Boneload Instruction Manual

1 Installing Matlab Compiler Runtime ................................................................................................. 1

2 Setting up files for Boneload (What files do you need before your run the program?)...................... 2

2.1 Nastran Muscle Attachment Mesh File (*.DAT) ....................................................................... 2

2.2 Boneload Muscle Force and Focal Coordinate File (BONELOAD_INPUT_TEMPLATE.XLS) ......... 8

3 Boneload ....................................................................................................................................... 11

3.1 Run Boneload Executable ..................................................................................................... 11

3.2 What files are written by Boneload? ..................................................................................... 21

4 Importing Loaded Muscle Attachment Areas Mesh file back into Strand7 ...................................... 22

5 Area_Centrioids_From_STLs .......................................................................................................... 28
List of Figures
Figure 1-1: Screen Shots From MCR Installation ....................................................................................... 1

Figure 2-1: Strand 7 - Muscle Attachment Areas shown here on solid model ........................................... 2

Figure 2-2: Strand7 Toolbar – Toggle “Brick” Select ................................................................................. 3

Figure 2-3: Strand7 Toolbar – Select All ................................................................................................... 3

Figure 2-4: Strand7 – FE Model with all “Bricks” selected......................................................................... 4

Figure 2-5: Strand7 - FE Model showing only Muscle Attachment Areas .................................................. 5

Figure 2-6: Strand7 - Exporting Muscle Attachment Areas as a Nastran File ............................................. 6

Figure 2-7: Strand 7 - Make note of units chosen during file export ......................................................... 7

Figure 2-8: Boneload Muscle Force and Focal Coordinate File .................................................................. 8

Figure 2-9: Defining a Axis of Rotation for Positive Moment .................................................................... 9

Figure 3-1: Choose Nastran File with Mesh Information......................................................................... 11

Figure 3-2: Choose Boneload Muscle Force and Focal Coordinate Input File .......................................... 12

Figure 3-3: Choose Name for Nastran File with Combined Mesh and Load Information ......................... 13

Figure 3-4: Boneload Figure 2 – Select a Loading Method ...................................................................... 14

Figure 3-5: Boneload Figure 21 – Progress Updates ............................................................................... 15

Figure 3-6: Boneload Figure 3 – Example Plot of Muscle Attachment Areas, Focal Coordinates, Axis of
Roataion and Outward Normals ............................................................................................................ 16

Figure 3-7: Boneload Figure 4 - Are the Focal Coordinates Correct? ....................................................... 17

Figure 3-8: Boneload Figure 5 - Are the element normal vectors pointed outward? ............................... 17

Figure 3-9: Boneload Figure 6 – Select Muscle Groups for which negative moments will be removed from
the analysis ........................................................................................................................................... 18

Figure 3-10: Select Location and name for Results Summary Excel File .................................................. 19

Figure 3-11: Boneload Figure 7 – Final Plot ............................................................................................ 20

Figure 4-1: Strand7 – Importing Loaded Nastran File into your FE model ............................................... 22

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Figure 4-2: Strand7 – Choose units to be consistent with original Muscle Attachment Areas Nastran File
.............................................................................................................................................................. 23

Figure 4-3: Strand7 – FE model with Loaded Muscle Attachment Areas . . . No Pressures Shown ........... 24

Figure 4-4: Strand7 – FE model with Loaded Muscle Attachment Areas . . . Pressures Shown ................ 25

Figure 4-5: Strand7 – Attribute Display to show pressure vectors .......................................................... 26

Figure 4-6: Strand7 - Setting up Solver ................................................................................................... 27

Figure 5-1: Select Multiple STLs ............................................................................................................. 28

Figure 5-2: Save Area Centroid Results to an Excel File........................................................................... 29

Figure 5-3: Example of Area Centroid Results to an Excel File ................................................................ 30

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1 Installing Matlab Compiler Runtime
1) This is only necessary if you have not yet installed the MCR on your local machine.
2) Double click the *_pkg.exe file (located in C:\...\distrib\*_pkg.exe)

e.g.: C:\ . . .\Area_Centriod_From_STLs\distrib\Area_Centriod_From_STLs_pkg.exe

OR
e.g.: C:\ . . . \Boneload_v2\distrib\Boneload_v2_pkg.exe

a) This will begin the MCR extraction and installation

b) Follow the on screen instructions

Note: MCR is a complied version of the subroutines/programs necessary to run a Matlab Executable Program. This only needs to be
installed once; not once for every program that you want to use.

