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The geometry of CAD and FEA SIMSOLID eliminates the two The SIMSOLID computational
are different. most time-consuming and engine is based on breakthrough
expertise-extensive tasks of extensions to the theory of
CAD creates geometry to define
geometry simplification and external approximations.
design and manufacturing
meshing.
requirements. FEA needs to Geometry-functions decoupling
transform this into a simplified These two steps typically take is the core feature of the
form to define the mesh. between 30% and 70% of the SIMSOLID technology, which,
total modeling and analysis time. as compared to traditional FEA,
This disparity between CAD and
enhances performance and
FEA geometry models needlessly
accuracy while using fewer
complicates the analysis user
computer resources.
paradigm.

Over the years, computer-aided design (CAD) system geometry has evolved: wireframes to surfaces to
solids, and parametric to direct. Simulation, however, remains stuck using the same old beam, shell, or
simplified-solids paradigm invented more than 50 years ago. As CAD geometric completeness has
grown, so has the effort to convert it into a simpler form suitable for meshing and analysis. Traditional
finite element analysis (FEA) vendors have focused on this task, but this has just increased the learning
curve. The bottom line is that these “CAD to Mesh” steps require many judgment calls, are labor-
intensive and error-prone, and require experts in both simulation and CAD. The result is that broad-
based simulation today is limited to large companies with complex and expensive workflows and,
even then, is rarely well integrated within the conceptual product design process.

Our goal at SIMSOLID Corporation is to change that. We are pioneering new methods that work
directly on fully featured CAD assemblies and do not create a mesh. With this, you can work in step
with your design process to analyze quickly and efficiently the original CAD geometry without
modification or simplification. The result is that SIMSOLID is capable of analyzing large assemblies
and complex parts that would not be considered practical with mainstream FEA.

In this white paper, we will explain what SIMSOLID is and how it works and will show examples of
where it can be used. In addition, we will discuss the technological foundations of SIMSOLID and
compare it to methods used in traditional FEA.
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The geometry problem, simply put, is that the geometry of CAD and
traditional FEA are different. CAD creates geometry to define design and
manufacturing requirements. FEA needs to transform this into a
simplified form to define the mesh. This disparity between CAD and
FEA geometry models needlessly complicates the analysis user
paradigm in many areas—some obvious, some subtle.

The obvious complication is the need to dramatically simplify the

geometry so that a mesh can be reliably created. Many decisions must be
made as to which parts and part features can be removed without
modifying the geometric design intent. This is an expertise-extensive
process. Different people will likely create different results.

The less-than-obvious complication involves the small tweaks to

geometry often required to get the traditional FEA mesh generator to
create adequate shaped elements or the special elements and special
mesh transitions required to create connections between parts—bolts,
welds, etc.

The subtlest complication is the tolerance settings that might need to be

made in the solution methods to account for numeric instabilities caused
by poorly shaped meshes, especially in nonlinear analysis.

The geometry problem is the primary inhibitor blocking wider adoption

of simulation in design workflows. Incremental user interface
improvement in geometry and meshing is not the solution. A
fundamental process change is required.

SIMSOLID takes a different approach. It solves the geometry problem by

replacing altogether the underlying core FEA solution technology. Here
are some important attributes of the SIMSOLID solution:

• The SIMSOLID methodology analyzes directly the fully featured

CAD assembly. Time-consuming model simplification
techniques, such as defeaturing and mid-surfacing, are not
required.
• The solution methods used in SIMSOLID are meshless. There is
never a user requirement to create a mesh.
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• The SIMSOLID methodology is fast and efficient. It provides

superior performance metrics for computational time and
memory footprints that allow very large and/or complex
assemblies to be solved quickly on desktop-class PCs.
• The SIMSOLID method is accurate. SIMSOLID controls solution
accuracy using multipass adaptive analysis. Adaptivity can be
defined on a global or part-local basis. And adaptivity is always
active.

All of this is packaged as a lightweight (33 MB) Windows application,

which provides both a direct connection to Onshape cloud documents
and a convenient STL interface for the structural simulation of 3D-
printed parts.

SIMSOLID eliminates the two most time-consuming and expertise-

extensive tasks of geometry simplification and meshing. These two steps
typically take between 30% and 70% of the total modeling and analysis
time, so this represents significant process improvement. More
important, these tasks represent the bulk of the training requirement for
traditional FEA. Not only is less time required but also less training
means that a larger pool of users can take advantage of the benefits that
design simulation provides.

The second benefit is expanding the possibilities of what is practical to

solve. Instead of reducing the assembly to one part or a small context of a
few parts, a more complete assembly can be solved, simplifying the
model setup and load and constraint specification. Many models that are
not practical to use with traditional FEA can be solved using SIMSOLID.
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Here are a few examples of the benefits of using SIMSOLID:

Elimination of part-geometry simplification. With traditional FEA, the

full-fidelity model must first be simplified by examining and then
removing small features. Here is an example of the original CAD
geometry and one possible simplification used in traditional FEA. Note
that different analysts will likely simplify the geometry in different ways,
further complicating verification of the analysis model.

With SIMSOLID, all features are left in the model and the full fidelity
geometry is used in the analysis. This geometry is a complex single part
of 1,200+ faces and 150+ small holes. Solution time including model
setup is less than four minutes, and reanalysis is fast—less than one
minute.

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Elimination of part-geometry cleanup. Typical CAD geometry often has

small or thin faces and odd face intersections. SIMSOLID is indifferent to
these types of geometries. Here is a model with many small faces and
even an imprint of letters on the surface. With traditional FEA, many
surfaces would need to be edited, merged, or removed altogether.

