ANSA v17.1.0 Release Notes

Beta lm SetUp Guide
Release Notes
v17.1.0
BETA CAE Systems 1

ANSA v17.1.0 Release Notes Introduction
BETA CAE Systems International AG

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BETA CAE Systems 1

ANSA v17.1.0 Release Notes Introduction
1. Introduction
This document contains all the information about new features and problems fixed during development of
ANSA from version 17.0.4 to version 17.1.0.
NOTES:
ANSA databases saved by ANSA v17.x.x cannot be opened by v16.x.x or previous versions.
Copyright notes:
All other company and product names mentioned in the software and its documentation are property, trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective owners.
BETA CAE Systems 2

ANSA v17.1.0 Release Notes What's New
2. Whats new in v17.1.0

Enhancements New Options New Features
General
File Quit
When multiple models have been loaded, the warning window when quitting gives the
possibility to save either the current model or all.
[Incident: ANSA-49867]
Utilities Annotations
The measurements entities can now be used as annotation anchors. The
measurement name is automatically displayed as annotation name too.
[Incident: 60319, ANSA-38738]
Isolate>Baffles
The function now works also on unmeshed geometry.
File Manager The Home button is now provided in order to change directly to the current working
directory.
Toolbars A toolbar's frame is now drawn around it for easier identification when it not docked
and lays on top of other widgets.
[Incident: 39340]
BETA CAE Systems 3

Working Area A Ruler / Spacer is now available in workspace area. Appearance is controlled via
Windows>Rulers.
[Incident: 33479 , ANSA-20608]
Search Engine New option is available to show the location of the function/option/tool at the
interface. The option Highlight activated button can be activated through the Search
Engine settings button.
User Attributes Accepted values of user defined attributes can now be set and modified by users.
BETA CAE Systems 4

CAD Import / Export

Import CATIA
It is now possible to read 3dxml files (CATIA V6).
JT
Both reading of a JT file and output to JT format require the existence of the additional
"ANSA_JT_OPEN" feature in the ANSA license. This applies since ANSa version 16.2.4
but that was not documented.
Neutral Files
When the option 'Create PID based on Layer' is activated, the description of the
corresponding keyword is referenced in the Comments field of the Properties card
Export Linked faces can now also be exported in any neutral format (igs, step, etc.). A dialog box
is provided to choose whether to keep them or not.
CAD to ANSA Translators
The destination file path for the files to be translated can now be directly modified by the side button
provided.
BETA CAE Systems 5

Post actions (functions) can now be inserted for both CAD to ANSA Translators (stand alone) and
Translator settings in ANSA.
This can be set through Settings>Post Actions or Settings>General Settings.
The corresponding command line arguments and the corresponding defaults keywords of the currently
selected translation options can easily be seen by pressing the "Script/Cmd >" button.
IGES: 3D Point names are now transferred to the name field of the points.
GUI
A toolbar's frame is drawn around for easier identification when it is not docked and lays on top of other
windows.
[Incident: META-13126]
Improved performance when saving images in cases a META session is executed after connecting to a
remote machine using ssh -X or -virtualx.
Prerequisite for this is to have NVIDIA driver later than 355.
New running option -egl_gpu <gpu id or -1 for autoselect) to set GPU to use for EGL offscreen
rendering.
BETA CAE Systems 6

The option to save data either in .txt or .html format from the Monitor window is now provided.
Also, the script function SaveMonitorToTxt() has been added in python and betascript, in order to save
the monitor text in .txt format (the existing script function SaveMonitor() saves it in html format).
Views Pan-Rotate-Zoom
Toolbar
A new option is available which enables Panning, Rotating and Zooming using only the
mouse.
Coordinate It is now supported the control of the colors of the global coordinate system axes. This is
System possible through:
Tools>Settings>GUI Settings
Settings Graphics
Graphics card has been updated, with the following changes applied:
LIST, TWO-SIDED and QUAD controls have been removed.
The benchmark button now executes the benchmark taking into account the
currently selected controls, without the need to press the Apply button first.
The CTRL and SHIFT checkboxes have been removed. By pressing the
Benchmark button, 3 benchmarks run, one for each case: no button pressed,
CTRL pressed, CTRL + SHIFT pressed.
Scripting ansa.guitk.BCListViewHeaderSetColorLine()
New Python script function has been added in order to draw a solid color line for each
column at the header of a List View, implying variety/grouping of entities by column.
BETA CAE Systems 7

Model Browser
All the entities that are assigned to Subsystems are now further categorized into:
Geometry, Connections, Interfaces and Model Set-up entities.
Several Subsystems are brought together in order to form a higher level assembly through the
Simulation Model. Under a Simulation Model, the data are categorized into:
Subsystems
Connections: This category contains the connection and connector entities that connect
subsystems together
Model set-up entities: This new category contains all additional entities that are added on top of
an assembled Simulation Model to make it suitable for an analysis. These may be sets,
contacts, output request, etc.
BETA CAE Systems 8

The model organization entities (i.e. Subsystems, Simulation Models) can now identify and collect the
Model Set Up Entities which are internal to them.
The attribute "Status" has been added to parts and sub-systems for use with ANSA DM. Accepted
values, displaying the status, are Work in Progress, OK, Warning and Error and are presented
color-coded.
Synchronization of Subsystems and Includes

The contents of Subsystems and corresponding Includes are synchronized and the relationship between
Subsystems and Includes becomes more transparent to the user.
- The moment a subsystem is generated, an Include is automatically created in the background
- An "OUT OF SUBSYSTEMS" category appears in the Model Browser, listing all entities that have not
been assigned to any Subsystem.
- Any kind of entity can be dropped onto a Subsystem and not only Parts and Includes as it used to be
in the past.
It is now possible to define User Actions for Model Browser entities (ex. Parts, Subsystems,
Configurations, Simulation Models etc.). The User Actions are script based functions that are available
through the context menu of the respective items.
BETA CAE Systems 9

It is now possible to create and delete relationships between Model Browser entities (ex. Parts, Groups,
Subsystems, Simulation Models, etc.) using the AddToModelContainer() and
RemoveFromModelContainer() script functions.
It is now possible to specify certain accepted values for the User Attributes of ANSA entities.
The ability to save a Loadcase as a library item has been added in Loadcase Assistant. A Loadcase can
now be saved as .ansadb and can be used in another database by merging it to the new database.
New option has been added in order to import a Loadcase, already created with Loadcase Assistant,
directly in Model Browser from the Reference Library.
Option New LoadCase from existing has been added in the context menu of Loadcases, as well as in
the New menu of the Loadcase toolbar, in order to use an already created Loadcase with Loadcase
Assistant.
Drag'n'drop option is also available, as a Loadcase Header can be dragged from the Database Browser
and dropped in the Model Browser > Loadcase tab, either as a pre-existing Loadcase (to automatically
turn into an NVH Loadcase type), or in the "New Loadcase" item (in order to quickly create the
loadcase, under the name of the Loadcase Header).
Numbering rules can now be assigned to Subsystems. In case that a Subsystem is assigned numbering
rules, its contents are checked versus the specified rules during Save in DM.
LoadCase
The options have been renamed and new ones have been added:
LoadCase from scratch is the old New LoadCase
LoadCase from Assistant is the old New NVH LoadCase
LoadCase from Reference Library is the new option to create a LoadCase Setup Assistant
through Reference Library
Mass field in Model Browser is now automatically updated for every modification of Material Density.
BETA CAE Systems 10

Meta viewer appears as a separate tab in the "Side Panel" of Model Browser, along the "References"
and "Table View" tabs.
Several operations are now supported for Subsystems through the Actions option of the context menu. It
is now possible to define Subcontainer Rules, Numbering Rule and Offset.
Subsystems Now it is possible to create and/or use existing Nastran Super elements as subsytems in
Model Browser.
Scripting Support of the function base.CreateConfigurations() which creates configurations from

existing Variant Conditions.
The Base.GetGeometryOutOfSubsystems() returns the

GEOMETRY_OUT_OF_SUBSYSTEMS subsystem.
Compare
Multi Model Merge Models Options are now saved in ANSA defaults and can be handled through
Settings>ANSA defaults. The following options are available:
target_model = Master Model | New Model
delete_source_model = false | true
offset_option = Offset Slave | Offset Slave, only conflicts | Custom Options
BETA CAE Systems 11

Multi Model Save All option has been added under File menu, in order to save all loaded
ANSA models as individual ANSA databases, without the need of activating each
model first.
Auto save option now supports saving all available ANSA Models
New optional argument model has been added in Save script function, as follows:
base.Save('all'/'active'/'model_id')
Settings Advanced > Geometry [Consider bounds]

New options have been added, in order to perform comparison of CONS when
identifying differences between two models.
Advanced > Geometry [Consider bounds]

Compare tool now performs a comparison of CONS, when identifying differences
between two models.
[Incident: ANSA-52747, ANSA-52759]
Scripting The functionality of Compare Tool is now provided through a python class which was
introduced to facilitate the comparison between two models and the handling of the
identified differences in batch mode. The models to be compared are specified and set as
input arguments to the CompareTool python class. The created object has the following
methods:
- run, which executes the comparison between the defined models,
- show_results, which launches the Compare Report window displaying the results list,
- generate_report, which creates the Comparison Report with the identified differences in
parts and connections,
- save, which saves the comparison results in an *.ansa_compare file, and
- get_matched_parts, which provides the parts that were found (with and without
differences) in both models.
Furthermore, a comparison python object can be directly created by opening an existing
*.ansa_compare file through the open class method.
Data Management
Numbering rules can now be assigned to Subsystems. In case that a Subsystem is assigned numbering
rules, its contents are checked versus the specified rules during Save in DM.
DM Significant improvement is now achieved in terms of speed upon switching from default
Browser view to list view in cases of many items.
BETA CAE Systems 12

Scripting Product Tree Editor

It is now possible to define different user attributes to instances of the same part/group,
using the function base.NewPTInstance().
base.NewPTInstance() function: It is now possible to define different user attributes to

instances of the same part/group.
Connections & Assembly
SeamLines SOLID-WELD
The weld position of the connection line has been enhanced, so that whenever it is
defined, it will be internally correctly moved to the weld start and used as height vector,
even for seams with curvature/direction changes.
Assembly Bolt
The options in Create Entities section can now be saved in the ANSA.defaults file.
Bolt
In all FE-representations that support mesh reconstruction around holes, the node
number can be now automatically calculated, based on the existing average element
length around the holes, by using the new option "auto" in the "Node Num Def" parameter
under the 'Node Num' field.
Convert
The Convert FE to Connection Point functionality can now recognize and convert FE
models to SOLID NUGGET (RBE3) spotwelds.
SeamLines SOLID-WELD
The weld position of the connection line has been enhanced, so that whenever it is
defined, it will be internally correctly moved to the weld start and used as height vector,
even for seams with curvature/direction changes.
Subsystem Assembly Point

Assemblies
Geometrical Points can no longer be picked when creating an Assembly Point.
BETA CAE Systems 13

User It is now possible to specify the color of each value of connection User Attributes through
Attributes the UserAttribute colors Function option in Connection>Settings>General.
Checks Connections
The option Min / Max distance now returns all errors in connections with more than 2 parts
in connectivity.
Connections > Check double connections

Image tooltips and images for checking double connections have been added, displayed
for the "Spot Distance" and "Factor" parameters.
Settings Settings>Connections>General>User Attribute colors Function

Now, colors for each Attribute value can be defined through a script, even for none
existing attribute values that might exist later in database.
The script provides 2 arguments.
1. The Attribute name that is drawn.
2. A list with all existing Attribute values.
The script should return a dictionary with the color (in RGB list) per attribute value.
None existing Attribute values are ignored.
Connections>FE Rep Reference Properties

An X symbol button has been added in the list, in order to remove a defined setting from
the Reference Library.
BETA CAE Systems 14

FE Representations
BOLT The option to Auto for the nodal numbering is now also provided in the drop-down
list at Search_For_Hole>Node_num>Node_Num_Value.
This calculates the optimum number of nodes, trying to respect the given mesh
parameters.
In cases of mesh reconstruction around holes, the node number can be

automatically calculated based on the existing average element length around the
holes, using the new option "auto" in the "Node Num Def" field.
The Expand Interface option is now available in case of searching for holes.
BOLT, The option Expand Interface is now supported.

