Welcome to MSC.

visualNastran 4D
The MSC.visualNastran 4D team is committed to providing you easy-to-use engineering software that saves you time and money on
hardware prototyping, testing, and redesigns.

To get started, install MSC.visualNastran 4D (vN4D) and go through each step described below.
If you have any questions, please call us toll-free at 800.766.6615

1.0 Installing MSC.visualNastran 4D 1.2 Creating a Falling Block

1. If you have a previous version of vN4D installed on your 1. The first simulation is Newton’s experiment, dropping a block.
computer, uninstall it. 2. To draw a solid block, click (the Box tool). (You may need
2. Close all application before beginning the installation. to maximize and/or resize the vN4D screen to see the tool.)
3. Insert the enclosed CD into the CD-Rom drive. The 3. Notice a grid appears. Single-click somewhere on the grid
installation program should start automatically. If it does not, and then single-click on another spot on the grid to sketch
using Windows Explorer, browse to the root directory of the the box’s base. Move the mouse to vertically extrude the
CD and double-click on setup.exe to launch the installation block, and single-click to finish.
program
4. After InstallShield prepares for installation (one minute),
follow the on-screen instructions. When the Select Options
screen appears, select the Evaluation radio button. On the
screen that follows, select Evaluate MSC.visualNastran 4D
2004. Next, select the relevant features that you want
installed (default features are normally sufficient), and click
[Next]. On the next screen, select a scratch directory and
then click [Next]. Installation will take several minutes.
5. Note: An evaluation copy provides all features, except Save
and Export, for 45 days. For Save/Export capability, email
[email protected] for a 2-week FlexLM
license.
6. When the installation is nearly finished, you may be asked to
restart your computer. After restarting your computer,
InstallShield will complete the installation (be patient).

1.1 Starting MSC.visualNastran 4D

1. Ensure that vN4D is installed on your computer.
2. Click on , then Programs, then MSC.visualNastran 4. To run the simulation and see the block fall due to gravity,
Desktop, and then MSC.visualNastran 4D 2004. click the Run button at the bottom of the window.
3. Click [Cancel] to close the license window (if it appears). 5. After running a few frames, click the Reset button on the
4. the “Getting Started/What’s New/Demo Files” window bottom left of the window.
(if it appears). 6. Double-click on the block to open the Properties window.

MSC.Software 1
Tel. 800.766.6615 Fax. 650.574.7541 http://www.vndesktop.com
Created & last updated 2/17/2004 by Paul Mitiguy and Michael Woo
7. In the Properties window, click on the Appearance tab and
check the boxes for “Center of mass shown” and
1.3 Making a Pendulum
“Translucent”. Click on the color box to pick a color. 1. Press “ f ” to look at the front view of the block.
2. Click on the workspace (the white background in the
window with the solid block) to de-select the block.
3. On the Create Constraint tool , click the down arrow ,
and select Revolute Joint (as shown in the next figure).

8. In the Properties window, click on the Pos tab and enter the
values indicated below.

4. Click on the front surface of the block slightly below the

upper left hand corner and press [Enter].

9. In the Properties window, click on the Material tab and enter

the values indicated below

5. To run the pendulum simulation, click the Run button .

6. Click to reset the simulation.
10. In the Properties window, click on the Box tab and enter the
first three values indicated below
1.4 Graphing the Pendulum’s Motion
1. To graph the pendulum’s motion, click on the block. Choose
the Insert menu, select Meter, and then Orientation.
2. Click to run and then click to reset.
3. Optional: If you prefer to view numbers rather than graphs,
right-click on the graph and select Digital. Return to viewing
graphs by right-clicking on the meter and select Graph.

11. Click [Close] to close the Properties window.

12. To re-run the simulation, click the Run button .
13. After running a few frames, click to reset the simulation.

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1.6 Controlling the Spring Constant
1. With the spring selected, select the Insert menu, select
Control, and then select Spring Constant. Click [OK] to
select the slider.
2. Click and observe that the motion of the pendulum is a
function of the spring constant (slide the slider from left to
right while the simulation is running).
3. Click to reset the simulation.

1.5 Adding a Spring-Damper

1. Click on the workspace (not on the pendulum).
2. On the Create Constraint tool , click the down arrow ,
and select Linear Spring/Damper (as shown below).

1.7 Importing a Cam

vN4D can import CAD geometry from all major neutral formats,
including ACIS, CATIA, Parasolids, STEP, IGES, and STL.

1. To import a cam into the simulation, choose the Insert

menu, select Body, and then Geometry… Click the vN
Shortcuts button on the bottom left, double-click on the
EvaluationKit folder and then open SampleCam.sat.

