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Teaching Finite Element Analysis for Design Engineers

Article · August 2011

DOI: 10.24908/pceea.v0i0.3839

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Paul M Kurowski
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 Teaching Finite Element Analysis for Design Engineers

Paul M. Kurowski
The University of Western Ontario
Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering
[email protected]

Abstract
The Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is becoming increasingly popular among design engineers using it as one of
many product design tools. Safe and cost efficient use of FEA as a product design tool requires training, different
from that presently found in undergraduate curriculum of mechanical engineering students. The specific
requirements of design engineers for training in the field of FEA have been addressed by the author in a number of
professional development courses in FEA, catering specifically to the needs of design engineers. This paper discuses
tools and methods used in the development and delivery of these courses and their applicability to the
undergraduate courses taught in Canadian Engineering schools.

1. Changing responsibilities of design To make sure that FEA performs in the hands of
engineers. design engineers as a productivity tool, design
engineers must be provided with training that
Due to competitive pressures as well as the addresses the needs of this relatively new type of
availability of CAE tools, since early 1990’s the users.
responsibilities of design engineer have been steadily
expanding from just designing to geometry creation 2. FEA as a design tool
with CAD and design analysis, most often performed
with FEA (figure 1). Finite Element Analysis (FEA)for a perspective of a
design engineer, is one of many tools of design
analysis . Therefore, it is appropriate to position it first
among other design analysis tools.

Design analysis can be conducted by on real objects

or on models that represent certain aspects of the real
object. If models are used instead of real objects, the
analysis can be conducted earlier in the design
process, long before the final product or even
prototypes are built. Those models used for design
analysis can take the form of physical models (for
example: scaled down models, mockups, photoelastic
models ) or mathematical models where certain
behavior of a part or a structure is described by a
mathematical apparatus.

The design analysis conducted with the use of

Figure 1. Expanding responsibilities of design mathematical models can be further broken down
engineers based on what methods are used to obtain solution.

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Simple mathematical models can be solved products? The answer depends on the size of
analytically. More complex models require the use of organization, type of products, company organization
numerical methods and this is where the FEA comes and culture and many other tangible and non tangible
in. FEA is one of many numerical methods used to factors. A general consensus is that design engineers
solve complex mathematical models. It is particularly should handle relatively simple types of analysis in
well suited to solving structural and thermal problems support of design process. More complex types of
commonly challenging mechanical design engineers. analyses, too complex and too time consuming to be
executed concurrently design process, are usually
better handled either by a dedicated analyst or
3. What is “FEA for Design Engineers” contracted out to specialized consultants.

While the expertise expected of FEA users always Objective of “FEA for Design Engineers”
requires familiarity with Mechanics of Materials, The ultimate objective of using the FEA as a design
Engineering Design and other topics common to any tool is to change the design process from iterative
mechanical engineering curriculum., the FEA training cycles of “design, prototype, test” into a streamlined
should differentiate between the needs of analysts and process where prototypes are used only for final
the needs of design engineers because each group of design verification. With the use of FEA, design
uses the FEA differently. iterations are moved from physical space of
prototyping and testing into virtual space of computer
What exactly distinguishes “Finite Element based simulations (figure 2). The FEA is not, of
Analysis for Design Engineers” from a “regular” course, the only tool of computerized simulation used
Finite Element Analysis as it traditionally has been in the design process. There are others like, for
performed by analysts ? We will highlight the most example, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Motion
essential characteristics of FEA for Design Engineers Analysis etc. jointly called the tools of Computer
as opposed to FEA performed by analysts. Aided Engineering (CAE).

FEA is just another design tool

For Design Engineers the Finite Element Analysis
is one of many design tools and is used along CAD,
spreadsheets, catalogs, data bases, hand calculations,
text books etc.

FEA is based on CAD models

Design is nowadays almost always created using
CAD tools and, therefore, CAD model is the starting
point for FEA.

FEA is concurrent with the design process.

