Practical Introduction to FEA

An opportunity to ensure that your organization gets
maximum benefit from using FEA

3-Day Training Course : Introduction to FEA Analysis

FEA has become widely used and universally accepted in many industry sectors. FEA is a powerful technique, able to produce solutions to challenging structural analysis problems. The technology and computational efficiency of the method, together with the rapid increases in computer processing power means that today the scope and size of simulations far exceeds the capabilities of even a few years ago.

However for those engineers embarking on FEA, or companies adopting the technique to improve designs or achieve certification of new products, there is a steep learning curve to overcome.

There are a bewildering array of element types, solution types, meshing methods and pre-post processing options that have to be faced. This is before we get down to the engineering physics behind the problem, with associated classic traps and errors. What is needed is guidance via a thorough but practical assessment of the method and how to use it in the real world. 

NAFEMS, the only vendor neutral, not-for-profit organization with the aim of promoting the effective and reliable use of FEA, addresses this requirement by providing this three day example-driven, practical course.

Students are shown the background to the FEA methodology, via simple real examples with a minimum of theory. The strength and weaknesses of the various FEA techniques are shown and discussed. Practical considerations of loadings, boundary conditions and structural details are shown by numerous examples.

The assessment, validation and interpretation of FEA results are vital for delivering safe, effective products. A process is shown which provides confidence in the results and aims to provide conservative, reliable and qualified results. The attendees join in the activity of building this process themselves and come away with an embryo Procedural Check List

The course offers excellent guidance on how to assess and plan the task of carrying out a structural analysis using FEA. A clear understanding of the objectives of each analysis is vital and a road map for achieving this is presented. A review of the tradeoff between available resource and analysis methodology is given.

Interaction is encouraged throughout the course. Real world examples are given at every stage, drawn from the Tutors wide practical experience. Questions are very welcome, as this is one of the key aspects of making this a unique experience for each attendee. Attendee project examples can often be incorporated into the class as time permits, to benefit all. Role playing situations include the class acting as a syndicate to evaluate a Design Failure, critical assessment of an FE Report and the continuous evolution of the Check List.

The course is completely code independent, attendees are welcome to bring laptops to take notes, but they are not required.

A full set of printed and bound notes will be issued to every attendee.

Who Should Attend?

This course is aimed at practicing engineers who wish to learn more about how to apply finite element techniques to their particular problems in the most effective manner. The material that is presented is independent of any particular software package, making it ideally suited to current and potential users of all commercial finite element software systems. This course is a must for all engineers aiming to use FEA as a reliable predictive tool for thermal, stiffness and stress analysis.

Companies moving into FEA technology to improve product designs or assess prototype failures or speed the design process will benefit from sending key engineers to this course. If you have sufficient engineers then a tailor made course may be more suitable. NAFEMS can then work closely with you to cater for your specific industry sector or analysis type.

The course is open to both members and non-members of NAFEMS.

Course Program

Background to FEA  

• Origins of FEA , leading to today’s process
• Emphasis on limitations of a displacement solution
• The route from CAD to Mesh to Solver to Results
• A simple case study – a plate with a hole
• The Analysis Input file
• Simple Element stiffness matrices
• Grid Points , Degrees Of Freedom (DOFs)

Over view of Element Types

• 1d elements
• 2d elements
• 3d elements
• Solid 3D elements: Hex versus Tets, the trade off
• Types of meshing and meshing issues
• I-beam example spanning element types

Making healthy models

• Mis-matched  DOF’S and other issues
• Element distortions – effect on accuracy
• Convergence checking
• Solver and Preprocessor checking
• Post processor checking and the dangers of smoothing
• Stress concentrations and stress singularities
• Window cutout example
• Building an Analysis Process ‘Cheat Sheet’ Part 1

Constraints

• Constraint methods
• Real world boundary conditions
• Poisons effect
• Minimum support 321 method
• Case Study – bracket analysis
• Linear Contact methods – new technology to supplement constraints

Loading Types

• Distributed load, Point Loading
• Real world loading versus FEA
• Bearing load methods
• Nonlinear implications
• Centrifugal and Inertial Loading
• Unit load cases for better understanding
• Case Study – tanker body under cornering and accident loading

Multi Point Constraints (MPCs)

• What are they and why use them?
• Different terminologies and usage
• Soft and rigid load and constraint distribution

Making Life simpler

• Symmetry
• Anti-symmetry  and Axi-symmetry
• Sector Symmetry
• Plane Stress
• Plane strain
• Comparing 1d, 2d, 3d modeling case study of a pressure vessel

Understanding the objective of the analysis

• Clear view of scope of problem – how do we tackle it
• Resource and timescale factors
• FEA Analysis objectives – reservoir case study
• Class exercise develop an analysis strategy

Looking at CAD geometry

• Why not use 20 million elements
• Trade offs
• De-featuring
• The reality of CAD models
• Manual methods of meshing
• Building an Analysis Process ‘Cheat Sheet’ Part 2

Engineering Assessment

• Anticipate the load paths 
• Free body Diagrams
• Force Balance
• Review of Stress and Load fundamentals
• Revisiting the I-Beam, comparing theory with FEA

Checking the answers

• Ways of checking the results
• What type of stress do I use?
• Review of fundamentals
• Post Processing and More Checking
• Other Checks
• Class Exercise – review an FE report

Other Topics (dependent on requirements)

• Buckling
• Introduction to Non-linear Analysis
• Introduction to Dynamics and Normal Modes Analysis
• Introduction to Composite Analysis

Conclusions 

• Review of the Class exercise – developed Analysis Process ‘Cheat Sheet’
• Debrief 

Location

Mere Court Hotel
Warrington Road
Mere
Knutsford
Cheshire
WA16 0RW
Tel: 01565 831002
www.merecourt.co.uk  
Location Map & Directions: http://www.merecourt.co.uk/index.php?page=location 

Accommodation

We have secured a limited number of rooms at the venue hotel, at a special rate of £80, including VAT on a bed & breakfast basis. Please contact the hotel directly, quoting 'NAFEMS', to book rooms at the discounted rate.