Finite Element Analysis Resources

Below is a comprehensive collection of finite element analysis (FEA) tutorials in SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor, NX, and Ansys^®.

Irrespective of your basic modeling software, finite element analysis (FEA) can be performed in any of the other commercially available software. You will have to save your part model in an interchangable file format. Formats like .x_t (Parasolid), .igs (IGES), and .stp (STEP) are acceptable in most of the CAD and FEA packages.

FEA Tutorials for SolidWorks

1. SolidWorks Help for FEA Simulation: Webpage, Videos
2. Basic Static Analysis: Tutorial 1, Tutorial 2
3. Nonlinear Metal Yield: Tutorial
4. Flow Simulation: Tutorial
5. Exporting Pressure from Flow Simulation to Static Analysis: Tutorial
6. Static and Fatigue Analysis: Tutorial
7. An Introduction to Beam Analysis: Tutorial
8. Simply-Supported Beams using Beam Mesh: Tutorial
9. Truss Analysis: Tutorial

FEA Tutorials for Autodesk Inventor

1. Autodesk Help for FEA Simulation: Webpage
2. Using Stress Analysis in Autodesk Inventor: Webpage 1 Webpage 2
3. Basic Static Analysis: Tutorial 1, Tutorial 2, Tutorial 3, Tutorial 4
4. Optimization using Autodesk Inventor Tutorial 1, Tutorial 2, Tutorial 3
5. Dynamic Simulation: Tutorial 1, Tutorial 2

FEA Tutorials for NX

1. NX Help for FEA Simulation:
   1. Open NX
   2. Create a new file
   3. Go to Start and select Advanced Simulation
   4. Go to Help and Select on context, the help file will open in an internet browser
   5. Allow blocked content, click on the contents button (on the left of the screen)
   6. You will get the NX product help for motion simulation
   An Introduction to Advanced Simulation in NX is available here.
2. Basic Static Analysis: Tutorial
3. Advanced Flow Analysis: Tutorial
4. Contact Analysis: Tutorial
5. Analysis with Flexible Bodies: Tutorial
6. Thermal Analysis: Tutorial Part 1, Tutorial Part 2, Tutorial Part 3

FEA Tutorials for Ansys^®

1. Ansys Mechanical APDL Tutorials: Manual
2. Exporting to Ansys: Tutorial
3. Basic Stress Analysis: Tutorial
4. Stress Analysis in Workbench: Tutorial
5. Structural Analysis in Workbench: Tutorial
6. Two-Dimensional Heat Transfer Analysis: Tutorial
7. Static and Fatigue Analysis: Tutorial
8. Beam Analysis: Tutorial

Steps to convert part files to interchangable file formats

Exporting from SolidWorks:

1. Open the assembly or the CAD model
2. Go to File -> Save as -> save the CAD model as a parasolid (.x_t) or IGES (.igs) or PRO-E part (.prt) or as a CATIA graphics (.cgr) -> Click Save
3. Detailed procedure is available at: Webpage

Importing into SolidWorks:

1. To import a file from another software, Click File -> select Open.
2. In the dialog box -> select the File Type (.x_t or .igs or .prt or .cgr)
3. Select the File -> click Open
4. Detailed procedure is available at: Webpage

Exporting from NX:

1. Click on File -> Export -> save the CAD model as a parasolid (.x_t) or IGES (.igs) or PRO-E part (.prt) or as a CATIA graphics (.cgr)
2. Click on Data to Export -> select Export -> select Objects
3. Select the object to export
4. Click OK.
5. A video tutorial is available at: Tutorial

Importing into a NX file:

1. Click on File -> Import
2. Select the File type of the part/assembly to be imported
3. In the dialog box select the file and click OK
4. A video tutorial is available at: Tutorial

Guidelines for other CAD software, such as, Autodesk Inventor, and Pro-E can be readily found in the software documentation (Help Menu, and Internet)

In case you have any questions or need help with your analysis, contact your project coordinator(s)