# Presentation: 758893

## Advanced FEMAP Programming with Applications to Structural Analysis

**William L. McGill**
*wmcgill@swales.com*

- FEMCI Workshop 2002

**Notes:**
This is a brief discussion on the potential for using FEMAP to automate simple analysis tasks and document their results.

## Typical Analysis Process

- Six “Easy” Steps

- FEMCI Workshop 2002

**Notes:**
The whole process of structural design and analysis can be simplified to six steps. The first is design which often requires the use of solid modeling package. Once the geometry of the structure is created, it is up to us, the analysts, to take this geometry and reduce it down to an idealized mesh that a solver can understand. Once the mesh is created, loads and boundary conditions must be applied in order to obtain the desired results. As soon as the solver finishes its magic, we examine the results using a post-processor, then follow up with either conventional hand analysis, data analysis using some form of software, contour inspection, etc. After long tedious hours of such analysis, we then have the luxury of having to generate some sort of document that explains our results.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have our post-processor take care of the last two steps of the analysis process? After all, isn’t a post-processor supposed to display our answers? Granted, much of structural analysis is an art that requires careful interpretation of structural behavior. However, the time spent doing simple tasks such as fastener analysis I better left to the computer. So, in this presentation I propose a simpler (yet more complex) analysis approach.

## Simplified Analysis Process

- Now only FOUR steps
- Use FEMAP to Control External Software

- FEMCI Workshop 2002

**Notes:**
Let’s program the post-processor to take care of the “simple” analysis.

As you can see, the first three steps never change (unless, of course, there exists a tool that pre-processes WHILE we design). However, the remaining three steps of the typical analysis process can be easily reduced to one single step, all contained within the pre-processor. My pre-processor of choice, though it has its limitations, is FEMAP.

## FEMAP’s Programming Capabilities

- Old Versions of FEMAP
- Advanced Programming Interface (API)
- Add more functionality to FEMAP
- Interface with other VB driven programs
- But **NOT** vice-versa
- New to FEMAP v8.1
- Object Linking and Embedding (OLE)
- Objects that define FEMAP processes
- Two-way communication with OLE programs

- FEMCI Workshop 2002

**Notes:**
For those of us that are familiar with FEMAP, you might recall that for years (since version 6, I believe) FEMAP has had the capability to execute scripts and interact with outside software that operates on the OLE backbone. Unfortunately, though FEMAP and its Advanced Programming Interface could talk to external programs, it was incapable of taking external instructions. That is, with the API, FEMAP can control EXCEL, but EXCEL could not control FEMAP.

Recently, the whole seven guys at FEMAP decided to do something wonderful – they added OLE extensions to FEMAP. A simple addition, really. Now in version 8.1, FEMAP can be completely controlled by external software through femap object classes. Here is an example.

## Example 1: Organizing a FEMAP Model

- Use EXCEL to Control FEMAP
- Renumber Entities
- Nodes, Elements, Properties, Materials, etc.
- By layer, color, group, etc.
- Extract Model Information
- Mass, Volume, CG, Layer/Group/Color Name, etc.
- Output Model Information
- All Information Displayed in a Formatted Table
- Can Be Easily Transferred to a Stress Report

- FEMCI Workshop 2002

## Example 1: Organizing a FEMAP Model

- +

- =

**FEA Model**

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## Example 1: Sample EXCEL Output

- FEMCI Workshop 2002

## Post-Processing Tasks

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## The FEMAP Database

- Can store any form of information
- This includes analysis results from external software
- Results can be retrieved and formatted as a MS Word document
- Database can be manipulated by external software
- So long as it is OLE compatible
- Demonstrated in the previous example

- FEMCI Workshop 2002

## Example 2: Fastener Analysis

- Analyze Fasteners for Tension Failure

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## Example 2: Screen Shots

***Example 2: Screen Shots***

- Step 1: Select Fastener Elements

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## Example 2: Screen Shots (cont’d)

- Step 2: Select Output Set

- Step 3: Specify Fastener Options

- FEMCI Workshop 2002

## Example 2: Crunch Numbers in EXCEL

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## Example 2: Display Analysis Output

- Process Can Be Extended to Virtually any Analysis Task

- FEMCI Workshop 2002

## ‘How Can I Do These Cool Things?

- IF (you are a FEMAP User...) IS TRUE THEN
- Step 1: Upgrade to FEMAP v8.1
- Step 2: Play Around with Visual Basic for Applications
- Very, Very Simple Compared to C++, FORTRAN
- Step 3: Review the FEMAP Programmers Manual
- Copy from FEMAP Install CD or Download from EDS
- Step 4: Use the “Help” Files of OLE Compatible Software
- Here is where you can find examples on how to use the specific OLE interface objects for each program
- Step 5: Come up with Cool Ideas
- R.O.T.: There is ALWAYS something that needs to be simpler
- ELSE
- Become a FEMAP User (LOOP)
- END IF

- FEMCI Workshop 2002

## Future Possibilities

- Buckling Analysis according to Bruhn
- Algorithm to Identify a Representative Stress to Compare to Buckling Allowables
- Store Element Information within FEMAP Database
- Examples
- Fastener sizes represented by springs
- Idealized BC information for QUADs that make up a panel
- Recover This Information As Needed for Analysis
- Automated Documentation of Model with Screen Shots according to Layer or Group
- Expand Element, Property, and Material Database
- Add Unsupported/Custom Element and Property Types
- Anything Else...

- FEMCI Workshop 2002