Preface

This manual is a User Guide to version 4.401 of the FEMGEN to ABAQUS Interface Program. The software described in this manual is compatible with FEMGV versions 4 or later and ABAQUS versions 4.9 to 5.8. The interface program is incorporated within FEMGEN and when the ABAQUS environment is selected some of the FEMGEN menus will be significantly altered in order to allow access to ABAQUS data types.

This new release of the FEMGEN to ABAQUS interface incorporates the following new features, covering both new functionality for ABAQUS 5.8 and general improvements to the capability of the interface.

• Support of the following elements:
  • New frame elements: FRAME2D, FRAME3D.
  • New axisymmetric coupled temperature-displacement elements with twist: CGAX*.
  • New distributing coupling elements: DCOUP2D, DCOUP3D.
  • Rigid beams: RB2D2, RB3D2; and RAX2.
  • Generalised plane strain elements: CGPE*.
• Support of kinematic coupling constraints.
• Allows for the Lanczos eigensolver option in *BUCKLE and *FREQUENCY.
• Increased precision when outputting initial temperature data.
• Increased precision when outputting local coordinate systems.
• Parameter MONOTONIC in *STEP is now replaced by EXTRAPOLATION.
• For element faces loads, ability to give a second geometric part to specify which elements edge is loaded.
• Ability to define the beam orientation via a FEMGEN point.
• Longer model descriptions can be written out.
• Four resources available for *PREPRINT options.
• The maximum number of contact surfaces was increased to 1000.

Femsys Limited.
August 1999