Hello All, 

I have gotten the warning messages copied below a few times, for models with shell elements and composite shell section definition (which points to the CPD). I checked the material orientation vector plot in the output, and the local 1,2, and 3 directions for the elements appear correct. The model is effectively a cylindrical tube, the elements in WarnElem3DirOppElemNormalStep1Inc1 are limited to the lower half of the cylinder. The elements in WarnElemUserNormMatOrient appear to be a random collection of elements. 

***WARNING: The 3-direction at one or more points in one or more layers in 45992 elements as defined in *ORIENTATION are in the opposite direction to the element normals. Either the 1 or 2 and the 3-direction defined in *ORIENTATION will be reversed. The elements have been identified in element set WarnElem3DirOppElemNormalStep1Inc1. 

***WARNING: The local-3 direction (after additional rotation and permutation) of the material orientation , specified via *ORIENTATION, is in the plane of the SHELL, MEMBRANE, GASKET, COHESIVE, or SURFACE element. The local-1 direction will be projected onto the element surface and the positive element normal will be used as the local-3 direction. The elements have been identified in element set WarnElemUserNormMatOrient.

Can anyone help me understand these warnings further? I am particularly curious about the second warning, I can't see how it's possible that the local 3 direction is ending up in the plane of some elements. Thanks in advance!