Workshop

Connecting Rod Using 2d

Elements

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 1 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 • Workshop Objectives
– Observe the deformation, von Mises stress, and marker tensor results for
the model described below.
• Software Version
– Patran 2018.0
– MSC Nastran 2018.0
• Files Required
– conrod.igs
• Problem Description
– Develop a 2D plate element model of a connecting rod. The surfaces are
obtained by importing an IGES file.
• Connecting rod material: Aluminum with E = 10 x 106 psi and n = 0.3.
– Using a cylindrical coordinate system, create a field and a load.
• Distributed edge load at piston = 1000.0 * sin(q).
– Post-process the results with respect to the local coordinate system.

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 2 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 • Suggested Exercise Steps
1. Create a new database and name it connecting_rod_2D .
2. Import the model geometry file conrod.igs.
3. Create a Quad4 solid finite element mesh with global edge length = 0.125.
4. Equivalence the all the geometry to connect the elements together.
5. Create a cylindrical coordinate system, Coord 1, with its origin at the center
of the piston’s larger whole.
6. Create a field with vector function sinr’T.
7. Create loads and boundary conditions
• Distributed load with scale factor of 1000 and an edge distribution force equal to
the field created in step 6. Apply it using coord 1 and selecting the region as
shown in Figure 1.
• Constrain all six degrees of freedom at the contact area of the crankshaft.
8. Create an isotropic material for Aluminum with elastic modulus of 10E6 and
Poisson’s ratio of 0.3.
9. Create a 2D shell property with thickness = 0.9375 and apply it to the
Crankshaft and the Piston. The flange should have a thickness of 0.75 and
the web should have a thickness of 0.375.
10.Check the load case and verify that the load and boundary condition are
included.

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 3 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 • Suggested Exercise Steps continued
11.Set up and perform an analysis:
• Solution Type = Linear Static
• Solution Sequence = 101
12.Attach the results connecting_rod_2D.xdb.
13.Plot displacement, translational, then erase the geometry and unpost the
undeformed model and coordinate frame to get a better plot.
14.Plot the von Mises Stresses.
15.Plot stress tensor components using two different coordinate frames:
‘Global’ and ‘As is.’

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 4 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Figure 1

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 5 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 1. Create a New Database
a

Create a new database called

connecting_rod_2D.db:
a. Under the Home tab, click New
from Defaults group.
b. Enter connecting_rod_2D
for File name.
c. Click OK. d
d. Select Tolerance as Default.
e. Select MSC Nastran as
Analysis Code.
f. Select Structural as Analysis
Type.
e
g. Click OK.
f

c g
b

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 6 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 2. Import Geometry
b
d

e
a

Import the IGES file, conrod.igs:

a. Select File > Import.
b. Select IGES for Source.
c. Disable Import to Parasolid.
d. Select conrod.igs.
e. Click Apply.
f. When Summary appears, Click
OK.

f
Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 7 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation
 Step 2. Import Geometry (Cont.)

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 8 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 3. Mesh the Surfaces
a

Mesh the connecting rod

geometry using the IsoMesh
mesher:
a. Under the Meshing tab,
click Surface from Meshers
group.
b. Select
b
• Elem Shape = Quad
• Mesher = IsoMesh
• Topology = Quad4
c. Select the entire model for
Surface List. c
d. Disable Automatic
Calculation. d
e. Enter 0.125 for Global
e
Edge Length. c
f. Click Apply.

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 9 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 4. Equivalence the Nodes
a

Equivalence the nodes in

order to connect all the
elements:
a. Under the Meshing tab,
click Equivalence from
FEM Actions group.
b. Click Apply.
c. Select Free Edges.
d. Click Verify.
e. Click Reset.

c
d e

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 10 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 5. Create a Cylindrical Coordinate System
c
a b

Before creating the cylindrical

coordinate system, it is necessary
to change the view and zoom in on
a certain part of the geometry: c
a. Click Iso 1 View.
b. Increase the point size by
clicking on the Point size icon.
c. Click View corners and box
the top portion of the surface
as shown.

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 11 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 5. Create a Cylindrical Coordinate System (Cont.)

