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Connectors
Create connections between parts of your model.
Realizations
View details for different types of realizations.
Point Connector Realization Types
A list of realization types that can be specified for point connectors.
Hexa (Imprint)
This realization creates one hexa cluster per connector and realizes a node to node connection to the linked shell meshes by adjusting it (shell coating).

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Connectors
Create connections between parts of your model.
- Connector Preferences
  Connector preferences describe how different connector realizations behave when changes are made.
- Connector Browser
  Use the Connector Browser to view and modify connectors in the current model.
- Define Connector Controls
  Use the Control Manager to create and edit the various types of controls that will be used later when realizing connectors.
- Create and Realize Connectors
  Use the tools in the Create tool set to create connectors, assign controls, and realize.
- Apply Mass
  Create a dummy connector entity to add mass to a part, or create areas of mass to represent parts not present in the CAD or FE data.
- Connector Quality Check
  Use the Quality controller to perform various checks on connectors and realized FE.
- FE Absorb Connectors
  Use the FE Absorb tools to create connectors from existing mesh that meet specific types of realizations.
- Realizations
  View details for different types of realizations.
  - Point Connector Realization Types
    A list of realization types that can be specified for point connectors.
    - Beam (Contact)
      This realization creates beam elements between the shells and/or solid elements, connecting them using a contact definition.
    - Beam (Rigid)
      This realization creates bar (CBAR) elements between the shell and/or solid elements and then connects the two using RBE3 elements.
    - CFAST (General)
      This realization creates CFAST elements between the connecting links.
    - CGAP (G)
    - Cweld (General)
      This realization creates weld (cweld) elements to connect the connector links.
    - Fastener (Coincident)
    - Fastener (Nodes)
    - FEMFAT
    - Hexa (Contact)
      This realization creates hexa elements between shell and/or solid elements connecting them with a tie contact definition.
    - Hexa (HAZ)
      Use this realization to create hexa clusters between shell components.
    - Hexa (Imprint)
      This realization creates one hexa cluster per connector and realizes a node to node connection to the linked shell meshes by adjusting it (shell coating).
    - Hexa (Rigid)
    - HiLock
    - Mastic
    - penta (mig)
    - pie (rigid spider)
    - plink (connector position)
    - plink (middle of the gap)
    - rbe3 (Load Transfer)
      Use the RBE3 Load Transfer realization to create MPCs using RBE3 elements between the nodes of shell-shell, shell-solid, or solid-solid groups by using spot connectors.
    - rigidlnk (midnode)
    - Spring (Rigid)
      This realization creates spring (CBUSH, CELAS1, CON3D2) elements between the shell and/or solid elements and then connects using Rigid elements (RBE2, RBE3, DCOUP) elements.
  - Fastener Connector Realization Types
    A list of realization types that can be specified for fastener connectors.
  - Line Connector Realization Types
    A list of realization types that can be specified for line connectors.
  - Area Connector Realization Types
    A list of realization types that can be specified for area connectors.
  - Attachment Connector Realization Types
    A list of realization types that can be specified for attachment connectors.
- Element Organization
  Organize elements in the Browser Configuration dialog.
- FE Configuration File
  The FE configuration file (feconfig.cfg) is used to define custom welds such as ACM (Area Contact Method) and other special types.
- Attachments and Connectors
  Attachments are an entity to facilitate the ease of joining subsystems.
- Connector Tools
  Use the Connector tools to further define connections between components.
- CAD Abstraction
  Abstract information incoming from the CAD hierarchy to robustly create connectors.
Morph
Rapidly change the shape of the FE mesh without severely sacrificing the mesh quality.
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Create a reduced ordered model to facilitate optimization at the concept phase.
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Validate the model built before running solver analysis.
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Reduce a full 3D model with axisymmetric surfaces while accounting for imperfections.
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Tools used for crash and safety analysis.
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Use airbag folder utilities and export a resulting airbag in a Radioss deck.
Aerospace
Essential utility tools developed using HyperMesh-Tcl.
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Import an aeroelastic finite element model with Nastran Bulk Data format.
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Framework to plug certification methods to assess margin of safety from the model and result information.
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Create, define, and export reports.

View All Altair HyperWorks Help

Hexa (Imprint)

This realization creates one hexa cluster per connector and realizes a node to node connection to the linked shell meshes by adjusting it (shell coating).

Restriction: Available in Abaqus, LS-DYNA, Nastran, OptiStruct, and Radioss.

Different patterns are available. This is driven by the number of hexas. The appearance can be influenced via the diameter and the washer layer activation.

For LS-DYNA, the property script prop_acm_coating.tcl is used.

Figure 1.

ACM Realization Options


Option	Action
thickness	Select a thickness option used for dimensioning and positioning hexas. shell gap Project the hexa spot to touch the shell elements. The position is independent from any thickness. equival. (T1+T2)/2 Create hexa elements with RBE3 elements projecting and connecting to the surrounding shell elements. This realization uses the shell thickness to calculate the hexa offset from the shell elements. In the case where the model is a 3T connection, the acm (equivalenced-(T1+T2)/2) realization will join the hexa elements. Figure 2. detached (T1+T2)/2 Create hexa elements with RBE3 elements projecting and connecting to the surrounding shellstr elements. This realization uses the shell thickness to calculate the hexa offset from the shell elements. In the case where the model is a 3T connection, the acm (detached-(T1+T2)/2) realization will not join the hexa elements. Figure 3. mid thickness Calculate the hexa spot size (thickness) as the air gap between the two connected parts. If there is no gap, or even a penetration, the hexa spot size will always be modeled with 1.0. const thickness Specify the hexa spot size (thickness). maintain gaps Calculate the hexa spot size (thickness) as the gap distance reduced by two times the specified value for maintain gaps. The position is independent from any thickness.
num hexas	Create a hexa cluster with 1, 4, 8, 12, 16 or 32 hexas, which are arranged in a predefined pattern. Figure 4. Note: Available for all ACM realization types.
coats	Define the number of hexa elements required along the thickness. Multiple solid coats are supported.
orthogonal faces	Force the creation of perfectly orthogonally-shaped hexas. Figure 5. . The two leftmost realizations were performed with the orthogonal faces option enabled. Note: Available for any kind of ACM weld, if num hexas is set to 1.