Unit 1

Elemental Properties
• Introduction to Computer Aided Engineering (CAE)
• CAE or Computer-Aided Engineering is a term used to describe
the procedure of the entire product engineering process, from
design and virtual testing with sophisticated analytical
algorithms to the planning of manufacturing.
• Computer-aided engineering is standard in almost any
industry that uses some sort of design software to develop
products.
• CAE is the next step in not only designing a product but also
supporting the engineering process, as it allows to perform
tests and simulations of the product’s physical properties
without needing a physical prototype.
CAE and FEA
Design
Product Concept Drafting Process Planning
Engineering

Computer Aided Engineering Computer Aided Engineering

Synthesis Geometric Modeling

Finite Element Method /Analysis,

Analysis and
Engineering Analysis CFD, Fatigue, weld seam, Solid
optimization
Mold, MBD,
Design Review and
Evaluation
Evaluation

Presentation Automated Drafting

• Introduction to Computer Aided Engineering (CAE)
• In the context of CAE, the most commonly used simulation
analysis types include
• Finite Element Analysis,
• Computational Fluid Dynamics,
• Thermal Analysis,
• Multibody Dynamics, and Optimizations.
• Introduction to Computer Aided Engineering (CAE)
• By leveraging the advantages of engineering simulation,
especially when combined with the power and the speed of
high-performance cloud computing, the cost and time of each
design iteration cycle, as well as the overall development
process, can be considerably reduced.
• The standard CAE workflow is to first generate an initial design
and then simulate the CAD geometry.
• The simulation results are then evaluated and used to improve
the design.
• Try it yourself!
• Introduction to Computer Aided Engineering (CAE)
• This process is repeated until all the product’s requirements
are met and virtually confirmed.
• In case of any weak spots or areas where the digital
prototype’s performance doesn’t match the expectations,
engineers and designers can improve the CAD model and
check the effects of their change by testing the updated
design in a new simulation.
• This process supports faster product development as there is
no need for building physical prototypes in early development
stages.
• Try it yourself!
• Use of CAE in Product Development
• Today, mechanical engineers have the luxury of being able to analyze
and predict product performance using the advanced capabilities
of CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) tools to meet specific product
performance requirements.
• Designers and engineers need to understand the physical behaviors of
a complex object.
• They also need to predict the performance of the design, calculate the
safety margin, and accurately identify weaknesses in the design.t
yourself!
• Use of CAE in Product Development
• The end goal is to confidently identify acceptable or even superior
designs and materials for each unique product.
• Through the use of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Computational
Fluid Dynamics (CFD), collectively known as CAE, this goal can usually
be achieved in less time and at a lower cost than with traditional
prototyping alone.
• Development cost is reduced. When CAE is implemented early in the
design cycle, design is guided in the right direction early in the process,
when mistakes are costliest.
• f!
• Use of CAE in Product Development
• Once a virtual model has been correlated to physical prototypes and
tests, the design team can make modifications and simulate testing on
those modifications with ease, without having to physically build and
test each new design.
• This avoids expensive build costs.
• FEA has become a solution to the task of predicting design flaws,
indicating precisely where problem areas exist due to excessive stress
or fatigue.
• f!
Methods of Solving Engineering
Problems

Classical Method Numerical Method

(CM) (CM)

Implicit Explicit Method

Method(IM) (EM)

