This two-day class is an introduction into the use of finite element analysis in engineering industry. This course is not intended to teach the specifics of a particular FEA program. Rather, techniques and procedures related to finite element analysis in general are presented. You should take this class if you are new to the field of finite element analysis or seek more information on this valuable analysis tool. This class will help you understand how FEA works and how it is utilized in industry. You should have a Bachelor of Science degree (B.S.) in engineering or equivalent engineering experience to take this class. There are no analysis experience prerequisites for this class. After taking this class, you should be able to:
- Understand the concepts involved in finite element analysis.
- Make decisions on how to model your structure: beam vs. shell vs. solid elements, 2D vs. 3D vs. axisymmetric.
- Discern between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ FE models.
- Represent physical phenomena such as bolt preloads, press fits, buckling, phase change, etc.
- How to interpret the results of your analysis.
- How to make design decisions based on the results of your analysis.
- How to evaluate your structure to (ASME) code requirements.
This course is for the most part a non-FE code related introduction to the finite element analysis method.