Figure 1-1: Screen Shots From MCR Installation

2 Setting up files for Boneload (What files do you need before your run the program?)
2.1 Nastran Muscle Attachment Mesh File (*.DAT)

1) Open FE model, with muscle attachment areas already defined, in Strand7

Figure 2-1: Strand 7 - Muscle Attachment Areas shown here on solid model

2) Save model file as new name (The new file will be used to export a Natran file of JUST the Muscle Attachment regions)
3) Delete all “bricks” (tetrahedral elements)
a) First press the "toggle brick select" button

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 Figure 2-2: Strand7 Toolbar – Toggle “Brick” Select
b) Now press the "select all" button

Figure 2-3: Strand7 Toolbar – Select All

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c) Strand7 will select all of the "brick" (tetrahedral) elements
(shown with white outline around elements and also indicated at bottom of screen – number of selected bricks in red)

Figure 2-4: Strand7 – FE Model with all “Bricks” selected

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d) Now press the "Delete" key
e) All that should remain are the muscle attachment regions

Figure 2-5: Strand7 - FE Model showing only Muscle Attachment Areas

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4) Export the muscle attachment regions to a Nastran File
a) File  Export
b) Select “Save as Type” to be MSC/Nastran (*.dat/*.nas)
c) Name your file
d) Press Save Button

Figure 2-6: Strand7 - Exporting Muscle Attachment Areas as a Nastran File

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5) Make note of the units exported here – We must choose consistent units from here on.

Figure 2-7: Strand 7 - Make note of units chosen during file export

6) Boneload is currently only set up to use plates created from 4 noded tetrahedrons because we assume that the plates are 3 noded
triangular plates

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2.2 Boneload Muscle Force and Focal Coordinate File (BONELOAD_INPUT_TEMPLATE.XLS)

Figure 2-8: Boneload Muscle Force and Focal Coordinate File

1) This file is where Forces & Focal Coordinates for each muscle group will be defined

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2) If you would like to calculate moments about an axis, insert Global XYZ coordinates for TWO points that define the desired axes
a) Make sure to define the axis such that a positive moment is a counter clockwise rotation when looking from point 2 to point1 (see
Figure below).

Direction of
Positive Moment

POINT 1 for
Axis of Rotation

POINT 2 for
Axis of Rotation

Axis of Rotation

Figure 2-9: Defining a Axis of Rotation for Positive Moment

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3) If No moment calculations are required, leave cells E2-G3 empty – DO NOT FILL IN ANY OF THE 6 CELLS.
4) Cells A6-A45
a) Please list a name for each muscle group
b) This information will be used for programming decisions in Boneload)
5) Cells B6-B45
a) Please list muscle “Plate Property Number” corresponding the “Plate Property number” assigned when importing muscle
attachment areas into Strand7
b) Muscle Attachment Areas must be listed in numerical order
c) If the “Plate Property Numbers” are listed out of order, the program will not run.
6) Cells C6-C45
a) Input muscle force to be applied to associated muscle group number
7) Cells E6-G45
a) Input GLOBAL XYZ coordinates for focal points (where the muscle force should be directed)
b) These coordinates must match the exported Nastran Muscle Attachemnt Area coordinate system
c) If you wish to use area centriods of lower jaw Muscle attachment areas for your focal coordinates, these may be calculated with a
separate program (Area_Centrioids_From_STLs)
8) You may list up to 40 muscle groups

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3 Boneload
3.1 Run Boneload Executable

1) Double Click on Boneload_v2.exe (Located in: C:\...\distrib\Boneload_v2.exe)

a) May need to wait a second for program to ask for Nastran Mesh File.
2) Locate & choose Nastran Muscle Attachment Mesh File (*.DAT)
a) This is the same file created in Setting up files for Boneload (What files do you need before your run the program?)
b) Nastran Muscle Attachment Mesh File (*.DAT)

Figure 3-1: Choose Nastran File with Mesh Information

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3) Locate & choose Boneload Muscle Force and Focal Coordinate File (*.XLS)
a) This is the same file created in step 2 of “What files do you need before you run Boneload?”