BOLT_ON_SOLID
RBE2, RBE2- For Seamlines it is now possible to attache on beam elements.

CBEAM
RBE2, RBE2 and RBE2-CBEAM seamlines can now attach on beam nodes.
RBE2-CBEAM
SOLID NUGGET Flange Treatment (Create Rosette) is now also available also when the RBE3
scheme is used.
ROBSCAN It is now possible to define ROBSCAN patterns that consists of more than one
polylines, through Connection Settings > Robscan Settings.
BETA CAE Systems 15

Scripting Script function connections.ReplaceConnectivity(), which replaces one connectivity entity

by another, now also works for GEBs and connector entities.
Topo
General The functionality of Record toolbar has been improved, supporting more functions.
Record toolbar can be used to record the operations of ANSA in TOPO menu and then
saves them as a python script that can be used to repeat similar operations on another
model.
Hot Points Weld Spot

The function Mark/Unmark has been incorporated.
Faces Mid.Surface>Check Middle Surface

It is now also possible to detect missing solid description, listing the areas in a separate
tab. This is useful when the solid description part is changed with an updated one for
example.
BETA CAE Systems 16

Faces Middle [Single]

It is now available the option (in Options List) to control whether to keep visible or not
the initial faces from which the middle one is generated.
Flange [Compatible]
The function now processes triple bound CONs too.
The option to control the properties of the new/modified faces is now provided
upon the selection of a flange item from the list. In addition, it is now provided
the option to control the ANSA Parts assignment.
[Incident: 38534, ANSA-46706, ANSA-40583, ANSA-40830, ANSA-38411, 59860]
Flange [Compatible]
Joined Perimeters were released after applying the function Compatible Flanges, even
when not necessary.
Plane Cut [Single]

The option to release CONs/edges at the plane location, is now available. This may help
when selecting area.
Modify
New possibilities are supported:
Remove joined CONs (brown)
Pick and join single bound CONs (red), recreating the underlying surface of the
involved faces. This advances the fixing of geometrical errors.
Orient>Auto
See Shell Mesh>Macros section.
BETA CAE Systems 17

Curves Cons2Curves
Function also supports the option to automatically connect the resulting curve
segments.
Points Rm.Dbl
New function is supported which deletes duplicate 3D Points withing a user specified
distance.
New > Num.Input

x, y, z coordinates can accept any mathematical function as input.
Scripting Support of the function base.FacesFuseProximities(), corresponding to the GUI function

Faces>Fuse [Proximities].
The argument base.constants.FRONT_SELECTION is added in base.PickEntities()

script function, in order to select entities in the front side only.
New script function base.HotPointsMarkUnmark(), both in python and beta scripting

language that marks/unmarks points.
Support of the function base.ReleaseVolumes(). This function disconnects geometrical

volumes that have been topologically pasted, like Topo>Cons>Release>Volumes.
New function base.HotPointsWeldSpot() to define Welding Spots (magenta circle with

cross) or 3D points (cyan squares) at an indicated position on a selected Face.
Support of the function base.PointsRelative to create 3d points relative to points.

New function base.DeletePoints() is supported for both python and Beta scripts.
New script function base.FacesFuseProject() available for python and betascript.

Support of the functions base.PointsOnCurve() and base.PointsInLine() in both Beta

and Python language.
BETA CAE Systems 18

Shell Mesh
Grids Thickness>Set Advanced

The Middle Mouse Button can be used as alternative way of pressing the Apply button.
Thickness[Convert]
It is now possible to convert the nodal to property thickness (with a defined step) and
vice versa. The relevant script function is also supported (see below).
[Incident: ANSA-26156, ANSA-39622, ANSA-34975]
Align
It is now possible to insert the distance in the Offset field, by pressing F1 or ? and
then picking a node. The distance between the align object (plane, curve, etc.) and this
node is automatically calculated and inserted.
F1 ?
Align
The option to isospace the aligned nodes is now provided when the alignment guide is
either points or a single Curve/CONs.
Perimeters Num+/-
The option to apply Reconstruct is now also provided in the Options List. This benefits
by modifying the mesh locally on the affected perimeter, and not on the entire
macroarea.
Spacing > Auto STL

Minimum length parameter has been added.
BETA CAE Systems 19

Macros Orient>Auto
New function is now supported which detects volumes with inverted orientation with
reference to the selected option Grey side or Yellow side and orientates them
accordingly.
A relevant check is also supported as Checks>Mesh>Orientation.
Mesh STL
Generation
Minimum length parameter has been added in STL generator.
Shell Mesh Volumize

The option to control the final thickness of the C.Nodes (nodes on the boundary
between different pids) is now provided. The available options are Average, Maximum
and Minimum.
Elements Vol.Shell
The Part/Property names for the new shells are now taken from the solid properties
along with a "Skin" prefix.
[Incident: 62470, ANSA-40269, ANSA-45116]
Checks Mesh>Symmetry Plane (CFD Decks)

New check for Symmetry BC type of CFD Decks with right click option to fix any nodes
away from the plane.
Penetration > Proximities

The option to identify proximities on unmeshed macros is now supported. In order to
use this functionality, Checks > Penetration> Proximities must be used with the option
"Search by absolute distance" activated.
Mesh>Sharp Edges
Support of new options to choose the sharp edge type among All, Concave, Convex or
Mixed. The definition is according to the gray side.
BETA CAE Systems 20

Checks Mesh>Orientation
New check is now supported, which detects areas not properly oriented. This can be
applied either on macroareas (meshed and unmeshed) or FE mesh. A Fix is also
provided.
Scripting Support of the function base.CreatePropertiesFromShellsThickness() which converts

variable element thickness to property thickness, creating new pids according to the
given thickness step.
Volume Mesh
Volumes Define>Manual
The highlight of Errors regarding Single and/or Triple boundaries of volume definition,
has been improved.
Define>Auto Detect
The option to perform diagnostic checks is now also provided.
List>Info
Window is now redesigned to show histogram plot of the quality statistics. In addition
the quality check is faster.
Quality statistics are now supported also for layers and hexablock volumes displaying
the Fluent Equiarea skewness for hexa and penta elements.
BETA CAE Systems 21

Unstructured Hexa Interior / Hexa Poly

Mesh
Support of the option "Do not allow length violation inside Size Boxes for HexaInterior
and HexaPoly algorithms" so that max imposed length is strictly controlled.
This option can be found at Tools>Settings.
Tetra Rapid
The algorithm has been enhanced in order to generate fewer elements, especially when
high growth rate values are used.
The option to set "Freeze volume skin" in Volume Mesh > Improve > Smooth is now
Improve
saved in ANSA.defaults.
The full path to this option can be found under:
Tools > Settings > ANSA.defaults > Volume Mesh Options > Smooth Options >
freeze_volumes_skin
Tools Voxel
The "Different properties per volume" option has been added, which creates different
solid properties of voxel elements for each predefined volume.
The script function mesh.VoxelGeneration() provides this relevant argument too.
Cavity[Wrap]
It is now possible to set different feature set for each volume. This is available at
Volume step.
In addition, the quality is improved by avoiding sharp edges and intersections.
Checks Mesh>Negative Volume

To achieve better mesh quality, Fix Quality algorithm runs along with this check.
In addition, when skin bounds are not frozen, a warning window will prompt to freeze the
bounds if necessary, by switching the options in the Options List.
BETA CAE Systems 22

Checks Mesh>Tetras on Boundary

Support of a check which detects tetrahedral elements with all four nodes lying on the
external boundary of a volume (no internal nodes). The Fix option reconstructs the tetra
mesh appropriately.
Mesh > One Row Tetras

Addition of a new check "One Row Tetras", in order to check the number of solids
between thin walls.
This check has a default fix and can be applied to all non-CFD decks, plus MOLDEX3D
deck.
Scripting The function mesh.xyzIsInsideVolumeMatrix() supports an additional optional argument

to return all volume ids a point belongs to.
Batch Meshing
The perimeter joining operation has been improved so as to avoid excessively large macroareas and
small remaining Perimeters.
DECKs
Input / Output CGNS: Support of 2D models.

It is now supported the option to scale model dimensions, in the input and output
parameters window. This is available for all CFD and STL formats.
[Incident: ANSA-20319, ANSA-13564, ANSA-37942, ANSA-14225]
Input A new option has been added in the Filter tab of the Input Parameters window which
enables the filtering of the desired entity types to be loaded from the incoming solver
deck file.
BETA CAE Systems 23

Input COORDs
Undefined coordinate systems are now supported for all Decks.
This means that when a file from any solver is input in ANSA and there are entities
referencing a coordinate system that does not exist, the information of this coordinate
system is not lost from the entities.
On the other hand, as soon as a coordinate system with the same id is input in ANSA,
then this is used accordingly from the respective entities.
I-DEAS
Support of a new option to put geometry files in new Include.
M00 xml format

Connection Lines of M00 xml format are implemented and supported as single points,
grouped by a connector ID.
The type and subtype of the connector, as well as the connector ID, can be found
within the connection card as user attributes, under the User/ group, with names
M00_CONNECTOR_TYPE, M00_CONNECTOR_SUBTYPE and
M00_CONNECTOR_ID. Connections with same type, subtype and ID will be grouped
to the same connector.
File Input Analytics

The option 'Total' is now an active link, listing all messages, warnings and errors.
Enhanced support of VRML format is now insured upon input.

Output JT
The option to export spotweld connection entities is now available. Their geometry is
represented as sphere with user-defined diameter and with the following
characteristics:
1) They are organized in groups based on their connectivity number. This grouping
allows the easier handling of them in third party software.
2) They are colored with the same color that ANSA is using for organizing them
according to their connectivity number
BETA CAE Systems 24

Output Output Parameters > Visible

A warning message is now displayed in ANSA Info window, when a contact is visible,
but some (or all) of its nodes/elements are not visible.
The coordinate system, referenced in LC Points is now also exported as comments in

the respective alc_aux file.
General Auto Save

The option to ask when it is time for auto save is now available under the
Tools>Settings>General.
Tooltips of Solver entity cards, e.g. Property cards, have been improved in order to
avoid conflicts with fields having the same label in the same card and are now now
updated so as to show the correct information.
Fringe>EL.STRESS/STRAIN
Support of the options to visualize Von Mises or Principal Top/Bottom stresses/strains.
FATXML format
Material definition ("CAE_MAT" keyword) is now supported upon import/ export.
It is now possible to automatically execute a user script when confirming a card in

order to verify custom checks of the card's values.
Coordinates The Ansa option of Defined [Yes/No] is supported for the cards of local coordinate
systems. This option controls whether the coordinate system will be exported or not.
ELEMENTs>Util>Match Parts
Thick elements (TSHELL, BSHELL, etc.) are now supported by the function.
BETA CAE Systems 25