Finite Element Finite Difference Finite Volume Boundary Element

Method (FEA) Method (FDM) Method (FVM) Method (BEM)
• Finite Element Method (FEM)
• The finite-element method is a computational method that subdivides a CAD
model into very small but finite-sized elements of geometrically simple
shapes.
• The collection of all these simple shapes constitutes the so-called finite-
element mesh.
• The next step is to take a system of field equations, mathematically
represented by partial differential equations (PDEs) that describe the physics
you are interested in, and formulate these equations for each element.
• Finite Element Method (FEM)
• This is handled by approximating the fields within each element as a simple
function, such as a linear or quadratic polynomial, with a finite number of
degrees of freedom (DOFs).
• This gives an approximate local description of the physics by a set of simple
linear (but sometimes nonlinear) equations.
• When the contributions from all elements are assembled you end up with a
large sparse matrix equation system that can be solved by any of a number of
well-known sparse matrix solvers.
• Finite Element Method (FEM)
• The type of solver used depends on the original physics, since each type of
physics gives its unique imprint on the structure of the matrix.
• To speed things up, this structure is exploited by using a tailored numerical
method.
• A method may be suitable for structural mechanics but not for
electromagnetics, and vice versa.
• Historically, the method was first applied to structural analysis.
• Over the last ten years or so, it has been realized that the finite element
method is also suitable for a large class of multi-physics problems.
• Finite Difference Method (FDM)
• The finite-difference method is the most direct approach to discretizing
partial differential equations.
• You consider a point in space where you take the continuum representation
of the equations and replace it with a set of discrete equations, called finite-
difference equations.
• The finite-difference method is typically defined on a regular grid and this fact
can be used for very efficient solution methods.
• The method is therefore not usually used for irregular CAD geometries, but
more often for rectangular or block-shaped models.
• Finite Difference Method (FDM)
• There is a connection with the finite-element method: Certain formulations of
the finite-element method defined on a regular grid are identical to a finite-
difference method on the same grid.
• Regular grids can often be used in meteorological, seismological, and
astrophysical simulations, for example.
• Finite Volume Method (FVM)
• The finite-volume method is similar to the finite-element method in that the
CAD model is first divided into very small but finite-sized elements of
geometrically simple shapes.
• Apart from this, the finite-volume method is very different from the finite-
element method, beginning with the concept of elements, which are instead
referred to as cells.
• The finite-volume method is based on the fact that many physical laws are
conservation laws—what goes into one cell on one side needs to leave the
same cell on another side.
• Following this idea, you end up with a formulation that consists of flux
conservation equations defined in an averaged sense over the cells.
• Historically, this method has been very successful in solving fluid flow
problems
• Difference between FEM, FDM and FVM
• Each method is quite similar in that it represents a systematic numerical
method for solving Partial Differential Equations (PDEs).
• One important difference is the ease of implementation.
• A common opinion is that the finite-difference method is the easiest to
implement and the finite-element method the most difficult.
• One reason for this may be that the finite-element method requires quite
sophisticated mathematics for its formulation.
 Difference b/n FEM, FDM, FVM and BEM
Methods
Sr. No. Criteria FEM FDM FVM BEM
Piecewise Point wise Piecewise Along the
1 Continuity approximation approximation approximation boundaries

2 Outputs at Any point Nodes only Along element Along boundary

boundary

Slopping and curved Approximation Better

Slopping and
3 Approximation boundaries can be makes straight line approximation at stair case type
handled exactly b/w two points boundary
Large no. of nodes More no. of
Number of are required to Need fewer nodes are
4 Need fewer nodes
Nodes obtain accurate nodes required along
result boundary only
Handle all Handle fairly Moderately Can't be applied
5 Complexity complicated problem complicated complex to the complex
problems problems geometry
Difference b/n FEM, FDM, FVM and BEM Methods
Sr.
Criteria FEM FDM FVM BEM
No
Multiple material/ Limitations with CFD and Aucostics, Noise
6 Applications complex geometry complicated geometry electromagnet Vibrations and
can be handled easily and materials ic Harness
Handle any type of Problems with
7 Domain element combination of 1D, Unit volume Only boundary
combinations 2D, 3D elements only
8 DOF More Moderate Moderate Less
Processing
9 Speed High Moderate Moderate Less/poor

10 System Integral form Differential equation Integral form Integral form

equations
It is used in
combination with Thermal or Can't be applied to
11 Non linear All types of problem BEM/FVM to solve CFD coupled the material and
problems thermal or CFD problems type element
coupled problems
Sr. No. Criteria FEM FDM FVM BEM
Piecewise Point wise Piecewise Along the
1 Continuity approximation approximation approximation boundaries
Sr. No. Criteria FEM FDM FVM BEM

2 Outputs at Any point Nodes only Along element boundary Along boundary

Field variables are estimated

Field Variables are estimated along element boundary
at any point along the length
of the element

Field variables are

Field variables is estimated at estimated at node points
node points only along Boundary only
Sr. No. Criteria FEM FDM FVM BEM

Slopping and curved Approximation Better Slopping and

3 Approximation boundaries can be makes straight line approximation at stair case type
handled exactly b/w two points boundary
Sr. No. Criteria FEM FDM FVM BEM

Handle all Handle fairly Moderately Can't be applied

5 Complexity complicated problem complicated complex to the complex
problems problems geometry

welding

Mould Flow
Analysis of lander system
 Sr. No. Criteria FEM FDM FVM BEM
Large no. of nodes More no. of
Number of are required to Need fewer nodes are
4 Nodes Need fewer nodes obtain accurate nodes required along
result boundary only

Field variables are

estimated
at node points along
Field variables is estimated Boundary only
at node points by
Field Variables are estimated
representing more no of nodes
at any point along the length
and accuracy depend on
shape element
Field variables are estimated
along element boundary
that is at node
Sr.
No Criteria FEM FDM FVM BEM