3. Click on the upper right-hand corner of the block and then

click on the workspace above the first point, as shown below.
4. Click to run the simulation and then click to reset.
5. Notice the graph of the decaying oscillation.

2. Enter the value of 1000 in the spring constant slider.

Optional: Click to hide the spring constant slider.
3. Click and observe the cam falling through the block.
4. Click to reset the simulation.

1.8 Collisions with Cam

1. To make the cam collide with the block, select the cam, then
hold down the [Ctrl] key while you click and select the block.
Choose the Object menu, select Collide.
2. Click to run. Notice that vN4D does automatic contact
detection and response, and the cam bounces and rolls off
the block. Click to reset.

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1.10 Creating a Cam-Follower
Mechanism with a Motor
1. Click on the workspace to de-select the cam.
2. On the Create Constraint tool , click the down arrow ,
and select Revolute Motor (as shown below). Click on the
circular edge of the protruding shaft on the front face of the
cam, and press [Enter]. (Clicking on the edge will place the
motor at the center of the shaft.)

1.9 Optional: Adding Sound

1. Click on the workspace (the white background).
2. Single click on the cam. This lists check boxes associated
with the cam in the lower left-hand side of vN4D (see below).
3. Check the Sound box (you may need to scroll down)

3. Click to run. Observe that the cam is now being rotated

by the motor. Click to reset.
4. To change the orientation of the block, click the Move
tool, click on the block and while holding down the mouse
button, rotate the block counterclockwise until it has passed
the cam, as shown in the next figure. Release the mouse
button to set position.

4. The cam’s properties window appears. Check the On

Collision box. Click [Close] to close the Properties window.

5. Click to run. Observe that the pendulum’s motion is

determined by the shape of the cam and the motor’s speed.
6. Click to reset.

5. To run the simulation with audio collision detection, click

to run. (Make sure the computer speaker is on and the
volume is high and not muted.)
6. Note: Multiple collisions may occur due to the faceted
representation of the cam (this can be changed).
7. Click to reset.

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2.2 Defining Part-to-Part Contact
1. To create contact between the piston head and the
connecting rod, select the PistonHead, and while holding
down [Ctrl], select the ConnectingRod.
2. Choose the Object menu, select Collide.

7. To close the file, select the File menu and click Close. Do
not save changes.
8. Optional: To check that you constructed the simulation
properly, choose the File menu, select Open. Then click on
the vN Shortcuts button on the left. Double-click on the
EvaluationKit folder and double-click EvaluationKit.wm3.
When you finish, select the File menu and click Close.

2.1 CAD Integration 3. Click to run. Notice that the motion is affected by the
vN4D has associative integration with major CAD systems and contact between the parts.
performs motion and FEA analysis on parts and assemblies. 4. Click to reset.
To try CAD integration on a compressor, choose the File menu,
select Open, and click on the vN Shortcuts button on the left. 2.3 Motor-driven Crankshaft
Double-click on the EvaluationKit folder and open the file 1. At this point, the crankshaft rotates freely because it is
PistonBegin.wm3, which contains a piston assembly imported constrained by a revolute joint. To drive the piston, we will
from SolidWorks. convert this revolute joint to a revolute motor. This revolute
joint connects the crankshaft to the fixed part called
Anchor-1 (see picture below).
2. Click on the word Anchor-1 to see the revolute joint appear
in the Connections window (see picture). The revolute joint
is identified by a green circular symbol .

1. Press “ i ” to look at the isometric view of the assembly.

2. Click to run. Observe that after several seconds, the
piston assembly tumbles due to gravity.
3. Click to reset.

Note: If you have a licensed version of vN4D and a CAD package, you 3. Right-click on this revolute joint in the Connections window
may import the piston geometry as follows: and select Properties. Choose the Constraint tab, scroll
a. Inventor: Double-click on the InventorPiston folder and open down to Revolute Motor and select it.
the file PistonAssy.iam 4. Choose the Appearance tab and rename the constraint
b. Solid Edge: Double-click on the SolidEdgePiston folder and Crank1Constraint (if necessary). Press [Close].
open the file PistonAssy.asm
c. SolidWorks: Double-click on the SolidWorksPiston folder and
open the file PistonAssy.sldasm

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2.5 Measuring Motor Angular Velocity
1. To measure the angular velocity of the motor, click on
Crank1Constraint in the Components list. From the Insert
menu, select Meter, and then Angular Velocity.
2. Click and observe the angular velocity of the motor.
3. Click to reset.

5. Click to run. Notice the crankshaft is moving at a

constant angular velocity.
6. Click to reset.