ELEMENTs UTIL [Renumber]>Select

Select RBE2s check box, which had been added in v17.0.0, has now been removed
from theRenumber parameters window.
[Incident:ANSA-48713]
UTIL [Renumber]>All
Both elements and Constraint entities can be selected. If option
SETTINGS>Decks>RBE2 share IDs with elements is deactivated, a checkbox to
select or not Constraint entities exists in theRenumber parameters window.
[Incident:ANSA-48713]
Elements/ Creating spider elements (e.g. RBE2 with many nodes) it is now possible to insert
Constraints directly the desired id in the master node id field. If this id does not exist, (i) then a
node with this id will be created, (ii) otherwise a warning message will be displayed
whether to use the existing node or to go back and change the id.
Entity numbering scheme in ANSA has been enhanced, allowing to optionally store
Elements (shells, solids, etc) and Constraints (RBE2s, Nodal Rigid Bodies, etc) of the
same id.
By default, the program will not allow the user to have Elements and Constraints of
the same Id. When the option is deactive, this becomes possible allowing, for
example, to read LD-Dyna, Pam-Crash or Radioss models without implicitly
renumbering the Constraints. ANSA can operate in both modes, automatically
triggering appropriate renumbering actions when switched to the unified Elements-
Constraints Ids scheme.
The respective option is under "Tools>Settings>Decks>RBE2 share IDs with
ELEMENTs". When this particular option changes, saving settings and restarting
ANSA is needed in order to take effect of the option.
AUXILIARIES KIN_CONFIG
Support of Articulation History for Kinetic Configurations, accessed from their context
menu with the option to save it as .csv file.
TRANSFORM CARD
Tooltips of Transform card have been edited, by removing the <?> option from fields
that do not support a relative help list. Only F1 will be used henceforward in order to
select entities from screen.
BETA CAE Systems 26

AUXILIARIES Res Mapper

New option is provided to convert mapped pressure PLOAD2 on shell
elements to PLOAD4, by activating the relevant check box.
The process is now significantly accelerated, especially when bulky data are
used or the Search Distance value is quite high.
Layer group fields are now imported with the results mapper when laminate
information is loaded from Simulayt .Layup files.
LC_POINT
Geometrical Points can no longer be picked when creating an LC Point.
CONTACT > List > New > Flanges or CONTACT > Flanges
Upon contacts generation, visualization of the distance of two contact surfaces is now
available by activating the Visualize Contacts surfaces distance option.
Option can be found in the Inspect window, activated from the 'Inspect' button in the
Contacts Pairs Autodetection window, which emerges when pressing OK in the
Contact Flanges Data window. Inspect window also emerges from the 'Inspect' option
in the Contacts List context menu in all Decks that support the Contact entity.
Includes The option to open a window with a list of the occupied ids of a specific range is now
possible through the relevant option in the right-mouse menu.
Context menu> Replace

Input Log report window appears after include replace, informing the user about any
model warnings, errors etc.
GEBs - The connectivity type (e.g., Parts) can be switched automatically with the new option
Connectors Convert Connectivity.
Checks Penetration>Intersections
Intersections between solid elements of different volumes, can now be automatically
fixed.
Penetrations>Property Thickness, Penetrations>User Thickness, Contacts

Enable Fringe>QGRAPH for penetration depth directly from the Checks Report
window under the respective option of the context menu.
[Incident: 32623, 59313, ANSA-20074, ANSA-38023, ANSA-52475]
BETA CAE Systems 27

Checks Contacts
The option to consider and check only the visible elements of the contacts is now
supported, by selecting the option "Visible" from the "Execute On" column. This
means that:
- The non-visible elements of the contact will not be part of the check.
- Visibility at the moment of fix is recalculated and if more contact elements are now
visible they will be included in the fix and re-check process.
- For tied contacts, nodes visibility will have to be enabled.
Contacts>Overlap
Support of the option to identify entities where contacts are overlapping. Moreover a
fix option is provided which modifies the master/slave areas (Sets) in order to
combine overlapping contacts of similar type.
Duplicate BC Names (CFD Decks)

Support of a check to identify duplicate PID names. A 'Fix' option is available where
they can be either merged or renamed.
Connectivity
The Connectivity check which identifies unconnected groups of the model, is now
available to be used through templates of the Checks Manager.
Add the option to 'Detect unconnected assemblies' which opens the Checks Manager
with listed the identified main assembly and any unconnected assemblies.
The check for unconnected assemblies activates a flag option to 'List unconnected
assemblies' for listing the rest unconnected groups in relation to the starting element's
connectivity group. There, the option to convert the connectivity groups into deck
SET/GROUPs is added along with zoom and visibility context menu options (Show,
Hide, Show Only).
BETA CAE Systems 28

Checks Checks > Material Theta

New algorithm for Material Theta check and fix:
Now it detects borders where the Material Theta transits from one value to
another.
Gaps greater than the tolerance will be marked as erroneous at both sides of
the gap.
The fix is applicable to localized deviations, since it will apply only on
highlighted elements.
Contacts
A preview of depenetration is supported for the Fix option and controls the nodes to
be moved.
[Incident: ANSA-24684, ANSA-33907, ANSA-53932, ANSA-24684, ANSA-40739]
Penetrations>Property Thickness, Penetrations>User Thickness, Contacts

Enable Fringe>QGRAPH for penetration depth directly from the Checks Report
window under the respective option of the context menu.
[Incident: 32623, 59313, ANSA-20074, ANSA-38023, ANSA-52475]
Contacts The penetration depth per contact can now be visualized from the Fringe> QGRAPH
option.
Flanges/Assistant
The option Contact Template now provides options to select templates either from
existing contacts or from the Reference Library.
CONTACT>Assistant
The automatic contact calculation now provides also the option to create multiple
contact definitions (one for each pair of identified contact areas), by activating the
Create individual contacts option.
BETA CAE Systems 29

Laminates A visibility bulb has been added in the Laminate Tool window's properties and layers
lists. This makes easier to handle the visibility of laminates and/or layers.
To affect also the elements visibility, the relevant option is controlled through the
Settings button at the lower left of the tool window.
A new layer color mode according to the Gplyid (global ply id ) has been added.
This is accessible through the Laminates tool, Settings>color mode.
Support of the script function base.LaminateReportWindow() to access the laminate

report generation window.
Laminates>Generate Report
The radial axis in the polar plots of the Laminate Report now has intermediate values.
Previously only the max value was displayed.
BETA CAE Systems 30

Laminates New option "Split" is available under context menu of LAMINATE list through DB
browser or Laminate Tool, where selected elements are assigned to a copied initial
Laminate property.
Bolt The options in Create Entities section can now be saved in the ANSA.defaults file.
Renumber Library items can now be renumbered according to the existing numbering rules. This
option is controlled through Tools>Settings>Decks>Apply numbering rules to library
items .
Library items can now be renumbered according to the existing numbering rules. This
option is controlled through Tools>Settings>Decks>Apply numbering rules to library
items.
Now, a warning window prevents from unintentional renumbering of ids which are
assigned to SETs as Ranges.
Support of a new option Create new Ids>above include range per entity type,
located in Tools>Settings>Decks.
Creating new entity e.g a new element, it now takes the first id above the elements ids
of the include it belongs, not depending on the existence of probably bigger ids of
other kinds of entities (e.g nodes) of this include.
BETA CAE Systems 31

Renumber Utilities>Renumber
It is now possible to renumber separately the nodes and/or the elements of a
specific property with the aid of special rules. The type of entities to be
renumbered can be selected from the context menu of the rule.
Existing options from context menu of Special Rules section, like "Renumber
Referenced Elements, Nodes, Properties etc", are now available also as check-box
gui options, whenever applicable. The latter can be loaded via Show/Hide arrow
button.
Support of a new option Create new Ids>above include range per entity type,
located in Tools>Settings>Decks.
Creating new entity e.g a new element, it now takes the first id above the elements ids
of the include it belongs, not depending on the existence of probably bigger ids of
other kinds of entities (e.g nodes) of this include.
SETs HOT POINT option is now available in the Database Browser for creating a new set.
Scripting It is now possible to create multiple Control Cards, using the function
base.CreateEntity.
Checks Manager > User defined checks

It is now possible to update or append checks to an already existing checks definition
(.plist) file. The relevant function base.CheckDescription.save() can take an optional
"append" argument.
BETA CAE Systems 32

Scripting The function base.SelectEntitiesList() now accepts an additional argument that allows
to open the selected Database Browser list with a set of available (selected) entities.
New script function ResultsMapperManualPosition() allows to directly run the Manual

Position Tool for a Results Mapper entity without opening its card. It is also possible to
add transformations which will be applied after the transformation matrix of the
Results Mapper.
New attribute "total_nsm" is also possible in the object returned from function
base.DeckMassInfo(), returning the respective value.
e.g:
defmain():
mass_info =base.DeckMassInfo('whole_db')
print(mass_info.total_nsm)
User defined checks for Edit Cards are now supported, using python script functions.
The associations between ANSA types and the respective user defined script
functions reside in an .xml file whose path is stored in ANSA defaults.
New arguments entities and deck are supported in function base.ReplaceMaterial.

Selecting the option "by_curves" in base.MaterialOrientation() function, both edges

and/or curves can now be used.
The function base.MaterialOrientation() now accepts element edges in both

"by_surface_and_edge" and "by_vector_and_edge" orientation_type arguments.
The function base.OutputWaveFront() now also supports the options "Output parts"
and "Output normals".
base.SgraphMapAction():
Support of a new function which maps Parts/Pids of one model to another.
The function base.PickEntities() now supports all possible container types.

The following functions now optionally accept a solver Deck argument:

base.CalcElementMass()
base.Compress()
base.ClearDeck()
BETA CAE Systems 33

Plugins
Mapping SOL200 FE Update

It is now possible to also consider and update related values referring to property
types of PBxSECT, PBEAML and PBARL, from an optimization process. Particularly
for PBxSECT values, related update can only take place if 'Update by card' option is
activated.
Safety
Output Output of Dummies positioning files (*.pos files) for Abaqus and PamCrash is now
supported through Safety > Dummy > Output .pos file.
Seat Positioning
New Custom protocol has been added to the Seat Positioning Tool, in order to allow
user defined set-up of Seat Positioning.
Depenetrate
A new type of analysis Non Linear Static Analysis - Contacts has been added which
provides the option to deform the elements (of any type) that belong to the frame, placed
underneath the cushion.
A new field is provided named Lower Frame, where the SET id with these elements
can be inserted.
Dummy ATD-HPM Dummy models are now supported for LS-DYNA, ABAQUS and PAMCRASH.
The .pos files are read and KIN_CONFIGS are created for each DEFCONF entry of
the .pos file.
Articulation
It is now possible to automatically fix any self-penetrations created during articulation of
Dummy Bodies.
Typing the desired rotation angle, the rotation is applied and at the same time a
deformation process is applied, if necessary.
This operation is available when the 'Contact' option is activated in the Rotate' tab.
BETA CAE Systems 34

Pedestrian/ Positioning
Interior
Assignment of local coordinate system to the CID field via the Help list shows only the
compatible coordinate systems defined by 3 nodes.
When an invalid coordinate system is assigned to this CID field, an error message is
printed in the Info window.
Pedestrian Safety tools that allow positioning of the impactor massively or convert kinetic elements
to output, now ignore the flag 'Disregard Includes' (if activated) upon output of new
solver files.
Option Rename Inclined Targets has been added in the advanced options of the 'Car
Marking' tab, giving users the option to modify or not the names of created target points
when ground type is inclined.
Interior FMVSS 201U

Support a 3rd row seat Seating reference point for Exclusion Plane, RH and
RP2 points.
Keep the RHa target point based on the protocol calculations and mark it as
excluded.
NASTRAN
ELEMENTs Join Assistant

New tool has been introduced to support Nastran Kinematic Joints of several
types.
Option skip selection has been added in 'Support Slave' step of the wizard to
allow omission of slave area selection.
RBE3
Negative ALPHA values are being supported.
ROD > RROD

RROD (Rigid Pin-Ended Element Connection) element is now supported.
BETA CAE Systems 35

ELEMENTs UTIL>Material Orientation

The function can now be applied on any solid element type (not only on solids of
composite property).
UTIL>Change Type>1-D Entities

It is now posssible to convert RBE2 to CELAS1. Stiffness and damping coefficients are
filled manually in PELAS property after the conversion.
When converting CELAS1 to RBE2, restricted dofs for the RBE2 are decided
depending on the C1 C2 values. If both are blank all dofs are restricted.
B.C.SETs HEADER> New> Loadcase Setup Assistant

