Table of Contents

Dedication
Preface

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Chapter 1: Introduction to FEA

Introduction to FEA
General Working of FEA
Nodes, Elements, and Element Types
Areas for Application of FEA
General Procedure of Conducting Finite Element Analysis
FEA through Autodesk Simulation Mechanical
Effective Utilization of FEA
Advantages and Limitations of FEA Software
Key Assumptions in FEA
Assumptions Related to Geometry
Assumptions Related to Material Properties
Assumptions Related to Boundary Conditions
Assumptions Related to Fasteners
Types of Analysis
Structural Analysis
Thermal Analysis
Fluid Flow Analysis
Electromagnetic Field Analysis
Coupled Field Analysis
Important Terms and Definitions
Strength
Load
Stress
Strain
Elastic Limit
Ultimate Strength
Factor of Safety
Lateral Strain
Poissons Ratio
Bulk Modulus
Creep
Classification of Materials

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Autodesk Simulation Mechanical for Designers

Theories of failure
Von Mises Stress Failure Criteria
Maximum Shear Stress Failure Criterion
Maximum Normal Stress Failure Criteria
Self-Evaluation Test
Review Questions

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Chapter 2: Introduction to Autodesk Simulation Mechanical

Introduction
Linear Analysis
Non-linear Analysis
Thermal Analysis
System Requirements
Getting Started with Autodesk Simulation
Quick Access Toolbar
Ribbon and Tabs
Navigation Bar
Browser Tree View
ViewCube
Miniaxis
Scale Ruler
Setting the Unit System
Important Environments of Autodesk Simulation Mechanical
FEA Editor Environment
Result Environment
Report Environment
Shortcut Menus
Color Schemes
Hotkeys
Self-Evaluation Test
Review Questions

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Chapter 3: Importing and Exporting Geometry

Introduction
Importing CAD Model
Importing 3D Models from Autodesk Inventor
Importing 3D Models from SolidWorks
Splitting Surfaces of CAD Models
Simplifying the Model Geometry Before Importing
Simplifying the Model Geometry in Autodesk Inventor
Simplifying the Model Geometry in SolidWorks
Importing FEA Model
Saving FEA Model
Exporting FEA Model

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Archiving FEA Model

Creating an Archive File
Retrieve an Archive File
Repairing Archive File
Managing an Existing Archive File
Deleting an Archive File
Understanding the Drawing Display Tools
Enclose (Fit All)/Zoom (Fit All)
Zoom
Window/Zoom (Window)
Selected/Zoom (Selected)
Pan
Orbit
Constrained Orbit/Orbit (Constrained)
Previous View
Next View
Changing the View Using the ViewCube
Home
Orthographic
Perspective
Lock to Selection
Set Current View as Home
Set Current View as Front
Reset Front
Properties
Navigating the Model Using SteeringWheels
Controlling the Display of Models
Setting the Visual Styles
Setting the Camera Type
Tutorial 1
Tutorial 2
Self-Evaluation Test
Review Questions
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3

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Chapter 4: Creating and Modifying Geometry

Introduction
Selection Methods
Point or Rectangle Selection Method
Rectangle Selection Method
Polyline Selection Method
Circle Selection Method
Creating 2D Sketched Geometry
Modifying the Grid Spacing

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Table of Contents

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Autodesk Simulation Mechanical for Designers

Drawing Lines
Drawing Circles
Drawing Rectangles
Drawing Arcs
Drawing Construction Vertices
Creating Fillets
Creating Tangent Lines
Creating Splines
Editing and Modifying Geometry
Trimming Sketched Entities
Extending Sketched Entities
Intersecting Sketched Entities
Dividing Sketched Entities
Changing Attributes
Mirroring Sketched Entities
Moving, Rotating, Scaling, and Copying Sketched Entities
Tutorial 1
Tutorial 2
Tutorial 3
Self-Evaluation Test
Review Questions
Exercise 1