Figure 3-2: Choose Boneload Muscle Force and Focal Coordinate Input File

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4) Choose a name for the Combined Mesh and Loading Nastran File
a) This file will contain the elemental muscle forces applied to the muscle attachment areas
b) It must be imported into Strand7 once Boneload has completed its calculations.

Figure 3-3: Choose Name for Nastran File with Combined Mesh and Load Information

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5) Boneload Figure 2 - Choose a method for loading the model – Pop Up Window
a) Global Pressure
i) Applies a uniform pressure to the muscle attachment region in the direction from the element centroid to the respective focal
point
ii) Pressure per element is calculated as total force applied divided by the area of the total muscle attachment region
b) Tangential Loads Only
i) Applies a traction to the muscle attachment region in a direction parallel to the surface of the element in a direction towards
the respective muscle focal point
ii) Pressure per element is calculated as total force applied divided by the area of the total muscle attachment region
c) Tangential and Normal Loading
i) Includes muscle wrapping based on muscle attachment mesh
ii) Applies both tangential pressure and normal pressure
iii) Normal pressures are proportional to the path to the “back edge” of the muscle attachment regions and the local radius of
curvature at the element of interest.

Figure 3-4: Boneload Figure 2 – Select a Loading Method

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6) Boneload Figure 21 – Progress Updates
a) Collecting Nodes – Updated for Each Muscle Group
b) Calculating Free Edges – Updated for Each Muscle Group
c) Writing Pressures to Loading File – Updated for Each Muscle Group
d) Calculating Values for Results Summary file
e) Combining Nastran Mesh and Loading Files

Figure 3-5: Boneload Figure 21 – Progress Updates

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7) Boneload Figure 3 - Check Plot (See Figure 3, below)
a) Muscle attachement areas and Focal Coordinates (sqaures) are color coded to match each other
b) Outter edge of Muscle attachment areas are highlighted with color matched circles
c) Points defining axis of rotation are indicated with solid black triangles
d) Positive Axis of Rotation is indicated with direction of BLACK arrow (See Image above – Defining a Positive Moment)
i) If looking towards the HEAD of the arrow, counter clockwise rotation is considered positive
ii) Thus any forces that create a counter clockwise rotation about this arrow are considered to contribute to a positive moment
about this axis.
e) Element normals are shown as RED arrows

Figure 3-6: Boneload Figure 3 – Example Plot of Muscle Attachment Areas, Focal Coordinates, Axis of
Roataion and Outward Normals

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8) Boneload Figure 4 - Are Focal Points (color coded) in the correct locations? (See Figure 4, below)
a) Selecting “YES” here continues the program
b) Selecting “NO” here exits the program – giving you the opportunity to correct the locations of the focal coordinates in the (Excel)
Boneload Input File

Figure 3-7: Boneload Figure 4 - Are the Focal Coordinates Correct?

9) Boneload Figure 5 - Are the outward normals for each element (red vectors) pointed in the outward direction?
(See Figure 5)
a) Selecting “YES” here continues the program
b) Selecting “NO” here flips all of the element normal vectors

Figure 3-8: Boneload Figure 5 - Are the element normal vectors pointed outward?

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 10) Select Muscle Groups for which negative moments will be removed
a) Listed in Figure 6 are the names of the muscle groups indicated in the Boneload Input file
b) Here you may select muscle groups for which forces applied to the muscle attachment areas that cause negative moments about
the axis of rotation may be removed from the analysis
c) Simply click on the radio button next the name of the muscle group for which you would like to have forces that cause negative
moments removed.
d) In this example, the Left and Right Temporalis muscles have been selected to have negative moments removed
e) Once you have selected the muscle groups, simply close the figure, by clicking on the X

Figure 3-9: Boneload Figure 6 – Select Muscle Groups for which negative moments will be removed from the analysis

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11) Choose name for Results Summary File
a) This file will include information on
i) Applied forces
ii) Vector Sum of Forces
b) If an axis of rotation is defined
i) Moments about the axis of rotation for each muscle group
ii) Perpendicular distance of error
(1) Distance between vector sum of forces on each muscle attachment area and corresponding Focal Coordinate

Figure 3-10: Select Location and name for Results Summary Excel File

12) How do you know when Boneload is done?

a) Boneload Figure 7 Appears (below)
b) Check to see if Time.txt has been written into the directory in which the Nastran Mesh file is located. (see Sect. 3.12 below “What
files are written by the program?”)