The FORCE boundary condition entity is now supported in the SOL 101
solution type.
PLOAD entities can now be created.
The Accuracy tab is now disabled when SOL 101 is selected.
HEADER>Case Manager
Support of the parameter NLAYERS, used in material nonlinear analysis.
THERMAL
A preview of all steps has been added in the confirmation window of the Thermal tool.
Thermal Loadsets
The options to control the visibility of thermal entities (Show, Hide, etc.) are now
available in the context menu.
BETA CAE Systems 36

B.C.SETs Header>New[Loadcase]
Loadcase Manager is now also supported for SOL101.
Relevant constraints loads, output requests and parameters are also supported:
1. SPC, SPC1 and Support Constraints through Boundary Conditions>New
Constraint.
2. Force, Moments, Gravity, Pressure, Enforce displacement, rotational force,

acceleration through Boundary Conditions>New Load.
3. Output requests through through Output Requests>New Output Request.
4. Parameters through Options button of Loadcase Setup Assistant window.
THERMAL
The selected regions for Coupled and Coupled Advection now get highlighted.
HEADER>LoadCase
Acoustic loads by ACSRCE keyword are now supported in the Load Case
Manager too.
It is now possible to setup IC keyword in the header of NASTRAN and assign
to it the TEMP_SET id, which is referenced by all the TEMP keywords.
A check has been added when a load is setup in "loadcase Setup Assistant"
to prevent load definition without giving the appropriate values or TABLEs with
all values equal to zero. This check is also available through
Checks>Loadcase.
BCs THERMAL
The drawing symbol for QBDY1/QBDY2/QVECT is now circle for improved visibility.
BETA CAE Systems 37

BCs INFO->RESULTANT FORCE

Resultant Moment at a user defined point (or Model COG or at a point where moments
are 0) can now be calculated from the function.
'Applied Heat' modifications on the name are through the list, are now passed to the
corresponding LOAD_SETs and LOAD collectors.
Nastran Case Control

Header Editor
DRSPAN keyword is supported as Case Control command.
Parameters
OPTEXIT command (SOL200) is now supported.
AUXILIARIES TABLE
It is now possible to read tables included in a NASTRAN file, by using the option From
File.
BETA CAE Systems 38

AUXILIARIES Res Mapper

Mapping of fiber orientation tensor is now supported. Fiber orientation tensor is
converted to three principal fiber directions which are assigned (mapped) to target
shells/solids as material orientation.
The orientation information is stored in elements' cards.
Furthermore, when model is exported to .nas file, then a property is assigned for each
element, and the relevant coordinate system id is assigned in it.
CONTACT [Assistant]
Now, the user interface in NASTRAN interacts with BCBODY ids, instead of the
underlying SET ids, in the Master/ Slave Set steps.
BCONPRG
Support of new options for Nastran 2016 regarding initial gap/overlap:
CBINTRF, CDINGP, CDINTRF, MGINGP, OPINGP, OPINTRF, PTINTRF, TBINTRF,
TOLINGP, VXINTRF, VYINTRF, VZINTRF, XCINTRF, YCINTRF, ZCINTRF
MeasurementSurface
It is now supported a tool which aids the creation of the surfaces of various types.
BETA CAE Systems 39

AUXILIARIES SONATE
The set-up and export of sonate files is now supported.
The boundary conditions, coupling, ground and panels can be created through
the relevant buttons.
The settings are driven through the B.C.SETs>HEADER>New>Loadcase.
Switching to SONATE solver, it is possible to choose the analysis and the
options.
File>Output exports the file.
POINTS FIELD
Support of new function to create automatically some standard geometrical fields and
also a respective set with the result field.
Among the standard geometrical fields (plane, sphere, box) the creation of a dome
field according ISO3744 has been added.
SOL200 [DOPTPRM]
The keyword's card can be handled again via script.
The respective edit card characteristics and structure, according to which the script
function is set, can be viewed through the "Open Card" button in the Modify window
that opens with Modify option from the context menu in the DOPTPRM list.
SUPER EL.
Support the creation of pch and op2 type of SE.
This is also possible to be driven from Model Browser so the user is able to create a
Super Element for a certain Subsystem and also use it in a Simulation Model.
Checks Rbe2 Conflicting IDs

New check that finds if there are Super Elements defined and moreover if they share
the same id with RBE2s.
An Autofix option is provided in the right-click menu, which renumbers RBE2 ids.
Loadcase
Support of a new check for the consistency of the created loadcases. Such checks can
be: dmigsets with no type, loadcases with no subcases, loadcases with empty,
subcases, referenced file loadcase with invalid file, referenced file loadcase with
missing file, undefined lc points, lc points that failed to build
BETA CAE Systems 40

Checks CWELDs
Elements could be identified as problematic by the check due to wrong calculation for
the allowed projection of GS on Shell plane, although they were accepted by
NASTRAN.
Loadcase
A new check is available in order to identify inappropriate values or TABLE values
inserted in Loadcase Setup Assistance.
Properties EOSID field is now enabled in SHELL_SECTION property for ELFORM 12,13,14 and
15.
Task Manager Tasks>SOL200 Task

It is now supported the automatic build of the SOL200 Task. This is possible through
the context menu (right click menu) of Initial Model task item, by the option: Create
Task from db or Load.
Scripting The function base.CreateEntity can now generate Measurement surfaces too.
BETA CAE Systems 41

Scripting Loadcase Assistant

The following script functions in order to set/get NASTRAN/ SONATE options
have been added:
loadcase.nastran.set_options()
loadcase.nastran.get_options()
loadcase.sonate.set_options()
loadcase.sonate.get_options()
loadcase.sonate.add_acoustic_panels()
loadcase.sonate.remove_acoustic_panels()
loadcase.sonate.get_acoustic_panels()
loadcase.sonate.add_couplings()
loadcase.sonate.remove_couplings()
loadcase.sonate.get_couplings()
Script function 'base.OutputSonate()' can now be used in order to output a

SONATE Loadcase.
The following script functions have been renamed:

loadcase.load_parameters_from_file() ->
loadcase.nastran.load_parameters_from_file()
loadcase.set_method_type() -> loadcase.nastran.set_method_type()
loadcase.get_method_type() -> loadcase.nastran.get_method_type()
NVH Console
A different shape is being used for each type of connectors representations when connectors are
displayed in the diagram view of the NVH Console. Therefore, different types of connectors can now be
easily identified from the diagram view without the tooltip and without editing connectors.
[Incident: ANSA-49346
It is now possible to switch On/Off a subcase from within the Loadcase Manager of NVH Console.
Performance The calculation performance of NVH Console has been overall optimized.
BETA CAE Systems 42

Layout
Each component representation is shown with a different color and each connector
representation is demonstrated with a different icon, enabling an easier identification.
The Representation legend is available upon pressing the respective button.
Subcases
Subcases can be activated through a switch on-off flag.

Compare Tool The Compare tool can now be accessed through Checks>Compare. Entities that can
be compared are connectors, coordinate systems, beam stiffeners and rigid bodies.
Selecting the entities to be compared, different attributes are highlighted. Double-click
on an attribute opens the entity window.
Connectors Create>Connector>New(single component)

New option is supported which allows to create connector between nodes of the same
components.
BETA CAE Systems 43

Connectors Create>Connector>New(grounded)
New option has been added in NVH console to create a single constraint on a single
point of a component.
Symmetry Symmetry copy feature applicable for connectors and any other NVH Console entity
Copy except reduced representations in right mouse button menu. If a letter "L" or "R" is the
first one of the name field, the copied entity is automatically renamed as "L->R" and
"R->L" respectively. For connectors it creates, if not existed, the respective properties
and used coordinate systems. If any of the selected entities to be copied exist, it won't
be created with the respective warning message.
Loadcase The Response Tab of the Loadcase Manager of NVH Console has been improved.
Manager
1.Bulk modification is now allowed on selected responses with respect to any column
2.The name of the subcase types have changed:
manual -> combined
tr.fun -> individual
p. mob -> driv.point
3.For the Extra post-processing requests:
Option to run System mode participations per request (provided that the
system mode results in Nastran format are available)
Top peaks and Threshold are now affecting also Participations (both
component and System modes)
New option Freq Range for conditional requests If specified, it defines the
frequency range in which the Top Peaks will be searched for each individual
requested
4.Energy request has been added as a conditional request for each main request. Top
Peaks and Frequency Range are available as energy conditional requests.
5.TPA and 3D animation requests have been added
TPA It is now possible to perform a Transfer Path Analysis (TPA) on any user selected
volume (selection of multiple components) from within the NVH Console. It is required
to define the components that constitute the control volume by pressing right mouse
button on TPA header, selecting Modify control volume and then set the appropriate
output request. NVH Console will calculate TPA results considering any external
connectors / loads assigned on the control volume.
BETA CAE Systems 44

Forces on Loadcase Manager>Loadcase>Responses>New>Forces>FORCES ON

Component COMPONENT
New option has been added in Responses, in order to calculate the forces on a
component.
Bush It is possible to define the contribution of the connector's property to the response, by
sensitivity checking the respective box.
Filtering When enabling the Exclusive only Filter in Loadcase Manager>Assembly, the children
components of exclusive groups are no longer expanded.
LC-Points In the Responses tab an LC-Node can now be selected in the field Node. When
window creating a new LC node only the nodes that correspond to the selected component
can be chosen.
Modal New functionality has been added which gives the capability to examine the impact of
Modification various modifications in the dynamic behavior of an NVH console component. Such
kind of modifications can be for example add/remove mass, add a beam stiffener
between points in the structure, add spring/damper systems etc.
Results and comparison between the initial and modified component can be observed
in META.
BETA CAE Systems 45

ASCII Modal The creation of an op2 file with Eigenmodes for ASCII Modal models in NVHC is
Model performed internally with Epilysis.
Assembly Automatic fix for META submissions, if more than one connectors and/or loads with
different coordinate system are connected on the same node/dofs.
Coordinate Ujoint coordinate system was wrongly defined when two vectors were considered
System collinear.
Due to the change of the calculation method of the Coordinate System orientation in
Vector and Axis XYZ Methods (available only in NVH Console), a warning is added
while reading older databases. The previous orientation can be kept by changing the
Coordinate System definition method to default. According to the new calculation the
new Axis1 remains intact and the other two axes are calculated based on Axis 1.
Abaqus
Input It is now possible to handle and read properly files carrying Comment lines, that do
not start from Columns 1, 2.
Output The *INTEGRATED OUTPUT keyword is now supported.

The option 'output only IDs in names' in ANSA.defaults is now separated in three new
options:
output only Ids in Material names
output only Ids in Property names
output only Ids in Set names
Output Parameters > Visible

A warning message is now displayed in ANSA Info window, when a contact is visible,
but some (or all) of its nodes/elements are not visible.
Output Parameters > Abaqus Parameters > Abaqus.Write phi in distribution tables
names
Laminates:
The name of distribution tables of type angle for laminates in Abaqus output can now
be controlled through ANSA.defaults by adding the extra angle nomenclature in
distribution table names.
BETA CAE Systems 46

General Isolate>Flanges>Proximity
The function now supports also Analytical Surfaces.
Fully support of fluid-structural Cosimulation. Details can be found on each section

below.
Support of *CO-SIMULATION, PROGRAM=MULTIPHYSICS for Abaqus/CFD
to Abaqus/Standard or Abaqus/Explicit cosimulation by typing
"COSIMULATION" in Search Engine and switching PROGRAM to
MULTIPHYSICS.
In addition, *CO-SIMULATION REGION to identify the regions across the
data which will be exchanged and to specify the fields to be passed across
those regions through the same card as above.
New parameters COUPLING SCHEME and SCHEME MODIFIER for *CO-
SIMULATION CONTROLS to define the coupling scheme for fluid - structure
interaction
ELEMENTs ZELEMENT
In case of Substructure Z Element, the geometrical center of its nodes is now shown
as center.
RIGID>RIGID2D
Support of 3d rigid beam RB3D2 and 2d rigid links R2D2, RAX2, RB2D2.
CONSTRAINTs COUPLING>Two Nodes

The last option selected from drop-down menu of COUPLING field is now kept.
Likewise, when similar items are generated, same settings are already preset, in
order to save time and ease related process.
BOUNDARY Support of the *FLUID BOUNDARY.