2.4 Creating a Vertical Slot Joint

1. To complete the model, the piston head’s motion needs to
be confined to a vertical slot (cylinder).
2. Click on the workspace to de-select all components.
3. On the Create Constraint tool , click the down arrow ,
and select Revolute Joint on Slot, as shown below.

2.6 Changing Units

1. You can change various settings in vN4D, e.g., units,
number of digits, colors, etc. To change units, from the
World menu, select Display Settings…
2. In the Settings dialog box, click on Units (under Display
Settings) in the left pane.
3. Change the Unit System to “SI (degrees)”
4. Change the Rot. Vel. unit to “rpm” and click [Close].

4. Click on the top face of the piston head, and press [Enter].

2.7 Changing an Angular Velocity

Motor to a Torque Motor
1. To change the default motor (an angular velocity motor) to a
torque motor, right-click on Crank1Constraint in the
Component List and select Properties.
2. In the Properties window, navigate to the Motor tab,
select the Torque radio button, set the value to 50, and click
[Close].

5. Click and observe the motion of the piston assembly.

6. Click to reset.

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2. Click (Solve FEA button) on the bottom left of the vN4D
window.
3. Click and observe the choppy motion.
3. Click [OK] to close the Redundant constraint warning.
4. Click to reset.
4. Note the FEA results shown on the connecting rod and the
associated color legend on the left-hand side.

5. To see the factor of safety, right-click on the color legend,

2.8 Changing Display Rate and select Factor of Safety. The entire connecting rod and
1. Notice that in the previous step, the piston rotates too color legend are blue, signifying that it has a factor of safety
quickly and looks choppy. To smooth the simulation, select higher than 1. At this speed, the rod is structurally sound.
the World menu, select Simulation Settings…, click on
Integration (in the left pane), change the Animation Frame
Rate to 2000 /s, and click [Close].

2. Click and run the simulation until the Angular Velocity is

approximately 20,000 RPM. Click .

2.9 FEA and Factor of Safety 6. Drag the Run Control Slider all the way to the right, click on
1. To perform FEA (Finite Element Analysis) on the connecting
rod, right-click on it, and select “Include in FEA” and make (Step Backward) and/or (Step Forward) to move the
sure the simulation is at Frame 0 by clicking . connecting rod to an approximately upright position.

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7. Click (Solve FEA button) and notice that at the higher
speed, the connecting rod no longer passes the factor of
3.1 Running Other Demo Files
To try another vN4D simulation, click on the vN4D Help menu,
safety test and warnings are issued.
click on Welcome, click on Demo Files, and select a .wm3 file.
8. Click to close the warnings window.

To take a demo tour, go to the File menu, click New. Select the
Tools menu and click on Demo Tour.

3.2 Creating a Movie

You can create a movie from any vN4D simulation.
Note: Movie-exports are disabled in evaluation versions.
To purchase a licensed version,
2.10 Adding Shadows and Rendering call 800.766.6615
In vN4D, it is simple to create photorealistic rendering. Exporting
fully rendered images and movies (with shadows, reflection, To see a presentation-quality movie
spotlight, material, texture map, etc.) are just a few clicks away.
of a simulation, click on , then
Programs, then MSC.visualNastran
1. To create a photorealistic rendering of the piston, choose
Desktop, and then click on the
the Tools menu and select Render…
EvaluationKit folder. Double-click on
vN4DPropellor.mpg

3.3 MATLAB/SimuLink Integration

vN4D merges CAD, motion, FEA, and controls technologies in a
single functional modeling system. The vN4D paradigm is:

Draw it. Move it. Break it. Control it.

The vN4D MATLAB/SimuLink feature allows you to test
integrated comprehensive control systems on detailed
2. In the Photorealistic Rendering window, click on the Preview mechanical models with:
Window button on the right-hand side.
3. Click [Close] to close the Photorealistic Rendering window. Accurate representations of physical parts, contact,
4. Click to close the Rendering Preview window. collision, friction, and forces
Detailed representations of sensors, actuators, filters,
etc., from the powerful MATLAB/SimuLink language
Create presentation-quality photorealistic movie
To view a movie of a piston whose thermodynamics are
controlled by SimuLink, choose the File menu, select
Open and click on the vN Shortcuts button on the left.
Open the EvaluationKit folder, then the MatlabIntegration
folder. Double-click on PistonMatlabIntegration.avi.

5. Select the File menu, click Close, do not save changes.

6. Optional: To check that you constructed this simulation
properly, choose the File menu, select Open. Then click on
the vN Shortcuts button on the left. Double-click on the
EvaluationKit folder and double-click PistonFinished.wm3.

8 MSC.Software
Tel. 800.766.6615 Fax. 650.574.7541 http://www.vndesktop.com
Created & last updated 2/17/2004 by Paul Mitiguy and Michael Woo