Now create the cylindrical

coordinate system using the
3Point method:
a. Under the Geometry tab,
click Select (from
Coordinates group) >
3Point.
b. Select Cylindrical as
Type.
e b
c. Select the center point of
the piston for the Origin.
d. Enter [x2 y2 1] for the
Point on Axis 3 (By
entering x2 and y2, this c
point will use the x and y c
coordinates of Point 2).
e. Select point indicated in d
the diagram on the right
for Point on Plane 1-3. e

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 12 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 6. Create a Field
a

Create a field. This field will be used to create a CID Distributed Load later in this
workshop.
a. Under the Loads/BCs tab, click Create Spatial Function from LBC Fields group.
b. Enter sin_load for the Field Name.
c. Select Vector for the Field Type.
d. Select the cylindrical coord system (Coord 1).
e. Enter sinr‘T under First Component. b
f. Click Apply.
c

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 13 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 7. Create Loads and Boundary Conditions
a

Create a distributed load using the

existing field:
a. Under the Loads/BCs tab, click e
CID Distributed Load from
Element Uniform group.
b. Enter CID_distributed for
New Set Name. e
c. Select 2D as Target Element
Type. i
d. Click Input Data. j
e. Enter 1000 for the Load/BC Set
Scale Factor, and for Edge Distr e
Force, select the spatial field
sin_load.
f. Select Coord 1 for the Analysis
h
Coordinate Frame and click OK.
b
g. Click Select Application
k
Region…
c
h. Click Edge the Picking Filters f
toolbar.
i. For Select Surfaces or Edges, k. Click OK.
f d
select the 7 surface edges (as l. Click Apply. g
shown on the next page).
j. Click Add l

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 14 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 7. Create Loads and Boundary Conditions (Cont.)

Select Surface Edges as Shown

CID Distributed Load

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 15 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 7. Create Loads and Boundary Conditions (Cont.)

Create the constraint set for the

model. This constraint will fix all
six degrees-of-freedom at the
contact area of the crankshaft.
a. Click Fit view.
b. Click View Corners and f
box the crank section
(bottom portion) of the
model.
c. Under the Loads/BCs tab,
click Displacement
Constraint from Nodal
group.
d. Enter fix_at_crank for
the New Set Name. d
e. Click Input Data.
f. Enter <0 0 0> under
Translations and
b a
Rotations.
g. Click OK.
e
g

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 16 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 7. Create Loads and Boundary Conditions (Cont.)

Finish creating the constraint by selecting the

application region:
a. Click Select Application Region.
b. Click Curve or Edge on the Picking
Filters toolbar.
c. For Select Geometry Entities, shift select
the 6 surfaces (inside edges) as shown.
d. Click Add.
e. Click OK. c
f. Click Apply.
d

b
c
e

a
f

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 17 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 7. Create Loads and Boundary Conditions (Cont.)

Shown here is the model constraint set at the interface of the crankshaft. Six
nodal dofs are constrained at each node on the six surface edges.

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 18 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 8. Create Material Property
a

Create a material property for

aluminum:
a. Under the Properties tab, click
Isotropic from Isotropic
group. d
b. Enter Aluminum for the
Material Name.
c. Click Input Properties.
d. Enter 10E6 for Elastic
Modulus and 0.3 for Poisson
Ratio.
b
e. Click OK.
f. Click Apply.

e
f

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 19 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 9. Create Element Properties
a

Create the element property for the

crank (the elements that make up d
the larger ring):
a. Under the Properties tab, click
Shell from 2D Properties f
group.
b. Enter 2D_crank for the
Property Set Name.
c. Click Input Properties.
d. Click on the Mat Prop Name
icon.
e. Select Aluminum from the b
Select Existing Material form.
f. Enter 0.9375 for the
Thickness.
g. Click OK. e
g
c

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 20 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 9. Create Element Properties (Cont.)
Select the application region for the 2D_crank property:
a. Click Select Application Region.
b. Click in the Select Members text box, and for the application region, shift-select
the 9 surfaces that make up the crank (the ring).
c. Click Add.
d. Click OK
e. click Apply.
Repeat Step 9 to create three more properties: 2D_piston, 2D_flange, and
2D_web. The data is provided on the next page.

b c

d e

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 21 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 9. Create Element Properties (Cont.)
The pink ring indicates the application
region for the 2D_piston property. There
should be a total of 9 surfaces that make up
this ring.