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Chapter 5: Meshing-I
Introduction to Meshing
Generating Mesh
Generating 3D Mesh
Specifying 3D Mesh Settings
Viewing the Meshing Results
Unmatched and Multi-Matched Feature lines
Unmatched Feature Lines
Multi-matched Feature Lines
Eliminating Unmatched and Multi-Matched Feature lines
Generating 2D Mesh
Specifying 2D Mesh Settings
Tutorial 1
Tutorial 2
Self-Evaluation Test
Review Questions
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3

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Table of Contents

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Introduction
Creating Refine Mesh
Refining Mesh by Adding Refinement Points
Refining Mesh by using Add to Selection Method
Creating Refine Mesh on a Part
Editing Refinement Points
Editing Refinement Points by Using the Refinement Point
Browser Dialog Box
Editing Refinement Points by Using the Modify Refinement Point
Dialog Box
Tutorial 1
Tutorial 2
Tutorial 3
Self-Evaluation Test
Review Questions
Exercise 1

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Chapter 7: Working with Joints and Contacts

Introduction
Creating Joints
Automatic detection of axis/center point
Manual axis/center-point specification
Creating Bolted Connection
Working with Contacts
Types of Contacts
Applying Contact Between Parts
Overriding Existing Contact Type
Specifying Friction Coefficients, Direction, and Interference for Contact
Renaming Contacts
Deleting Contacts
Tutorial 1
Tutorial 2
Tutorial 3
Self-Evaluation Test
Review Questions
Exercise 1
Exercise 2

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Chapter 6: Meshing-II

Autodesk Simulation Mechanical for Designers

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Chapter 8: Defining Materials and Boundary Conditions

Introduction
Assigning Material
Managing Material Libraries
Creating New Material Library
Adding Material Categories
Adding Material Under a Material Category
Deleting Material
Deleting Material Category
Loading Material Library File
Setting Material Library as Default Library
Removing/Deleting Library
Copying Material Library
Boundary Conditions
Constraints
Loads
Tutorial 1
Tutorial 2
Self-Evaluation Test
Review Questions
Exercise 1
Exercise 2

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Chapter 9: Performing Analysis and Viewing Results

Introduction
Specifying Multiple Load Cases
Specifying Solver for Analysis
Specifying Result Output Files to be Saved
Changing the Analysis Type
Performing Analysis (Solution Phase)
Viewing Results (Postprocessor Phase)
Reviewing the Displacement Results
Reviewing the Stress Results
von Mises
Tensor
Tresca*2
Principal Stress
Safety Factor
Modifying Allowable Stress Values
Beam and Truss
Reviewing the Strain Results
von Mises
Tensor
Tresca*2
Principal Strain

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Beam and Truss

Reviewing the Reaction Force Results
Internal Force
Applied Force
Reaction Force (Negative)
Internal Moment
Applied Moment
Reaction Moment (Negative)
Reviewing the Current Result for Nodes and Faces
Reviewing Current Result for a part
Adding Probes to Display Current Results
Reviewing Results in Graphical PATH Format
Graphical Representation of Results in Path Form
Graphical Representation of Results in Bar Form
Graphical Representation of Combined Nodal Results
Animating Results
Modifying Legend Properties
Displaying loads and Constraints
Creating Presentations
Creating an Image File
Generating Report
Tutorial 1
Tutorial 2
Self-Evaluation Test
Review Questions
Exercise 1
Exercise 2

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Chapter 10: Advanced Structural Analysis

Introduction
Dynamic Analysis
Modal Analysis
Harmonic/Frequency Response Analysis
Transient Analysis
Steps to Perform Dynamic Analysis
Nonlinear Analysis
Geometric Nonlinearity
Material Nonlinearity
Boundary Nonlinearity (Changing Status)
Steps to Perform Nonlinear Analysis
Tutorial 1: Modal Analysis
Tutorial 2: Modal Analysis
Tutorial 3: Harmonic/Frequency Response Analysis
Tutorial 4: Transient Analysis
Tutorial 5: Nonlinear Analysis

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Table of Contents

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Autodesk Simulation Mechanical for Designers

Self-Evaluation Test
Review Questions
Exercise 1
Exercise 2

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Index

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