Integration, Automation and Interpretation Tools Facilitate CAE

Michael L. Bussler
President
ALGOR, Inc.
Pittsburgh, PA

Over the past 30 years, computer-aided engineering (CAE) software has grown from a technology available mostly to expert analysts into a commonly used engineering design tool. Its popularity has increased largely because CAE vendors such as ALGOR have seamlessly integrated finite element analysis (FEA) with CAD, perfected precision finite element modeling and developed Internet-enabled result interpretation and presentation tools. Indeed, CAE software has become so easy to use that non-engineering professionals such as designers and medical doctors are applying this technology.

Working with CAD is necessary in today’s marketplace. While CAE systems have long used CAD geometry as a starting point for FEA, today’s directly integrated solutions work with native geometry, computer memory and CAD APIs to eliminate geometrical errors that occurred using methods such as translation to universal file formats. Additional factors that differentiate today’s integrated CAD/CAE solutions are the ease of use of the software, the full range of available FEA options and the built-in intelligence provided through automation and wizards.

The CAD/CAE solutions that provide the greatest ease of use offer a single interface that applies to all available meshing options, analysis types and CAD systems regardless of the location of the CAD and CAE tools. These modern, Windows-style graphical user interfaces include many easy-to-use features such as tree views that visually guide users to provide all necessary information, multiple view windows, docking toolbars and context-sensitive menus that are tailored to particular steps in the analysis process. All in all, single-interface FEA solutions, like ALGOR’s, offer extra flexibility for the design environment because engineers only need to learn to use one type of interface in order to take advantage of a broad range of meshing and analysis capabilities.

These capabilities include integration with multiple CAD systems, structured and unstructured meshing tools and a range of engineering features associated with the built-in analysis capabilities. For example, ALGOR’s InCAD solutions offer fully associative integration with six major CAD solid modelers (Autodesk Inventor, CADKEY, Mechanical Desktop, Pro/ENGINEER, Solid Edge and SolidWorks) by utilizing Direct Memory Image Transfer (DMIT) technology to achieve integration when ALGOR and the CAD system are installed on separate computers. Feature suppression, which enables engineers to specify the detail level of geometry transferred to the FEA package, midplane meshing and optional design optimization may also be included.

Beyond the initial integration, FEA software should be fully extensible for use with a suite of meshing and analysis tools. Analyses may include motion and mechanical simulation with linear and nonlinear material models, static structural with linear and nonlinear material models, linear dynamic, thermal, fluid flow, electrostatic, MEMS, full multiphysics, civil engineering and piping.

Finite element modeling options enable users to interface with CAD in a fast, efficient manner to include particular design features. Robust FEA software will offer a full library of available elements, such as 2-D, beams, trusses, plates, tetrahedron and bricks as well as linear and nonlinear engineering elements to simulate simplified parts; a range of available material models; optional mesh refinement; and built-in element quality and aspect ratio checks. One-step, automatic 3-D mesh creation with surface-inward meshing technology that puts the best-shaped elements on the surface where stresses tend to be highest and automatic midplane meshing may also be offered.

While it is usually sufficient to deal directly with CAD geometry, point-and-click precision finite element modeling tools such as ALGOR’s Superdraw III are available for analysis scenarios in which hand meshes or geometry modifications are required. These tools take a CAD-like approach to hand meshing for ease of use and provide tremendous flexibility to designers and analysts alike.

Making CAE results easy to understand and share with others is as important as making the software easy to use. In order to get products to market most effectively, engineers must be able to modify and analyze parts quickly and easily and then have tools to efficiently examine analysis results and determine how they may affect the overall design. Today’s feature-rich FEA software enables engineers to visualize findings such as stress and displacement using result contours to determine whether designs require further modification as well as precision contours to decide whether the mesh quality is sufficient for their accuracy needs. Display capabilities such as dynamic viewing are also standard features that help engineers to more quickly decide whether to go back to the drawing board or proceed to market.

Most CAE solutions also include built-in tools that enable engineers to automatically generate HTML reports and publish them to internal or external web sites once results indicate that a design is modeled to specifications. These HTML reports can contain automatically produced images of result contours, animations of results over time and VRML files that enable others to view models in 3-D over the Internet.

In addition to easy-to-use CAD-integrated capabilities, precision finite element modeling and rich result interpretation and presentation features, value-added FEA packages also include full technical support. Support should be found within the software, as with ALGOR’s context-sensitive help that provides answers when users click on any field in a data input screen, a built-in users’ guide and keystroke-specific tutorials that offer process-oriented documentation to walk engineers through analyses step by step. It should also include incremental software updates available via the Internet and product demonstrations and training, like ALGOR’s Internet-based distance learning at www.eTechLearning.com with free, weekly software-demonstration Webcasts and in-depth product-training Web Courses. Step-by-step distance learning instruction enables engineers to learn about using FEA software and general FEA concepts without incurring the costs of travel and time outside the office.

Thanks to these improvements in CAD integration, automatic modeling and meshing tools, Internet-enabled result interpretation and presentation options and cutting-edge service and support, today’s solutions make CAE easier for engineers, helping them to quickly get optimized products to market.