QUALITY CHECKS IN FEA

Presented By
Raj Kumar .M
 FINITE ELEMENT ANAYSIS (FEA)
 It is a numerical method for solving the problems of engineering and
mathematical physics.
 Useful for the problems with complicated geometrics, loadings and
material properties where analytical method cannot be obtained.
What we do in FEA ?
• The basic idea of FEA is to make calculations at only limited (Finite)
number of points and then interpolate the results for the entire domain
(surface or volume).
• Any continuous object has infinite degrees of freedom and it’s just not
possible to solve the problem in this format. Finite Element Method
reduces the degrees of freedom from infinite to finite with the help of
discretization or meshing (nodes and elements).
PROCESS INVOLVED IN FEA
 MESHING
• It is the most important step in the FEA as it is responsible for the
accuracy of a model that is used.
• In meshing the CAD model is sub divided into smaller domains called
elements associated with nodes. FEA stimulates the no of elements
and nodes to obtain the results.
• Depending upon the no of nodes and elements the equations are
developed and by this the model is analyzed and the results are
obtained.
 QUALITY CHECKS IN
MESHING
 After meshing, we need to carry out the quality checks to understand
effects of mesh quality of elements in Hyper mesh.

TYPES OF QUALITY CHECKS

 Warpage
 Aspect Ratio
 Skew
 Jacobian
 Chord Deviation
 Length
 Trias (min angle & max angle )
 Quads ( min angle & max angle )
 WARPAGE
o This is the amount by which an element (or in the case of solid
elements, an element face) deviates from being planar.
o The quad is divided into two trias along its diagonal, and the angle
between the trias normal is measured. Warpage of up to five degrees is
generally acceptable.
o Ideal value = 0 deg. (Acceptable < 10 deg).
 ASPECT RATIO
o This is the ratio of the longest edge of an element to either its shortest
edge.
o maximum element edge length / minimum element edge length
Ideal value = 1 (Acceptable < 5).
 SKEW
o Skew in trias is calculated by finding the minimum angle between the
vector from each node to the opposing mid-side and the vector
between the two adjacent mid-sides at each node of the element.
Ninety degrees minus the minimum angle found is reported.

Triangle skew = 90 - a
o Skew in quads is calculated by finding the minimum angle between
two lines joining opposite mid-sides of the element. Ninety degrees
minus the minimum angle found is reported.

Square skew = 90 - a
o Ideal value = 0 (Acceptable < 45deg)
 JACOBIAN
o This measures the deviation of an element from its ideal or "perfect"
shape. The Jacobian value ranges from 0.0 to 1.0, where 1.0
represents a perfectly shaped element.
o In simple terms, the jacobian is a scale factor arising because of the
transformation of the coordinate system. Elements are transformed
from the global coordinates to local coordinates (defined at the
centroid of every element), for faster analysis times.
o Ideal value = 1.0 (Acceptable > 0.6 )
 CHORDIAL DEVIATION
o Curved surfaces can be approximated by using many short lines
instead of a true curve. Chordal deviation is the perpendicular distance
between the actual curve and the approximating line segments.