MSC.Nastran is a widely used general purpose finite element analysis software.  It can be used for a variety of analysis types including linear and non-linear structural analysis, eigenvalue analysis, heat transfer analysis, aeroelasticity analysis, and acoustics analysis.  The iSIGHT-FD Nastran component creates a direct link to Nastran, allowing the user to modify a reference Nastran input deck, execute the Nastran solver, and extract results from an .f06 output file.  This component can be used together with iSIGHT design drivers to perform Nastran optimization, DOE, Monte Carlo simulation.

The component provides default support for a variety of input cards including MAT1, MAT4, MAT8, PSHELL, PBEAM, PELAS, PBAR, PROD, PSHEAR, FORCE, FORCE1, FORCE2, MOMENT, MOMENT1, MOMENT2, PLOAD, PLOAD2, GRAV, GRID.  Furthermore, input card support is configurable and extendible by the end-user through a configuration file to allow support for any additional input cards.

Users of the Nastran component also use the following components:
Catia component, Optimization Stress Ratio plugin, Patran component, Pro/E component, Unigraphics component, VCollab component