Simulation > Creo Simulate > Creo Simulate Results Window > Results for FEM > Loading NASTRAN Results Database
Loading NASTRAN Results Database
Creo Simulate FEM mode gives you direct access to MSC/NASTRAN results that you can load into the postprocessor after you click Home > Results. The ability to access NASTRAN rather than FEM results that you load through the Home > Run > Open FEM Results, gives you the following advantages:
You can view more types of available results, such as beam stresses, beam and shell resultants, shear and moment for beams, beam stress recovery points, and so forth.
You can view results as either averaged or unaveraged values when you display your results as a fringe plot. There are, however, logical limitations on averaging.
You also can load the MSC/NASTRAN results file using the File Open dialog box. Select the Simulate results (*.rwd, *.rwt, *.mrs, *.xdb) file types from the Type drop-down list and then select a .xdb file.
As a prerequisite for loading NASTRAN results, you need to perform analyses for your FEM model using the MSC/NASTRAN solver. When you run the solver, it creates a NASTRAN results file with an .xdb extension and stores it in the current directory.
When you click the Results command, it opens the Results user interface and displays a file selection dialog box, which you use to specify the .xdb file you want to load.
Once you specify the NASTRAN .xdb file, the postprocessor can read information about nodes, elements, and their connectivity, as well as results from the file. Also, the postprocessor looks for a FEM mesh and results .frd file associated with the current model in session and selected .xdb file. The postprocessor uses the .frd file to read mesh data only.
If you have solved your model offline, the .frd file may not be present in your current directory, but you can still view results from the .xdb file. Depending on whether the .frd file is present or not, Creo Simulate takes one of these actions:
If the .frd file is present, Creo Simulate reads the mesh data from the .frd file into memory and displays a mesh in the Creo Parametric window. You can have access to meshed geometric entities and select them as needed. Also, you can view results by layers.
If the .frd file is not present, Creo Simulate continues to display the current model and you have no access to meshed geometry. Graph results, layers, or saved views become unavailable.