IMPEDANCE
The *IMPEDANCE and *SIMPEDANCE are now supported. The *IMPEDANCE
PROPERTY is also available under AUXILIARIES>IMPEDANCE PROPERTY
FLUID BOUNDARY
Support of *FLUID BOUNDARY for boundary conditions of fluid flow analyses.
[ANSA-27722]
BETA CAE Systems 47

INIT.CONDIT INIT.COND>VOLUME FRACTION

Support of *Initial Condition, Type=Volume fraction to fill eulerian elements with
material.
Materials Support of the optional parameter "SMOOTH" for *BIAXIAL, *PLANAR, *UNIAXIAL
and *VOLUMETRIC TEST DATA, of *HYPERFOAM material properties.
AUXILIARIES The *CONTACT INITIALIZATION ASSIGNMENT supports 'blank' for Surfaces fields.
The *CONTACT_PAIR now supports also the COUPLED SLAVE option when
SMALL SLIDING=YES and TYPE_tie_coefficients=SURFACE TO SURFACE.
Laminates
New option "Change Layer NIP" is supported in the context menu of the Laminates
list (from both the DB Browser and the Laminates tool).
It massively modifies the NIP fields of all layers of selected laminates.
PRTENS
The relevant created entity PRE-TENSION_SECTION listed in the Database Browser
now provides also the option to show or hide the affected elements, Loads and BCs
too. This can be found in the context menu of the entity (right-click menu).
AN.SURF
The *SURFACE, TYPE=EULERIAN MATERIAL is supported.
STEP
Vibro-Acoustic analysis setup is now possible by supporting the additional keywords:
*ELEMENT, TYPE=ASI3D4
*INTERFACE
*IMPEDANCE PROPERTY
*SIMPEDANCE
*ASI3D4
CONTACT
When the option BOLT=YES in the CLEARANCE TABULAR DATA, a button to auto-
calculate the bolt axis based on the nodes of the involved set has been added.
BETA CAE Systems 48

Properties *GASKET_SECTION now supports also the STABILIZATION STIFFNESS parameter.

*EULERIAN SECTION is supported through SOLID SECTION>SOLID SECTION and

switching TYPE menu to EC3D_.
Support for fluid - structural Cosimulation:

3d - Fluid elements FC3D (tetra, penta, pyramid, hexa) by switching TYPE
menu to FC3D_ of *SOLID SECTION card.
*FLUID SECTION for properties of fluid elements through SOLID SECTION
card by switching TYPE to FC3D_ and Write as to *FLUID SECTION.
Material Support of *VISCOSITY for shear viscosity through MATERIAL card.

Scripting The *STEP color can now be controlled using the functions:
base.GetEntityCardValues and base.SetEntityCardValues
LS-DYNA
Input Support of the Merge option of the Header in the General tab merges the control
cards of the main and include files.
COMPRESS The function has been enhanced with the option "Dyna Auxiliary Materials", which
provides the capability of deleting auxiliary dyna materials
(DYNA>AUXILIARIES>MAT_*) along with the materials that reference them.
AUXILIARIES CONTROL>M
Support of the *CONTROL_MPP_DECOMPOSITION_DISABLE_UNREF_CURVES
under the option DEC.DIS.UNREF.CRV.
CONTACT
The SRNDE option and the Card E and F are now supported.
BETA CAE Systems 49

AUXILIARIES CONTACT>CONTACT
Support the options:
TIEBREAK_NODES_ONLY for *CONTACT
BEAM_OFFSET for *CONTACT_SPOTWELD
BEAM_OFFSET for *CONTACT_TIED_NODES_TO_SURFACE
[Incident: ANSA-50933 , ANSA-48558 , ANSA-45695 , ANSA-48566]
MAT_*
The options to control visibility Show/Hide/Show Only have been added for:
MAT_ADD_AIRBAG_POROSITY_LEAKAGE
MAT_ADD_COHESIVE
MAT_ADD_FATIGUE
MAT_ADD_PERMEABILITY
MAT_ADD_PORE_AIR
MAT_ADD_THERMAL_EXPANSION
MAT_NONLOCAL
MAT_THERMAL
Support of the *CONTACT_TIEBREAK_NODES_ONLY keyword

CONTROL
Support Merge context menu option for multiple control cards with handling over
common options.
For the Current Control card provide

red color indication on its options
naming of CURRENT CONTROL for the pull-down menu with the options
"COLLAPSE ALL", EXPAND ALL", etc.
Support the IACC field of the keyword *Control_accuracy.
Support the field BTYPE of *Control_Bulk_Viscosity.
[Incident: ANSA-51945, ANSA-45112, ANSA-50962 , 56572, ANSA-36117]
DATABASE
Support Merge context menu option for multiple Database cards with handling over
common options.
BETA CAE Systems 50

AUXILIARIES CONTACT>CONTACT
Support the options:
TIEBREAK_NODES_ONLY for *CONTACT
BEAM_OFFSET for *CONTACT_SPOTWELD
FNLSCL, DNLSCL and TCSO of the optional card D in *CONTACT.
CONTROL
Support Merge context menu option for multiple control cards with handling over
common options.
For the Current Control card provide

red color indication on its options
naming of CURRENT CONTROL for the pull-down menu with the options
"COLLAPSE ALL", EXPAND ALL", etc.
Support the IACC field of the keyword *Control_accuracy.
Support the field BTYPE of *Control_Bulk_Viscosity.
[Incident: 56572, ANSA-45112, ANSA-51945, ANSA-50962, ANSA-36117]
DATABASE
Support Merge context menu option for multiple Database cards with handling over
common options.
FREQUENCY_DOMAIN > FRF

Support of the *FREQUENCY_DOMAIN_FRF keyword.
CONTACT
The Friction option is now also supported for:
AUTOMATIC_SINGLE_SURFACE_MORTAR,
AUTOMATIC_SURFACE_TO_SURFACE_MORTAR
Renumber The tool is now capable of renumbering *DEFINE_SD_ORIENTATION entities.

BETA CAE Systems 51

Checks Contacts
Nodes which are projected to rigid bodies are now also reported as errors.
Dependency
It is now possible to identify cases that master node of RBody is used as a finite
element connectivity or 1D-element reference node.
Curves>Axes
The error E3999 for MAT24 (0.0 , yield stress Used by material with ID...) is now
degraded to warning.
Contacts From Solver

Report when a node is projected to a segment that has nodes attached to rigid
bodies.
SETs When a Set is marked as a *Set_Segment, it is now accepted from the following
keywords:
*AIRBAG_ALE
*BOUNDARY_NON_REFLECTING
*CONSTRAINED_LAGRANGE_IN_SOLID
*CONTACT_RIGID_SURFACE
*DATABASE_CPM_SENSOR
*INITIAL_VOLUME_FRACTION_GEOMETRY
*FREQUENCY_DOMAIN_FRF
*FREQUENCY_DOMAIN_SSD
Properties For *Section_Shell, support of Elform = -16 for fully integrated shell element modified
for higher accuracy.
Support the element formulation option 7 and 8 for *Section_Beam.

Materials Support of MAT208 *MAT_BOLT_BEAM.

The material type MAT100_DAMAGE_FAILURE now supports negative value for the
Young's modulus [E].
BETA CAE Systems 52

Materials Support the option _HAZ of *MAT_024 / *Mat_Piecewise_Linear_Plasticity.

Support the E field and the Bending/Compression Parameter Card for the *MAT_B01
*MAT_SEATBELT, according to 971R8.
PAM-CRASH
Input/ Output PAM-CRASH Input Format version 2015 and Output Format version 2015 are now
supported.
Input Reading .pos files, the KIN_CONFIGs are now created for the configurations defined
in the DEFCONF section of the pos file.
Output The General Comments section can now be marked with either # or $ at the
beginning of each line. This option can be set through the Output Options window, at
Filter tab.
Provide information of the type and total number of encrypted entities to be output in
the Info window.
ELEMENT ENT SPHELO

Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) Output Element Definition (SPHELO
keyword) is now supported as a sub-type in SPHEL card.
LOAD ACTUA
Joint Actuator Definition (ACTUA) is now supported.
PRESBC
Keyword PRESBC (Pressure Porous Boundary Condition) is now supported.
DISLIM
Keyword DISLIM (LIMITED DISPLACEMENT CONDITION DEFINITION) is now
supported.
BETA CAE Systems 53

PLOT OUTPUT SECFO

Sec type DETECT is now supported for SECFO keyword.
AUXILIARIES MAT.PR
The options to control visibility Show/Hide/Show Only have been added in the VAMAT,
THMAT, PFMAT lists.
CONTROL>CONTROLS
PFLOW keyword is now supported.
MACTRL keyword is now supported.
Support the EOCTRL/ keyword.
[Incident: ANSA-46744 , ANSA-46758 , ANSA-46745]
CONTROLS>DMPEW /
Support of the advanced control keyword DMPEW / .
DRAPING
The DRAPF keyword is now supported.
FRICT
The type number 13 is supported for the IFROPT parameter of the Friction Model
Definition card.
SENSOR
Support Type 14 Kinematic Nodal Motion Sensor.
CONTROLS
Support the EOCTRL/ keyword.
Materials PAM LINK Material 303

Additional options for IDEABEN (=2,3,4) and the fields IDELBEND, DAMRATE and
TLSTIF are now supported.
Support of variable TLSTIF for Material Type 302 for Pam-Crash 2009 onward.
BETA CAE Systems 54

Materials Support the parameters KSI and Fo for the Material Type 7.
Support the materials:

Material type 185 User Defined Plugin Material for Shell Elements
Material type 85 User Defined Plugin Material for Solid Elements
[Incident: ANSA-46763, ANSA-46750
RADIOSS
Input/Output Support the /XREF keyword.

Input In the General tab, coordinate the Model Action drop down menu with the Header
radio-buttons.
Input Parameters>General
Support of an option which controls whether the incoming model will be inserted
within a /SUBMODEL keyword having specific offsets.
Output Information of the type and total number of encrypted entities to be output in the
Info window is now provided.
GROUPS
It is now possible to output sets that contains solids as surfaces.
An additional option controls whether all the solid facets will be exported or only
the external ones.
ELEMENTs SHELL
/INISHE/ORTH_LOC keyword with angle unit in degrees (Iunit=1) for
/PROP/TYPE9 is now supported.
Joint Assistant
Nodes for the COG are provided during preview at the last step of the
Joint assistant in order to help the creation of local coordinate system.
Only compatible local coordinate systems can be created at the last step
of the Joint assistant.
Update the preview and the available fields of the Joint assistant for
Generic Kinematic Slider-Pivot with Cylindrical joint.
Add option to automatically create a Connector entity from the Joint
assistant.
[Incident: ANSA-51889 , ANSA-52249 , ANSA-52171 , ANSA-48939]
BETA CAE Systems 55

TIME HISTORY Support the variables X, Y, Z and the variable group XYZ in the /TH/NODE card.
AUXILIARIES ACTIV
Support the /Activ deactivation/activation of element groups keyword.
[Incident: 54400, 11427, ANSA-34521, ANSA-6704]
INTERFC>Assistant
The Interface assistant allows selection of Properties for Master and Slave Set
Type.
INITIAL>SOLID
Support the /INIBRI/STRS_F and /INIBRI/STRA_F for initial state for brick
elements.
LOADs > CLOAD [Node]

Upon creation of a CLOAD/ GRAV on Node, a set of nodes where the
concentrated loads are applied, is supported from Radioss 5.0 onwards.
Functionality also applies for Radioss files and old databases containing CLOAD/
GRAV defined on one node.
SECT
User defined option to set the default value of the field Iframe in the Radioss /Sect
has been added in Ansa.defaults.
The full path to this option can be found under:
Tools > Settings > ANSA.defaults > User Defined Default Radioss Section Iframe
Value > Default Radioss Section Iframe Value
Submodel
When using an offset value to a Submodel, the numbering of its contents gets
automatically updated.
CONTROL
The renaming of the field rs_name of /Refsta is now available.
Property /PROP/TYPE10(SH_COMP), PROP/TYPE11 (SH_SANDW), PROP/TYPE16

(SH_FABR):
The fields MID, subset_ID and Thick of the /Part are available.
The MID field of /Part accepts compatible materials.
BETA CAE Systems 56

Checks Tools>Settings>ANSA defaults>Checks Manager Options

Support of the option Perform_local_recheck_for_contacts. When activated, only
the respective contact will be rechecked, instead of rechecking the whole model,
after fixing an issue reported by check contacts.
PERMAS
SETs New option for outputting sets for MEDINA according to PERMAS definition: In decks
that Medina supports for "Output Model for" option, the field "MEDINA OUTPUT AS
{current deck}" has been added to Sets' List. This option determines, during Medina
output, whether the Set will be written as a Medina Set or as a Set of the selected
Model Deck.
ELEMENTs XMOB type is now supported.