Multiple material/ Limitations with CFD and Acoustics, Noise

6 Applications complex geometry complicated geometry electromagnetic Vibrations and
can be handled easily and materials Harshness
Sr.
No Criteria FEM FDM FVM BEM
Handle any type of Problems with
Unit volume
7 Domain element combination of 1D, Only boundary
only
combinations 2D, 3D elements

Field variables are

estimated at node
points along
Boundary only
• FEM – Advantages and Disadvantages
• One reason for the finite element method’s success in multi-physics analysis is
that it is a very general method.
• Solving the resulting equation systems are the same or very similar to well-
known and efficient methods used for structural and electromagnetics
analysis.
• Another reason for the method’s success is that it makes it easy to “increase
the order of the elements” so that the physics fields can be approximated
very accurately.
• This typically corresponds to locally approximating the physics fields with
polynomials of “higher order,” such as second- and third-degree polynomials,
or higher.
• FEM – Advantages and Disadvantages
• This technique is often critical, for example, in the case of accurate stress
analysis. If we consider the example of stress analysis, it is quite common that
there are important stress concentrations close to some of the corners of a
mechanical part.
• In this case, the finite-element method allows for two different ways of
increasing the accuracy of the solution around this corner.
• One way is to increase the order of the elements, as described earlier.
• Another method is to locally refine the mesh close to that corner; the
element density increases locally.
• The finer the mesh (i.e., more elements), the more accurate approximation
one gets for the stress field around the corner of interest.
• FEM – Advantages and Disadvantages
• Both techniques are used in finite-element software and are frequently made
automatic from the user’s perspective.
• This is known as “adaptive mesh refinement.” Another advantage with the
finite-element method, which is particularly important for multi-physics
analysis, is that you can combine different kinds of functions that approximate
the solution within each element.
• This is called mixed formulations.
• This is important, for example, in the case of electromagnetic heating.
• The physics and mathematics require one type of function for the
electromagnetic field and another type of function for heat transfer; they
both need to be tightly coupled to get an accurate solution and for the
solution to converge.
• FEM – Advantages and Disadvantages
• Mixed formulations are straightforward to handle the finite-element method,
but difficult or impossible with other methods.
• The benefits with both the finite-element method and the finite-volume
method are that curved and irregular CAD geometries are handled in a
natural way.
• However, the mathematics behind the finite-element method is quite
advanced and thus the method requires mathematical expertise for its
implementation.
• Implementations of finite-difference and finite-volume methods are
comparatively straightforward
• FDM – Advantages and Disadvantages
• The finite-difference method is defined dimension per dimension; this makes
it easy to increase the “element order” to get higher-order accuracy.
• If you can fit the simulation in a rectangular or box-shaped geometry using a
regular grid, efficient implementations are much easier than for finite-
element and finite-volume methods.
• Regular grids are useful for very-large-scale simulations on supercomputers
often used in, as mentioned before, meteorological, seismological, and
astrophysical simulations.
• With the finite-difference method, you may easily run into problems handling
curved boundaries for the purpose of defining the boundary conditions.
Boundary conditions are needed to truncate the computational domain.
• They represent communication with the surrounding world, which is the part
that you do not want included in your simulation.
• FDM – Advantages and Disadvantages
• If one can overcome the boundary-condition problem on curved boundaries,
the method gives very efficient and high quality results.
• For computations that need high accuracy, the extra effort in making
boundary-fitted meshes and the associated complications of such meshes for
the implementation may be worth it.
• Examples include Formula 1 car computational-fluid-dynamic (CFD)
simulations and space-shuttle CFD simulations.
• The finite-difference method is more difficult to use for handling material
discontinuities.
• In addition, it does not lend itself for local grid refinement or anything similar
to “adaptive mesh refinement.”
• This may be needed to resolve local rapid variations in solutions such as
around a corner of a complex shape, as described earlier.
• FVM – Advantages and Disadvantages
• The finite-volume method is a natural choice for CFD problems, since the
partial differential equations you have to solve for CFD are conservation laws.
• However, both finite differences and finite elements can also be used for CFD.
• Efficient technology for CFD with the finite-element method has become
increasingly popular over the last 10 to 15 years.
• Techniques for CFD with the finite-difference and finite-volume method have
been known and used much longer.
• The finite-volume method’s strength is that it only needs to do flux evaluation