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 Figure 3-11: Boneload Figure 7 – Final Plot

13) Boneload Figure 7 – Final Plot

a) Muscle Attachements and Focal Coordinates (squares) are color coded to match each other
b) Points defining axis of rotation are indicated with solid black triangles
c) Positive Axis of Rotation is indicated with direction of BLACK arrow
i) If looking towards the HEAD of the arrow, counter clockwise rotation is considered positive
ii) Thus any forces that create a counter clockwise rotation about this arrow are considered to contribute to a positive moment about this axis.
d) Force Vectors (color arrows) and Force Centriods (color stars) are indicated (only if axis of roation is defined)

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3.2 What files are written by Boneload?
1) Temporary Load File (*.NAS - in same folder muscle load *.XLS File) – A text file with all of the loading information that is used
to combine with mesh file (this can be ignored if you chose to combine the Mesh and Loading file). The file name consists of:
a) Loading Method
b) Date and Time Started
c) e.g.: uniform_traction_Loaded_Nastran_PLOAD4_ALL_MGs_7_28_2009_16_57.nas
d) This file is erased at the end of the program.
2) Combined Nastran Mesh & Load File (*.NAS - chosen by user) – A file of the combined Nastran Mesh and Load information.
This is the file to be imported back into Strand7.
3) Results file (*.XLS - chosen by user) - Containing applied force information and moments (if Axis of rotation was defined)
4) Time file (time.txt - in same folder muscle load *.XLS File) – Once Boneload has completed its calculations, this file containing
the Hours, Minutes, and Seconds elapsed since start of the program is written, just as a note for the user.

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4 Importing Loaded Muscle Attachment Areas Mesh file back into Strand7
1) Start Strand7
2) Open your finite element model
3) Select from menu
a) File  Import  Select Nastran file generated by Boneload Open
b) Select the file created in step 4 of Sect. 3.1: Run Boneload Executable

Figure 4-1: Strand7 – Importing Loaded Nastran File into your FE model

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Select units that are the same original Nastran File section

c) Units should match Muscle Attachment Areas Nastran File

d) Refer to Sect. 2.1.5
e) Then click “OK”

Figure 4-2: Strand7 – Choose units to be consistent with original Muscle Attachment Areas Nastran File

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4) You have now imported the loaded muscles into strand . . . but where are the pressures?
a) Change the Load Case from “Load Case 1” to “Nastran Load Case 1” – (Red Oval)

Figure 4-3: Strand7 – FE model with Loaded Muscle Attachment Areas . . . No Pressures Shown

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 Figure 4-4: Strand7 – FE model with Loaded Muscle Attachment Areas . . . Pressures Shown

5) If you still can’t see the forces Make sure that the attribute display is set to show “Global Pressures”
a) File  View Attributes Display
b) Press “Plates” toggle button - Red Circle
c) Select “Face Load (Global Pressure)” –Blue highlight
d) Check “Show attribute”
e) Click “OK” or “Apply”

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Figure 4-5: Strand7 – Attribute Display to show pressure vectors

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6) All that is left is to constrain the model and solve it.
7) One thing to make note of when setting up the solver
a) Make sure to select Nastran Load Case 1

Figure 4-6: Strand7 - Setting up Solver

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5 Area_Centrioids_From_STLs
1) Select areas (in Geomagic) to be used for calculating focal coordinates
a) Make sure that muscle attachment areas (used for Boneload) and areas for focal coordinates are in the same cartesian
coordinate system
2) Save each area as a separate BINARY *.STL file with unique filenames
3) Run C:\...\Area_Centriod_From_STLs\distrib\ Area_Centroids_From_STLs_v2.exe
a) Select as many STLs as you like

Figure 5-1: Select Multiple STLs

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b) Select a location and file name, in which the XYZ coordinates of the area centroid of each STL will be written, with the
corresponding file name.

Figure 5-2: Save Area Centroid Results to an Excel File

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c) Here is an example Results file from the Area Centroid calculations
i) File name is listed (without spaces or underscores) in column A
ii) X,Y and Z, coordinates are listed in Cells B2-D7

Figure 5-3: Example of Area Centroid Results to an Excel File

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