MPCs ISURFACE
New option MIDNODE is now supported in surface definition for PERMAS deck.
ANSA can now read/write and save file/user options for keyword MIDNODE in a
SURFACE type set.
SYSTEM NSTRMASS>Set
The $NSTRMASS definition via property sets is now supported.
Moldex3D
Support of the fiber orientation tensor mapping. Fiber orientation tensor is converted to three principal
fiber directions which are assigned (mapped) to target shell/solids as material orientation.
The mapping is achieved using the Auxiliaries>Res.Map function. In there, an Abaqus file along with
the Moldex3D .o2d file are necessary to be inserted.
OpenFOAM
AUXILIARIES SOLVER INFO>Control Dict

The "residuals" type of function is supported. It can be used to monitor residuals during
OpenFOAM simulations.
BETA CAE Systems 57

MEDINA
Input In cases where a connector referenced a solid property, the connectivity would be lost.
Output RBE2 elements would not be written in the Output file.

OPTISTRUCT
Scripting New python functions base.InputOptistruct() and base.OutputOptistruct() for

Input/Output of Optistruct files.
KINETICS
Input/Output Support of contacts in .cmd file format.

Output The following results of flex bodies as well as their geometry, can now be exported to
op2 files either within the Flex Tools interface or the Results Viewer:
Displacements
Velocities
Accelerations
Stresses
Strains
BETA CAE Systems 58

General The OpenGL icons of the joints have been replaced by new 3d icons that look more
realistic and clear.
General Utilities>Quality Criteria (F11)

The size of the Kinetics entities icons can now be controlled through the relevant option
in Presentation Parameters tab.
The Floating Reference Frame of flex bodies is now drawn when a flex body is selected
through the KIN_BODY list of DB browser.
BETA CAE Systems 59

General Flex Bodies

The position of flex bodies is now defined through a new Position tab (Flex
Properties window) that affects the location/orientation of the Floating
Reference Frame of bodies.
The items Full and Internal of the General Damping option within the Flex
Body's Properties window, appear deactivated as long as the body's associated
modal file does not include a generalized damping matrix.
Particular invariants which are not available within an .mnf file, they are
calculated during the definition of a flex body and they are marked as calculated
in the Information tab of the Flex Properties window of the body.
Simulations with Flex Bodies are now using less memory.
KIN_BODY
In order to prevent inconsistencies, it is not possible to change the type of a KIN_BODY
through its edit card.
Simulation Configurator
Support of Articulation History for Kinetic Configurations, accessed from their
context menu with the option to save it as .csv file.
It is now possible to select 3d-points or nodes on perimeters when using the
Articulate>By Matching Points function.
Simulator
Stresses and strains of flex bodies can now be visualized during animation.
Simulator
New video formats (.mpeg, .gif) and quality options are available when recording an
animation to a video file.
BETA CAE Systems 60

Simulation Results
Stresses and strains results are now available as nodal plots for the user
selected nodes of flexible bodies.
It is now possible to make changes in the Notation and Precision settings and
also the Set Limits option to be saved, when the Results Viewer window closes
and reopens again.
Results for modal displacements, velocities and accelerations are now available
within the Results Viewer.
Position
Moving a model to a saved kin_position, it is now possible to either apply or not as
initial the stored velocities on the bodies.
AUXILIARIES Mech>Interactive
Support of an interactive tool for creating Kinematic mechanisms. It focuses on each
Joint individually to decide either to create it, merge bodies or skip it.
Mech>AutoMech
Now, at the last step of the function optionally the Planar Mechanism check can be
executed. This will prevent any incorrect definitions of joints that are typically of planar
definition e.g., seat mechanism.
BETA CAE Systems 61

AUXILIARIES Flex Tools

Flex body's Mode Shapes can now be animated.
KIN_BODY
In order to prevent inconsistencies, it is not possible to change the type of a KIN_BODY
through its edit card.
Table>3D
Three dimensional (3D) surface tables are now supported.
BETA CAE Systems 62

AUXILIARIES Units
The Units Conversion Factor (UCF) has been added as info label within the Kinetic
Units window.
Scripting The following boolean arguments have been added to script function
kinetics.ConfigSetParameters(), in order to lock the components of actuator joint
(rotation axes' lock joints):
lock_translate_x
lock_translate_y
lock_translate_z
lock_rotate_x
lock_rotate_y
lock_rotate_z
The base.KinematicsSetParameters() function can now take as SP and TP arguments

any point entities (node id, 3d-point id, etc) when the "MOVE_METHOD" argument is
set as "BY_MATCHING_POINTS".
MORPH
General Reconstruct can now also be applied on solid meshed after morphing actions. This is
available for both Box and Direct morphing.
Box Morphing Morphing flag can be activated / deactivated by left-clicking on the "Morphing" status
message at the lower right corner of the ANSA 3D window.
BETA CAE Systems 63

Controls Nested
Nested Elements now allow non-uniform scaling, along user specified axis of their
Coordinate System. Relevant settings are handled in the Nested Element Card.
Direct DFM
Morphing
It is now possible to morph control points of Morph Boxes and Hexablock
Boxes, using the Node selection option.
DFM parameters defined on shell elements, can now be automatically applied
to identified symmetrical entities.
Increased accuracy with OpenCL acceleration for DFM & Geometry Morphing.
Accuracy is now inversely proportional to 'HOT POINTS' matching distance,
ensuring improved morph results
[Incident: ANSA-44247, ANSA-26672, ANSA-30678, ANSA-45794, ANSA-
40443, ANSA-45693]
DFM>Edge Fit
Cohesive element edges can now be selected as source or target edges.
Slide>Feature[On Curve]
It is now possible to extend sliding, by setting even negative values. In such
movements, the feature travels along the direction tangent to the end Curve's point.
Constraint
Significant performance improvement when constraints participate in morphing
actions.
Scripting The function morph.DFMRecalculateBounds(), recalculates the bounds of a DFM

parameter.
New functions morph.DFMGetContents(), morph.DFMSetContents() to get and set the

contents of a DFM parameter.
BETA CAE Systems 64

HEXA BLOCK
Boxes O-Grid
It is now possible to generate OGRID with relative height in pipe mode. Three options
are available:
Absolute offset value (constant throughout as before)
Factor of local length
Parametric from 0 to 1, where 1 is the maximum possible factor at each
section.
Volume Mesh Preview Section

It is now possible to quickly preview of mesh sections in i,j,k and in normal Ogrid
directions.
The mesh can be previewed by picking a control point on a box perimeter or a cross-
hatch. The function works either on meshed or unmeshed hexablock volumes.
Optimization
Task Manager Optimization Task - DV file Task Item

Instant text editing is available through the "Text Edit" option, added in the context
menu of the Opt Task DV file.
Optimization Task
Support of new formats for video recording (AVI,GIF,MPEG). Different resolutions are
also supported:
preset resolutions like HD1080p, UHD 4K, etc..
user defined resolution and settings through the Advanced button.
BETA CAE Systems 65

Scripting It is now possible to save a task in scripting, using the function

taskmanager.SaveTask().
Scripting
The BCGUI function guitk.BCLineEditSetState() has been added that sets the state of a BCLineEdit and
colors it accordingly.
A new function base.Clear() to hide everything from the drawing area is now available
Plugin Manager and the available plugins are now relocated at a separate list on the main toolbar.
New, GUI related functions are now available:

guitk.BCListViewItemWidgetIsVisible(item, col)
guitk.BCListViewItemWidgetSetVisible(item, col, visible)
guitk.BCListViewItemWidgetIsEnabled(item, col)
guitk.BCListViewItemWidgetSetEnabled(item, col, enable)
guitk.BCWindowSetScrollViewEnabled, which enables scrol bars in a BCWindow
ansa.guitk.BCListViewColumnSetUserData(), in order to assign user data to a ListView column
ansa.guitk.BCListViewColumnGetUserData(), in order to retrieve data from a ListView column
Now, widgets that are available in ListViews can easily hide/show and enable/disable. These can be:
combobox
progress bar
checkbox
button
[Incident: ANSA-47210 , ANSA-51724, ANSA-51114]
BETA CAE Systems 66

ANSA v17.1.0 Release Notes Known problems resolved
2. Known Problems resolved in v17.1.0

General
ANSA would fail to work with Window Snap Assist for Windows upon the first attempt.
Opening ANSA files containing [curve] parameters from MORPH>Direct Morphing>Slide

[Feature] function and saved by versions 16.2.3 or 16.2.4 or by versions 17.0.0-
17.0.3 through option: Save as v16, could not be opened by ANSA.
Separation Graph When editing the assigned entities to a Group it would not allow to empty them.
Utilities Measure
Occasionally, a distance measurement between a point and a face, it would give
wrong result.
Transform
SKEW_FRAMES used by SPRING properties were ignored during Transformation.
[incident: ANSA-54301]
Transform [COPY]
With Settings>DECKS option Create new IDs: above the includes range, defining
an offset for the new PID that resulted in a PID already existing in the model, then
this PID was renumbered.
[incident: ANSA-54697]
Lists Making operations of closing and opening on lists, it would lead to losing the
automatic column width adjustment.
BETA CAE Systems 67

CAD Import / Export
Import Translators CATIA

Specific cases were translation of CATIA files required an excessive amount
of time.
When CT key file was missing this would lead to unexpected termination.
[Incident: ANSA-52935 , ANSA-49437]
Translators STEP
Cases where translation of files with ANSA Translation libraries -and option
Read construction surfaces activated- resulted in creation of faces, which
were not present in the CAD file.
ANSA translation libraries would not tolerate curves being away from periodic
surfaces, resulting in an untrimmed surface.
Translators JT
The JT to ANSA translator would not recognize groups or parts with the same name as
instances when reading an assembly.
A new option is now introduced, called "Name based instantiation", which guides the
translator to instantiate groups or parts based on their names.
Translators JT
Faces with problematic surfaces would not be translated, which resulted to gaps on the
model. Now, a face is auto generated for each problematic face when possible, in order
to fill these gaps.
This fix comes as a workaround to a bug in the JTOpen Toolkit. It will be removed when
the JTOpen Toolkit provides a fix.
Export Translators IGES

Outputting a specific ansa file to IGES format was creating a large file in size, which was
exceeding the format limit of number of entities.
STEP Overlapping faces would occasionally be created during STEP file translation with the
ANSA library.
Cases where translation of Neutral files with ANSA Translation libraries would result in
translation failures and erroneous surfaces.
BETA CAE Systems 68

IGES Upon translation with the "Create PID based on > Body option activated, the CT library
was altering the names of bodies under the same name, by adding a serial number after
the name.
CATIA Cases were the translation of CATIA files with option "Read features" resulted in the
creation of additional properties.
Activating the option "Read publications" when "Reading free geometry" would prevent
the translation of some curves.
In CATIA V5, curves in NoShow mode would be translated, regardless the status of the
"Read hidden entities" option.
[Incident: ANSA-29173,46554]
When translating CATIA data with a specific combination of options activated, the
translated model had duplicate Points and Faces.
CATIA working planes (constructive surfaces) were erroneously translated as surfaces

by the CT library.
GUI
Scripting BCWindowAdjustSize()
Script function BCWindowAdjustSize() would not adjust the window size according to
the minimum space on a window that has been re-sized.
Model Browser
General Pressing the Refresh button in the Model Browser was clearing the selection and
collapsing the tree structure in the Subsystems, Simulation Models, LoadCases and
Simulation Runs tabs.
Parts A newly created Part in the Model Browser was not marked as selected and the list of
Parts was not scrolled to display the new Part.
BETA CAE Systems 69

Parts Replace
Cases where replace part functionality led to erroneous replacement of Cross Sections
for Radioss and LsDyna Decks.
Replace
Functionality could recreate cross sections but not assign them to any Part.
Subsystems Module Ids of subsystems could be lost during merge of ANSA files when "Merge parts"
option was deactivated.
Connection FE Representation entities were not drawn according to subsystem color

when in Subsystem Draw Mode.
Contents Database Browser lists would occasionally raise graphics issues.

