A PSE for Finite Element Method

Abstract A Problem Solving Environment for the finite element method (FEM-PSE) is an application system to support users pursuing a career in the finite element analysis (FEA). There are two types of users associated with the FEA. One is analysis-user who uses application software of the FEM and the other is development-user who develops application software of the FEM. We used an abstraction technique in the FEM-PSE for improving an operability of analysis-uses and development efficiency of development-users. The feature of an abstraction is modularization of functions of processes in the FEA. An executable module of the FEA named “FEM Module” is separated from the FEM-PSE by an interface. The “FEM Module” is developed by development-user and controlled by an executable program of the FEM-PSE with Graphical User Interface (GUI). The FEM-PSE helps analysis-users to set analysis conditions, run a simulation and visualize simulation results by similar operation on the various FEA offered by the “FEM module”. Also developmentusers can produce the “FEM module” efficiently because the independence of the development work is improved by the modularization. To develop application software of the FEM, development-users need to develop some functions such as reading and writing data, making simultaneous equations in the FEM and solving the equations etc. A Processing of making simultaneous equations is peculiar to the FEM and the other processing can be shared for development of FEM applications as common functions. The FEM-PSE provides common functions to development-users so that they can develop a function of making simultaneous equations efficiently. The FEM-PSE aims to improve work efficiency of analysis-users and development-users based on our detailed research in the FEA.