PATRAN 7.5 Now Available on RCS IBM Workstations

Version 7.5 of MSC/PATRAN, an engineering package that provides users with proven and robust solutions available for computer-aided modeling, analysis, optmization, and results visualization and interpretation, is now available for use on the RCS IBM workstations.

The new version of the package includes several new capabilities, including:

• Tightened coupling of the MSC/NASTRAN and MSC/PATRAN modeling packages

• Improved results visualization capabilities

• Geometry integration improvements, such as direct CAD access

• Assorted performance improvements such as:

  • A 20% reduction in average database size

  • As much as a 50% decrease in memory use for graphics operations

  • An overall speed improvement of 50% for many common finite element modeling operations

  • Improved hardware graphics support for OpenGL-based systems, resulting in graphics operations completing up to ten times faster

For more complete information on the latest version of PATRAN, please visit the MSC website located at the URL http://www.macsch.com.

To access the latest version of PATRAN, issue the following commands from a UNIX window:

   	setup patran-new
   	p3 &

Release 7.5 of PATRAN will become the default on the IBM workstations on Tuesday, July 21, and you will no longer have to set it up. You will still be able to access the current version of PATRAN, PATRAN3-1.4, until Friday, August 21, by entering the command setup patran-old from a UNIX prompt before running the program.

If you have any further questions about using PATRAN, please contact the consultants at the ACS Help Desk, or direct electronic mail to consult@rpi.edu.