Supplementary

Exercise - 6

Helical Spring

Objective:
■ Develop model of a helical spring

■ Perform a linear analysis to obtain displacements and

stresses.

MSC.Patran301ExerciseWorkbook Supp6-1
Supp6-2 MSC.Patran 301 Exercise Workbook
Supp. Exercise 6 Helical Spring

Model Description:
In this exercise you will create a simple helical spring model, apply
loads to it, and obtain displacements and stresses from a linear static
simulation.

Analysis Code: MSC/NASTRAN

Element type: Tet10
Element Global Edge Length: 0.3

Figure 1-1

MSC.Patran 301 Exercise Workbook Supp6-3

Suggested Exercise Steps:
■ Create a new database named spring.db.

■ Change the Tolerance to Default and the Analysis Code to

MSC/NASTRAN.

■ Create the geometry and finite element mesh using the

information in Figure 1-1.

■ Create boundary conditions restraining one end of the spring

model.

■ Create loading on the other end of the spring.

■ Define spring material named alum.

■ Define a set property for the Tet10 elements called spring.

■ Obtain model displacements and stresses, and display them

using Patran Results.

Supp6-4 MSC.Patran 301 Exercise Workbook

Supp. Exercise 6 Helical Spring

Exercise Procedure:
1. Create a new database and name it spring.db.

File/New...
New Database Name spring
OK

2. Change the Tolerance to Default and the Analysis Code to

MSC⁄NASTRAN.

New Model Preference

Tolerance Default
Analysis Code: MSC/NASTRAN
OK

3. Create the geometry to represent the helical spring. First,

create helical curves to be used as glide curves. Create a
solid
Geometry
Action: Create
Object: Curve
Method: XYZ
Vector Coordinates List <0 0.5 0>
Origin Coordinates List [0 0 0]
Apply

Action: Transform
Object: Curve
Method: Translate

MSC.Patran 301 Exercise Workbook Supp6-5

 Translation Vector <0 0.5 0>
Repeat Count 7
Curve List Curve 1
Apply

Action: Create
Object: Curve
Method: 2D ArcAngles
Radius 1.0
End Angle 90.0
Construction Plane List Coord 0.2
Center Point List [0 0 0]
Apply

Action: Transform
Object: Curve
Method: Rotate
Axis Coord 0.2
Rotation Angle 90.0
Repeat Count 3
Curve List Curve 9
Apply

Supp6-6 MSC.Patran 301 Exercise Workbook

Supp. Exercise 6 Helical Spring

The curves shown below will be used to create the helical glide
curves

Action: Transform
Object: Curve
Method: Vsum
Curve 1 List Curve 1:8
Curve 2 List Curve 9:12 9:12
Apply

MSC.Patran 301 Exercise Workbook Supp6-7

 These are the helical glide curves.

Create the surface to be glided to create the solids. Create a curve

normal to the first glide curve.

Action: Create
Object: Curve
Method: 2D Normal
Input Length 0.25
Construction Plane List Coord 0.2 0.3
Point List Point 10
Curve List Curve 13
Apply

Create local coordinate system for revolving a point to make an arc.

Action: Create
Object: Coord
Method: 3 Point
Origin Point 10
Point on Axis 3 Point 22

Supp6-8 MSC.Patran 301 Exercise Workbook

Supp. Exercise 6 Helical Spring

Point on Plane 1-3 Point 23

Apply

Create a 90 degree arc.

Action: Create
Object: Curve
Method: Revolve
Axis Coord 1.2
Total Angle 90.0
Point List Point 22
Apply

MSC.Patran 301 Exercise Workbook Supp6-9

 Create three more arcs to complete a circle.

Action: Transform
Object: Curve
Method: Rotate
Axis Coord 1.2
Rotation Angle 90.0
Repeat Count 3
Curve List Curve 23
Apply

Create a circular surface from the four 90 degree arcs.

Action: Create
Object: Surface
Method: Edge
Option: 4 Edge
Surface Edge 1 List Curve 23
Surface Edge 2 List Curve 24
Surface Edge 3 List Curve 25
Surface Edge 4 List Curve 26
Apply

Supp6-10 MSC.Patran 301 Exercise Workbook

Supp. Exercise 6 Helical Spring

Turn on the geometric display lines using toolbar icon.

