Femap Version 9.0 – An exciting new direction for finite element analysis (FEA)
In an article for Desktop Engineering on-line, software reviewer Vince Adams says that “Femap Version 9.0 is the first step in an exciting new direction for Femap.
Femap is the world’s leading Windows-based engineering simulation tool for finite element analysis (FEA). Engineers worldwide use Femap to model and simulate everything from simple solid components to entire spacecraft assemblies throughout a broad range of engineering disciplines. Based on an open architecture, Adams notes that Femap is the ‘interface of choice for a number of integrated FEA solvers.”
Among the new enhancements in Femap is a powerful suite of tools for customizing the interface for user-specific tasks. With a combination of Visual Basic and custom API calls, users can automate repetitive tasks or simplify complex calculations.
In additional to robust support for multiple analysis environments, Femap takes a similar approach to geometry support. With direct CAD interfaces to Pro/ENGINEER, CATIA, and Unigraphics/NX, as well as neutral and kernel-based formats such as ACIS, Parasolid, IGES, and STEP, among others. According to Adams, “we rarely have a problem importing geometry from a variety of sources and if there is a problem, Femap’s geometry healing and manipulation tools provide a reliable workaround.”
Some other areas of enhancements include:
- Meshing tools – including a full suite of element types with customizable formulations for the various solvers it supports.
- Finite element model data management that aids validation – with new features that will make it much easier to perform important model checks.
- Interactive model documentation – making it easier to construct a well-organized and prepared report.
Adams suggests that, “With an industry that is moving towards simplified analysis with limited functionality, Femap is taking a stand by simplifying the interface to fully functional analysis. As it becomes easier to develop more complex simulations, it is conceivable that more engineers will look to broaden and deepen their explorations into predictive engineering.”