Since FEA is a design tool, it should be used
concurrently with the design process. It should keep
up, or better, drive the design process. Analysis
iterations must be preformed fast and, since results are Figure 2. Traditional and CAE driven product
used to make design decisions, the results must be development process
reliable, even though not enough input data may be
available for analysis conducted early in the design .
process.
4. How to teach “FEA for Design
Limitations of “FEA for Design Engineers” Engineers” ?
As we can see, the FEA used in the design
environment should meet quite high requirements. It Teaching an FEA course to engineers who will use
must be exe cuted fast and accurately; even though it is it as a design tool requires specific approach not
in the hands of design engineers and not FEA typically found in FEA courses commonly taught to
specialists. An obvious question is: would it be better engineering students. It requires a careful balance of
to have a dedicated specialist perform FEA and let FEA fundamentals and examples to illustrate those
design engineers do what they do best: designing new

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fundamentals while connecting to problems typical to - Selecting preferable modeling approaches
design engineering. - Producing reliable results on time
- Integrating FEA with CAD and other CAE tools
The principal objective of an “FEA for Design - Streamlining CAD and FEA by implementing
Engineers” course is to provide students with skills FEA oriented Solid Modeling practices
necessary to perform time efficient and cost-effective - Ensuring quality and cost-effectiveness of in-
FEA concurrently with product design process as well house and contracted out FEA projects
as to manage and supervise in-house FEA activities.
The ADMI Canada course has a modular structure
This objective is best achieved by combining typically spanning over two four days blocks:
lectures with hands-on exercises. Hands-on exercises
range from analysis of simple but illustrative models MODULE 1
highlighting FEA fundamentals to more complex Day 1
assignments which can be customized to meet specific - Position of FEA among other tools of
needs of students’ industry. numerical analysis
- Design and types of finite elements
Based on this approach the author has developed a - Controlling discretization errors
number of Professional Development courses covering - h convergence process
the use of FEA in the “design engineer” mode. While - p convergence process
they differ in length and the software used, the major
objectives remain the same: Day 2
- Finite element mesh
- To review the fundamentals of the Finite Element - Mesh compatibility
Analysis (FEA) - Common meshing problems
- To provide a basis for assessment of the quality of - Modeling process
FEA results - Common modeling techniques
- To demonstrate cost effective modeling - Test #1 5%
techniques
- To conduct different types of analyses typically Day 3
performed by design engineers - Common modeling techniques
- To provide tools for effective implementation and - Types of finite element analysis
management of the FEA - Steady state thermal analysis
- To discuss common traps and misconceptions in - Transient thermal analysis
the applied FEA - Thermal stress analysis

Here we introduce a sample course addressed to Day 4

design engineers and offered by the Advanced Design - Modal analysis
and Manufacturing Institute (ADMI) of Canada [1]. - Linear buckling analysis
- Nonlinear buckling analysis
- Test #2 5%
5. ADMI Canada course “Finite Element
Analysis for Design Engineers” IN BETWEEN MODULES
- Two take home assignments 25% each
The ADMI Canada course is intended for engineers
who wish to use the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) as MODULE 2
one of their design tools, and for engineering
managers in charge of FEA related projects. It Day 1
provides the participants with tool necessary to turn - Nonlinear material analysis
FEA into a productivity tool by: - Nonlinear geometry analysis
- Test #3 5%
- Understanding powers and shortcomings of FEA
- Avoiding common pitfalls and misconceptions of Day 2
FEA - Modal analysis ... cont'd
- Selecting software best suited for the analyzed - Vibration analysis
products

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 - Interfacing FEA with Motion Analysis
software
- Interfacing FEA with CFD tools 7. Sample problems
Day 3 All problems solved by students hand-on illustrate
- Preparing CAD geometry for FEA and reinforce the discussed topics. Simple models are
- CAD geometry quality used in class to speed up the model definition and the
- Test #4 5% solution process and to focus problems illustrated by
each one. More complex problems are solved in take-
Day 4 home assignments.
- CAD data exchange between different CAD
and FEA systems We will review typical in-class problems. The
- Implementation of FEA into design process tensile hollow strip model is used to demonstrate the
- FEA project management discretization error and the convergence process
- Common FEA traps and misconceptions (figure 3).
- Final exam 30%

Almost all topics are illustrated by hands-on

examples using a commercial FEA software (here
COSMOSWorks), however, the course is not software
specific and the acquired skills are applicable to any
FEA software.