DM Sync Representation
Applied onto entities, containing cyan bounds, could result to disconnected faces and
therefore the appearance of red bounds.
Compare
General Comparing big models would require significant time to finish.

Compare The order of the selected for comparison models would affect the identification of sets
Tool by the tool.
Cases where erroneous number of SETs would appear in Compare Report for one of
the comparison models.
Upon changing and applying the filter options in the "Advanced view settings" window,
the results list in the Compare Report window would not be updated.
Replace Part FORCEs, PLOADs, NSMs, CONM2s, SPCs, CONTACTs, defined on sets would not be
updated when replacing related part through Compare Tool.
[Incident: ANSA-47419, ANSA-47411, ANSA-47418, ANSA-47415, ANSA-47414, ANSA-
47412]
BETA CAE Systems 70

Replace Part Connected entities would not be updated after replacement through Apply Actions of
Compare Tool.
[Incident: ANSA-47422, ANSA-47423, ANSA-47425, ANSA-47426, ANSA-47427, ANSA-
47581, ANSA-47421]
RADIOSS Upon the comparison of a model with itself, the Compare Tool would:
provide wrong results in the matching of empty and at the same time linked
parts
identify different element length in the RBODY elements
provide wrong results in the matching of affected entities (e.g. SETs)
Data Management
A part created by an older ANSA version would fail to be reloaded from DM.
The DM attributes would be lost upon modifying a DM path.

Add in DM Conflicts would not be reported upon saving and overwriting a part in DM, which was
originally saved with a previous ANSA version.
Change Upon changing representation of a part, all internal connections would be erased
Representation even if they were included in another part.
Scripting ansa.dm.ChangeRepresentation()
Big delay when changing representation for many parts.
Connections & Assembly
General Realizing a connection which requires Reconstruct application, the direct rotation of the
model would require a mouse-click in the working area first.
Connection The requested zones around the bolts could be distorted due to Fix Quality operations
Manager on those areas.
BETA CAE Systems 71

Connection In cases that the realization of the connection entity required Reconstruction of the
Manager elements, nodal thickness would be assigned on all the affected elements if even one of
the input shells had nodal thickness.
Auto-Connect
The option Consider Part Hierarchy would not work in cases where the part containing
the connections did not belong to a group.
Assembly Loadcase Manager

Values set in ERP edit card, launched from the Loadcase Manager, where not kept
correctly.
Convert FE to Connection Point

Occasionally it would lead to unexpected termination.
SeamLines The realization of FEMFAT arc weld representations, i.e. OVERLAP-SHELL-CLOSED,

T-JOINT-SHELL-CLOSED and T-JOINT-SHELL-DOUBLE-CLOSED resulted in
elements of bad quality.
When a feature line was interrupted by a perpendicular sheet the detection would not
operate properly.
Cases where frozen mesh was collapsed, when a seamilne was realized near that area.
Seamlines, Realization times were not satisfactory.

Adhesive [Incident: ANSA-54363]
Lines
BOLT Connectivity>Auto-Connect
Enabling the "Consider Part Hierarchy" option could lead to cases where the same part
would be erroneously detected several times.
Connectors When connector entities where defined between assembly points (A_POINTs), deletion
of the assembly point would not trigger a change in the status of the connector and the
connector would still report status OK.
BETA CAE Systems 72

FE Representations
SHELL- Occasionally, the Seamweld would fail to Realize.

CONTACT
SOLID BOLT Solid Bolt Realization, when applied on tubes of great length, could significantly
increase integration time.
NASTRAN GSPROJ and PROJTOL were not taken into account during realization of CWELDs or
CWELD when Checks>CWELDs was applied.
In cases of self-connected connections, upon realization both the GS of the NASTRAN

CWELD and the SHIDA would be erroneously attached to the same element.
RADIOSS Realization failed when connectivity contained solid entities.

WELD
Topo
CONS Project
The function could produce unchecked faces due to draft perimeter length.
Faces Replace
Using the function having the option "keep mesh from incoming" active would lead to
unexpected termination.
Surfaces Fillet[Surfaces]
Pressing Esc at fillet preview stage, it would lead to corrupted database.
Scripting FacesProjectCut
Script function FacesProjectCut() would lead to unexpected termination when executed
on mesh menu.
BETA CAE Systems 73

Shell Mesh
Perimeters Spacing > Auto STL

Specific case where function application on a macro with more than one faces
would result in erroneous nodal distribution on fillet.
Cases of incorrect nodes distance for STL meshing.
Grids Match [MANUAL]

Upon Reselect with the 'Pick: Node Sets' option activated, when emptying the first set,
Items from the second set could not be removed.
Mesh STL
Generation
Case where macros with joined CONs would fail to be meshed by the algorithm.
Cases where application of STL mesh algorithm in joined macros would result
result to missing elements in the mesh.
Upon application of Spacing > Auto STL and STL meshing algorithm, distorted
elements were created.
Cases of erroneous max length after applying Auto STL and STL meshing
algorithm.
Cases of unsatisfying STL mesh on joined Perimeters.
Cases where use of Spacing > Auto STL and STL meshing functions resulted in
bad element quality.
[Incident: 34670, ANSA-35933, ANSA-38850, ANSA-44495, ANSA-44155, ANSA-45826

, ANSA-21299]
Shell Mesh Reconstruct

Reconstruct would assign the PID thickness as nodal thickness, if even one of
the selected for reconstruction shells, had nodal thickness.
Specific cases where function application could erroneously split the edges of
frozen shells.
Elements
Create[Opening]
The result of the function would be random each time of execution.
BETA CAE Systems 74

Volume Mesh
Unstructured Tetra Rapid

Mesh
Cases of less accurate and error-prone internal refinement for TetraRapid
algorithm when Size boxes were present.
Exceptional cases where Tetra Rapid would fail to satisfy size box
refinement.
Hexa Interior
Special cases where volume mesh generation would fail, displaying the message
Error kernel 41.
Structured Mesh Layers

Cases of uneven layer squeezing at proximities from opposite fronts with
different number of layers would occur.
Rare cases where Layers of large total height would not properly connect to
the symmetry plane.
Scripting The function mesh.xyzIsInsideVolumeMatrix() would take significant time.

Batch Meshing
Batch Mesh with CFD algorithm would occasionally lead to unexpected termination.
Perimeters joining operation could lead to excessively large macro areas.

Specific cases where running the batch mesh would lead to unexpected termination.
DECKs
Input During M00 xml format input of a model -output from HyperCrash v12.x, containing
mixed M00 format and HyperMesh comments- model hierarchy was not read correctly
into ANSA.
BETA CAE Systems 75

Input Input Analytics

Using the shortcut Ctrl+C on Input Analytics would not copy the selected text.
ELEMENT UTIL [Mass Balance]

The coordinates brought in the tool when selected a grid via F1 would not be the exact
grid's coordinates.
UTIL [Match Parts]

When matching parts comprised of solid elements it would lead to an extra property
creation and occasionally to unexpected termination.
UTIL[Match Parts]
Cases where the function would fail.
AUXILIARIES MODEL CUT

When cohesive elements intersected the boundaries of a model cut entity, during the cut
all cohesive elements where deleted, not only those at the boundary.
Contact
ANSA would cease to respond when pressing the Restore button in the Inspect
Contacts tab.
Constraints Rigid elements (Nastran RBE, ABAQUS MPC etc.)>Branch>Move Master To Cog:
The new cog would not be calculated accurately.
Results Cases where parts were not automatically aligned and matched, during application of
Mapping Results Mapping or after execution of Elements > UTIL > Match Parts function.
Laminates Applying the Drape function, the process would not end.
GEBs Adding a column in the GEBs list with a parameter of a library item (for
representation=FromFile) using the label file_name::<parameter name> would
occasionally fail.
[Incident: ANSA-28387,45103]
BETA CAE Systems 76

Cutting Plane The layers of tshell or solid laminates would not be visualized when cut by a cutting
plane.
[Incident: ANSA-41888, 64690]
Includes The output failed when an include with absolute Output Path was Output as Separate
file.
The output failed when selecting to Output as Separate file an include with a relative
Output Path having active the option 'Output All Includes in Same Directory'.
[Incident: 60648, 61419, ANSA-38971, ANSA-39538]
Context menu > Manage Ids

Inputting a solver file created from outputting a database that contained numbering rules
as 'per type' for entities like Include, Set or Part, resulted in the ranges of these rules to
not be visible in the Manage Ids tool.
Renumber Include rules for RBE2s created would not appear in "Manage Ids" tool after reading
".ansa_rules" files.
Lists Includes > Load Files > Directory or File

No Input Analytics log file would be created, when the input file had warnings or errors.
Includes > Delete

Includes having both CORD1R entities and their definition nodes could not be deleted
with their entities.
Copy of nodes referencing coordinate system would create nodes that could not be
deleted.
Save as v16 RIGID BODY entities' Ids were renumbered when saving the Database with option
Save as v16.
CFD Decks
SIZE BOXES The accuracy of tetra elements' length in size boxes could be insufficient.
Cases where the refinement would take place also on areas that lie outside the size
boxes.
BETA CAE Systems 77

Plugins
Mapping SOL200 FE Update

In some cases, NASTRAN files carrying PBxSECT info, the plugin, could not access
related .punch file and therefore update respective values of PBxSECT items.
Includes Manager
When changing the includes' id, the synchronization of the highlight among the lists in the Includes
Manager would be lost.
CFD DECKs
Input Upon input of SC/TETRA files, BC (boundary condition) regions could not be read when
their name contained a space character.
Utilities Deck Info > DECK REPORT

Inconsistent quality criteria values would be displayed in Deck Report upon successive
application of the Deck Info function.
Safety
Pedestrian/ Positioning
Interior
Assignment of local coordinate system to the CID field via the Help list shows only the
compatible coordinate systems defined by 3 nodes.
When an invalid coordinate system is assigned to this CID field, an error message is
printed in the Info window.
BETA CAE Systems 78

