New to FEA

[iquack]

Our company is new to FEA. We are looking for a package to do basic analysis of primarily vessels and enclosures to assess their ability to withstand pressures both internal and external. We also have the need for relatively simple structural analysis. The information and opinions on different FEA packages is overwhelming to someone not well versed in the use or language of FEA. I am looking for advice on a couple of appropriate packages that I can analyze for the best fit for our company.

Thanks,

Chris

 

[TGS4]

By vessel and enclosures, are you meaning pressure vessels to the ASME (or equivalent around the world) Code?

If so, how are you going to train your personnel to perform the analyses? Will you invest the time and money that it takes to get these people up to speed? Do you have any idea how long it will take to bring people up to speed?

 

[iquack]

Not pressure vessel type enclosures. We are looking to analyze equipment such as baghouses, silos, bins, hoppers etc. for purposes of NFPA explosion protection.

We will likely hire someone experienced to do this work for us. We have a couple of people with minimal FEA experience, but realize that it will take someone with a lot of experience to provide what we need.

Chris

 

[petb]

Iquack,

Bins and hoppers are often thin-shelled circular structures as you probably know... They are really, really hard to evaluate using finite elements given the often really complex load situations that may arise from unevenly distributed matters in the hoppers. At least in where I am from , this is something that you "normally" design using semi-empirical formulas for thin-shelled structures.
Just my 0.02 kr.

 

[petb]

Sorry,
My last post was largely incorrect. The direct translation of hopper to my language made assume they where always thin shells. I have realised that this is incorrect, please disregard from the previous post.

 

[ShellsPlatesMeshes]

Finite Element Analysis of thin-walled shells is a very special area. The choice of a particular FEA software is not the central issue here. Much more important are (a) accurate application of the relevant loads and boundary conditions (a slight change or mistake may lead to completely incorrect results in terms of nodal displacements and the components of the stress tensor); and (b) mechanical interpretation of the obtained results. As an example of modeling and mechanical interpretation of a thin-walled shell structure (probably similar to the class of problems you intend to solve), I suggest that you visit the following page (it contains an example and a reference to non-commercial software program that delivered the results):

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~comecau/quad_shell.htm

You are welcome to ask any further questions.

 

[BlasMolero]

Dear Chris,
I run FEMAP & NX Nastran from SIEMENS that give the user plenty of resources to create midsurfaces and mesh with Shell & Plate elements of thin wall structures, really powerful and excellent price/performance ratio. Here you have a VIDEO of midsurface extraction & meshing blog in the following address:

http://iberisa.wordpress.com/2012/09/26/41-femap-midsurface-modeling-metodo-offset/

http://youtu.be/FlF6mCO8lYw

Best regards,
Blas.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Blas Molero Hidalgo
Ingeniero Industrial
Director

IBERISA
48004 BILBAO (SPAIN)
WEB:

http://www.iberisa.com

Blog de FEMAP & NX Nastran:

http://iberisa.wordpress.com/