Introduction to FEA

Mech Tube group

Ahmed Nagy
E-Learning course

[email protected]

11/3/2023 Mech Tube-Eng/Ahmed Nagy 1

GOAL
• Professional Mechanical Designer

11/3/2023 Mech Tube-Eng/Ahmed Nagy 2

 Lecture Outline

• Design Process.
• What is the FEA.
• A roadmap for learning FEA.
• Analysis Types

11/3/2023 Mech Tube-Eng/Ahmed Nagy 3

 Design Process

Problem Definition Conceptual Design Embodiment Design

Product Manufacture Detail Design

CAD CEA CNA

CAM

Mech Tube-Eng/Ahmed Nagy 4

11/3/2023
CAE Software
• Solidworks Simulation
• Ansys
• Code APD
• Abacus
• Elmer
• Code Aster

11/3/2023 Mech Tube-Eng/Ahmed Nagy 5

 Why FEA?

11/3/2023 Mech Tube-Eng/Ahmed Nagy 6

Three methods for solving engineering problems
• Classical Methods
• The Experimental Method
• Numerical Methods

11/3/2023 Mech Tube-Eng/Ahmed Nagy 7

Normal Shear
stress 1-Due to normal force stress

1-Due to shear force

2-Bending moment

2-Due to torsion

11/3/2023 Mech Tube-Eng/Ahmed Nagy 8

 Development of the traditional methods
• Sheet excel

• Sowftware

11/3/2023 Mech Tube-Eng/Ahmed Nagy 9

The Experimental Method
• This method is based on measurements performed on a physical
prototype and is time-consuming and expensive. Moreover, to obtain
accurate results, several specimens must be tested. However, this
method is useful for validating numerical models.

11/3/2023 Mech Tube-Eng/Ahmed Nagy 10

Numerical Methods
• Finite Element Method
• Boundary Element Method
• Finite Volume Method
• Finite Difference Method

11/3/2023 Mech Tube-Eng/Ahmed Nagy 11

What is the FEA

11/3/2023 Mech Tube-Eng/Ahmed Nagy 12

What is the FEA
• Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is a simulation technique that uses
numerical methods to predict the behavior of complex engineering
structures and systems under different loading and environmental
conditions. FEA can be used to simulate a wide range of physical
phenomena, including structural analysis, fluid dynamics, heat
transfer, and electromagnetics.

11/3/2023 Mech Tube-Eng/Ahmed Nagy 13

 The simplest way to understand
something is to put questions
and answer them

11/3/2023 Mech Tube-Eng/Ahmed Nagy 14

Discretization = Meshing

exact

11/3/2023 Mech Tube-Eng/Ahmed Nagy 15

Element size

11/3/2023 Mech Tube-Eng/Ahmed Nagy 16

 F

Modeling

11/3/2023 Mech Tube-Eng/Ahmed Nagy 17

• The rod can carry uniaxial load only. 1D element
• The 1D element has 2nodes, each node has 1DOF and hence, the element
is said to has 2DOF and the stiffness matrix is symmetric 2X2. • The load
and displacement matrix are column matrix {U}&{f}
• In that case, the length (L) and cross sectional area (A) are the only
required geometry information, while the Young’s modulus (E) is the only
required material information.
• The local matrix is just the global one in that case.
• The boundary conditions are essential to solve. For example, if node 1 is
fixed, then U1 is set to zero. The same If node 2 is subjected to load F, and
so on.