Interior FMVSS21U
The 'Auto Position' would not reset the headform and the initial values would not
get updated prior to trying new positioning.
The CID of each target point would not get updated prior to positioning.
During the horizontal step of the positioning, the angle would not get reversed, if
the local Z axis was rotated over 90 degrees.
Incorrect positioning when horizontal limits for a target point are
[360,0].
Incorrect marking for the SR3a in case there is an other pillar.
Incorrect calculation of OP1 target point when a seat belt anchorage
existed for Other Pillar.
Target Point Excluded target points would not be colored with Grey in the target points' list.
NASTRAN
Input Inserting a file containing a Transfer Function (TF) where G(i) field was defined with
SPOINTs or EPOINTs or it was empty, would create unstable behaviour .
Output USET and USET1 were not output upon File > Output >Visible.
ELEMENTs RBE2GS
Cases where RBE2GS would erroneously not find GN & GM nodes.
B.C. SETs THERMAL [Convection]

Each time a new THERMAL>CONVECTION 'To ambient'/'Coupled Advection' was
created, the new SPCs would be assigned to different SPCsets.
THERMAL [Applied Heat]

The application region for Volumetric Generation option, would erroneously refer to 1D
and 2D elements also.
THERMAL [Applied Heat], THERMAL [Convection(To Ambient)]

When the SOLUTION_TYPE = TRANSIENT ANALYSIS and the "Time Function" field
was empty, a default TABLED was created and assigned to the specified field.
BETA CAE Systems 79

B.C. SETs THERMAL

One DLOAD was created for all the TLOADs of thermal loadset.
When a model did not have any of the existing LOAD/DLOAD collectors set as
current, a new one was created for a new Thermal Loadset.
[Incident: ANSA-53297 , ANSA-53291]
HEADER
When using the advanced edit, SWLDPRM could be inserted in the Header in an invalid
format.
In addition, when the format is wrong (e.g. 5 characters field), pressing the OK button
now a warning window opens providing also an Autofix option.
NVH Console
Assembly Loadcase Manager

Values set in ERP edit card, launched from the Loadcase Manager, where not kept
correctly.
Editing the modes for a Fluid-Structure Component in NVH Console would result to the selection of
incorrect modes.
LS-DYNA
*Include_transform with offset to node IDs would not be correctly applied for *Set_Node
Input
with node ID range.
Erroneous input of deck files with more than one Primer Kinematic configurations.
A_Parameter
inline *Parameter expressions would not be read without the <, > symbols.
MAT_ADD_EROSION
In cases where no value was specified for IDAM field, ANSA would assign 0 value,
enabling two additional unneeded keyword cards.
BETA CAE Systems 80

Contact The selection of Node set as SSTYP would not be allowed for
*CONTACT_TIED_SHELL_EDGE_TO_SOLID.
AUXILIARIES DATABASE [HISTORY OPTION]

The field HEADING was missing from the *DATABASE_HISTORY_NODE_LOCAL_ID
card.
INTFACE > INTERFACE_SPRINGBACK_OPT1_OPT2 (NODE SET)

Function application would lead to unexpected termination.
Checks DB Histories
The type of message "Multiple DB histories defined on entity" would erroneously appear
as Warning instead of Error, as defined in the LS-Dyna manual.

Support message files for mpp solution.
Tied contact errors were not correctly reported.
Cases were some errors were not reported.

Thick Shell Orientation, Cohesive Solid Orientation

Checks would not identify existing problems.
Joints
The Error Description of the Checks Manager Window could be confusing as it was
referencing the fields N1, N2, N3, N4, N5, N6 of the Constrained_joint card instead of
the actual node ids.
Cross Cross Sections[Multicut]

Sections
When Equivalent Box section type was selected, the section would not be properly
created while related dimensions would not be assigned within respective property card.
BETA CAE Systems 81

PAM-CRASH
Input COHESIVE elements would loose the information of their include appearing in an
auxiliary include after input.
When reading a CTRL as an include it would not get marked as current and therefore
it would not be written out during output (unless output all was selected)
Output When a CTRL exists in an include it would not be written out (even thought it was
current) when the disregard include option was active.
General Cases where in MID Draw Mode and with CONTACT visibility activated, an unexpected
termination occurred.
Check Dependency PAM-CRASH

The check would fail to detect dependency errors in case that the COG node of a
RBODY was used by SPRGBM elements.
Abaqus
ELEMENTs UTIL [Change Type]

Occasionally, UTIL>Change Type>1-D Entities resulted in entities with common IDs.
BOUNDARY BOUNDARY [SUBMODEL Nodes]

The TIMESCALE field would erroneously be of LineEdit type instead of ComboBox
(YES/NO options).
Scripting When the base.ChangeElemType() function was run for SOLID to GASKET element
conversion, multiple PIDs would be created. This was only occurring when no other
conversion (with the GUI function) was performed before the script call for current ANSA
session.
BETA CAE Systems 82

RADIOSS
Input When the option Merge Header in Input Parameters was active, it would not read in the
Controls as expected.
Output Empty groups were written out in case a set that contained solid properties should be
exported as a surface.
General Erroneous display of /BRICK Penta solid elements due to invalid node combination
upon Input.
AUXILIARIES Engine
Saving a Radioss file with unsupported Engine keywords as Ansa database and
reopening it could end up loosing these keywords.
PROP/TYPE11 (SH_SANDW), PROP/TYPE16 (SH_FABR):

Property
The field MID of the /Part would be automatically assigned a default material
/MAT/LAW1 (ELAST) that would give an error message during input.
Connection The FE Representations that create automatically interfaces, would not fill in the
Manager DSearch field of the interface.
Quality Crash time step

Criteria The calculation of the criterion would be erroneous for the following properties:
/PROP/TYPE8 (SPR_GENE)
/PROP/TYPE13 (SPR_BEAM)
/PROP/TYPE25 (SPR_AXI)
Crash time step

Crash time step calculation for /BRICK solid penta elements was incorrect.
Crash time step calculation for /BEAM, /TRUSS, /TETRA4 elements and /Part
with /MAT/LAW25 (COMPSH), /MAT/LAW28 (HONEYCOMB), /MAT/LAW33
(FOAM_PLAS) was incorrect.
ANSYS
Input Inputting file including Sets with elements would lead to unexpected termination.
BETA CAE Systems 83

AUXILIARIES PRTENS
The generation of Contact items would fail in cases where GEOM or VOLUME entities
were selected.
PERMAS
Output MPC RIGID entities were not written correctly upon output.
Fluent
AUXILIARIES BC TOOL
Function would erroneously suggest interface as wall.
RadTherm/TAITherm
Output Output was incorrect if F_SurfaceConditionOpt or B_SurfaceConditionOpt was set

toNo.
No overwrite warning message appeared, in case of duplicate files, during output"

KINETICS
Joint Starting a simulation would lead to unexpected termination in cases that the 3D-Curve
of PTCV joint was merged with another 3D-curve.
Bodies In cases where a KIN_BODY contained entities of higher level than elements, its
contents would not be affected by the Transform function when the Send to function was
used.
BETA CAE Systems 84

MORPH
List Cases where the deselection of MORPHFACEs via GL area would not reverse the
selection done through the list.
Controls Parameters[DFM]
Removal of a non-selected Move Type, would delete contents from the selected Move
Type as well.
Parameters
The bounds of the parameters could not be modified when defined on a 1D box.
Direct DFM
Morphing
In cases where the function was applied with multiple modes and partially
shared items as control entities, hitting the Init would not reverse the action.
[Align]: The application of the function to geometry Faces, could destroy the
Faces description.
Slide>Feature
When the new position was close to feature lines it would give inaccurate results.
DFM
Linked Faces used to remain morphed after escaping the "Parametric Movement"
window of DFM parameter.
Slide [Feature]
Function was failing to fill the remaining gap in case the feature had red (free) Bounds.
Create
In cases where points were used in order to define path selection (e.g. 'Surface',
'Curved' etc.), pressing the 'Back' button once the preview was available (i.e. upon the
Movement step), would lead to unexpected termination.
Controls Parameters [DFM:Offset]

Consecutive application of such parameter could lead to unjustifiable distorted mesh.
BETA CAE Systems 85

HEXA BLOCK
BOXEs Collapse
Once collapsing a BoxEdge that resulted in a Penta Box, no more edges in adjacent
boxes could be collapsed.
Volume Mesh Pure Hexa

Function application in case that internal Boxes -without free hatches, containing box
faces that were pasted and associated with geometric faces- were selected, would lead
to unexpected termination.
V.Traps
Model was not shown properly and calculation could not be performed.
Task Manager
Responses The Responses were written in text format, following a random order, instead of an
ascending order based on their ID.
Optimization Running an optimization task with loaded non-visible connections could lead to
unexpected termination.
Scripting
base.TransformPart()
Script function base.TransformPart() with uninitialized value for pid_offset would not be handled.
CollectNewModelEntities()
Script function CollectNewModelEntities() would not return new NASTRAN DAREAs.
BETA CAE Systems 86

base.CollectEntities()
Function would fail to gather the ABAQUS SPRING and PERMAS XSTIFF elements that came from
CELAS2 Nastran elements.
base.CollectEntities()
Function would return incorrect grids from edges or solid facets.
mesh.ReleaseElements()
Script function would trigger a screen redraw, causing unnecessary delay.
Script Editor
The function utils.Messenger() occasionally would misoperate when printing to .html format. This led to
incorrect depiction of endline characters and the usage of Bold/Underline marking of characters.
BETA CAE Systems 87

ANSA v17.1.0 Release Notes

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ANSA v17.1.0 Release Notes

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Beta lm SetUp Guide

BETA CAE Systems 1

BETA CAE Systems International AG

Queries & Services : ansa@beta-cae. com

BETA CAE Systems 1

BETA CAE Systems 2

2. Whats new in v17.1.0

[Incident: 60319, ANSA-38738]

BETA CAE Systems 3

[Incident: 33479 , ANSA-20608]

BETA CAE Systems 4

CAD Import / Export

CAD to ANSA Translators

BETA CAE Systems 5

BETA CAE Systems 6

BETA CAE Systems 7

BETA CAE Systems 8

Synchronization of Subsystems and Includes

BETA CAE Systems 9

BETA CAE Systems 10

Scripting Support of the function base.CreateConfigurations() which creates configurations from

The Base.GetGeometryOutOfSubsystems() returns the

BETA CAE Systems 11

Settings Advanced > Geometry [Consider bounds]

Advanced > Geometry [Consider bounds]

BETA CAE Systems 12

Scripting Product Tree Editor

base.NewPTInstance() function: It is now possible to define different user attributes to

Connections & Assembly

Subsystem Assembly Point

BETA CAE Systems 13

Connections > Check double connections

Settings Settings>Connections>General>User Attribute colors Function

Connections>FE Rep Reference Properties

BETA CAE Systems 14

In cases of mesh reconstruction around holes, the node number can be

BOLT, The option Expand Interface is now supported.

RBE2, RBE2- For Seamlines it is now possible to attache on beam elements.

BETA CAE Systems 15

Scripting Script function connections.ReplaceConnectivity(), which replaces one connectivity entity

Hot Points Weld Spot

Faces Mid.Surface>Check Middle Surface

BETA CAE Systems 16

Faces Middle [Single]

Plane Cut [Single]

BETA CAE Systems 17

New > Num.Input

Scripting Support of the function base.FacesFuseProximities(), corresponding to the GUI function

The argument base.constants.FRONT_SELECTION is added in base.PickEntities()

New script function base.HotPointsMarkUnmark(), both in python and beta scripting

Support of the function base.ReleaseVolumes(). This function disconnects geometrical

New function base.HotPointsWeldSpot() to define Welding Spots (magenta circle with

Support of the function base.PointsRelative to create 3d points relative to points.

New script function base.FacesFuseProject() available for python and betascript.

Support of the functions base.PointsOnCurve() and base.PointsInLine() in both Beta

BETA CAE Systems 18

Grids Thickness>Set Advanced

[Incident: ANSA-26156, ANSA-39622, ANSA-34975]

Spacing > Auto STL

BETA CAE Systems 19

Shell Mesh Volumize

Checks Mesh>Symmetry Plane (CFD Decks)

Penetration > Proximities

BETA CAE Systems 20