6. How to select FEA software for “FEA

foe Design Engineers”?
Considering that design engineers typically do not Figure 3. Hollow tensile strip
create model specifically for analysis but use CAD
models both for design and analysis, the FEA software The analysis of L shape bracket (figure 4) model
used in the course must be integrated with CAD. illustrates divergent solution due to stress singularity
related to the error in the formulation of the
CAD and FEA software must, therefore, satisfy the mathematical model.
following requirements.

CAD system should

- create 100 % of complex geometry:

- both CAD specific and FEA specific
- offer the ability of quick switches between
- those two geometries while keeping them
linked
- offer close integration with FEA

FEA system should

- mesh relevant CAD produced geometry

automatically
- user's intervention should not be required
- map finite elements precisely to geometry Figure 4. L shape bracket with sharp re-
- offer optimization and sensitivity studies entrant corner
capabilities
- offer close integration with CAD

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 The stamped steel pulley (figure 5) exercise is used
to discuss the use of shell elements, the symmetry
boundary conditions and the limited capabilities of the
FEA to model stresses in accordance with the
mechanics of materials.

Figure 7. Heat sink

Take home assignments offer the students

opportunities to work on more complex models of
parts or assemblies which may be chosen based on
individual interests. For example , students are asked
to select a part or a subassembly of a car (figure 8) for
a complete structural analysis which includes
Figure 5. Stamped steel pulley formulation of loads, restraints and all required
modeling assumptions.

The tuning fork (figure 6) is used for modal

analysis to demonstrate he effect of supports on the
modes of vibration and the nature of modes of
vibration in a symmetric model .

Figure 8. SAE formula car model

8. FEA Implementation and Management

An important part of “FEA for Design Engineers”
Figure 6. Tuning fork
is implementation of FEA in the design engineering
environment and management of FEA projects.
The heat sink (figure 7) example introduces steady
state and transient thermal analysis considering the It familiarizes students with steps typical to any
effects of convection. FEA project, report writing and project documentation
as well as with traps and misconceptions often found
in everyday industrial applications of FEA.

233
 “FEA Implementation and Management” section of
the course discusses project check lists (figure 9) and While “FEA for Design Engineers” course should
errors commonly found in FEA projects. It proposes not replace standard FEA courses typically offered to
undergraduate Mechanical Engineering students , it
would complement them very well by providing
students with readily marketable skills in numerical
design analysis.

“FEA for Design Engineers” could be offered as a

“stand-alone” half course, best placed in the third or
fourth year or could be combined with standard FEA
half course into a full year course.

10. References
[1] www.admicanada.com/courses/

[2] P. M . Kurowski, “Finite Element Analysis for Design

Engineers”, the Society of Automotive Engineers, 2004.

[3] P. M. Kurowski, “Engineering Analysis with

COSMOSWorks”, Schroff Development Corporation, 2006

[4] P. M. Kurowski "Going Mainstream Analysis",

SolidWorks Corporation, 2004

Figure 9. A sample FEA project check list

This section is of particular interest to engineering

managers who may never work with FEA “hands-on”
but assume responsibility for design decisions made
using FEA results.

9. “FEA for Design Engineers” as an

undergraduate course
The approach to teaching FEA as a design tool has
been discussed here using the ADMI Canada course as
an example. Similar approach has been used
successfully in the development of other Professional
Development courses as well as in text books and
other technical publications in field of FEA [2], [3],
[4].

This combined experience makes the author

convinced that the same approach may be used in a
successful delivery of an undergraduate course in a
mechanical engineering program.

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