Six surfaces make up the application

region for the 2D_flange property set.
The application region is indicated in
green.

Similarly, six surfaces compose the

application region for the 2D_web
property set. This region is indicated in
blue.

Illustrated are the application regions for each property

set. Below is a table listing each property set name with
its corresponding material set and thickness.

Property Set Name Material Name Thickness

2D_crank Aluminum 0.9375
2D_piston Aluminum 0.9375
2D_flange Aluminum 0.75
2D_web Aluminum 0.375

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 22 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 10. Check the Load Case
b

Check the load case Default c

to ensure that the correct
Loads/BCs are selected:
a. Click Fit view.
b. Under the Loads/BCs
tab, click Create Load
Case from Load Cases e d
group.
c. Select Show as Action.
d. Click Default under
Existing Load Cases.
e. Make sure the correct
Loads/BCs are applied. f
f. Click OK.
a

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 23 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 11. Run Analysis
a

Analyze the model:

a. Under the Analysis tab, click
Entire Model from Analyze
group.
c
b. Click Solution Type.
c. Select LINEAR STATIC as
Solution Type.
d. Click OK.
e. Click Apply.

e
Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 24 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation
 Step 12. Access the Results
a

Attach the XDB file and read the

results:
a. Under the Analysis tab, click
XDB from Access Results
group. c
b. Click Select Results File.
c. Select
connecting_rod_2d.xdb
d. Click OK.
e. Click Apply.
d

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 25 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 13. Deformation Plot
a

Create a deformation plot:

a. Under the Results tab, click
Deformation from Results
Plots group. b
b. Select A1:Static Subcase
under Select Results Cases.
c. Select Displacements,
Translational under the Select
Deformation Results.
d. Click Apply.

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 26 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 13. Deformation Plot (Cont.)

c
Erase the geometry and unpost a
the undeformed model and
coordinate frame to get a better
plot: f
a. Click Display Attributes.
b. Disable Show Undeformed.
c. Click Plot/Erase.
d. Click Erase under Geometry.
e. Click OK.
f. Select Display > Coordinate
Frames.
b
g. Click Unpost All.
h. Click OK.
i. Click Apply.

g d

i
h e

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 27 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 13. Deformation Plot (Cont.)

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 28 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 14. Fringe Plot (Cont.)
b

Plot the Von Mises stresses:

a. Click Reset Graphics.
b. Under the Results tab, click f
Fringe from Result Plots
group.
c. Select A1:Static Subcase.
d. Select Stress Tensor. a c
e. Make sure von Mises is
selected.
f. Click Display Attributes.
g. Select Element Edges as g
Display.
h. Click Apply.

d
The blue lines indicating the element edges overshadow the
fringe colors, so it will be necessary to zoom in on the model
to get a clearer view.
e

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 29 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 14. Fringe Plot (Cont.)

Illustrated here are the views of the von Mises

stress. It is necessary to zoom in on different
sections to see the stress spatial gradient.

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 30 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 15. Marker Plots
a

Plot stress tensor components e

using Coordinate Transformation
‘As is’: f
b
a. Under the Results tab, click g
Tensor from Result Plots
group.
b. Select A1:Static Subcase.
c. Select Stress Tensor. h
d. Select to Components XX and
YY as Show As . c
e. Click Display Attributes. i
f. Click Spectrum
g. Check Show Spectrum.
h. Select Screen Scaled for
Vector definition/Length and
enter 0.5 for the Scale Factor.
i. Disable Show Tensor Box.
d

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 31 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 15. Marker Plots (Cont.)

Plot stress tensor components

using Coordinate Transformation c
‘As is’: a
a. Click Plot Options.
b. Set Coordinate
Transformation to As is. b
c. Zoom into the top part of the
model using view corners icon,
so that about 20 elements can
be seen.
d. Click Apply.

Notice that the stress tensor arrows are in the

circumferential direction.

Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 32 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation

 Step 15. Marker Plots (Cont.)

Re-plot the same stress data, but

use ‘Global’ Coordinate
Transformation:
a. Set Coordinate
Transformation to Global.
b. Click Apply. a

Notice that now the stress tensor arrows lie in the Patran global b
coordinate directions. There are advantages to using various
transformations.
Connecting Rod Using 2d Elements 33 Copyright© 2018 MSC Software Corporation