Welcome
What's New
View new features for Altair HyperWorks 2025.
Get Started
Learn the basics and discover the workspace.
Tutorials
Learn more about the Altair HyperWorks suite of products with interactive tutorials.
Startup Procedures and Customizations
Start and configure the applications.
Tool Finder
View a list of deprecated panels and their newer, equivalent workflows.
Manage Files and Data
Create, open, import, and save models.
- Supported File Types
  The following file types can be read, depending upon the active application.
- Create New Files
  Create a new file.
- Open Files
  Open a file.
- Import Files
  Import various file types into the selected client.
- Warning Messages When Loading Files
  When loading an .hm file, you may receive a warning message depending on the version and solver interface in which the file was last saved.
- Change Solver Interfaces
  Load a different solver interface in the application.
- Conversion Between Solver Formats
  Convert finite element models to another solver format.
  - Convert Model File Solver Format
    Convert model files from one solver format to another.
  - Batch Conversion Tools
    Batch mode conversion is available for all solver interfaces.
  - Abaqus Conversion
  - ADVC Conversion
  - ANSYS Conversion
  - LS-DYNA Conversion
  - Nastran Conversion
  - OptiStruct Conversion
  - PAM-CRASH 2G Conversion
  - Permas Conversion
  - Radioss Conversion
- Load Files
  Load command files, scripts, solver template files, preferences, or the Metadata Table.
- Save Files
  Save all of the data in your current session.
- Collect Diagnostics Information
  The Diagnostics Information Gathering utility collects diagnostics files in the case of a crash and saves them to a common folder.
- Export Files
  Export various file types from the selected client to another format.
- Include Files
  Most FEA solvers allow you to organize the input deck into separate files and provide a mechanism to include (or refer) these files in the main input deck.
- Import Templates
  Templates can be imported by means of the File > Import menu.
- Take a Screen Capture
  Record a video or take a snapshot of the screen.
- Convert Units
  Use the Units tool to convert a finite element model from its initial unit system to a new unit system.
Sessions and Report Templates
Set up sessions and create report templates.
Interface with External Products
Solver interfaces supported in HyperMesh.
Entities and Solver Interfaces
A solver interface is made up of a template and a FE-input reader.
Browsers
Browsers provide a structured view of model data, which you can use to review, modify, create, and manage the contents of a model. In addition to visualization, browsers offer features like search, filtering, and sorting, which enhance your ability to navigate and interact with the model data.
Sketching
Create and edit 2D parametric sketch geometry.
Topology
Create, edit, and cleanup geometry.
FE Geometry
FE geometry is topology on top of mesh, meaning CAD and mesh exist as a single entity. The purpose of FE geometry is to add vertices, edges, surfaces, and solids on FE models which have no CAD geometry.
Meshing and Elements
Explore the different types of mesh you can create in HyperMesh and create and edit 0D, 1D, 2D, and 3D elements.
Model Build and Assembly
Create, organize and manage parts and subsystems.
Composites
HyperMesh composites modeling.
Connectors
Create connections between parts of your model.
Morph
Rapidly change the shape of the FE mesh without severely sacrificing the mesh quality.
Skeleton Modeling
Create a reduced ordered model to facilitate optimization at the concept phase.
Design Space
Workflow to support topology optimization model build and setup.
Optimization
Setup an Optimization in HyperMesh.
Design Explorer
Multi-disciplinary design exploration and optimization tools.
Validate
Validate the model built before running solver analysis.
Analyze
Models require loads and boundary conditions in order to represent the various physics and/or physical equivalents to bench and in-use testing.
Axisymmetry
Reduce a full 3D model with axisymmetric surfaces while accounting for imperfections.
Concept Modeling
Tools and workflows that are dedicated to rapidly creating new parts for specific use cases, or amending existing parts. The current capabilities are focused on stiffening parts.
Crash and Safety
Tools used for crash and safety analysis.
Airbag
Use airbag folder utilities and export a resulting airbag in a Radioss deck.
Aerospace
Essential utility tools developed using HyperMesh-Tcl.
Aeroelasticity
Import an aeroelastic finite element model with Nastran Bulk Data format.
Certification
Framework to plug certification methods to assess margin of safety from the model and result information.
PhysicsAI
Use PhysicsAI to build fast predictive models from CAE data. PhysicsAI can be trained on data with any physics or remeshing and without design variables.
Results Data
Results data can be post-processed using both HyperMesh and HyperView.
Developer
The Developer ribbon contains tools for automation and customization.
Plot Data
HyperGraph is a data analysis and plotting tool with interfaces to many file formats.
Multibody Modeling
MotionView is a general pre-processor for Multibody Dynamics.
Media Files
MediaView plays video files, displays static images, tracks objects, and measures distances.
Tabulate Results
Use TableView to create an Excel-like spreadsheet.
Text Files
TextView math scripts reference vector data from HyperGraph windows to automate data processing and data summary.
Publishing and Reporting
Create, define, and export reports.

LS-DYNA to Nastran Conversion Mapping

Elements


LS-DYNA	Nastran
*ELEMENT_MASS	CONM2
*ELEMENT_INERTIA	CONM2
*ELEMENT_BEAM	CBAR
*ELEMENT_SHELL	CTRIA3,CQUAD4, CQUAD8, CTRIA6
*ELEMENT_SOLID	CTETRA4/CHEXA8/CPENTA6
*CONSTRAINED_SPOTWELD	RBAR
*ELEMENT_PLOTEL	PLOTEL
*CONSTRAINED_INTERPOLATION	RBE3
*CONSTRAINED_NODE_SET	RBE2
*ELEMENT_DISCRETE	CELAS1

Properties


LS-DYNA	Nastran
*SECTION_SOLID	PSOLID
*SECTION_SHELL	PSHELL
*SECTION_BEAM	PBAR, PBARL

*SECTION_BEAM with ELFORM 1 is mapped to the PBARL property.

*SECTION_BEAM with ELFORM 2 is mapped to the PBAR property.

Materials

All the LS-DYNA materials are mapped MAT1 in Nastran.

Boundary Conditions


LS-DYNA	Nastran
*BOUNDARY_SPC	SPC
*LOAD_NODE_POINT	FORCE, MOMENT
*LOAD_SEGMENT	PLOAD4
*INITIAL_TEMP	TEMP

Coordinate System


LS-DYNA	Nastran
*DEFINE_COORDINATE_NODE	CORD1R
*DEFINE_COORDINATE_SYSTEM	CORD2R