Welcome to SimSolid Cloud

An introduction to SimSolid Cloud.

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is a numerical method for predicting how real-world objects will react to forces, vibration, heat, etc. For structural analysis, typical inputs are CAD geometry, material properties, loads and constraints. Typical outputs are deformations, stresses, and reaction forces.

The benefits of FEA are numerous. Done properly, it can reduce weight and cost, improve product performance and shorten the design cycle. However, FEA has the reputation of being difficult to use in the design process on anything other than very simple geometries. The primary issue is meshing. Meshing requires the user to break up the domain into simple shapes called “finite elements” and grade the mesh density in a precise way to capture the solution accurately. While it is well understood that a low-quality mesh gives a poor result, understanding how to create and validate a good quality mesh is challenging. For real world geometries, this meshing process is just too complex and solution times are too long to be used on an everyday basis and has limited FEA to be used by dedicated analysts only.

SimSolid does not have the meshing limitations found in traditional FEA. SimSolid is based on entirely new FEA technology that does not use a mesh but instead applies classes of higher order functions on both a part and CAD feature basis. SimSolid is an adaptive solver that automatically iterates to improve accuracy on both a local and global basis. Grading meshes is not required. Best of all, SimSolid algorithms are designed specifically to handle large assemblies with complex connections. Assemblies that are not possible to solve with traditional FEA can be quickly analyzed in SimSolid.

For more SimSolid information, including whitepapers, validation and theory documents, go here.

SimSolid compared to traditional FEA

SimSolid is the world’s first from the ground up assembly solver. It uses new “Feature based FEA”, operates on the original unsimplified CAD geometry directly and does not create a mesh. Here is a quick summary of how SimSolid and traditional FEA compare.
Table 1. Methods
Traditional FEA SimSolid
Simple regions - TET, etc. Arbitrary regions – whole part can be a region
DOF is associated with a node – it is point-wise DOF is not point-wise. It can be associated with volumes, surfaces, lines and/or point clouds
DOF are nodal Ux, Uy, Uz displacements DOF are integrals over corresponding geometrical objects, not nodal
3 DOF per node Many DOF per single associated geometry object are possible, depends on solution adaptation
Shape functions are simple low degree interpolation polynomials Shape functions can be of arbitrary class
  • complete standard polynomials
  • divergence-free polynomials
  • harmonic polynomials
  • non-polynomials
Table 2. Accuracy
Traditional FEA SimSolid
Geometry level of detail decision by user Full geometry detail – modeling errors minimized
Types of elements decision by user No elements
Mesh density and distribution based controls decision by user No meshing
Correct interpretation of analysis settings by user
  • Solver and solution methods
  • Tolerance and options
 No settings in dynamics and non-linear analyses including separating contact with friction
Solution adaptation is mostly based on local energy density change, it is relative
  • Rarely used for assemblies
 Solution adaptation is based on local energy density change and absolute errors on boundary
  • Always active
  • Easy to set both global (whole assembly) and local (part based) solution adaption
  • Reaction forces at support and connections are very accurate

For additional information, visit the Altair website.