FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

Finite element analysis (FEA) is a computerized

method for predicting how a product reacts to real-
world forces, vibration, heat, fluid flow, and other
physical effects.
 BRIEF HISTORY OF FEA
Lord John William Strutt Rayleigh in late 1800s,
developed a method of predicting the first natural
frequency of simple structures. It assumed a
deformed shape for a structure and then qualified
this shape by minimizing the distributed energy in
the structure.
Dr. Ray Clough coined the term finite element in
1960. The 1960s saw the true beginning of
commercial FEA as digital computers replaced
analog ones with the capability of thousands of
operations per second.
 By the 1970s, Computer-aided design, or CAD, was
introduced later in the decade
In the 1980s, CAD progressed from a 2D drafting
tool to a 3D surfacing tool. The use of FEA and CAD
on the same workstation with developing geometry
soling modeling system.
Design engineers began to seriously consider
incorporating FEA into the general product design
process.
 How FEA works
Finite element analysis shows whether a product will
break, wear out, or work the way it was designed. It is
called analysis, but in the product development
process, it is used to predict what is going to happen
when the product is used.

FEA works by breaking down a real object into a large

number (thousands to hundreds of thousands) of finite
elements, such as little cubes. Mathematical equations
help predict the behavior of each element. A computer
then adds up all the individual behaviors to predict the
behavior of the actual object.
Finite element analysis helps predict the
behavior of products affected by many
physical effects, including:
Mechanical stress
Mechanical vibration
Fatigue
Motion
Heat transfer
Fluid flow
Electrostatics
Plastic injection molding
PROCEDURE OF
FINITE ELEMENT
ANALYSIS
 Create 3D CAD Model: Use any of the 3D CAD modeling
tools like ProE, Catia, and solid Edge etc. for creating the
3D geometry of the part/assembly of which FEA must be
performed.

Clean Up the 3D CAD Model: Some features of the 3D

CAD geometry may not be that important for the FEA but
increase the complexity of meshing drastically.
 Save the 3D CAD Geometry in Neutral Format: Save
the 3D CAD geometry in neutral format like IGES,
STEP etc. Though some of the FEA packages allow
importing the CAD geometry directly from some of the 3D
CAD packages. For example, the ProE geometry can be
directly imported to Ansys.

Importing 3D CAD geometry to FEA Package: Start

the FEA package and import the CAD geometry into the
FEA package.
 Defining Material Properties: You need to tell the FEA
package which material you are using for the part. By this
process you have to tell modulus of elasticity, poissons ratio
and all other necessary properties require for the FEA.

Meshing: Meshing is a critical operation in FEA. In this

operation, the CAD geometry is divided into large numbers of
small pieces. The small pieces are called mesh. The analysis
accuracy and duration depends on the mesh size and
orientations. With the increase in mesh size, the finite element
analysis speed increase but the accuracy decrease.
 Defining Boundary Condition: You have to tell the FEA
package where you want to apply loads and where you
want to rest the part/assemble (constraints).

Solve: In this step you tell the FEA package to solve the
problem for the defined material properties, boundary
conditions and mesh size.

Post Processing: You view the results of the solution in

this step. The result can be viewed in various formats:
graph, value, animation etc.
References
http://www.brighthubengineering.com/cad-autocad-
reviews-tips/66732-what-are-the-steps-required-to-
perform-a-finite-element-analysis/#imgn_2