This four edged surface does not have any degenerate edges, as a
circular surface created by revolving a curve 360 degrees would.

Create parametric solids by gliding the surface.

Action: Create
Object: Solid
Method: Glide

Normal Project Glide

Director Curve List Curve 13:20
Base Surface List Surface 1
Apply

MSC.Patran 301 Exercise Workbook Supp6-11

 These solids do not have any degenerate faces.

Trim the bottom and top solids to create flat surfaces on the spring.

Action: Create
Object: Plane
Method: Vector Normal
Plane Offset Distance -0.1
Vector List Coord 0.2
Apply

Plane Offset Distance 4.1

Vector List Coord 0.2
Apply

Supp6-12 MSC.Patran 301 Exercise Workbook

Supp. Exercise 6 Helical Spring

Action: Edit
Object: Solid
Method: Break
Option: Plane

Delete Original Solids

Solid List Solid 1 8
Break Plane List Plane 1 2
Apply

Action: Delete
Object: Solid
Solid List Solid 9 12
Apply

Delete Curves and both planes as they are not needed to continue.

MSC.Patran 301 Exercise Workbook Supp6-13

 The final step in creating the geometry (trimming the bottom and top
solids) can require that the bottom and top solids have no degenrate
faces before trimming.

4. Now create the tetmesh for the model.

Mesh the
model
Finite Elements
Action: Create
Object: Mesh
Type: Solid
Global Edge Length 0.3
Mesher: Tet Mesh
Element Topology: Tet10
Input List Solid 2:7 10 11
Apply

Action: Equivalence
Object: All
Method: Tolerance Cube
Apply

Supp6-14 MSC.Patran 301 Exercise Workbook

Supp. Exercise 6 Helical Spring

Your finite element model should look like the one shown in the
figure below.

5. Create Loads and Boundary Conditions.

Create
Loads and
Loads/BCs
BCs
Action: Create
Object: Displacement
Type: Nodal
New Set Name fixed_end
Input Data...
Translations <000>
OK
Select Application Region...
Select Geometry Entities Solid 10.7 (select solid face
at bottom of model)
Add
OK
Apply

MSC.Patran 301 Exercise Workbook Supp6-15

 Action: Create
Object: Force
Type: Nodal
New Set Name force_up
Input Data...
Force < 0 10 0 >
OK
Select Application Region...
Select Geometry Entities Solid 11.4 (select solid face
at top of model)
Add
OK
Apply

Supp6-16 MSC.Patran 301 Exercise Workbook

Supp. Exercise 6 Helical Spring

The corresponding loads and boundary conditions are displayed

below:

6. Create a material for aluminum called alum.

Create
Material
Materials
Action: Create
Object: Isotropic
Method: Manual Input
Material Name alum
Input Properties...
Elastic Modulus 10e6
Poisson Ratio 0.3
Density 0.000259
Apply
Cancel

MSC.Patran 301 Exercise Workbook Supp6-17

 7. Define tet10 element property set called spring.
Create
Property Properties
Action: Create
Object: 3D
Type: Solid
Property Set Name spring
Input Properties...
Material name m:alum
OK
Select Members Solid 2:7 10 11
Add
Apply

8. Analyze the model

Analysis
Action: Analyze
Object: Entire Model
Method: Full Run
Apply

Supp6-18 MSC.Patran 301 Exercise Workbook

Supp. Exercise 6 Helical Spring

9. Read the results into the Patran database.

Action: Read Output2

Object: Result Entities
Method: Translate
Select Results File...
Selected Results File: spring.op2
OK
Apply

In Results, use quick plot and choose stress tensor for your fringe
result and displacements for deformation results.

Results
Action: Create
Object: Quick Plot
Select Result Cases: Default, Static Subcase
Select Fringe Result: Stress, Tensor
Select Deformation Result: Displacements, Translational
Apply

MSC.Patran 301 Exercise Workbook Supp6-19

 The following shows both the displacement and stresses.

10. When completed with this exercise, close the database.

File/Quit...

Supp6-20 MSC.Patran 301 Exercise Workbook