Finite element analysis (FEA) pre-processing is considered to be an art-form requiring many years of experience before the necessary expertise can be obtained by human analysts to efficiently and reliable develop a numerical model. In the "real" world, design models rarely match the simplistic approach adopted in an academic environment to FEA. Complex 3D parts with intricate boundary and loading conditions are commonly dealt with. Model idealization is an important pre-processing phase of FEA, intended to create a simplified analysis geometry while accurately representing the design form, function and intent. A rule-based expert system named DESIDE-X has been developed which integrates object-oriented programming, a CSG feature-based design representation system and an idealization rule-system that uses heuristic and procedural methods to remove or simplify geometric features that are insignificant from the FEA perspective.
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