MSC Software has introduced new  interoperability enhancements between MSC Apex and MSC Nastran. The implementation of a new Faceted Body Toolset enables CAE analysts to automatically regenerate geometry from meshes without the need for manual CAD model recreation.

“There is huge value in MSC Nastran engineering data for maintenance simulations or as a starting point for the development of new products, but the geometries for these models are often lost and topology modifications are time-consuming. MSC Apex is the first CAE tool to automate this, and we anticipate it could save hours for a single part – or days for an assembly,” -VP Product Management, Hugues Jeancolas, MSC Software.

Save time creating geometry

MSC Apex provides the unique capability to generate 2D and 3D geometry bodies from the definition of nodes and elements a legacy Finite Element (FE) model. Simply import an MSC Nastran BDF file into MSC Apex and use the new Faceted Body toolset to create geometry from mesh in only a few clicks. You can then further edit the geometry, performing Boolean operations and partitioning the body into cells to ultimately re-mesh it with proper element size and type choices. The resulting geometry, mesh, and model attributes are all then generatively linked as a native MSC Apex model.

Work smarter with native ID interoperability

You can now work smarter with  MSC Nastran models within MSC Apex by using ID management extensions. Users can now access all parts, nodes, elements, and coordinate systems within a model through IDs and locate a specific object and manage renumbering efficiently in large assemblies.

These new features are available immediately to all customers in MSC Apex Iberian Lynx Feature Pack 2 to improve the interoperability between MSC Apex and MSC Nastran, the most trusted FEA solver in the world. Additional MSC Nastran features include support for joints as well as the definition of non-structural mass. Engineers working with legacy model modifications and using MSC Nastran are encouraged to use this latest version of MSC Apex and enjoy the productivity gains.