11/3/2023 Mech Tube-Eng/Ahmed Nagy 18

11/3/2023 Mech Tube-Eng/Ahmed Nagy 19
 Boundary
Material Cad File
Condition

11/3/2023 Mech Tube-Eng/Ahmed Nagy 20

The main rule of learning FEA

Learning FEA is more than learning how to The importance of the FEA software itself is very often
use a software; it is a question of overestimated, compared with a good understanding of the
understanding the FEA process, acquiring the modeling process. Most FEA beginners focus on graphical aspects
best modeling practices, and knowing the over engineering data and modeling techniques, but it is hard to
behavior of the mechanical system you wish blame them, because critical factors of a simulation are generally
to model. hidden behind the software's interface. Furthermore, it is very
common for new engineers to be given an FEA role with little
training.
Always remember that an FEA software is just a black box for
solving very complex systems of equations that cannot be solved
quickly. FEA is simply a tool used to aid in your structural analyses.
If you do not master the modeling techniques, you will likely
submit an incorrect system of equations to the solver.
Before learning FEA, a structural engineer must absolutely
understand the fundamental concepts of the theory of elasticity
and the strength of materials.

11/3/2023 Eng/Ahmed Nagy-Mech Tube 21

 Material
Cad File

Boundary
Condition

11/3/2023 Mech Tube-Eng/Ahmed Nagy 22

Analysis Types
• Static Analysis
• Dynamic analysis
• Explicit Dynamics
• Optimization analysis

11/3/2023 Mech Tube-Eng/Ahmed Nagy 23

GUIDELINES FOR FEA LEARNING
1
Start with an Educational Background in the
Specific Type of Physics you wish to
simulate. The vast majority of FEA concepts you will need to
learn are related to the theory and practice of
modeling. While software enables you to build and
examine models, it is dangerous to use it without
. understanding the underlying concepts of modeling.
2 Whatever software you use, the modeling techniques
Take classes in FEA theory. remain the same. Moreover, in the course of your
career, you will probably change software packages
several times. When you are ready to use the
. software, consider asking other engineers you know
about the best ways to leverage the tools..
3
Do not begin with the software; learn FEA.
.

11/3/2023 . Eng/Ahmed Nagy-Mech Tube 24

 4 Always try to understand things in depth.
Strive to understand how things work. In the beginning, it takes time to understand the
Understand the behavior of your
FEA process. However, there will be a profitable return on investment later because, by
mechanical problem. deeply understanding what occurs in one problem, you will be able to solve similar
problems in the future. With this approach, you will be able to easily use different
solvers. It generally takes much less time to learn a new solver than to learn the first one.
. To understand FEA in detail, you need to go beyond the tutorials prepared by software
distributors. Such tutorials typically explain where to click to obtain the results of
5 simulations. By following such tutorials, you will obtain answers: you will press the
Always try to understand things in computation button and likely obtain the result without ever seeing a single error
depth. message. However, this approach alone will not make you a real-world FEA analyst.
Just Google a tutorial on how to model a simple phenomenon with your software. Try it,
then submit your calculation to the solver. By taking this approach, there is a chance you
will encounter errors, but don't worry; they result from the hidden features
. encapsulated in the FEA software. Read the error message and try to understand its
6
meaning. Solvers usually generate a text file that lists what the solver is doing. This text
Start with simple problems. file is written in plain English. Open it, read it in detail, and try to understand what went
wrong. You can copy-paste the error into Google search, refer to the list of errors from
. the software distributor, or even ask other FEA analysts about it. Ultimately, the most
important thing is to understand the reason for the error message. In any case, never
randomly change any aspect of your model, because this will leave you defenseless the
7 next time you encounter the same problem. It is always better to spend some time trying
Take FEA training classes.. to understand what went wrong the first time you face a certain error; the next time it
happens, you will know how to fix it.

11/3/2023 Eng/Ahmed Nagy-Mech Tube 25

 8
Practice, practice, and more
practice

9
Join a user group and attend any
FEA/software seminars available.
11
Be patient.

10
Use updated FEA software.

11
Solicit support from your
software vendor..

11/3/2023 Eng/Ahmed Nagy-Mech Tube 26

 Get the offer

11/3/2023 Mech Tube-Eng/Ahmed Nagy 27

• YouTube
• Page
• Account
• LinkedIn
• Account linkedin

11/3/2023 Eng/Ahmed Nagy-Mech Tube 28