Frequently Asked Questions

Following are the most frequently asked questions regarding the VistaMat Suite of Materials Analysis products. If you have specific questions, please email us at support@vistamat.com.

Question: VistaCal execution is very slow or it seems stuck at the execution step (Viewport shows EXECUTING: run_lsdyna.bat)

Answer: In Windows machines, the default location of LS-DYNA is “C:\LSDYNA\Program\lsdyna.exe”. If your location is different, please update it by editing the batch file “run_lsdyna.bat” with any text editor. This file is located at “.\VistaCal\templates\lsdyna\run_lsdyna.bat”.

The content of that file is as follows:
“
@REM RUNS LSDYNA SINGLE ELEMENT
@ECHO | set /p dummy=.
@call C:\LSDYNA\Program\lsdyna.exe i=singelem.k > a.out 2>&1
“

Replace the highlighted address with the address to your LS-DYNA executable.

This batch file assumes a floating license for LS-DYNA but you may add the LS-DYNA License information in this file as you do in your current LS-DYNA batch file.

Please note that LS-Dyna simulation in VistaCal may take a little longer (than the built-in Driver solver) since it takes additional steps (e.g. checking your local LS-Dyna license). A single run should not be more than a couple of minutes.

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Question: After executing the calculations, VistaCal just seems stuck at the execution step.

Answer: Please check the bottom left corner. It should say: “BUSY: performing calculations.”
It if does, VistaCal is running LS-DYNA calculations which could last a couple of minutes. If it is truly stuck, (i.e. a single run takes several minutes) please see the previous FAQ entry above.

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Question: Do I need LS-DYNA or Abaqus FEA to use VistaCal?

Answer: Without these solvers, you will still have some functionality of VistaCal (a working Graphical User Interface, loading experimental data, calibration) but these features would be limited to the built-in solver (Driver) and our ductile-fracture material model, VistaDam. For the purposes of calibrating and comparing results using solver specific material models such as MAT_123 or GISSMO (both LS-DYNA models), you would need to have that solver (e.g. LS-DYNA) functioning in your computer.

 

 

 

1 LS-DYNA is a registered software developed by Livermore Software Technology Corp. (LSTC).
2 Abaqus FEA is a registered software developed by Dassault Systèmes Simulia Corp.