for the cell boundaries.
• FVM – Advantages and Disadvantages
• This also holds for nonlinear problems, which makes it extra powerful for
robust handling of (nonlinear) conservation laws appearing in transport
problems.
• The local accuracy of the finite-volume method, such as close to a corner of
interest, can be increased by refining the mesh around that corner, similar to
the finite-element method.
• However, the functions that approximate the solution when using the finite-
volume method cannot be easily made of higher order.
• This is a disadvantage of the finite-volume method compared to the finite-
element and finite-difference methods.
• FEM,FDM and FVM – Examples
• Finite-element method:
• All kinds of structural analysis, heat transfer, chemical engineering, electromagnetics
(including electrostatics, magnetostatics, low-frequency electromagnetics, and
frequency-domain high-frequency electromagnetic waves), multi-physics, and CFD.
•Finite-difference method:
• Weather calculations, astrophysics, seismology, physical realism in computer graphics,
and special effects.
•Finite-volume method:
•CFD, heat transfer, and chemical engineering
• CAE Pre-processing
• Well, basically, every FEA software is composed of 3 parts the
Pre, the Post and the solver.
• As the pre and the post can be found through the user
interface, we understand generally easily what it represents,
but the solver remains a bit mysterious…hidden behind the
interface to solve all the problems ;-)
• The job of the PRE (process) is to create the model, the
preparation of the geometry, of the mesh, the definition of the
properties, the materials, the loads and the boundary
conditions.
• Then, a text file which includes all these data under a specific
standard format (generally Nastran) is generated and send to
the solver.
• CAE Pre-processing
• Managing the imported data from CAD systems is also a big
part of pre-processing due to differences in modeling between
CAE software as well as differences in data handling between
CAD systems and simulation systems.
• Ultimately the mesh quality of the discretized model and the
definition of the physical problem determine the accuracy of
the analysis, while the levels of automation and the case-
specific modeling tools determine the time required for the
modeling process.
• CAE Solver
• CAE Solver
• The job of the solver is to take these input data, to process
them using specific algorithms (I will detail that a bit later)
and to give an output that correspond to the result of the
analysis.
• These data are then sent back to the POST (process) which
will “open the package” and display the data in a form that
will be understandable for the user (contours, graphs, tables,
…).
• So in fact the solver is kind of the “Brain” of the software.
• It contains all the algorithms that will be able to decompose
and process the input data to get the results needed.
• CAE Solver
• A system of equation solver is used not only for linear static
structural analysis, but also for all other types of analyses
such as eigenvalue, buckling, dynamic and nonlinear
analyses.
• Generally, two types of solvers exist: a direct solver, which is
based on the Gauss elimination or LU decomposition; and an
iterative solver in which errors are minimized and solutions
are converged through iterative calculations.
• A direct solver is widely used in structural analysis because
finding solutions is stable without being affected by the
numerical characteristics of the matrix.
• But it rapidly tends to demand a significant memory space
and a large amount of calculations for a large problem in
which case an iterative solver requiring relatively less memory
is more desirable.
• CAE Solver
• For structural analysis, however, it must be
cautioned that an iterative solver may not provide
the desired solutions due to the numerical
characteristics of the matrix, or the amount of
iterative calculations may become significant in
arriving at converged solutions.
• Midas NFX (Company Name) provides a function
that automatically selects between the direct
solver and iterative solver depending on the scale
of the problem required to be analyzed.
• CAE Solver
• A direct solver obtains the solutions to a system of
equations in two steps. The first step involves
matrix decomposition, and the second step pertains
to the forward-backward substitution (FBS) process.
• The LU decomposition method, which is applied to a
general asymmetrical matrix, can be applied to
decompose a matrix in the following form in the
case of symmetrical stiffness matrix, K , generated
in the process of finite element analysis.
• CAE Solver
• The important aspect of using a direct solver is to properly use
the sparsity of a matrix. Generally, the stiffness matrix, K ,
generated in the process of finite element analysis is a sparse
matrix containing numerous 0 terms, and the amount of
calculations and required memory space significantly change
depending on the method of utilizing the sparsity.
• midas NFX supports a dense solver for solving a general dense
matrix, which does not utilize the sparsity of the matrix.
• In addition, midas NFX supports a multi-frontal solver as the
basic direct solver, which can remarkably reduce the amount
of calculations and memory space while appropriately utilizing
the sparsity of the matrix.
• CAE Solver
• The multi-frontal solver orders the degrees of freedom
