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Mechanical Engineering vocabulary · CAD, Drawings and Simulation

Finite element analysis

Meaning in mechanical engineering, with examples

nounCommon term

In mechanical engineering, finite element analysis means: A computer method that divides a part into many small elements, called a mesh, to calculate stress, deflection, temperature or vibration under given loads.

In Turkish: sonlu elemanlar analizi, sonlu elemanlar yöntemi

How it is used

Used in design validation and usually shortened to FEA. Engineers build a mesh, apply loads and boundary conditions, run the analysis and check the results against hand calculations or tests. Common software includes ANSYS, Abaqus and the simulation tools inside CAD programs.

Example sentences

  1. The finite element analysis shows a stress peak at the weld toe.

  2. Refine the mesh around the hole and run the finite element analysis again.

Common collocations

  • FEA model
  • run an FEA
  • mesh
  • boundary conditions
  • FEA results
  • stressThe internal force inside a material divided by the area it acts on. It shows how hard a part is being pulled, pushed, bent or twisted and is measured in MPa or psi.
  • CADShort for computer-aided design: software used to create 3D models and 2D drawings of parts and assemblies, such as SolidWorks, CATIA, Siemens NX or AutoCAD.
  • deflectionHow far a beam, shaft or other part bends or moves away from its original position when a load is applied, usually measured in millimeters.
  • modulus of elasticityA material property that shows how stiff a material is: the ratio of stress to strain in the elastic range. It is about 200 GPa for steel and 70 GPa for aluminum.
  • CFDShort for computational fluid dynamics: computer simulation of how liquids and gases flow, together with the pressure, temperature and heat transfer that come with the flow.

More terms: CAD, Drawings and Simulation

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