FEM system MEANS V8 for

Windows XP and VISTA

Installation under Windows XP and VISTA

3D Unstructured Tetrahedral Mesh

STL Optimization

Mesh Generator

Mesh Refinement

Generate surface model

Point Loads

Boundary Conditions

Insert Material datas

FEM Analysis

Postprocessing

Download MEANS V8 Demo

Since August 2007 a new MEANS V8 Version is available for the teathraron FEM-Analysis. This version also do not run anymore under Windows 2000 downwards but only under Windows XP and VISTA. Additionally the installation of the DirectX9 developed by Microsoft 9 is required (though as a counterpart to the OpenGL by Sun)

Improvements and News:

· Now the model can be rotated arbitrary in the room

· improved rendering and faster Hidden-Line

· solide, and arbitrary extensible XML-material data base

· improved interactive surface selection (no wire mesh-selection anymore, but surfaces are no pictured as surfaces).

· improved 3D mesh generation by a STL optimizer

· improvement only if USER-access right (without administration rights)

Installation under Windows XP and VISTA

Put in the MEANS V8-CD or download the software and start the installation setup program.

Licence agreement

At first the licence agreement appears which you need to confirm otherwise you can not install MEANS V8.

Target list/Access right

Chose the target list suggested or chose another list with the browser for which you have the access right.

Install DirectX9

In case you can not start MEANS V8 after installation you need to install a DirectX9-Installation. For this chose the extra configurated Start-Menü „install DirectX9 “.

3D Unstructured Tetrahedral Mesh

Chose the Icon in the view bar and the Dropdown-Menü

„3D Unstructured Tetrahedral Mesh “.

It appears a dialogue box, here the CAD-Formats are shown:

STL for the mesh generation the best appropriated format

DXF mainly for the 2D mesh generation or for the 2D/3D patch mesh

generator for 3D shells and hexahedron elements

STEP/IGES less appropriated, because often to fine meshes with too many

elements (>150 000) are created

In case that only STEP- or IGES-files are available, these could also be saved in the mesh generator Nr. 2 as STL-files and load in, these often bring better results with less elements.

STL Optimization

Especially from „older CAD-systems“ contain „flipped triangles“, „bad edges“, „holes“ or other defects and have to be repaired before they can get installed into the mesh generator.

The just now used STL-file from the CAD-system Pro/Engineer has for instance „6 disconnected facets“ respectively. „6 disconnected edges“ and is repaired before the mesh generation automatically. For this you have to put two hooks at the STL-optimization.

Very expensive STL-Repairsoftware like for example Viscam, Materialise or Cadfix can now be saved due to the new STL-optimization.

It appears a MS-DOS-window with the indication of the performed test. Please after that press a key to close the window.

Mesh Generator No. 2

The mesh generator No 2 will automatically started and the CAD-Modell is shown in a windows frame. You can arbitrary turn it and see it in the room with the right mouse button.

Different mesh densities

In the mesh generator No. 2 different mesh densities can be configurated by the Menü „Mesh“ and „Meshing Options:

· very coarse

· coarse

· moderate

· fine

· very fine

GENERATE MESH

Now chose the menu „Generate Mesh“ in order to generate 5312 tetrahedron element in the FEM mesh existend of 1694 nodes.

mesh succesfully generated when the Elements becomes a value > 0

Mesh Refinement

With the menu „Refinement“ and „Refine uniform“ the whole mesh can be refined, whereas out of 1 tetrahedron 8 new tetrahedrons are created.

Export mesh with name „test.fem“

If after the mesh generation the number of components is shown on the left buttom, than the mesh is successfully generated and one can it export for MEANS.

Now chose the menu „File“ and „Export Mesh“ in order to export the mesh under the name „test.fem“. Now the Preprozessor of MEANS V8 is automatically started and the FEM-Modell in Hidden-Line is shown.

export mesh with name „test.fem“

Zoom and increase the model

You can arbitrary zoom and increase the model with the scroll wheel of the mouse.

Rotate the model

You can arbitrary rotate the model in the room with the right mouse key around the X- and Y-axis and with left mouse key rotate around the Z-axis.

Generate surface model

Chose the menu „Generate Surface Model“ in order to strip the model into surfaces. The surfaces can be deactivated for the creation of nodes and surface loads.

Once again chose the menu „create surfaces and edges“ in order to create the surfaces. Thus in case of big models the surface investigation does not take too long with „1“ or „2“ only can be striped the right or left half.

After the decompostition of surfaces you can strip the individual surfaces.

The edge model also can be shown.

Point Loads

At first select the surfaces 17 und press on the right mouse key to stop the selection. Now chose on the right side the menu „Select Nodes of Edges” in order to show the nodes of edges on the surfaces.

Template Model

As a Template Model it is also possible to pick up the nodes without the model.

After that chose in the menu list the menu „Point Loads”

and indicate the actual load number “1”, the load value15 N and the load direction in X direction, after that chose „Create Point Loads” and nodal point 1821 with a double click on. This is shown in the select box, there with the menu „Create“ create the load.

The second point load is created analogue, at first the surface mode start with „select surfaces“ and select the surface 18 and stop the mode with the right mouse key, than chose the menu „Select nodes of edges” and click on the node1749 with a double click.

Editor

With „Edit” and „Point Loads / Surface Loads“ it is possible to list and edit the loads

Boundary Conditions

Chose in the menu list „Boundary Conditions“ as well as the degree of freedom „Clamped fixed”

Clamped fixed

Than chose „Create Boundary Conditions“ and select the fixing surface 27.

In order to select the fixing surface press on the surface 27 and again on the right mouse key to stop the selection and double click on the surface 32.

This is shown in the Select-Box „create“ and finally the edge conditions are created and shown.

Insert Material datas

Chose the menu „Edit” and „Material datas“ in order to list the material datas of solids:

· Young modulus (Steel = 210 000 N/mm²)

· Poisson Ratio (Steel = 0.3)

· Density (Steel = 7800 E-9 kg/m³)

Material Data Base

Chose the menu „Material Data Base”, there you chose the material „steel“ and chose „overtake material “ in order to take up the material data Young modulus, Poisson Ratio and Density.

Also it is possible to “Add” a new material or to “Edit” the material data base.

FEM Analysis

At first save the model under the name: „Leaf_Spring_with_5312_Elements.fem“ into the current path of structure models.

Than chose the menu „FEM Analysis” and „FEM Analysis”. A frame of Windows is opened – and the FEM-Solver starts with the FEM Analysis which can take many hours at big FEM model with more than 100 000 tetrahedron elements.

At the end the maximum values of the deformation are shown. With the key “Enter” you return to the main program. There you chose „Step 2 start postprocessing“ in order to analyse the results in colour.

Postprocessing

After the FEM Analysis or with the menu appears a dialogue box for the analysis of results of deformation and stress.

Contour of Stress

Overtake the previous settings and chose „Start Postprocessing“

Turn colours

Chose on the left legend side „Edit“ and „Turn Colours“ in order to turn the colour palette.

Deformation factor

Chose on the left legend side „Edit“ and „Displacement Facor“ and insert the deformation factor of 2 in order to see the deformation better.

Maximum value

Chose on the left side „Processing“ and „Maximum value“ and insert a Maximum value of 500 in order to see better the medium stress.

Contour of Displacements

Chose „Contour of Displacements“ and the component „Displacement in X Direction“ in order to analyse the deformation in X direction.