualNastran 4D...and learning is easy. The interface looks just like your CAD system, with the added power & flexibility of a dedicated engineering environment. (FREE Getting Started CD included with every purchase.)
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