to minimize the amount of calculations and memory
space utilizing the sparsity of the matrix.
• The matrix is then divided into a number of frontal
matrices based on the ordering data, which are
subsequently decomposed.
• The algorithm of recursive bisection is used to
implement the ordering of the degrees of freedom.
• The forward substitution takes place in the same order
as the matrix decomposition while the backward
substitution is calculated in the reverse order.
• CAE Solver
• An iterative solver uses a method, which reduces errors in approximate
solutions obtained through an iterative process leading to convergence.
• It is crucial to rapidly reduce the convergence errors in a small number of
iterations.
• Generally, the number of iterative calculations depends on the
preconditioning technique.
• midas NFX uses the SA (smoothed aggregation) AMG (algebraic multi-grid)
method, which is known as a stable preconditioning technique, irrespective of
element shapes.
• The AMG method uses multi-grids so the number of iterations is not greatly
influenced by the number of degrees of freedom.
• It also exhibits stable convergence when using elements consisted of
displacement and rotational degrees of freedom at each node such as shell
elements.
• The iterative solver using the AMG method automatically composes multi-
grids, which are created by the sets of neighboring nodes and the degrees of
freedom representing each set of nodes.
• CAE Solver
• As explained earlier, the performance of a direct solver or an
iterative solver changes with the scale of the problem to be
analyzed for which midas NFX provides a function making an
automatic selection between the two.
• When the function of automatic selection of an equation solver
is opted, an appropriate solver is used on the basis of the
problem size.
• The direct solver using the dense matrix is selected for a small
scale problem.
• The multi-frontal solver is selected for a mid-scale problem. And
the AMG iterative solver is selected for a large scale problem.
• The criteria for automatic selection are determined by
considering the following aspects:
• CAE Solver
► If the empirical condition is known: determined
on the basis of the nodes or the number of elements
specified by the user
► If the empirical condition is unknown: determined
by the program based on the number of degrees of
freedom of the model and the system memory size
• CAE Post-processing
• Post-processors import the result files from the solvers and
provide the environments and the tools to create
comprehensive reports through model visualization and
charts.
• With a vast amount of data coming from the solver, the
preprocessor should provide the required tools to select,
control, and properly display the results, while also provide the
required automation to reduce the duration of this time-
consuming process.
• Element Shapes
• Based on the geometry the element may be 1D,2D,3D and
axisymmetric
• Element Shapes
• Based on the geometry the element may be 1D,2D,3D and
axisymmetric
• Element Shapes
• Based on the geometry the element may be 1D,2D,3D and
axisymmetric
• Element Shapes
• Based on the geometry the element may be 1D,2D,3D and
axisymmetric
• Element Shapes
• Based on the geometry the element may be 1D,2D,3D and
axisymmetric
• Element Shapes
• Based on the geometry the element may be 1D,2D,3D and
axisymmetric
• Element Shapes
• Based on the geometry the element may be 1D,2D,3D and
axisymmetric
• Element Shapes
• Based on the geometry the element may be 1D,2D,3D and
axisymmetric
• Nodes
• Field Variables
• Field Variables
• Coordinate System
• Coordinate System
• Coordinate System
• Coordinate System
• Shape Functions
• Shape Functions
• Shape Functions – Linear , Quadratic and Cubic
• Shape Functions – Linear , Quadratic and Cubic
• Shape Functions – Linear , Quadratic and Cubic
• Shape Functions – Linear , Quadratic and Cubic
• Shape Functions – Linear , Quadratic and Cubic
• Shape Functions – Linear , Quadratic and Cubic
• Shape Functions – Linear , Quadratic and Cubic
• Shape Functions – Linear , Quadratic and Cubic
• Shape Functions – Convergence Criteria
• Shape Functions – Convergence Criteria
• Shape Functions – Convergence Criteria
• Shape Functions – Convergence Criteria
• Shape Functions – Convergence Criteria
• Derivation of Shape Function for Bar Element
• Derivation of Shape Function for Bar Element
• Derivation of Shape Function for Bar Element
• Derivation of Shape Function for Bar Element
• Derivation of Shape Function for Bar Element
• Derivation of Shape Function for Bar Element
• Derivation of Shape Function for Bar Element
• Derivation of Shape Function for Bar Element
• Derivation of Shape Function for Bar Element
• Derivation of Shape Function for Beam Element
• Derivation of Shape Function for Beam Element
• Derivation of Shape Function for Beam Element
• Derivation of Shape Function for triangular Element
• Derivation of Shape Function for triangular Element
• Derivation of Shape Function for triangular Element
• Derivation of Shape Function for triangular Element
• Derivation of Shape Function for triangular Element
• Derivation of Shape Function for triangular Element
• Derivation of Shape Function for triangular Element
• Derivation of Shape Function for triangular Element
• Derivation of Shape Function for triangular Element
• Derivation of Shape Function for triangular Element