With SIMSOLID, this geometry can be analyzed directly, without any

modification by the user.

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Direct simulation of large assemblies. Large assemblies with parts of

varying size and shape can be directly analyzed in SIMSOLID. Here is an
access platform consisting of 153 separate parts. Some parts are solid
(ladder rungs), thin and hollow (tubular frame), complex (floor grate), or
small (bolts, nuts, and washers). All geometric details, including threads
in the nuts and bolts, are retained.

The model was imported directly from CAD without modification, and
all connections were automatically determined. No meshing was
required. The base was fixed and a simple side load applied. Total
solution time (import, setup, and solution) was less than nine minutes
using a desktop PC. A solution of this type would not be practical with
traditional FEA.

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The SIMSOLID technology approximates the solution domain using

complicated polynomial and non-polynomial functions. It is an
alternative to conventional FEA, where the approximations are built
from primitive interpolation polynomials confined to finite elements of
generic shapes like brick, tetrahedral, and wedge. Classes of applicable
functions are significantly extended to accommodate solution-specific
functions that, a priori, meet certain solution features, such as
incompressibility conditions, equilibrium equations, and asymptotic
analyses around special geometric features.

The accommodation of smart basis functions was made possible due to

breakthrough extensions to the mathematical theory of external
approximations, which decouples the basis functions from the
underlying geometric shapes. The final functions are built on the fly
from generic sets during the solution sequence. Generic sets are always
complete, and their approximation properties are preserved in all
transformations. This property of the basis functions enables the
development of adaptivity strategies that can refine the generic sets in
local regions as required to increase solution accuracy.

In SIMSOLID, an extension of the fundamental concepts of numerical

methods consists of the redefinition of the basic ideas of degrees of
freedom (DOF). SIMSOLID does not use the pointwise DOF inherent in
traditional FEA. The SIMSOLID DOF are functionals with geometric
support in form of volumes, areas, line clouds, and point clouds. This
provides the ability to handle geometric imperfections as well as
assembly contact imperfections, like gaps, penetrations, and ragged
contact areas.

The implementation of analysis in the design process means that analysis

results are used to make design decisions. It is, therefore, important that
analysis tools provide results with predictable accuracy. Analysis results
validation is a complex problem because all numerical methods are
approximate, and there can be many sources of errors including the
major ones: modeling errors and approximation errors.

Modeling errors occur when the CAD geometry model is being modified
to make it suitable for traditional FEA meshing. The modification can

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include many steps, such as assembly simplification, part defeaturing,

surface idealization, and geometry-face cleanup.

Successful meshing is a prerequisite for obtaining any results in FEA.

Even if only global displacements are of interest, the geometry still has to
be meshed to the smallest detail. Furthermore, meshing has to use the
correct element type, show the correct element shape (no degeneration or
bad aspect ratio), and have enough elements to model the expected
stress pattern. These quality requirements are difficult to satisfy for
complex parts. Adaptive remeshing to satisfy numerical convergence is
possible but not practical in many situations and is not commonly
performed in design analysis.

For assemblies, the situation gets even worse because meshes in contact
areas of parts must be either compatible or good enough to provide
meaningful results. The latter is practically impossible in case of
multiscale assemblies, when large parts are connected through small
parts, such as bolts, nuts, rivets, and pins.

Assembly idealization is also dependent on the solution method. Here is

an example of small parts that can be simply removed in static analysis
but that need to be replaced by mass points or artificial bodies with six
inertia moments in dynamic analysis in order not to change mass
distribution in the structure.

Other sources of error in traditional FEA include special element

consideration for connections. Bolts and welds are problematic in that
both special elements and special mesh patterns are required to model
them adequately. To the left are examples of connection idealizations of
a bolt replaced by beam and spider rods.

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The final stumbling block is obtaining the solution. Even if model has
been successfully meshed, finding the solution is still not assured.
Having meshed complex geometry, the model is often found to be too
large to be solved within a reasonable time or it contains poorly shaped
elements that cause instabilities in the numeric of traditional FEA solver
methods.

Using the traditional FEA workflow to manage these potential error

sources is complex. Training—and retraining—can be expensive and
time-consuming. Occasional (infrequent) use of simulation is especially
problematic. Errors introduced by the misapplication of a user interface
workflow are far too common.

SIMSOLID is new but it has been extensively tested by both SIMSOLID

Corporation and outside companies in a variety of industries.

We have produced a validation manual, available at www.simsolid.com,

that includes tests run as part of our standard quality-assurance process.

One example from the validation manual—plate with a hole under

extensional load—is included here.

Reference
372.7 MPa
SIMSOLID
369.2 MPa

Difference
0.9%

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For simulation to truly drive the design process, it needs to work in step
with each geometric concept and concept modification. The complexity
of traditional FEA eliminates its use in all but the most trivial of design
conditions. Simulation working directly on design geometry provides a
path to quick, meaningful answers that can guide designers and
engineers to more optimal design scenarios.

Only SIMSOLID can provide this, by not only eliminating time-

consuming and expertise-extensive geometry-simplification techniques,
such as defeaturing and mid-surfacing, but also eliminating the mesh
altogether. The result is a simulation tool that is both:

• fast enough, with respect to both model and solving time, to be

used every day, and
• simple enough to be used occasionally without the need for
extensive training and monitoring.

Try SIMSOLID for yourself. We think you will agree that it is how
design simulation should be done. For more information and to conduct
a trial simulation of our product, please visit our website at
www.simsolid.com.

Copyright Notice

© 2020 SIMSOLID Corporation. All Rights Reserved. The SIMSOLID software and related documentation
are proprietary to SIMSOLID Corporation. Unauthorized use, distribution, or duplication is prohibited.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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